Geology and Biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands

TERRY NAUMANN, University of Alaska Anchorage

January 7-14, 2009 in the Galápagos Islands Apply: UWA

Note: This course has a participant fee of $250 (in addition to the application fee) and a logistical fee of $3550 to cover the total costs of travel, lodging and meals for 8 days during transportation on the yacht “Daphne” in the Galápagos Islands, all transfers (including RT flight from Quito to Galápagos), and hotel lodging in Quito each night before and after the program. This does not include the $110 national park entrance fee or the $41 Ecuador departure tax. Participants must arrange their own RT travel to Quito, Ecuador (average airfare is $850 from most U.S. cities on Continental, American or Delta via Houston, Miami or Atlanta)

Darwin’s visit to the Galápagos Archipelago is one of the most legendary events in the history of science. It was in the Galápagos that a young Darwin realized that closely related, but different, species resided on the different islands. He also related explosive volcanic eruptions to their deposits and theorized on how crystallization could create diverse lava types. In modern times, the Galápagos have become one of the world’s premier natural sites for the study of evolution, island biogeography and volcanism.

For this course, we will travel and live aboard a boat accompanied by experienced naturalists, visiting a different island each day. Most of the islands are wilderness, with no inhabitants, but we will also visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. The trip will focus on the natural history of the islands, where participants will have the opportunity to observe the unique biota and geologic features of the islands, including marine and land iguanas (which diverged about 10 million years ago), giant tortoises, Darwin’s finches, penguins, and marine mammals. The trip is designed to observe volcanic islands in all stages of evolution, ranging from about 3 million years old to less than 100,000 years old (some currently active). One of the main themes of the trip will be the geologic controls on island biodiversity and speciation, a major research interest of the course leaders.

For college teachers of: all natural sciences. High school teachers are welcomed on a space-available basis. Prerequisites: none. Limit: 15 participants

Dr. Naumann has been a professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Alaska since 1999 (http://geology.uaa.alaska.edu/terry_naumann10-06.html), where he teaches courses in volcanology, petrology, mineralogy, and structural geology. He has been engaged in geologic field studies in the Galápagos Archipelago since 1993, and is very committed to varied outreach and continuing education opportunities. He will be ably assisted on this program by Mr. Greg Estes, who is a biologist/naturalist with extensive Galápagos experience (Galapagos Connection - Biography).

Email: aftrn@uaa.alaska.edu