Reflection ecosystems summer
- 1. Delaine M. Zayas-Bazán Burgos Biology Laboratory Professor E. Llera Santos Puerto Rico is a privileged island for having the most beautiful scenery in the world. Even though it is a very small island, it has an incredible biodiversity. This biodiversity is reflected in El Bosque Seco de Guánica and in El Bosque Nacional del Caribe, el Yunque. Both forests are very distinct and they are separated from each other by only 200 kilometers of distance. This distance can be easily traveled in about three hours. Even when they are relatively close to each other, going from one to the other gives the visitor the strange feeling of having changed of country in order to see such distinct ecosystems. Both forests are extremely impressive. The avian diversity in the Dry Forest, the amount of flora that lives and survives in it despite the extreme temperatures that can be reached, is amazing. The pluvial forest shows the same phenomenon. Organisms have adapted to live extraordinarily in any of these ecosystems, showing great advances in their adaptation process. This adaptation similitude makes both forests great environments for the study of evolution, natural selection and adaptability. Unfortunately Puerto Ricans do not share the same opinion of these two gifts from nature. The two forests, as well as many other wonderful places of this magnificent land, are lush, interesting and intriguing. Both provoked in me a desire to love my country more and appreciate it more. They also caused an immense desire to study them thoroughly, because one can only love what is known. It was a pleasure to have
- 2. the opportunity travel and have more than one dedicated professional to join us and instruct us on the way.