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The Galapagos Islands have often been called the laboratory of evolution, where scientists have been able to study in detail many of the processes that have shaped the face of life on our planet. There are few places in the world, where it is possible to find such a variety of species, both animal and plant, which show so many degrees of evolutionary change, in such a restricted area. This course will focus on the tectonic development of the Islands and of the origin, evolution, and ecology of flora and fauna, and the reasons for the concentration of threatened and endangered species in the forests and on the Galapagos Islands. In the marine environment, emphasis will be placed on the ecological processes that maintain biodiversity, community organization, and the impacts of climate change which are threatening such communities.