Oceanic islands

• Ecological features:

  • formed by volcanic eruptions underwater
  • lack of biodiversity due to isolation - slow to be colonised
  • lack of mammal predators
• Importance:

  • lots of endemic species so possible medicines or biomimetics
  • key foundation for tropical coral reef systems
• Threats:

  • overexploitation for food e.g. Dodo
  • introduced species - create predators and competition sp. are not adapted to
  • habitat change and destruction - tourism, urban and agricultural
  • increased numbers of herbivores due to lack of predators = decreased plant sp.
• Conservation efforts:

  • eradication of introduced species e.g. Rats on Ramsey island
  • control of development and tourism via protected areas
• Example:

  • Galapagos
  • high temperature and rainfall
  • threatened by GGC - causes lack of food for iguanas which shrink their skeletons to adapt
  • Conservation - Project Pinta. Reintroducing tortoises to Pinta
  • It has National park status so you have to pay to enter