Book on Patagonia’s underwater forests is presented – 2024-08-15 20:48:49 – 2024-08-15 20:51:22

A journey through the evolution of the huiro or Macrocystis pyrifera, its morphological diversity, its forms of reproduction, ecological roles and contributions to ecosystems in a context of global change is what the book Bosques marineros de la Patagonia proposes.

The project, led by Dr. Iván Gómez, director of the Center for Research on the Dynamics of High Latitude Marine Ecosystems (IDEAL) at the Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh), brings together texts written by various scientists, as well as photographs and explanatory diagrams that allow us to appreciate and understand underwater forests.

“This book is the result of many years of scientific work in Southern Patagonia and for me it represents a window into a natural heritage about which little is known. We want people to look through that window to learn about this species,” says the researcher.

Gómez, who is also the author of the book “Flora Marina Antártica”, has carried out important outreach work to make the public aware of the great biodiversity that the South Pole houses. His research has focused on the ecology, photobiology and physiology of algae communities in different coastal systems, including temperate, cold and polar regions.

“The book is written and designed so that it can be read by a general public without losing its scientific value. We believe that its pages can also be of interest in the educational field, both in schools and universities, as well as in the academic world and in the public sector,” explains Gómez.

The professor at the Institute of Marine and Limnological Sciences (ICML) of the UACh also says that one of the main challenges of this book was to propose an attractive format that would show the marine beauty of Patagonia.

“In general, it is always difficult for us scientists to present our findings in a way that is accessible to all kinds of audiences. Therefore, structuring the book in an agile format that would not lose quality in its content was an effort to which we dedicated time and energy,” says the director of the IDEAL Center.

“This book is an invitation to explore the marine world of our Patagonia with the same fascination as we do, we who have had the privilege of studying its mysteries,” he concludes.

The digital version of the book is available HERE.