CDF scientists share latest scientific advances at IV Galapagos Science Symposium

13 CDF scientists share their latest advances in scientific research at the IV Galapagos Science Symposium

Over the past two days, 13 of our scientists participated in the fourth Galapagos Science Symposium, organized by the Galapagos National Park Directorate. The Symposium marks the celebration of the 44th anniversary of the declaration of the Archipelago as a World Natural Heritage Site and invited visitors to learn more about the latest advances in scientific research developed for the protection of our ecosystems.

Our scientists presented updates on both their marine and terrestrial projects. These included:

• A comprehensive assessment of Galapagos artisanal fisheries, by Jorge Ramirez, senior fisheries project scientist.
• An update on efforts to save Isabela's Scalesia Cordata from extinction, presented by Miriam San-José, Scalesia Forest Restoration project researcher.
• The autofumigation of bird nests as a method to control the avian vampire fly Philornis Downsi (Diptera: Muscidae), presented by Cristian Poveda, researcher of the Terrestrial Birds project.
• A compilation of historical information on Bony fishes in The Galapagos Marine Reserve was presented by Natural History Collections Assistant Paulina Sepa.
• A case study on the use of Geoinformation Management to strengthen knowledge of the Galapagos Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO project case study), presented by our colleagues Byron Delgado, Diego Núñez and Johny Mazón.
• Effects of Avian Pox: working with different bird species in the upper parts of Santa Cruz island, presented by Diana Loyola, Ilke Geladi and Yanella Tutivén.
• An update on the impacts of the Philornis downsi fly, rats and owls on Darwin's finches on Floreana Island between 2004 and 2022, presented by our collaborating scientist Sonia Kleindorfer.
• A talk about the participation of women in the artisanal fisheries value chain in Galapagos, as well as challenges and opportunities in the credit market, by César Viteri, researcher within the Fisheries project
• A presentation about the discovery of novel kelp forests at mesophotic depths within the Galapagos Marine Reserve by Salome Buglass, senior researcher of the Seamounts project.

All presentations correspond to preliminary results of research carried out over the past year by each project team at the Charles Darwin Research Station. For more information visit our website.