Colombian Pacific Research Articles

Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal trends in sea surface temperature in the major marine protected areas of the Eastern Tropical Pacific

The Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) is characterized by complex oceanographic dynamics that affect the regional sea surface temperature (SST), a key parameter driving marine ecosystems. To date no comparative studies have been conducted on the spatial and temporal variations of SST among the several marine protected areas in the ETP. The present study used remote sensing to evaluate the monthly, annual, and decadal variations in SST from 1982 to 2019 in Coiba National Park (Coiba), Cocos Island National Park (Cocos), Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary (Malpelo), Gorgona Island National Park (Gorgona), Galápagos Marine Reserve (Galápagos) and La Plata Island (La Plata). An overall increasing trend in SST was observed across all study sites, except for West Galápagos. A decrease in SST anomaly was observed from February through April at Malpelo, Coiba, Gorgona and La Plata. These observations are likely in response to the Humboldt Current and upwelling events in the Colombian Pacific Basin. Using a longer SST dataset is recommended to determine if the annual, monthly and decadal trends observed here are driven by local, regional or global processes. Consistent monitoring of SST trends is a strategic practice in understanding and planning for current and projected changes in the marine environment.

Pensar la SSR en el Pacífico: Reflexiones desde la literatura

Thinking about Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Pacific region implies great research challenges. The lack of statistics and research in this regard doubles the challenges to understand the phenomenon in these territories. However, this article proposes that the literature on the development of international and national policies on SRH can serve to guide research in this regard in the Colombian Pacific. In this way, it explores the normative development on SRH at the international level, hand in hand with feminist and academic criticism in this regard. Then, it describes the national progress in policies on SRH, so that it points out the academic criticism of these advances at the international level and shows the dialogues of this national regulation with the international advances in the matter. Likewise, it locates the main criticisms of the literature on the development and implementation of normative policies on SRH, so that it shows how the main studies on the subject in Guapi and Buenaventura are inserted in these criticisms.

Optimization of the design of an oscillating water column for the Pacific Ocean conditions using the response surface methodology

Wave energy possesses a significant potential as a sustainable and renewable source of power due to its abundant presence in the Earth’s oceans. This research focused on the assessment of the hydrodynamic efficiency (ɛ) of a resonant chamber within an OWC (oscillating water column) system. Four geometric design parameters of the resonant chamber (h1/h, b2/h, d/b2 and α) were selected to optimize ɛ, being h the depth of the water; h1 and α correspond to the vertical length and angle of inclination of the front wall, respectively; b2 is the width of the resonant chamber, and d represents the diameter of the air outlet hole. To analyze the system, a combined approach utilizing CFD with the VoF (volume of fluid) method and the response surface methodology (RSM) was adopted. The RSM employed a FCCD (face-centered central composite design) to optimize the factors, while the VoF method enabled to simulate in a detailed way the fluid behavior. The ANSYS-Fluent software was employed to perform a transient simulation. A second-order regression model was constructed and validated based on the simulation results. The quadratic regression model exhibited a high Radj2 value (82.81%) and had a p-value associated ¡0.05 (4.66 × 10-8). Therefore, the model was highly significant in accurately representing the ɛ of the OWC resonant chamber. The highest ɛ value (67.01%) was obtained for h1/h, b2/h , d/b2 and α equal to 0.7786, 0.4455, 0.0863, and 89.38°, respectively. The numerical results were validated with the Stokes second-order wave theory and a good correlation was observed with the numerical findings. This study demonstrates that the designed and optimized OWC can be effectively utilized in the Colombian Pacific Ocean to generate electrical energy, promoting economic development in the area.

Evaluation of bivalve spat recruitment in artificial collectors to identify potential species for small-scale farming in the north Pacific coast of Colombia

Decreases in fish stocks have led to new resource research, particularly in the Colombian Pacific where only a few species have traditionally been exploited. Among commercial species, bivalves are commonly implemented in small-scale aquaculture and their success and sustainability depend on consistent larval recruitment. Therefore, we evaluated the spat recruitment of some bivalves species and their potential for marine aquaculture in the north Colombian Pacific. To assess their potential, artificial substrates were exposed to different depths (3, 6, 9, and 12 m) during three immersion times (two, four, and six months) in five collecting stations along Bahía Cupica (Chocó department). Only Pinctada mazatlanica (Hanley, 1856) spat were recruited over the entire period, reaching up to 3.70 ± 5.76 individuals/collector (mean ± SD) on the external stations. Considering immersion times and depths, the highest recruitments were recorded after two months at 6 m depth. Also, two other species with potential commercial interest were recruited, Pinna rugosa Sowerby I, 1835 and Isognomon janus Carpenter, 1857. The densities and distributions of P. rugosa were very similar to P. mazatlanica; in turn, I. janus was the dominant species among the bivalve community. Hence, we highlight the potential of P. mazatlanica as an alternative resource in the north Colombian Pacific due to their continuous recruitment, as well as the potential exploitation of P. rugosa and I. janus due to their simultaneous recruitment. Furthermore, we highlight the benefits of cultivating these species, and particularly P. mazatlanica, as could significantly improve the economy and food security of local communities.

Unlocking Natural Capital in the Megadiverse Colombian Pacific Basin: Navigating Challenges and Governance Gaps

The Pacific region is considered a biodiversity hotspot and presents high species endemic levels. The Colombian Pacific basin occupies an area of approximately eight million hectares, located in the country’s west. The literature about the economic valuation of ecosystem services (ES) and the spatial information on natural resources in the Colombian Pacific basin was revised through various information sources to document the earliest approximation to the state, spatial distribution, and economic value of the natural capital at the scale of biomes, specific ecosystems, and political-administrative units. Our assessment estimated a natural capital loss of 40 billion Int.$2020/year (15% of Colombian GDP in 2020) and a remnant natural capital worth 139 billion Int.$2020/year (51% of Colombia’s GDP in 2020) for 15 ecosystem services. This research establishes that a potential expansion in livestock production systems will generate an additional loss of natural capital between six and eight billion Int.$2020/year. Additionally, we include an analysis based on the GLOBIO4 initiative models, identifying future natural capital losses between 7.5 and 7.6 billion Int.$2020/year. Lastly, the policy challenges and gaps in research and management concerning this remaining natural capital in the Colombian Pacific basin are pointed out.

Estimating mangrove aboveground biomass in the Colombian Pacific coast: A multisensor and machine learning approach

The Colombian Pacific Coast is renowned for its exceptional biodiversity and hosts vital mangrove ecosystems that benefit local communities and contribute to climate change mitigation. Therefore, estimating mangrove aboveground biomass (AGB) in this region is crucial for planning and managing these coastal forest covers, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the essential environmental services provided by the Colombian Pacific Coast (CPC). This study employed a spatial estimation approach to assess mangrove AGB, evaluating various parametric and non-parametric models using a multisensor combination and machine learning on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform within the CPC. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imagery (ALOS-2/PALSAR-2, SRTM, NASADEM, and ALOSDSM) and optical data (Landsat 8) were utilized to quantify mangrove AGB in 2022 across the four departments of the CPC. The Random Forest model exhibited superior predictive performance compared to the other models evaluated, achieving values of R2 = 0.783, RMSE = 38.239 [Mg/ha], MAE = 27.409 [Mg/ha], and BIAS = 0.164. Our findings reveal that the mangrove AGB map for the CPC exhibits a mean ± standard deviation of 181.236 ± 28.939 [Mg/ha] across eight classes, ranging from 88.622 [Mg/ha] to 378.21 [Mg/ha]. This research provides valuable information to inform and strengthen various management strategies and decision-making processes for the mangrove forests of the CPC.

Unlocking Natural Capital in the Megadiverse Colombian Pacific Basin: Navigating Challenges and Governance Gaps

The Pacific region is considered a biodiversity hotspot and presents high species endemic levels. The Colombian Pacific basin occupies an area of approximately eight million hectares, located in the country’s west. The literature about the economic valuation of ecosystem services (ES) and the spatial information on natural resources in the Colombian Pacific basin was revised through various information sources to document the earliest approximation to the state, spatial distribution, and economic value of the natural capital at the scale of biomes, specific ecosystems, and political-administrative units. Our assessment estimated a natural capital loss of 40 billion Int.$2020/year (15% of Colombian GDP in 2020) and a remnant natural capital worth 139 billion Int.$2020/year (51% of Colombia’s GDP in 2020) for 15 ecosystem services. This research establishes that a potential expansion in livestock production systems will generate an additional loss of natural capital between six and eight billion Int.$2020/year. Additionally, we include an analysis based on the GLOBIO4 initiative models, identifying future natural capital losses between 7.5 and 7.6 billion Int.$2020/year. Lastly, the policy challenges and gaps in research and management concerning this remaining natural capital in the Colombian Pacific basin are pointed out.

Effect of environmental variables on mercury accumulation in sediments of an anthropogenically impacted tropical estuary (Buenaventura Bay, Colombian Pacific)

Estuaries are the main entry areas of mercury to the marine environment and are important to understand the effect of this contaminant on marine organisms, since it accumulates in the sediments becoming available to enter the food trophic chain. This study aims to determine the environmental variables that mainly influence the spatiotemporal dynamics of total mercury accumulation in sediments of tropical estuaries. Sediment samples were collected from interior and exterior areas of the estuary during the dry and rainy seasons, representing the spatiotemporal gradients of the estuary. The grain size, organic matter content (OM), and total mercury concentration (THg) of the sediment samples were determined. In addition, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH of the water column associated with each sediment sample were assessed. The variations in environmental conditions, OM and THg in sediment were in accordance with a gradient which goes from conditions influenced by fresh water in the inner estuary to conditions influenced by sea water in the outer part of the estuary. The OM and THg in sediments presented similar variation patterns; they were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season and in the interior area of the estuary than in the exterior area. Despite the complex dynamic observed in the distribution and accumulation processes of mercury in sediments, these processes could be modeled from OM and salinity parameters. Due to the correlations found, in the process of accumulation of mercury in sediments the OM could represents the pathway of transport and accumulation of THg, and salinity could represent the influence of the hydroclimatic variations and environmental gradients of the estuary.

¿Qué vamos a comer?

What are specific ways performance contributes to discourses about hunger? One promising intervention is by decolonizing the relationship between food and the land. This essay examines Obsoleta (Obsolete), a multimedia happening by Colombian artistic collective Lenguajes Gastronómicos, as a force of decolonization against industrialized food, economic injustice, and extractivism. We invite readers to think of Colombia's mojojoy (an Amazonian larva) as a source of decolonial knowledge, as an indigenous food source, and as a disruptor of contemporary agribusinesses. Early in the twentieth century, the United Food Company introduced the African Oil Palm to Colombian's Pacific, setting the stage for escalating violations of territorial rights, deforestation, and ecological disasters. For the past hundred years, agribusinesses have fought the mojojoy as a pest that destroys their profitable crop. Obsoleta rebels against the colonial conception of the mojojoy as a biological pest indicating that the palm is the true invasive organism. Colombia's mojojoy is Obsoleta's protagonist. Waiters serve a meal with live mojojoys as the main dish. After fighting their disgust, guests ultimately taste the moving larva. It is a performance of entomophagy that questions colonized assumptions about food. Obsoleta's scenography performs as visual dramaturgy juxtaposing video-art sequences of agribusiness marketing strategies with videos of ultra-processed foods. Our analysis unpacks hunger as a failure of imagination about what we eat and our colonized guts. The Colombian and Mexican scholars of this essay propose a decolonial framework to understand how colonization has made Latin America hungry. Indigenous and local communities have eaten insects like the mojojoy in the Americas for millennia. Obsoleta visualizes a dramatic reimagining for the insect: the mojojoy as disruptor of contemporary industrialized food dynamics and the mojojoy as a food of the future. Although it might be an unwinnable battle for Colombia's invertebrate, it can still damage the industrial food industry by eating it from the insides and by exposing its colonial history.

Gold, cocaine, montage: Latin American sacrifice zones in Michael Taussig’s My Cocaine Museum

ABSTRACT This paper proposes to read Michael Taussig’s My Cocaine Museum (2004) as a forerunner of recent research on the Latin American extractive zone (Gómez-Barris). In his remarkable book, the Australian anthropologist writes on the relation between two prime materials that have an important impact on the past and present of Colombia: gold and cocaine. Focusing on a region close to the Pacific Coast, more specifically the gold-mining village of Santa María, Taussig’s creative work of nonfiction explores the fact that multiple forms of violence (ecological, colonial, extractivist, political) converge in the Timbiquí region. It also makes an innovative move by including cocaine within the discussion on capitalist extractivism. Returning to Taussig’s book is also productive at this stage because it offers a theoretical and artistic starting point for thinking through the social ecologies and the resistance encountered in the extractive region of the Colombian South-West Pacific. Ultimately, this paper argues, My Cocaine Museum constitutes an example of anti-extractivist non-fiction, as it uses montage techniques to create shock, wonder, and hope, to establish unexpected connections between the past and the present, and to revitalise both the Timbiquí region and the official Colombian Gold Museum.

Small-Scale Fisheries in the Colombian Pacific: Understanding the Impact of Climate Change on Fishermen’s Livelihoods

While few have contemplated the potential impacts of climate change on small-scale fisheries and fishermen in the Colombian Pacific, understanding these effects is crucial for devising effective adaptation strategies. This study presents the outcomes of a vulnerability assessment related to climate change for fishermen in the Colombian South Pacific. The assessment employed a multivariable model that considered the sensitivity of marine and coastal ecosystems that support fishing resources alongside fishermen’s adaptability to changes in the biophysical environment. Socioeconomic factors were also scrutinized. The study revealed that 80% of the surveyed fishermen are at a medium to high level of vulnerability due to changes in the distribution of key commercial species, which influences the productivity of their traditional fishing sites. Their vulnerability is primarily attributed to low usage of fishing technologies, the boat engine’s limited propulsion capacity, and a lack of diversity and sustainability in fishing gear. These elements increase their reliance on fishing sites close to the coast (approximately 3 km to 5 km from the shoreline), resulting in a low adaptive capacity for the fishermen. The dominant factor driving the sensitivity component was the economic significance of the fishing gear and the fact that the gear could be more diverse and durable. These findings provide a critical scientific basis for assessing the fishing sector’s vulnerability to climate change and informing future collaborative decision-making in managing small-scale fisheries in the Colombian South Pacific Ocean.

Dominant morphodynamic processes of a macrotidal beach of the eastern tropical Pacific and its relationships with climate variability

In this study, the influence of different coastal processes, including ocean-atmospheric processes of regional scale, on the spatiotemporal variability of the morphodynamic from the emerged zone of a beach in the Colombian eastern tropical Pacific, specifically in the macrotidal regime's Playa La Bocana, was analyzed during 2014–2019. The linear dependence of the sediment volume on the tide, rainfall, and winds was quantified using Pearson correlations and with large-scale oceanic and climatic relationships, that could be related to sediment volume anomalies. The highest correlation sediment volume monthly mean values are presented with the tide on an intra-annual scale. On an inter-annual scale, the sea surface temperature and sea level pressure composites were consistent with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation patterns. Thus, a cooling (warming) of the tropical Pacific is associated with a higher (lower) sediment volume onshore at Playa La Bocana. Furthermore, it was found that increase (decrease) on Swell (Mean Wave Period and Significant Wave Height) decreased (increased) the volume of sediments. These results show that the tide is the main modulator of beach sediment volume changes under the macrotidal regime, on the intra-annual scale, and that on the inter-annual scale, sediment volume responds to the combined effect of the tide and changes in swell intensity modulated by ENSO conditions.

Counter‐powers. The daily life of transitional justice: Women, songs and resistance in Bellavista, Bojayá

AbstractThis article reconstructs the lives of women under transitional justice by narrating their history in Bojayá, in the Colombian Pacific, where one hundred children and adults were killed in clashes between the FARC guerilla and the paramilitary in May 2002. The stories reveal how the women, through games, social construction of the territory, and alabaos (funeral dirges), construct a fundamental counter‐power through which to understand transitional justice. Using photographs of post‐conflict realities in Colombia and ethnographic work carried out since May 2016 in the area, we argue that these sub powers build a kind of infrapolitics that collaborates, challenges, and reconstructs the power of the State as a nodal agent of the “transition” in Colombia. In this sense, the women use and endure the suffering, their condition as victims, and the reality created for them by transitional justice, as a new means by which to bargain conditions of citizenship in precarious contexts.

Transition process from fossil energy to photovoltaic energy power of ethnic communities belonging to the natural parks in the Colombian Pacific: A diagnostic study

AbstractFor an energy transformation project with emerging technologies to be viable and sustainable, it requires community participation, the social appropriation of the knowledge of the technology to be implemented, and the assessment of its social and environmental impact. In this context, this research carried out a diagnostic study on the energy consumption of ethnic communities belonging to National Natural Parks in the Colombian Pacific in order to provide indicators of the potential and relevance of portable photovoltaic solar energy for small-scale energy supply in these communities. For this purpose, four strategic sites in the district of Buenaventura were selected to implement questionnaires to collect technical data on demographic characterization (age, occupation, ethnicity, educational level, residence time), solar exposure, architectural infrastructure, energy sources, use of electrical elements, and energy consumption. The study focused on five sectors of interest: (i) housing, (ii) microenterprises, (iii) schools, (iv) health centers, and (v) boats. Fuelwood and diesel were found to be the main sources of energy in the region; this represents continuous pollution of gases and noise. Electricity is supplied mainly through diesel power generators with a cost per kWh higher by 86% than the average value in the interconnected area. It was identified that the most representative economic activities of these communities are fishing, and other activities associated with tourism; therefore, after diagnosing the use of low-power electrical elements in different types of boats, we propose a portable photovoltaic solar system adjusted to local environmental conditions and the needs of artisanal fishing.

Seasonal variation in plastic litter pollution in mangroves from two remote tropical estuaries of the Colombian Pacific

Mangroves in estuaries are highly vulnerable to the impacts of plastic litter pollution, because their location at river mouths and the high capacity of mangrove trees to trap plastic items. Here, we present new results on the abundance and characteristics of plastic litter during high and low rainfall seasons in mangrove waters and sediments of the Saija and Timbiqui River estuaries in the Colombian Pacific. In both estuaries, microplastics were the most common size (50–100 %), followed by mesoplastics (13–42 %) and macroplastics (0–8 %). Total abundances of plastic litter were higher during the high rainfall season (0.17–0.53 items/m−3 in surface waters and 764–832 items/m−2 in sediments), with a moderately positive relationship between plastic abundances recorded in both environmental matrices. The most common microplastics were foams and fragments. Continuous research and monitoring are required for a better understanding and management of these ecosystems and their threats.

Development and Well¯being: Maritime Infrastructure and Ocean Grabbing on the Colombian Pacific Coast

The Colombian government’s proposal for the Tribugá Port project puts in evidence the juxtaposition of dominant approaches to development and place-based well-being strategies of local communities. The extension of the national maritime infrastructure network follows mainstream development narratives centered around the spatial reorganization and expansion of capitalism to cater to the needs of industrial and commercial accumulation. Ethno-development plans and interviews indicate that local well-being initiatives rooted in local livelihoods, identity, culture, and environmental conservation form the basis for resisting the Tribugá Port project. Such well-being perspectives not only provide a different understanding of development but also are likely to lead to a different outcome because they foster inclusive and sustainable processes and a sense of solidarity, self-determination, and self-management of resources. La propuesta del gobierno colombiano para el proyecto del Puerto de Tribugá pone en evidencia la yuxtaposición de enfoques dominantes para el desarrollo y las estrategias de bienestar implementadas en los sitios de comunidades locales. La extensión de la red nacional de infraestructura marítima sigue las narrativas principales de desarrollo centradas en la reorganización espacial y la expansión del capitalismo para satisfacer las necesidades de la acumulación industrial y comercial. Los planes de etnodesarrollo y las entrevistas indican que las iniciativas locales de bienestar arraigadas en medios de vida locales, la identidad, la cultura y la conservación del medio ambiente forman la base para resistir el proyecto del Puerto de Tribugá. Tales perspectivas de bienestar no solo proporcionan una comprensión diferente del desarrollo, sino que también es probable que conduzcan a un resultado diferente porque fomentan procesos inclusivos y sustentables, así como un sentido de solidaridad, autodeterminación y autogestión de los recursos.

A human-centered approach to regional off-grid electrification budgeting: the Colombian case

The United Nations’ seventh Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) calls for clean and affordable energy to boost social mobility, especially in disadvantaged rural communities. Regional off-grid budget-allocation planning for rural electrification is traditionally performed following a minimum energy-cost paradigm. However, such a planning paradigm has had little impact on communities’ development. This study proposes a human-centered approach as an alternative planning paradigm. In this regard, we outline a bi-objective optimization model that evaluates the potential contributions of different budget-allocation strategies on energy costs and rural communities’ human development. The model is applied to the Colombian Pacific Coast, an impoverished region with several communities with various unmet human needs including education, nutrition, and health. Our results indicate that when budget-allocation decisions are made by the national government following the energy cost-minimization paradigm only a few communities benefit, leaving many with poor energy access for potential future human development. However, if the maximization of the Human Development Index (HDI) is employed as a planning paradigm the most disadvantaged subregions improve their energy service for a marginal cost, increasing their chances for potential improvements in human development. The results also suggest that the current off-grid electrification budget provided by the national government is not enough to improve the region’s chances of advancing its HDI level from low (HDI < 0.55) to medium (HDI ≥ 0.55), but doubling the budget would do so. Thus, this study contributes to the energy-sustainability literature by proposing a new planning paradigm for regional off-grid electrification.

High seropositivity against NDO-LID in a group of household contacts of leprosy patients. Are we close to leprosy elimination in Colombia?

ABSTRACT Introduction. Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by two mycobacteria (Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis). The household contacts (HHC) of leprosy index cases are at higher risk of being infected with these mycobacteria. Therefore, serological testing in HHC would be an effective strategy to eliminate leprosy in Colombia. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence and factors associated with the infection by M. leprae in HHC. Methods: An observational study was conducted in 428 HHC located in the Colombian Caribbean, Andean, Pacific, and Amazonian regions. We evaluated the seropositivity and titrations of IgM, IgG, and protein A against NDO-LID. Results: The evaluated HHC showed high seropositivity, precisely 36.9% anti-NDO-LID IgM, 28.3% anti-NDO-LID IgG, and 47.7% protein A. Furthermore, Protein A showed a greater capacity to detect infected individuals than other anti-NDO-LID conjugates (p < 0.0001). This study did not show differences in the seropositivity according to sex or age of the HHC (p > 0.05). Higher seropositivity for IgM was evidenced mainly in HHC located in the Colombian Pacific region (p 0.001). This research did not show differences in the seropositivity for these serological tests between HHC of PB or MB leprosy patients (p > 0.05). Conclusion. Leprosy transmission is still active between Colombian HHC. Consequently, controlling leprosy transmission in this population is fundamental to eradicating this disease.

Spatial and Temporal Diversity Variation in the Anopheles Communities in Malaria-Endemic Regions of Colombia.

This study aimed to evaluate at a temporospatial scale, the influence of anthropogenic land cover changes in the Anopheles species community composition and diversity in two Colombian malaria-endemic regions, Bajo Cauca and Pacific. To determine variations over time, mosquitoes were collected in two time periods; land cover types were characterized on orthorectified aerial photographs, and landscape metrics were estimated for each locality and period. A temporal dissimilarity analysis to evaluated species replacement and the nestedness species loss/gain showed the influence of the species loss or gain component on Anopheles species assemblage (23%). The relationship between land cover variation and Anopheles beta diversity, evaluated by regression analysis, showed the effect of forest variation in the Anopheles community (βsim and forest r2 = 0.9323; βsne and forest r2 = 0.9425). Furthermore, a canonical correspondence analysis showed that the land cover types associated with Anopheles species presence were bare soil, shrub, wet areas, and forest. Results demonstrated the impact of land cover changes attributed to human activities on Anopheles population dynamics, over time; this was evidenced as species loss or gain, which was specific to each locality. Notably, the main malaria vectors were dominant in most localities over time, suggesting their tolerance to anthropogenic transformations; alternatively, the environmental changes are providing adequate ecological conditions for their persistence. Finally, the data generated are relevant for understanding the impact that environmental change may have on the dynamics of the neotropical malaria vectors. Thus, this research has potential implications for vector control interventions.

Terrestrial food web of the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, Colombia: An analysis from a topological approach

Malpelo Island is the largest marine protected area (MPA) in the Colombian Pacific; however, the lack of information regarding its ecological dynamics suggests that management and conservation strategies are developed from an individual approach (species or groups of species) and not from an ecosystem one. This study analyzes the terrestrial food web of Malpelo Island, Colombia, based on topological analysis (e.g., centrality). The food web was constructed from 27 nodes representing the main trophogroups, which consist of species or functional groups. Malpelo Island had a food web of four steps with a maximum separation among all trophogroups and trophic pathways, with two steps in average length. Furthermore, the food web was divided into three food web compartments, with a recurrence of connectivity patterns dominated by apparent and exploitative competition, followed by tri-trophic chains and omnivory. Five key trophogroups control the energy flow throughout the food web (detritus, the land crab Johngarthia malpilensis, the lizard Anolis agassizi, the Malpelo dotted galliwasp Diploglossus millepunctatus, and the Nazca booby Sula granti). The high importance of detritus suggests that bottom-up processes act as a control and regulation mechanism of trophic flows. The low number of food web compartments and a high recurrence of specific connectivity patterns in the Malpelo Island terrestrial ecosystem evidence different ecological processes centered on five trophogroups, allowing stability against disturbances. In addition, the simulation of trophogroup removal (randomly or directed) suggests that food web can be vulnerable to structural alterations in their properties, which may have consequences on the resilience of this ecosystem. This study contributes to the knowledge of the trophic dynamics of Malpelo Island, providing a potential tool for management and conservation measures from an ecosystemic approach.