Q. With reference to Galapagos Islands, consider the following statements;
1.Cold ocean currents are helping Galapagos Islands from global warming.
2.The islands became UNESCO’s first World Heritage Site.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: The Galapagos islands are protected from an otherwise warming Pacific Ocean by a cold, eastward equatorial ocean current.
The equatorial undercurrent in the Pacific Ocean is bound to the equator by the force of the planet’s rotation.Under the ocean’s surface, a swift circulation of cold, nutrient-rich water flows from west to east.
Some of this water is forced to the surface when it reaches the Galápagos Islands.The nutrient-rich water triggers photosynthesis and leads to an explosion of food for a wide variety of animals.
Statement 2 is correct: In 1978, the islands became UNESCO’s first World Heritage Site.It is described by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention as a “living museum and showcase of evolution.”
Source: Ocean currents protect Galápagos Islands from global warming; but are they safe forever?
