The Galápagos Islands and their deeper secret

Written by Esther Marcayata

General facts

The Galápagos Islands, located in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, exactly 966 kilometers off the Ecuadorian coastline, are known for being home to a remarkable combination of unique species. Some of the most charismatic ones include the giant tortoises, blue and red-footed bobbies, marine turtles, marine iguanas, sea lions, the flightless cormorant, the Galápagos penguin, finches, and even sharks. These species are “endemic” to the islands, meaning that they only exist here and nowhere else.

The illustrious Galápagos Islands are a top bucket list destination for tourists, but also for many scientists who regard them as a phenomenal “natural living laboratory”. The isolated location of this geologically young volcanic archipelago, combined with the convergence of several warm and cold-water ocean currents, shapes a diverse marine ecosystem by making its surrounding waters incredibly productive while also hosting an extraordinary coexistence of tropical and polar species.

For instance, nowhere else in the world can you encounter penguins and sea lions coexisting with parrot fish among coral reefs and mangroves. Additionally, this biodiversity hotspot experiences neotropical weather conditions (seasonality) and lies at the epicenter of the development of the El Nino Southern Oscillation, making it an ideal place to study marine and land species’ adaptation and resilience patterns. Lastly, as the population and tourism on the islands continue to rise, so does the need to study sustainable economic practices and management, a critical goal if we are to effectively protect and conserve the islands.

Figure 1: Galápagos islands diving points during expedition Fkt230918 (made by A. G. Varzi, 2023).

The deeper secret: deep-sea biodiversity

While globally, scientific research is focused on terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Today, just 5% of the ocean has been studied. The remaining 95% mostly comprises deep-sea habitat, representing a massive knowledge gap about the majority of Earth’s Ocean biome. This is also true for the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR), where > 90% is represented by deep-sea habitats (>200m deep), yet very little is known about it. Nonetheless, the archipelago's complex geological history means that the topography of its seafloor is particularly heterogeneous, littered with seamounts, lava flows, rift zones, slopes, and hydrothermal vents. As such, the GMR is an ideal place to study deep-sea ecosystems.

In fact, some of the earliest pioneering deep-sea science expeditions came to the Galápagos, such as the Albatross Expedition in the 1890’s, applying dredging techniques to collect samples from the deep. However, they were very unsuccessful at collection due to the often hard and bumpy seafloor. Almost a century later, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institutes introduced the first submersible in 1986, successfully collecting novel deep-sea species samples as deep as 915 meters.

Figure 2: Deep sea coral and squat lobsters at 453 meters of depth, Ocean Smith Institute 2023

The challenge of studying these deep-water environments is the need for cutting-edge technology. However, in the last two decades, rapid advances have been made, especially with remotely operated vehicles (ROV), which are today one of the most efficient tools used to explore deep-sea environments. Consequently, the arrival of Smith Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (Too), equipped with the ROV Subastian, to carry out several research expeditions across the Galápagos Marine Reserve at different deep-sea habitats, has been keenly welcomed. Capable of going down to 4500m deep and staying >40 hours underwater with a suite of high-definition cameras, two robotic arms and tools to collect samples. Both the scientific community and the public have been excited to see what mysteries of the deep sea it will uncover in the deep waters of the Enchanted Islands, all of which will be novel and critical information for decision-making in the management and protection of the Galápagos Marine Reserve resources.

Personal experience

As I grew up in the highlands of the Pichincha Mountain range, 2850 meters above sea level, my childhood had few episodes of the ocean. When I was 11 years old, I visited the Enchanted Islands for the first time, and as a young girl, the islands stole a piece of my heart. Years later, when I was 16 years old, revisiting the Galápagos changed my life as I decided to study biology with the promise to come back to these islands in the future. One year after I completed my bachelor’s degree in biology in Quito, I had the chance to live and work in the Enchanted islands. Here I became passionate about marine biology as I volunteered on several marine research projects in the GMR led by the Galápagos National Park.

Since I have been immersed in the incredible marine life, my passion and commitment for research and conservation have grown throughout the years. The experience of working firsthand with the sea gave me a global perspective about the main threats to our ocean.

The unique opportunity to participate as a member of the research team within the Falkor Too expedition of The Vertical Reefs of the Galápagos Islands is a dream come true. So, can you imagine the exciting and inspiring experience it has been to participate on board a research vessel!e Personally, the whole involvement is a 360-degree change in my daily life. However, when you could be there, you cannot deny it. Hard-working shifts and waking up at 4 a.m. to review and process samples could sound like boring and monotonous work. Although, if you are just in the situation that you dreamed of years ago, you will be enjoying every step of the way. On the other hand, the incredible team of scientists aboard inspires me in different ways. The fact that the expedition is being led and that most of the research team are women encourages me. Living surrounded by inspirational women scientists grew my confidence to develop a career in the scientific world. Besides, their incredible ability to teach makes the whole experience marvelous.

Figure 3: Schmidt Ocean Institute remotely-operated vehicle SuBastian, 2023

Finally, it is valuable to recognize all the effort made throughout this expedition, with the collaboration of the Schmidt Ocean Institute and their amazing staff, with the purpose of closing knowledge gaps on our Galápagos Islands. The results will be show as biodiversity baselines, bathymetric maps, geological studies, descriptions of new species, etc. This work will help us acquire the knowledge needed to create protocols and management guides for the Galápagos Marine Reserve. With the purpose of conserving our planet for future generations and decreasing the probability of being threatened by climate change.