Extraordinary IFOP Stand at Puerto Montt Science Festival in
November 26th, 2023
CREAN – IFOP working group participated in the Science Festival, organized by PAR – Explora Los Lagos, between November 15th – 16th, 2023, at Puerto Montt’s Arena events center, through different activities focused on publicizing phytoplankton main species and discussing Harmful Algal Blooms in Chile, or commonly known as “red tides.”
In this way, a photographic sample of microalgae was made, which were captured by Los Lagos region phytoplankton group professional lens (Julia Cáceres, Loreto López, Bianca Olivares and Karen Correa), Aysén (Verónica Muñoz), and Magellan (Pablo Salgado). These photographs were exhibited in a montage made by Rodrigo Martínez, a researcher at the Puerto Montt center. Thus, those who participated in this activity were able to learn about phytoplankton diversity of shapes and sizes, in addition to their system important characteristics and functions. On the other hand, the work was complemented with practical activities through an inverted microscope, impressing attendees with the diversity of species found in just a drop of seawater, and the “magical power” of microscopy.
Pamela Carbonell, this activity responsible researcher, who closed the second day of FECI 2023, through a talk about FAN in Chile, pointed out that the Science Festival is an important dissemination and education activity in the region, which allows us to bring this world, sometimes little known, closer to a diverse group of participants, who are enchanted by these small organisms with such important characteristics for marine ecosystems.