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The University of Cauca strengthens scientific training with the International Co...

The University of Cauca strengthens scientific training with the International Course “Neotropical Zooplankton: Cladoceran Taxonomy”

17 April, 2026

The Faculty of Natural, Exact, and Education Sciences, through the Department of Biology, the Master’s in Continental Hydrobiological Resources, and the Research Group on Continental Hydrobiological Resources of the University of Cauca, organized the International Course Neotropical Zooplankton: Cladocera Taxonomy, held from October 6 to 13, 2025, in a virtual theoretical format (Google Meet and Zoom) and a face-to-face theoretical-practical format in the laboratories of the Department of Biology in Popayán

The course aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the taxonomy, systematics, and diversity of Neotropical cladocerans, offering participants conceptual and practical tools for morphological identification and the use of modern integrative taxonomy approaches, which combine the study of morphology with molecular techniques based on DNA. Aimed at students and researchers interested in the taxonomy of epicontinental zooplankton in the Neotropical region, the academic space sought to strengthen scientific capacities related to the understanding of aquatic biodiversity and its application in environmental management.

The activity included the participation of faculty members from Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, among them Francisco Diogo Rocha Sousa from the Federal University of Jataí (Brazil), Lourdes Maria Abdu El-Moor Loureiro, independent researcher (Brazil), and Manuel Elías Gutiérrez from El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (Mexico). The content covered topics such as taxonomy, systematics, morphology, sampling, sample processing, and data analysis, with a total intensity of 88 hours (32 theoretical and 56 practical).

The course, offered within the framework of the 1st Colombian Congress of Limnology and the 10th Seminar on Limnology, had capacity for up to 200 participants in the virtual modality and 20 in the mixed face-to-face modality. It also featured a syllabus that included morphological identification, the use of taxonomic guides, sampling techniques, and applied experimental analyses, with emphasis on applications in ecotoxicology, ecogenomics, and the assessment of environmental conditions.

According to Andrés Felipe Ojeda Trochez, a Biology student and teaching assistant of the Master’s in Continental Hydrobiological Resources, “The purpose of the course was to present a vision of the taxonomy, systematics, and diversity of Neotropical cladocerans, support participants’ questions derived from their research projects, and promote the use of DNA barcoding and integrative taxonomy as key tools for recognizing aquatic biodiversity.”

Thus, the course coordinated by Camilo Ernesto Andrade Sossa reflects the academic and social commitment of the University of Cauca to strengthening research as a fundamental axis of university education. Through this space, the development of applied knowledge, critical thinking, and the articulation between science and the needs of the territories are promoted. In this way, the University fosters processes that enable the understanding and appreciation of biodiversity, encouraging a culture of conservation that integrates academic knowledge with an ethical commitment to the environment and the communities that inhabit it.