col161
20th April 2007, 07:05 PM
A WITS scientist is studying the "disappearing" islands phenomena off the north-west coast of Africa.
Glynis Goodman-Cron, senior lecturer at the Wits Animal, Plant and Environment Sciences Department, attended the third biennial conference of the International Biogeography Society in January this year. It was held on Tenerife Island.
Her focus was on the Canary Islands, a group of seven islands which originated as a result of volcanic eruptions. The islands require continuous volcanic eruptions to sustain their land mass. The islands are considered a biodiversity hot spot, says Goodman-Cron.
The Canaries is home to a population of about two million people and 18 000 different species, the majority of which are terrestrial. Studies found endemic species on the islands are rare, threatened or endangered.
The island over which greatest concern is raised is La Gomera, the smallest of the Canary Islands which has not had a volcanic eruption in the last four million years. If the island does not get an eruption in the next one million years, it will erode, Goodman-Cron confirms.
Goodman-Cron gave a lecture at Wits on the biogeography of the island, entitled ‘Insights from a Short Visit’. "Many people do not know much about the Canary Islands and this was to show people what they are about." A fascinating aspect of these islands is the strange growth patterns found among animals. Some small animals become unusually large, whereas some large animals sometimes become dwarf-like.
Fossils of giant Gallotia lizards have also been found on Tenerife Island, the largest of the islands. In recent years the island ecology has come under severe pressure as a result of tourism. Approximately 12 million people visit the islands annually.
(http://www.vuvuzelaonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=901):confused:
Glynis Goodman-Cron, senior lecturer at the Wits Animal, Plant and Environment Sciences Department, attended the third biennial conference of the International Biogeography Society in January this year. It was held on Tenerife Island.
Her focus was on the Canary Islands, a group of seven islands which originated as a result of volcanic eruptions. The islands require continuous volcanic eruptions to sustain their land mass. The islands are considered a biodiversity hot spot, says Goodman-Cron.
The Canaries is home to a population of about two million people and 18 000 different species, the majority of which are terrestrial. Studies found endemic species on the islands are rare, threatened or endangered.
The island over which greatest concern is raised is La Gomera, the smallest of the Canary Islands which has not had a volcanic eruption in the last four million years. If the island does not get an eruption in the next one million years, it will erode, Goodman-Cron confirms.
Goodman-Cron gave a lecture at Wits on the biogeography of the island, entitled ‘Insights from a Short Visit’. "Many people do not know much about the Canary Islands and this was to show people what they are about." A fascinating aspect of these islands is the strange growth patterns found among animals. Some small animals become unusually large, whereas some large animals sometimes become dwarf-like.
Fossils of giant Gallotia lizards have also been found on Tenerife Island, the largest of the islands. In recent years the island ecology has come under severe pressure as a result of tourism. Approximately 12 million people visit the islands annually.
(http://www.vuvuzelaonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=901):confused: