Threats and Vision for the Conservation of Galápagos Birds

Abstract

Threats that affect the avian diversity on the Galápagos Islands are increasing. We evaluated threats such as climate change and severe weather, human intrusions and disturbance, biological resource use, invasive and other problematic species, genes and diseases, pollution, geological events and loss of genetic diversity in relation with avian species enlisted in both the international and national (Ecuador) IUCN Red List, which can be used as sentinel species of the ecosystem. Here, the status of the threatened species for the next ten years (present time up to 2028), under two scenarios, including thestatus quoand theavian diversity visionfor the species’ conservation, was assessed.The conceptual framework of the assessment was envisioned within the existing knowledge and projections of present and future threats to revisit current conservation efforts. Based on this evaluation, a set of management actions coupled with mitigation strategies to address new anthropogenic threats affecting the long-term survival of species in the face of global and regional environmental changes are recommended. Alternative strategies for species conservation, mainly when declining avian populations are susceptible to demographic bottlenecks or risk of extinction and when natural disasters affect ecosystem stability, are also considered.These results should be envisioned as a guide for the evaluation and management of the avian species in the future to be replicated every decade.