|
Green Warbler-finch
The green warbler-finch (''Certhidea olivacea'') is a species of bird, one of Darwin's finches in the tanager family Thraupidae. Sometimes classified in the family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the tanager family. When Darwin collected it in 1835 during the Second voyage of HMS Beagle, ''Beagle'' survey expedition he mistakenly thought it was a wren, but on return to England he was informed in March 1837 by the ornithologist John Gould that the bird was in the group of finches. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. This species is closely related to the grey warbler-finch, and the two were formerly considered conspecific, but both species differ in appearance, distribution, habitat, and song. Holding a distinctive place in the evolutionary history of Galápagos finches, phylogenetic studies suggest that the warbler-finches represent one of the earliest branches in the radiation of Galápagos finches, diverging prior to the more well-known ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Gould
John Gould (; 14 September 1804 – 3 February 1881) was an English ornithologist who published monographs on birds, illustrated by plates produced by his wife, Elizabeth Gould (illustrator), Elizabeth Gould, and several other artists, including Edward Lear, Henry Constantine Richter, Joseph Wolf and William Matthew Hart. Because of his 1840s seven-volume series ''The Birds of Australia (Gould), The Birds of Australia'' and its updates he has been considered the father of bird study in Australia, and the Gould League in Australia is named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. Gould's work is referenced in Charles Darwin's book, ''On the Origin of Species''. Early life John Gould was born in Lyme Regis, the first son of a gardener. Both father and son probably had little education. After working on Dowager Lady Poulett's glass house, his father obtained ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rábida Island
Rábida or Rabida Island () is one of the Galápagos Islands. It is in area. Names ''Rábida'' () is the Spanish word for a ribat, a medieval Islamic guardpost used figuratively for Sufi monasteries and Islamic nunneries. It was previously named Jervis Island () by British captain James Colnett in 1793 in honor of John Jervis, the martinet admiral who later defeated the French Navy at Cape St. Vincent during the Napoleonic Wars. Geography Rabida is one of the Galápagos Islands, located south of Santiago Island, northeast of Isabela Island, and northwest of Santa Cruz. Wildlife In addition to flamingos and the bachelor sea lion colony, pelicans, white-cheeked pintails, boobies, and nine species of finch have been reported. The rich wildlife attracts a number of tourist cruises. In 1971, the Galápagos National Park Service successfully eradicated goats from Rábida as this introduced species upset the natural environment and led to the extinction of several native ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Certhidea
The warbler-finches are a genus ''Certhidea'' of birds in the tanager family Thraupidae that are endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Together with related genera, they are collectively known as Darwin's finches. The two species were formerly considered to be conspecific; however, they have different songs, prefer different habitats, and are located in different areas on the islands. Taxonomy and species list The genus ''Certhidea'' was introduced in 1837 by the English ornithologist John Gould with the green warbler-finch as the type species. The name is a Latin diminutive of the genus ''Certhia'' introduced by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 for the treecreepers. The members of the genus form part of a group collectively known as Darwin's finches. Although traditionally placed with the buntings and New World sparrows in the family Emberizidae, molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that Darwin's finches are members of the subfamily Coerebinae within the tanager family Thraupidae T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It may be the mature vegetation type in a particular region and remain stable over time, or it may be a transitional community that occurs temporarily as the result of a disturbance, such as fire. A stable state may be maintained by regular natural disturbance such as fire or browsing (predation), browsing. Shrubland may be unsuitable for human habitation because of the danger of fire. The term was coined in 1903. Shrubland species generally show a wide range of adaptations to fire, such as heavy seed production, lignotubers, and fire-induced germination. Botanical structural form In botany and ecology a shrub is defined as a much-branched woody plant less than 8 m high, usually with many plant stem, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's axial tilt; the width of the tropics (in latitude) is twice the tilt. The tropics are also referred to as the tropical zone and the torrid zone (see geographical zone). Due to the overhead sun, the tropics receive the most solar energy over the course of the year, and consequently have the highest temperatures on the planet. Even when not directly overhead, the sun is still close to overhead throughout the year, therefore the tropics also have the lowest seasonal variation on the planet; "winter" and "summer" lose their temperature contrast. Instead, seasons are more commonly divided by precipitation variations than by temperature variations. The tropics maintain wide diversity of local climates, such as rain forests, monsoons, sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Montane Forest
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures lapse rate, fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial factor in shaping plant community, biodiversity, metabolic processes and ecosystem dynamics for montane ecosystems. Dense montane forests are common at moderate elevations, due to moderate temperatures and high rainfall. At higher elevations, the climate is harsher, with lower temperatures and higher winds, preventing the growth of trees and causing the plant community to transition to montane grasslands and shrublands or alpine tundra. Due to the unique climate conditions of montane ecosystems, they contain increased numbers of endemic species. Montane ecosystems also exhibit variation in ecosystem services, which include carbon storage and water supply. Life zones As elevation increases, the alpine climate, climate becomes co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Forest
A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines a forest as, "Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a Canopy (biology), canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds ''in situ''. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban use." Using this definition, ''Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020'' found that forests covered , or approximately 31 percent of the world's land area in 2020. Forests are the largest Terrestrial ecosystem, terrestrial ecosystems of Earth by area, and are found around the globe. 45 percent of forest land is in the Tropical forest, trop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical zone#Temperate zones, temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° to 40° north and south. The horse latitudes lie within this range. Subtropical climates are often characterized by hot summers and mild winters with infrequent frost. Most subtropical climates fall into two basic types: humid subtropical climate, humid subtropical (Köppen climate classification: Cfa/Cwa), where rainfall is often concentrated in the warmest months, for example list of regions of China, Southeast China and the Southeastern United States, and Mediterranean climate, dry summer or Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa/Csb), where seasonal rainfall is concentrated in the cooler ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)
Santa Cruz Island (), also known as Indefatigable Island and by #Names, other names, is the most populous and second-largest List of islands of South America#Ecuador, island in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Situated in the middle of the group, Santa Cruz is a shield volcano with an area of and a maximum altitude of . The seat of Santa Cruz Canton, Ecuador, Santa Cruz Canton is Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. The island's total population is around 18,000 with those living in smaller villages chiefly working in agriculture and cattle raising. Names The island's original Spanish language, Spanish name was San Clemente Island ( or ) in honor of Clement of Rome, St. Clement. This was changed to Bolivia Island () in honor of the South American revolutionary hero Simón Bolívar upon the islands' annexation by Ecuador in 1832 and then to ''Santa Cruz'' (, "Holy Cross") in reference to True Cross, the cross upon which Jesus was Crucifixion of Jesus, crucified during the 1892 renamin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fernandina Island
Fernandina Island () is the youngest and third largest island in the Galápagos, as well as the furthest west. It has an area of and a height of , with a summit caldera about wide. It is younger than Isabela, being only less than one million years old since its formation. Like the other islands, it was formed by the Galápagos hotspot. The island is an active shield volcano that has most recently erupted in March 2024. Names Fernandina is named in honor of King FerdinandII of Aragon, one of the sponsors of Christopher Columbus's voyages. It was formerly known in Spanish as Isla de Plata ("Silver Island") and in English as Narbrough or Narborough Island, honoring Admiral John Narborough who commanded a British Navy squadron in the West Indies. The name was bestowed by the English pirate William Ambrosia Cowley in 1684 and preserved for centuries thereafter. Geography Ferdandina is the youngest and third largest island in the Galápagos, as well as the furthest west. It ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isabela Island (Galápagos)
Isabela Island () is the largest of the Galápagos Islands, with an area of and a length of . By itself, it is larger than all the other islands in the chain combined, and it has a little under 2,000 permanent inhabitants. The island straddles the equator. Names The original Spanish name of Isabela () was Santa Isabela Island ( or ) in honor of the Aragonese Queen Elizabeth of Portugal, who was canonized by Pope Urban VIII on 24 June 1626. When the name was formally changed to Isabela Island in 1892 as part of Ecuador's quadricentennial celebration of Columbus's first voyage, its eponym changed to Columbus's patron Queen IsabellaI of Castile. Isabela and nearby Fernandina Islandhonoring Isabella's husband FerdinandII of Aragonalso preserve the names bestowed on the third and fourth islands encountered by Columbus during his voyage. The former English name Duke of Albemarl's Island or Albemarle Island was bestowed by English buccaneer Ambrose Cowley in 1684 in honor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pinzón Island
Pinzón or Pinzon Island () is an island in Ecuador's Galápagos Archipelago. It has no permanent population, an area of , and a maximum elevation of . Home to giant Galápagos tortoises of the subspecies '' Chelonoidis duncanensis'' and Galápagos sea lions, the island has no visitor facilities and a permit is required for legal visits. Names The Spanish name honors the brothers Martín Alonso and Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, who served as the captains of the '' Pinta'' and '' Niña'' on Christopher Columbus's first voyage. Pinta Island is named after the ship itself. The English pirate William Ambrosia Cowley charted the island as Dean's Island in honor of Samuel Pepys's protegé Anthony Deane. It was later written Deane Island before the British captain James Colnett renamed it Duncan Island in 1794 after Admiral Adam Duncan, later created 1st Viscount Duncan after his victory over the Dutch at Camperdown in 1797. Geography Pinzón is part of the Galápagos Island ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
