A description of the Galapagos Islands and the first assessment of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Galapagos Marie Reserve with emphasis on DDT in endangered Galapagos sea lions.

1. Juan José AlavaJuan José Alava PhDPhD
School of Resource & Environmental ManagementSchool of Resource & Environmental Management
Faculty of EnvironmentFaculty of Environment,
Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University
Persistent Organic Pollutants in thePersistent Organic Pollutants in the
Galapagos: The DDT caseGalapagos: The DDT case
2012 Photo Credit: JJ Alava

2. Source:Source: http://earth.google.comhttp://earth.google.com

3. Galapagos: Natural HistoryGalapagos: Natural History
• 13 Oceanic volcanic Islands (Galapagos13 Oceanic volcanic Islands (Galapagos
Archipelago)Archipelago)
• Active volcanic islandsActive volcanic islands
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/4000/4514/galapagos_ast_2003_lrg.jpg
•Volcanic origin (2.8–5.6 millions and 60 -300Volcanic origin (2.8–5.6 millions and 60 -300
thousands years ago).thousands years ago).

4. (Image: MODIS NASA GSFC).
(Photo- M. Hall, 23 Oct.2005)
Sierra Negra VolcanoSierra Negra Volcano
eruptioneruption
Volcanic ActivityVolcanic Activity

5. Galapagos Islands (Galapagos Archipelago)Galapagos Islands (Galapagos Archipelago)
San CristóbalSan Cristóbal
FloreanFlorean
aa EspañolEspañol
aa
IsabelaIsabela
SantaSanta
CruzCruz
FernandinaFernandina
SantiagSantiag
oo
MerchenaMerchena
Santa FeSanta Fe
PintaPinta
GenovesaGenovesa
GalapagosGalapagos
Archipelago*Archipelago*
*Galapagos Islands were discovered in March 10th
1535 by Fray Thomas de Berlanga by
accident.

6. • Complex oceanographic featuresComplex oceanographic features
• Variable Sea Surface TemperatureVariable Sea Surface Temperature
• High Primary ProductivityHigh Primary Productivity
Galapagos: Natural HistoryGalapagos: Natural History
Photo Credit: JJ Alava

7. Oceanographic currentsOceanographic currents

8. Source: Satellite Photo: NASA-GSFC 2001. November 5, 1999. (Banks, 2002)
PRYMARY PRODUCTIVITYPRYMARY PRODUCTIVITY

9. (Banks,
2002)
Primary productivity distributional patternsPrimary productivity distributional patterns

10. (Banks, 2002)
Sea Surface Temperature (SST)Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

11. Charles DarwinCharles Darwin
British NaturalistBritish Naturalist
1809 -18821809 -1882
H.M.S. Beagle (1831–
1835)
“II have called this principle, by whichhave called this principle, by which
each slight variation, if useful, is preserved,each slight variation, if useful, is preserved,
by the term Natural Selection.”by the term Natural Selection.”
—Charles Darwin from “On The Origin of Species” (1859)
Evolution and BiodiversityEvolution and Biodiversity

12. Photo Credit: JJ Alava
http://www.sfu.ca/cstudies/science/darwin.htm

13. BiodiversityBiodiversity
• Native and endemic species
• 2,909 marine species (18.2% endemics)
• 174 fish species
• 47 macro-invertebrate species
• 88 marine/shore bird species (5 endemics)
• 26 terrestrial birds (84% endemics-13 Darwin’s
finches)
• 1 endemic species of marine iguana
• 2 endemic species of terrestrial iguanas
• 12-14? endemic species of Galapagos tortoises
• 23 cetacean species
• 2 endemic pinniped species
• 23 endemic genera of insects
• 560-600 vascular plants (175-180 endemics)

15. Photos’ Credits: JJ Alava

16. Photos’ Credits: JJ Alava

17. Photo Credit: JJ Alava

18. Photo Credit: JJ Alava
Photos’ Credits: JJ Alava

19. ((Amblyrhynchus cristatus)Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
Marine Iguanas
Photo Credit: JJ Alava
Galapagos Land IguanaGalapagos Land Iguana ((Conolophus subcristatusConolophus subcristatus))
““GalapagosGalapagos
dragons”dragons”

20. Photos’ Credits: JJ Alava

21. Giant Terrestrial TortoiseGiant Terrestrial Tortoise ((GeocheloneGeochelone
elephantopuselephantopus)) Photos’ Credits: JJ Alava

22. Killer whale observed at Fernandina Island (west Galapagos Islands, Ecuador) by Ben Haase in 2005.
(Picture Credit: Ben Haase).

23. Galapagos sea lions (Zalophus
wollebaeki)

24. Galapagos fur seal
(Arctocephalus
galapagoensis)
Marine Mammals: GalapagosMarine Mammals: Galapagos Pinnipeds (Otariids)Pinnipeds (Otariids)
Photos’ Credits: JJ Alava

25. Galapagos: Conservation and
Management
• National Park (1959) = 97% terrestrial area (7900 km2
)
• Worldwide Natural Heritage Site (UNESCO–1979)
• Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO–1984)
• Whale Sanctuary (1990)
• Special Law of Galapagos (1998)
• Galapagos Marine Reserve (1998):133,000km2
Photo Credit: JJ Alava

26. Pictures: J.J. Alava
Galapagos Biodiversity in Peril
Invasive species
Growing human population
Burgeoning tourism

27. Demographic Growth the Galapagos: 1979-2005Demographic Growth the Galapagos: 1979-2005
Source: INEC (Censuses:1974, 1982, 1990, 1998)/INGALA 2005 (cited by Taylor et al., 2006)Source: INEC (Censuses:1974, 1982, 1990, 1998)/INGALA 2005 (cited by Taylor et al., 2006)

28. Source: Charles Darwin Foundation, Annual Report 2010
Geographic Opening of the Islands-
Continentalization of Galapagos Islands’
ecosystems
Galapagos Geographic Index
(GGI):
Pervasive ecological and social
transformations caused in the
Galapagos Islands due to a
massive influx of human beings,
materials, and fuel and energy
inputs......

29. Coastal and Marine PollutionCoastal and Marine Pollution
• Chronic leaking of hydrocarbons (oil and
gasoline) from tourism, fishery boats and tankers
(transport/delivering operations)
• Oil Spills (e.g., Jessica oil spill-2001)
• Release of solid waste (e.g., plastic) from tourism
and fishery vessels

30. Photo CreditPhoto Credit :: Heidi SnellHeidi Snell
Jessica Oil spillJessica Oil spill
Photo Credit : Heidi Snell

31. Wikelski et al., 2001 (Wikelski et al., 2001 ( ScienceScience))
Wikelski et al., 2002 (Wikelski et al., 2002 ( NatureNature))

32. 0
5
10
15
20
25
Hooks Nylon Propeller Net Plastic Others Rope
%interactionswithsealions
tourism 47%
fisheries 53%
Solid Waste PollutionSolid Waste Pollution
Alava and Salazar (2006)
Percent frequency of interaction between Galápagos seaPercent frequency of interaction between Galápagos sea
lions and objects related to both fisheries and tourismlions and objects related to both fisheries and tourism

33. 0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
1977-1978 2001
Survey periods
Sealionpopulation
Z. wollebaeki
A. galapagoensis
40%
15-20%
Galapagos pinniped population trendGalapagos pinniped population trend
Alava (2004). Sea Lions of the World: Conservation and Research in the 21st
Century. 22nd
Wakefield Fisheries Symposium.
September 30–October 3, 2004. Anchorage, Alaska, USA. Alaska Sea Grant/NOAA.

34. Coastal and Marine PollutionCoastal and Marine Pollution
• Sewage system from urbanized islands
• Overflow of septic tanks
• Biological pollution (diseases)
• Non-point sources: Run-off from agriculture field
(use of pesticides and fertilizers)
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
PCBs from electric transformer and facilities?
Organochlorine pesticides: DDT?

36. Rachel Carson
(May 1907 — April 1964)
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT):
“A Double-Edged Sword”
(Woodwell 1967, Scientic American)
Picture:JohnStanmeyer;
NationalGeographic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Carson
Reproductive
impairments (e.g.
eggshell thinning) in
raptors (Hickey and
Anderson 1968; Blus
2003 )
Picture:VladimirJan
Toxic Effects

37. Historical use of DDT in
USA
Permission and courtesy from Dr. Russell
Nicholson (Dept. Biological Sciences)

38. BY DDT

39. Chemicals can cause effects
Egg shell thinning
Early life stage mortality
Reproductive/ Sexual abnormalities
Immune suppression
Central nervous system
cognitive skills
respiratory decease
Tumors
Cancer….
Chemicals can cause effects
Egg shell thinning
Early life stage mortality
Reproductive/ Sexual abnormalities
Immune suppression
Central nervous system
cognitive skills
respiratory decease
Tumors
Cancer….
Chemicals can cause effects
Egg shell thinning
Early life stage mortality
Reproductive/ Sexual abnormalities
Immune suppression
Central nervous system
cognitive skills
respiratory decease
Tumors
Cancer….
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
150,000−310,000 tonnes/year150,000−310,000 tonnes/year::
used as additives for
electronic devices, plastic,
textiles, furniture and paints.
Legacy PCBs versus emerging PBDEs
(Nylund et al., 1992; WHO 1994; de Boer et al., 1998; de Wit 2002; Alaee et al., 2003; de Boer et al. 2009)
(Source: Great Lakes
Program Office, U.S. EPA,
Chicago, Illinois.)
http://www.epa.gov/greatl
akes/atlas/glat-ch4.html
PBDEs are POPs:
(treta, penta, hexa and
heptabromodiphenyl
mixtures)

40. Expeditions and Sampling sites:
Sample size (n)
GSL pups = 41
Mullets = 6
Thread herrings = 4
2005 = 21pups
2008 = 20 pups

41. Animal captures and biopsy sampling
Selection of site rookery Animal capture
Biopsy sampling Sample labeling/preservationBiopsy collection

42. Alava et al. (2011, MPB); Alava et al. (2011, Ambio)
DDT strikes back: Galapagos sea lions at risk
**

43. Legend: (a) Miranda-Filho et al., 2007; (b) Alava et al., (2011); (c) Ylitalo et al., 2008; (d) Mos et al., 2010; (e) Del
Toro et al., 2006; (f) Blasius and Goodmanlowe 2008. Except for California sea lions from Baja California
(Mexico), used here as reference, all the individuals are pups. Error bars are standard errors (SE).
DDT Global comparisons
280
μg/kg lipid
525
μg/kg lipid
Alava et al. (2011, MPB)

44. -2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
Mullet Thread herring Galapagos sea lion
LogPOPs(μg/kglipid)
mirex dieldrin β-HCH ∑Chlordanes ∑PCB p,p'-DDE ∑DDT
*
* *
* *
*
*
*Significant differences (ANOVA/Welch ANOVA, Tukey-Kramer-HSD, p < 0.05)
POPs readily bioaccumulate in Galapagos sea lions
(TL = 4.1)
(TL = 3.1)
(TL = 4.2)
Alava et al. (2012, in press)

45. Galapagos sea lions are exposed to Pollutants
Alava et al. (2011)
Jessica oil spill impact in Galapagos sea lions (Salazar 2001)
Looming and potential threat of POPs in Galapagos sea lions (Alava & Salazar 2006)
Evidence of levels of PCBs, PBDEs and DDTs in Galapagos sea lions (Alava et al. 2009, ET&C;
Alava et al. 2011, MPB)

46. Global pollution by POPs-an issue of concernGlobal pollution by POPs-an issue of concern
Galapagos,
Ecuador
Jurado et al., (2005)
British Columbia,
Canada

47. http://brooklynbeforenow.blogspot.ca/2010
_09_01_archive.html
American presence in the 1940s in the Galapagos
1941-1946: Occupation by American military forces…….
…and DDT was used by Americans to eliminate introduced
rats in the Galapagos (but, was it successful?)…….
Source: Woram, J. 2005, Charles Darwin Slept Here
© Rockville Press, Inc. ISBN 0-9769336-0-8

48. Policy, Management & Control of POPsPolicy, Management & Control of POPs
REACHREACH
(European Union)(European Union)
CEPACEPA
(Canada)(Canada)
TSCATSCA
(USA)(USA)
Stockholm ConventionStockholm Convention
(focused on Arctic Regions)(focused on Arctic Regions)
POPs
Persistence (P)
Bioaccumulation (B)
Toxicity (T)
PBT criteriaPBT criteria
“to protect human health and the
environment from the harmful
impacts of persistent organic
pollutants…

49. ConclusionsConclusions
• POPs readily biomagnify in Galapagos sea lions (first evidence of
tropical biomagnification in oceanic-equatorial islands)
• Conservation implications for endangered/endemic wildlife and
Management of POPs in tropical marine regions
• Health Risks by POPs is low (< PCB immunotoxicity/endocrine
disruption thresholds), but some concerns due to DDT
• This study provides a timely warning signal of the dangers of an
increased reliance of DDT for malaria control in tropical
countries
• Concentrations of DDT and associated health risks in wildlife
are generally believed to be declining but this may no longer be
the case in tropical countries where DDT is increasingly used.

50. Future generations: the hope of our blueFuture generations: the hope of our blue
planetplanet
Photo credit: J.J .Alava P. (my late Dad), November, 1991Photo credit: J.J .Alava P. (my late Dad), November, 1991

51. GRACIAS!!!
Photo Credit: JJ Alava

52. ““We cannot let anyone forget that above all,We cannot let anyone forget that above all,
Galapagos is a place of conservation, which mayGalapagos is a place of conservation, which may
have tourism and fisheries determined not upon thehave tourism and fisheries determined not upon the
convenience of anyone, but on Galapagosconvenience of anyone, but on Galapagos
sustainability. It is overall and foremost a protectedsustainability. It is overall and foremost a protected
area, a National Park and Marine Reserve, whicharea, a National Park and Marine Reserve, which
means that in order to live in such a privileged andmeans that in order to live in such a privileged and
unique place, it implies accepting the restrictions asunique place, it implies accepting the restrictions as
well as the responsibilities. If the restrictions andwell as the responsibilities. If the restrictions and
responsibilities are not convenient, anyone canresponsibilities are not convenient, anyone can
choose to leave. Not everyone has the right to livechoose to leave. Not everyone has the right to live
there, but everyone has the right to leave.”there, but everyone has the right to leave.”
Deborah ChiribogaDeborah Chiriboga
H.H.
Ecuadorian EnvironmentalistEcuadorian Environmentalist