Charles Darwin's ecological experiment on Ascension isle

BBC ^ | September 1, 2010 | Howard Falcon-Lang

[decimon]

A lonely island in the middle of the South Atlantic conceals Charles Darwin's best-kept secret.

Two hundred years ago, Ascension Island was a barren volcanic edifice.

Today, its peaks are covered by lush tropical "cloud forest".

What happened in the interim is the amazing story of how the architect of evolution, Kew Gardens and the Royal Navy conspired to build a fully functioning, but totally artificial ecosystem.

By a bizarre twist, this great imperial experiment may hold the key to the future colonization of Mars.

The tiny tropical island of Ascension isn't easy it find. It is marooned in the ocean, 1,600km (1000 miles) from the coast of Africa and 2,250km (1,400 miles) from South America.

Its existence depends entirely on what geologists call the mid-Atlantic ridge. This is a chain of underwater volcanoes formed as the ocean is wrenched apart.

[decimon]

Cloud forest now forms a damp oasis on Ascension's highest peak

Ascension is one of a number of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic

[decimon]

Isle of man ping.

[Deaf Smith]

I believe that there were some Pacific Islands that were planted/replanted after WWII, such Iwo Jima.

[IrishCatholic]

How cool is that! Darwin was the first proponent of Intelligent Design. His friend and the Royal Navy provided the first experimental proof of Intelligent Design.

[Olympiad Fisherman]

The fact that it did not take very long to develop an ecosystem on this volcanic rock also undermines the whole idea of millions of years from the get go.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Colonizing Mars is a good idea. Let’s send all the democrats up there to socialize Mars. Let’s reserve Earth for all sensible people.

[rightwingextremist1776]

Isn’t that where they CAME from to begin with?

[fso301]

Whn I pull up Ascension Island on Google earth, all but the highest peak looks arid and dry.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks decimon, a two-list ping.

...this great imperial experiment may hold the key to the future colonization of Mars.

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[SunkenCiv]

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[bert]

You have your facts wrong. If you read your Origin Of Species you learn of many successful breeding exercises by man that transform crops, flowers, and pigeons in a few generations into all sorts of exotics.

This is a similar situation where man has intervened in natural processes to produce a desired result and in doing so has compressed the time required for natural evolutionary growth.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

That is exactly the way the island is. About the only thing that grows in the lower areas of the island are something similar to an acacia tree.

[colorado tanker]

Well, we’re still a few years away from terraforming . . . .

[SunkenCiv]

At least. :’)