Galápagos Giant Tortoises Are Ecosystem Engineers

November 3, 2023 9:13 PM

Galápagos Giant Tortoises Are Ecosystem Engineers. A decades-long project shows how the reptiles are changing the island of Española.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (5 comments total)

Originally published in Hakai Magazine, which is generally worth reading.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:48 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]

This is fantastic. I, of course, always talk to my students about beavers as ecosystem engineers, and then we sort of brainstorm about other organisms that could be ecosystem engineers. Especially given that we talk about the Galapagos at the beginning of learning about evolution, this is a great addition to that conversation. Thank you!
posted by hydropsyche at 4:33 AM on November 4, 2023 [5 favorites]

I read, years ago so I’m fuzzy on the details, that flowering plants evolved but were sort of niche plants because ferns and the like had all the places filled until low browsing animals evolved. As areas got overgrazed, the flowering plants’ faster reproduction let them take over….

This is a bit like that, in miniature. Turtles win, birds win, trees lose, cacti kind of break even.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:55 AM on November 4, 2023

This is great, thank you for posting it.

In terms a species that do a lot of engineering work in systems, salmonids (salmon, steelhead, etc.) don't always get enough credit. During spawning they collectively move a massive amount of streambed sediment around while they create their redds (nests), physically reshaping streams. And, because they typically die after spawning, all those dead fish represent a massive transfer of nutrients from ocean to upper river tributaries that are far from the sea, helping create those huge old-growth forests.

This is neat research to read about and it's cool that they are seeing such noticeable effects in such a short time.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:47 AM on November 4, 2023 [7 favorites]

Considering the amount of engineering that my comparatively tiny Russian Tortoise does in NY backyard, I am not surprised.

Great article, thanks for sharing.
posted by nolnacs at 3:58 PM on November 4, 2023