Taken from....Monitoring Plant and Animal Populations:
Caryl L. Elzinga et. al.
distributed by LOC
Definition of monitoring:
The collection and analysis of repeated observations or measurements to evaluate changes in condition and progress
toward meeting a management objective.
(preface) Why monitor the Galapagos:
-Monitoring is a powerful warning tool for identifying potential crises
-demonstrate the success or failure of a management strategy
-allow us to implement a plan to restore the Galapagos and thus maintian it as a biopreserve,
while limiting the human impact.
Pitfalls to monitoring:
ambiguous management objectives
poor study design
low statistical precision or power to detect change
lack of commitment to implement monitoring plans
failure to communicate the results of monitoring
*lack of understanding and technology to effectively monitor an ecosystem
How we will address these pitfalls:
Set up a management plan for the Galapagos that will be controlled by a section of the International
Biopreserve This section will design the management plan for the Galapagos, implement the system of monitors
collect and analayze the data collected by these monitors, and help adapt a new management plan to
coincide with the data.
This section should consist of at least 50 scientists, whose combined expertise range from biology to statistics.
Currently, the best way to monitor plant and animal populations is by manually going out and counting. We would
like to implement new remote sensing technoloy to the Galapagos that would at least somewhat limit the need for
manual counting. Of course, in doing this we introduce another source for error, especially wehn considering monitoring
large populations over a hort period of time.
WHAT should our management plan include?(pg 248)
6 components are required for a complete management objective:
1. Species or indicator: what we are monitoring or what indice we are using in order to monitor that species
2. Location: where we plan on monitoring
3. Attribute: what we are looking for in monitroing e.g. size, density
4. Action: increase, decrease or maintain
5. Quantity/Status: measurable state or degree of change for the attribute
6. Time frame: the time needed for the management plan to prove effective
Example of a complete management objective:
"Maintain a population of at least 500 breeding giant tortoises on Isla Pinzon between 2005 and 2015"
Management Response:
"If we fail to maintain this population level then additional monitoring will be implemented to determine the cause of
decline and alternative management will be implemented in 2017"
Monitoring Invasive species:
Why? Since the goal of our project is preservation, it is
important to maintain the Galapagos as islands that are
unchanged from human activity. That is to say, we would like
the Galapagos to be in its natural state. Monitoring is a
powerful tool for identifying problems in the early stages
while cost-effective solutions remain available (2).
According to (2), an invasive species that threatens a rare
plant or animal population is much easier to control at the
initial stages of invasion, compared with eradicating it once
it is well established at a site.
The Plan
The most harmful invasive species on San Cristobal is the
Black Fly.2 The Black Fly carries bacteria strain of
Onchocera Volvulus, which causes river blindness.2
Black flies have caused serious sanitation problems
throughout the Galapagos, mostly as a result of their
ability to easily transmit disease.6 Black flies are
blood-feeding insects, and therefore transmit many animal
pathogens as they carry diseases from one animal to the
next through their bites.6 However, Black Flies need
freshwater to reproduce, so one possible means for
controlling them could be to develop a method for limiting
their access to freshwater pools.6 However, San Cristobal
is the island in the Galapagos with the only large, natural
body of freshwater, El Junco Lake, which could easily
encourage black fly growth if not controlled.
Eradication:
Black Fly
Fire Ants
Doves
Rats
Removal to the floating island:
Goats
Cats and dogs
The United Nations Foundation is providing a generous grant of US $4 million, channeled through UNESCO, for implementation of the Program.6 The Project is a four year plan with the goal of both controlling and eradicating invasive species found on the islands.6
Specific goals of the plan are:
1)Providing proven methodologies for eradicating invasive species and/or mitigating their effect.6
2)Establishing an effective and participatory quarantine system to prevent new introductions and the spread of existing ones.6