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On the Trail of Darwin and the Blue-footed Boobie

Contributed by: Tracy Williams on 8/6/2007

If you've got a passion for learning and an interest in Darwin's theory of evolution, there is nothing quite like a trek through the Galapagos Islands as Community College of Aurora (CCA) Biology Professor Sheridan Samano discovered. Samano just returned from a group excursion there with others who share her passion.

"The Galapagos Islands are where Charles Darwin first started to formulate his theory of evolution based on natural selection," Samano said. "His vision changed scientific progress forever. The Galapagos have been termed 'The Islands That Changed The World.' "

Natural selection is the mechanism by which the natural environment selects for the propagation of certain traits in organisms. You see the byproducts of natural selection in the adaptations of organisms to their unique environments. Darwin theorized that many early plant and animal species arrived on the Galapagos Islands via air and sea and, once there, established themselves, determined territories and still inhabit the area today, making the islands an ideal destination for seeing and studying these unique creatures up close.

Located approximately 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos Islands are made up of several volcanic islands populated by specially-adapted animals, plants and terrain.

"We saw blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises and marine iguanas - the only iguanas on the planet that swim," said Samano.

Samano, along with five CCA faculty members, three former CCA students, and one student from the Denver Botanic Gardens, spent eight days studying these plant and animal communities.

"The older islands have more species because there has been more time for colonization and adaptive radiation," Samano said.

"Planning a group trip to the islands isn't easy, but it's worth it because the species you see are a showcase for the process of natural selection; you can see the result, evolution, in action," Samano said. "It's amazing."

The other members of her travel group share a similar enthusiasm for the opportunity to learn more about science. The group was made up of CCA faculty members including geologists, an anthropologist, and an English as a Second language instructor.

"It was a really nice mix of people," Samano said.

The trip was also evolutionary for Samano, who capped several trips to various exotic locations around the globe with students and instructors in recent years. Her most recent excursion took her to Costa Rica.




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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Tracy Williams

Aurora , CO

Tracy Williams has posted 327 stories and 0 comments since joining on 1/2/2007. Tracy Williams 's average story rating is 5.
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