Report on International Phytoplankton Course in Latin America
The III International Phytoplankton Course for participants from Latin America was held at the Biology Department of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Puerto Rico, Ponce, P.R., from January 4-21, 1995. It was attended by sixteen graduate students from 13 countries including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Republica Dominicana, Uruguay and Venezuela.
As with the previous courses, the scientific content of the course was the responsibility of Drs. Sergio Avaria (Chile), Martha Ferrario (Argentina), Carina Lange (Argentina and USA), Nelson Navarro (Puerto Rico), and Patricio Rivera (Chile). Prof. J.L. Ricart of the Catholic University of P.R. and Drs. I. Gonzalez, G. Nadathur and A. Winter from the University of Puerto Rico were invited to give specific lectures on the ecology of Puerto Rico, techniques for establishing and maintaining microalgae cultures, and molecular biology of dinoflagellates and coccolithophorids, respectively. In addition, Mr. J. Hinsch and Mr. F. Sierra of the Superior-Leica Company lectured on techniques for light microscopy.
This three-week course consisted of training in marine phytoplankton, with emphasis on the morphology, taxonomy and biogeography of marine diatoms, the use of light microscopy, and identification literature. Other groups, such as dinoflagellates, coccolithophorids and silicoflagellates were also considered. Classes were held from Monday through Saturday, and special seminars occupied several evenings. A wonderful welcoming party at the Casino del Municipio de Ponce was arranged for the first evening, and a final examination followed by an emotional goodbye-dinner were scheduled for the last day of the course. A few pleasant breaks to the endless classes included an evening trip to Phoshporescent Bay in La Parguera where we enjoyed swimming among millions of Pyrodinium bahamense; a morning cruise about 8 miles offshore for collecting live phytoplankton material (thanks to Dr. Gonzalez, UPR), which was observed under LM upon our return in the afternoon; a day at one of the many mangrove beaches; and a Sunday excursion to the El Yunque Rainforest, ending with a late afternooon sight-seeing and shopping trip to the old San Jaun city.
The friendly atmosphere during the classes, the tropical climate and the magnificent tropical music confirms Puerto Rico's reputation of being the enchanted island of the Caribbean.
Main sponsors of the Course included the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Puerto Rico, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Superior-Leica of Puerto Rico. Additional help was received from the Gobierno Municipal Autonomo de Ponce, the Departmento de Turismo del Municipio de Ponce, the Departmento de Ciencias Marinas of the University of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican Cement Co., the Xerox Corporation, the C-Squared Corporation and the US Forest Service. To all of them, our sincere thanks for making this course come true. The OAS has already promised to help finance the next one which could likely be scheduled for mid-1996.
--Nelson Navarro and Carina Lange
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Phycological Newsletter Vol. 31, No. 2 June 1995
Last updated: Dec. 20, 2005
