“For me, it was like witnessing that wonderland not only exists in the warm regions of the planet.”

One may have heard that the equator, or the tropics as a common assumption, currently host the vast biodiversity of the planet. Coming from Mexico and seeing so many different ecosystems I followed blindly that assumption:  my -admittedly naive- thought has always been “life lives mostly in the center”. And the common media often does not help to promote other thoughts: “Save the amazon!” is one of the first, and perhaps the most popular, propaganda in pro of life, as it is often referenced as the lungs of the planet.  Dr. Curtis Bjork, with his presentation, changed my mind and, for doing so, he didn’t had to mention Mexico, nor the Amazon, in counterpart he showed us the immense life diversity that inhabits just in one region up north. I’m glad because my thinking went outside the box as I understood that not only the Robson Valley, but maybe the whole world is amusing in different ecosystems and that “life” is not what I used to think.

Among his presentation I only wished he had mentioned the methodology for identifying certain microorganisms. He did mention how he followed a track wide awake for any particular anomaly, and he even mentioned how some micro lichens were identified; I only wish he told us how he collected, preserved and treated samples before putting them under microscope.

I think that the worldwide comparison he made (contrasting area vs diversity) can come in handy not only for mine but for a great number of research. Precisely as the world is a complex, and enormous, interconnected place to make the readers think outside the box showing other places might come in handy. I think that, from all of his presentation, this is the aspect that I could use the most.

As my master´s topic, and my whole thinking, go directly to the global climatic change I would have asked Dr. Bjorn “This ecosystem is quite sensitive but we’re witnessing an inherent increase in surface temperatures, now: is there a way we could promote this ecosystem migration to a more adequate area if the need arises?”

Good day,

Sergio