Explorando el estrés y la morfología en dos especies de aves canoras en hábitats urbanos, agrícolas y naturales de la isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos

Foto: Jack Dumbacher

En este estudio se analizó cómo los cambios en el uso del suelo afectan a dos especies de aves de Galápagos: el pinzón terrestre pequeño (Geospiza fuliginosa) y la reinita de manglar (Setophaga petechia aureola). El objetivo fue comprender si las alteraciones en el hábitat, causadas por la urbanización y la agricultura en islas pobladas por humanos, influyen en su tamaño, peso y niveles de la hormona denominada corticosterona, que está relacionada con el estrés.

Entre 2018 y 2019, los investigadores observaron aves en diferentes entornos de la isla San Cristóbal: zonas verdes dentro del área urbana, bosques naturales en las tierras bajas, fincas agrícolas y bosques con altos niveles de húmedad en las zonas altas. De esta manera, compararon cómo las aves se adaptan a lugares con mayor o menor intervención humana.

Foto: Carlos Gavela

Los resultados determinaron que los pinzones (Geospiza fuliginosa) que viven en zonas urbanas tienden a ser más pesados y a tener alas y patas más cortas que los de zonas naturales. Además, sus niveles de corticosterona fueron más altos, lo que sugiere que la vida urbana podría generarles un mayor estrés. En la reinita de manglar (Setophaga petechia aureola), la diferencia más notable fue que aquellas que vivían en bosques húmedos presentaban el pico más ancho que las de zonas urbanas.

Este estudio resalta cómo el entorno influye en la forma y el bienestar de las aves, mostrando que cada especie responde de manera distinta a los cambios en su hábitat. Estos hallazgos son esenciales para comprender el impacto de la actividad humana en la fauna de Galápagos y contribuyen al desarrollo de estrategias efectivas de conservación en la región

 Lee el artículo completo aquí: https://bmczool.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40850-025-00221-7

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In 2022, the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) and the broader UNC & USFQ Galapagos Initiative will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. We are proud to announce the World Summit on Island Sustainability scheduled to be held on June 26–30, 2022 at the Galapagos Science Center and the Community Convention Center on San Cristobal Island.

The content of the World Summit will be distributed globally through social media and results documented through papers published in a book written as part of the Galapagos Book Series by Springer Nature and edited by Steve Walsh (UNC) & Carlos Mena (USFQ) as well as Jill Stewart (UNC) and Juan Pablo Muñoz (GSC/USC). The book will be inclusive and accessible by the broader island community including scientists, managers, residents, tourists, and government and non-government organizations.

While the most obvious goal of organizing the World Summit on Island Sustainability is to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the GSC and the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, other goals will be addressed through special opportunities created as part of our operational planning of the World Summit.

For instance, we seek to elevate and highlight the Galapagos in the island conservation discourse, seeking to interact with other island networks in more obvious and conspicuous ways to benefit the Galapagos Islands, the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, and the world. We will seize the opportunity to further develop the I2N2 – International Islands Network-of-Networks. Further, we wish to highlight and emphasize multiple visions of a sustainable future for the Galapagos Islands and we cannot do this alone. Therefore, engaging the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism, the Government Council of Galapagos, the Galapagos National Park, and local Galapagos authorities, including government and non-government organizations and local citizen groups, is imperative.

The Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos

Borrowing from Hawaii’s and Guam’s Green Growth Program and the Global Island Partnership, we wish to examine existing global programs that emphasize island sustainability and their incorporation into life, policies, and circumstances in the Galapagos Islands. We will also seek to enhance our connections with the institutional members of our International Galapagos Science Consortium and expand the Consortium through the recruitment of other member institutions. We will also work to benefit islands and their local communities by working with citizen groups as well as important NGOs who seek to improve the natural conditions in the Galapagos and diminish the impact of the human dimension on the future of Galapagos’ ecosystems.

Lastly, we will use the World Summit to benefit UNC & USFQ and our constituencies through a strong and vibrant communication plan about the World Summit, creating corporate relationships as sponsors, identifying funding goals through donors, and benefiting our study abroad program for student engagement in the Galapagos Islands. We plan to develop and issue a Galapagos Sustainability Communique after the World Summit that includes the vision and insights of all its participants for a sustainable Galapagos with applicability to global island settings.

We are eager to hear your perspective and have you join us at the World Summit on Island Sustainability!