Ecosystemology of the reef platform of Campo de Antenas beach, Galeta Island, Colon, Panamá

Abstract

Ecosystemology is the transdisciplinary study of the ecosystem itself. It has a deeper focus than ecology itself, as a result of the coordination between the totality of the disciplines and the much-needed reconciliation of many fields such as natural sciences, exact sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The aim of the work was to develop a simple teaching methodology for laboratory students of the ecosystem ecology course in the Biology Degree at the University of Panama (Centro Regional Universitario de Colón). In this study, two principles of an ecosystem were tested, diverse and unique. The Campo de Antenas beach reef platform (Colón, Panama) was selected as the study area to test the hypothesis. As a sampling unit, the linear transect along a profile was chosen to sample flora and fauna, along with records of the site's physical and chemical environmental parameters, which helped to relate environmental factors to the behavior of organisms. The results show that the ecosystem has its own conditions of variation. Only in a line that passes along it were observed several species, which are only a part of the area's diversity. Experimentation supports the idea that ecosystem principles hold in any ecosystem. It is concluded that the reef platform is a diverse and unique ecosystem due to its problems and attributes.