Article
Biology
Evelyn L. Jensen, Stephen J. Gaughran, Nicole A. Fusco, Nikos Poulakakis, Washington Tapia, Christian Sevilla, Jeffreys Malaga, Carol Mariani, James P. Gibbs, Adalgisa Caccone
Summary: Based on genomic data and the discovery of an individual, it is suggested that the Galapagos giant tortoise species from Fernandina Island has not gone extinct and at least one female individual is still alive. The species was previously considered extinct since 1906 and its status has remained a mystery. Analysis of the genomes of the known individuals reveals that they belong to the same lineage and are distinct from other species.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Rachel Gray, Nicole Fusco, Joshua M. Miller, Washington Tapia, Carol Mariani, Adalgisa Caccone, Evelyn L. Jensen
Summary: Captive breeding programs benefit from genetic analyses to track relatedness and genetic diversity, but genetic tracking is rarely done in practice. This study used genetic analysis to examine a breeding program for the Floreana Island Galapagos giant tortoise and found that the effective population size is low and changes to breeding arrangements may be needed.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
M. C. Quinzin, A. P. Bishop, J. M. Miller, N. Poulakakis, W. Tapia, F. Torres-Rojo, C. Sevilla, A. Caccone
Summary: Illegal Wildlife Trade is a global concern as it threatens wild species and can lead to extinction. This study uses genetic analysis to identify the source of trafficked Galapagos giant tortoises, revealing that they were taken from breeding centers instead of the wild. This case highlights the importance of long-term genetic repositories and collaboration among academic laboratories, local practitioners, and enforcement agencies.
ANIMAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Washington Tapia, Harrison B. Goldspiel, James P. Gibbs
Summary: The introduction of replacement species to restore ecosystem engineers on Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos has shown initial success, with the translocated giant tortoises exhibiting robust vital rates and colonizing a significant portion of the island. This conservation intervention highlights the potential for introducing ecological replacements on other islands in the Galapagos and globally.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Daniel Escobar-Camacho, Wilson Andrade, Nathalia Valencia, Andrea C. Encalada, Diana A. Pazmino
Summary: A giant mottled eel specimen was caught in a small stream on San Cristobal Island in Galapagos, confirming its presence in the area. Morphological and molecular analysis confirmed the species as Anguilla marmorata. The rediscovery of this eel in Galapagos supports the hypothesis of an eastward range expansion.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Justine Villalba-Aleman, Paul Mayorga, C. Miguel Pinto, Patricia Jaramillo Diaz
Summary: This article reports the first confirmed records of Clathrus columnatus specimens from the Galapagos Archipelago and Ecuador, hypothesizing that the species is a recent introduction to these islands.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Ivan Kiskin, Davide Zilli, Yunpeng Li, Marianne Sinka, Kathy Willis, Stephen Roberts
NEURAL COMPUTING & APPLICATIONS
(2020)
Review
Plant Sciences
James S. Borrell, Manosh K. Biswas, Mark Goodwin, Guy Blomme, Trude Schwarzacher, J. S. (Pat) Heslop-Harrison, Abebe M. Wendawek, Admas Berhanu, Simon Kallow, Steven Janssens, Ermias L. Molla, Aaron P. Davis, Feleke Woldeyes, Kathy Willis, Sebsebe Demissew, Paul Wilkin
Article
Plant Sciences
Carolina Tovar, David J. Harris, Elinor Breman, Terry Brncic, Kathy J. Willis
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Geography, Physical
Sietse O. Los, F. Alayne Street-Perrott, Neil J. Loader, Cynthia A. Froyd, Aida Cuni-Sanchez, Robert A. Marchant
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Samuel Pironon, Thomas R. Etherington, James S. Borrell, Nicola Kuhn, Marc Macias-Fauria, Ian Ondo, Carolina Tovar, Paul Wilkin, Katherine J. Willis
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2019)
Article
Biology
Michael B. Bonsall, Cynthia A. Froyd, Elizabeth S. Jeffers
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sandra Diaz, Josef Settele, Eduardo S. Brondizio, Hien T. Ngo, John Agard, Almut Arneth, Patricia Balvanera, Kate A. Brauman, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Kai M. A. Chan, Lucas A. Garibaldi, Kazuhito Ichii, Jianguo Liu, Suneetha M. Subramanian, Guy F. Midgley, Patricia Miloslavich, Zsolt Molnar, David Obura, Alexander Pfaff, Stephen Polasky, Andy Purvis, Jona Razzaque, Belinda Reyers, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Yunne-Jai Shin, Ingrid Visseren-Hamakers, Katherine J. Willis, Cynthia N. Zayas
Article
Biology
C. Adolf, C. Tovar, N. Kuhn, H. Behling, J. C. Berrio, G. Dominguez-Vazquez, B. Figueroa-Rangel, Z. Gonzalez-Carranza, G. A. Islebe, H. Hooghiemstra, H. Neff, M. Olvera-Vargas, B. Whitney, M. J. Wooller, K. J. Willis
Article
Geography, Physical
Helen Hallang, John F. Hiemstra, Sietse O. Los, John A. Matthews, Cynthia A. Froyd
PERMAFROST AND PERIGLACIAL PROCESSES
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sandra Nogue, Ana M. C. Santos, H. John B. Birks, Svante Bjorck, Alvaro Castilla-Beltran, Simon Connor, Erik J. de Boer, Lea de Nascimento, Vivian A. Felde, Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios, Cynthia A. Froyd, Simon G. Haberle, Henry Hooghiemstra, Karl Ljung, Sietze J. Norder, Josep Penuelas, Matthew Prebble, Janelle Stevenson, Robert J. Whittaker, Kathy J. Willis, Janet M. Wilmshurst, Manuel J. Steinbauer
Summary: Islands are among the last regions on Earth to be settled and transformed by human activities, and research shows that vegetation change on islands accelerates significantly after human arrival. This global acceleration in turnover suggests that islands are continuously undergoing change, highlighting the importance of considering long-term human impacts in strategies for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sietse O. Los, F. Alayne Street-Perrott, Neil J. Loader, Cynthia A. Froyd
Summary: Tropical Montane Cloud Forests (TMCFs) provide important ecosystem services but are threatened by deforestation and climate change. Challenges in assessing the quantity of TMCFs include uncertainty in geographical location and limited availability of meteorological data. Changes in tree cover and greenness varied across continents in TMCFs, and climate change signals differed geographically.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Helen Hallang, Cynthia A. Froyd, John F. Hiemstra, Sietse O. Los
Summary: This study reconstructed the late-Holocene alpine tree line dynamics in Galdhopiggen Jotunheimen, southern Norway, based on palynological evidence preserved in peat. The results revealed that the presence and retreat of Scots pine at around 1000m above sea level were closely related to past climatic changes in the area.
Article
Biology
Laura J. Roberts, Penny J. Neyland, Aisling P. Devine, Wendy E. Harris, James C. Bull, Cynthia A. Froyd, Daniel C. Eastwood, Daniel W. Forman, Osian H. Elias
Summary: This study develops a work-simulated learning curriculum for ecology graduates to reduce skills redundancy. The results show that the students who participated in the curriculum not only gained knowledge of employment opportunities, but also improved their technical skills and employability. The study highlights the importance of work-simulated learning as a key component in enhancing graduate employability.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ashleigh R. Harper, Cristina Santin, Stefan H. Doerr, Cynthia A. Froyd, Dania Albini, Xose Luis Otero, Lucia Vinas, Begona Perez-Fernandez
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Peter R. Long, David Benz, Andrew C. Martin, Philip W. A. Holland, Marc Macias-Fauria, Alistair W. R. Seddon, Randi Hagemann, Tone K. Frost, Andrew Simpson, David J. Power, Mark A. Slaymaker, Kathy J. Willis
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2018)