by the SERC Marine Invasions Lab and the Charles Darwin Foundation
The Marine Invasions Research Laboratory of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in the United States and the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) of the Galápagos, Ecuador are pleased to announce the launch of the Galápagos Non-Native Estuarine and Marine Organisms database portal (GalNEMO).
Though long treasured as a refuge for biodiversity—and its critical role in Darwin’s theory of evolution—the Galápagos is not immune to invasion. In fact, more than 50 nonnative species have already found their way to the Galápagos Islands, SERC and CDF reported in 2019—more than 10 times the number scientists previously thought.
GalNEMO creates a baseline of introduced marine species in the Galápagos Marine Reserve by synthesizing ongoing field research conducted by CDF and SERC scientists in the Galápagos with extensive literature review. It then documents the results as part of an online, searchable database available to the public. This online platform will facilitate the exchange of information between researchers, decision-makers and other stakeholders involved in conservation, management and public policy aimed to develop effective strategies for the conservation of the biodiversity of the Galápagos.