Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC): Important scientific collection will be exhibited for the first time at the UC Extension Center
The Professor Patricio Sánchez Reyes Flora and Fauna Collection is the name of one of the most important biological collections in the country. Located on the premises of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, today it has more than 12,000 specimens of plants and animals native to Chile and other parts of the world.
Created in 1960 by the academic Patricio Sánchez (and for whom it bears his name), its objective is to support scientific research in the areas of ecology and evolution, in addition to supporting teaching activities both at the UC and in other universities and centers. Throughout its more than 60 years of activity, it has served as the basis for the preparation of hundreds of theses and research articles, and thanks to it, at least 10 species never before known in our country were discovered and classified.
It is for this reason that the Faculty of Biological Sciences, and in order to share knowledge of said collection, will present an exhibition open to the public at the UC Extension Center (Alameda 390), joining for the first time the Day of the Heritages .
Have you heard of biological collections?
Biological collections house a set of organisms or parts thereof, preserved, following curatorial standards that allow the taxonomic identification of biological specimens.
The exhibition that will be presented at the UC Extension Center will show biodiversity at its different levels of organization, from genetic diversity, species and ecosystems; so the public will be able to visit different areas of the country such as the rocky intertidal, the Valdivian Forest and the Chilean Antarctic. In addition, you will be able to discover the fauna of a wide geographical distribution in Chile as well as some exotic species.
The experience that will be replicated for the first time on a large scale in the educational campus, seeks to generate meeting spaces with new audiences, relieving their right to access and enjoy science, regardless of their social, intellectual, economic and cultural status.
“Biological collections are important repositories of information on biodiversity. Hundreds of collectibles such as specimens, skulls, feathers, fruits, fabrics, among others, keep the memory of ecosystems and illustrate unknown worlds for us”- Professor Eduardo Palma, Department of Ecology and Director of the Collection
“ Biological collections are important repositories of information on biodiversity. Hundreds of collectibles such as specimens, skulls, feathers, fruits, fabrics, among others, keep the memory of ecosystems and illustrate unknown worlds”, comments the professor of the Department of Ecology and director of the Collection, Eduardo Palma.
In its educational role, the Collection will provide, for example, didactic information on how the animal dissection process is generated, considering the proportions of the specimen’s body. It should be noted that, initially, the species that reach the Collection come mainly from research projects of various researchers, as well as donations made by students, researchers and collaborators, both from the University and external.
Along the same lines of education, during the exhibition there will also be a space for the youngest members of the family to touch 3D figures, paint, draw and even apply for contests.
“This collection is a true treasure and as a Faculty we have proposed to spread it to educate our girls, boys, young people and adults. We want them to be fascinated with what surrounds us, but at the same time, we want them to realize the importance of conserving our environment” – Cecilia Riquelme, Director of Academic Development FCB
“This collection is a true treasure and as a Faculty we have proposed to spread it to educate our girls, boys, young people and adults. We want them to be fascinated with what surrounds us, but at the same time, we want them to realize the importance of conserving our environment. To care for and preserve biodiversity, we must first know what we have, and that is one of the main missions of the collections, and the Professor Patricio Sánchez Flora and Fauna Collection is no exception to this mission,” says Cecilia Riquelme, director of Academic Development of the Faculty of Biological Sciences.
It should be noted that the exhibition is carried out thanks to the support of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, the Professor Patricio Sánchez Flora and Fauna Collection, the Department of Ecology of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, the Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) and the UC Extension Center.