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Alava JJ, McMullen K, Jones J, Barragán-Paladines MJ, Hobbs C, Tirapé A, Calle P, Alarcón D, Muñoz-Pérez JP, Muñoz-Abril L, Townsend KA, Denkinger J, Uyaguari M, Domínguez GA, Espinoza E, Reyes H, Piedrahita P, Fair P, Galloway T, Grove JS, Lewis C, Schofield J. Multiple anthropogenic stressors in the Galápagos Islands' complex social-ecological system: Interactions of marine pollution, fishing pressure, and climate change with management recommendations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022. [PMID: 35893578 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
For decades, multiple anthropogenic stressors have threatened the Galápagos Islands. Widespread marine pollution such as oil spills, persistent organic pollutants, metals, and ocean plastic pollution has been linked to concerning changes in the ecophysiology and health of Galápagos species. Simultaneously, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing are reshaping the composition and structure of endemic and native Galápagos pelagic communities. In this novel review, we discuss the impact of anthropogenic pollutants and their associated ecotoxicological implications for Galápagos species in the face of climate change stressors. We emphasize the importance of considering fishing pressure and marine pollution, in combination with climate-change impacts, when assessing the evolutionary fitness of species inhabiting the Galápagos. For example, the survival of endemic marine iguanas has been negatively affected by organic hydrocarbons introduced via oil spills, and endangered Galápagos sea lions exhibit detectable concentrations of DDT, triggering potential feminization effects and compromising the species' survival. During periods of ocean warming (El Niño events) when endemic species undergo nutritional stress, climate change may increase the vulnerability of these species to the impacts of pollutants, resulting in the species reaching its population tipping point. Marine plastics are emerging as a deleterious and widespread threat to endemic species. The Galápagos is treasured for its historical significance and its unparalleled living laboratory and display of evolutionary processes; however, this unique and iconic paradise will remain in jeopardy until multidisciplinary and comprehensive preventative management plans are put in place to mitigate and eliminate the effects of anthropogenic stressors facing the islands today. We present a critical analysis and synthesis of anthropogenic stressors with some progress from local and international institutional efforts and call to action more precautionary measures along with new management philosophies focused on understanding the processes of change through research to champion the conservation of the Galápagos. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;00:1-26. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan José Alava
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Karly McMullen
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jen Jones
- Galápagos Conservation Trust, London, UK
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | | | - Catherine Hobbs
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Ana Tirapé
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Paola Calle
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Daniela Alarcón
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) & UNC-Chapel Hill Galápagos Science Center (GSC) Av. Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, Ecuador
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
| | - Juan Pablo Muñoz-Pérez
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) & UNC-Chapel Hill Galápagos Science Center (GSC) Av. Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, Ecuador
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
| | - Laia Muñoz-Abril
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) & UNC-Chapel Hill Galápagos Science Center (GSC) Av. Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena (UPSE), Santa Elena, Ecuador
| | - Kathy Ann Townsend
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
| | - Judith Denkinger
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) & UNC-Chapel Hill Galápagos Science Center (GSC) Av. Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Miguel Uyaguari
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Gustavo A Domínguez
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Eduardo Espinoza
- Direccion del Parque Nacional Galápagos (Galápagos National Park), Ministerio del Ambiente, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Harry Reyes
- Direccion del Parque Nacional Galápagos (Galápagos National Park), Ministerio del Ambiente, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Paolo Piedrahita
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Patricia Fair
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Tamara Galloway
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Jack Stein Grove
- Galápagos Education & Research Alliance, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ceri Lewis
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
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