Results
In November 2020, I joined the Galapagos Verde 2050 (GV2050) team during an exciting time. The team had just returned from an expedition to Punta Manzanillo on Española Island, where they had rediscovered a small population of Lecocarpus lecocarpoides, a species thought to be locally extinct. With 50 precious seeds collected, I was given a mission: to use these seeds to help recover the only population of this endangered species on the island.
Scalesia plants in Galápagos illustrate adaptive radiation through variations in height, leaf size, and structure across environments. While these traits reflect their ability to adjust, rapid environmental changes may exceed their adaptive limits. Research identifies how these species respond, supporting monitoring and conservation efforts to protect vulnerable plant populations.
