Galapagos Versus Krakatau

When asked about the most interesting islands on Earth , mostly classical evolutionary biologists would answer the Galapagos . Volcanic island that floats in the Pacific Ocean , about 972 kilometers from Ecuador , is a mother of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution . Sequestered in the ocean , Galapagos has been colonized by species from the mainland millions of years ago , creating various types of typical species .

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) became the first geologist who visited the Galapagos in 1835 . At that time , he accompanied Captain Robert Fitzroy aboard the Beagle to survey coastal areas south America ( 1831-1836 ) . At that moment , Darwin began to be known by the geological writings before being known as the Father of Evolution .

Darwin was not only fascinated by the geological phenomenon in the Galapagos Islands , he was also fascinated by the unique and extraordinary biota that he found there . The meeting of the three currents , the earth 's core activities , and isolation shape the development of unusual animal life such as giant turtles , iguanas , and various types of finches that inspired Darwin's theory of natural selection and build the next human evolution that shook the world . Galapagos biodiversity is considered as a living museum and a model of evolution that UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site are protected .

However , behind the distinctive species in the Galapagos , there are holes unanswered about how the colonization process going on there . If succession and evolution in the Galapagos is no record of when to start , Krakatoa just the opposite . Krakatoa into locations that have been visited by biologists after the great eruption destroyed the islands in 1883 .

Many researchers assume that the island pascaletusan sterile and stage by stage the arrival of life on the island was recorded through various visits of researchers , in particular Holland . " Stages of life in the most complete recorded Krakatoa . Theories of primary succession in the tropics born of research activities in the Krakatau complex , as well as knowledge of the complex formation of tropical forests , " said botanist Indonesian Institute of Sciences , Professor Tukirin Partomihardjo , active examine vegetation in Krakatoa for 30 years .

Krakatoa provides a rare opportunity for researchers who want to detect the evolution of the island within a shorter time scale and limited space . In fact , the emergence of Mount Anak Krakatau in 1929 above sea level once again provide an opportunity for researchers to observe primary succession and the impact of the eruption of the life around him .

Botanist from Germany , Alfred Ernst , in his book , The New Flora of the Volcanic Island of Krakatau ( 1908) analyze how life again present in the Krakatau . He found Krakatoa ecosystems on more primitive stage than that seen Charles Darwin in the Galapagos Islands . Krakatoa demonstrated the power of nature to re-build a complex ecology of tabula rasa .