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Introduction
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Publications
Publications (64)
Dryland forests are the areas most threatened by climate change, urbanization and land-use change simultaneously. Ecosystem services provided by Mediterranean dryland forests are have been in steep decline, and are extensively studied in the Mediterranean basin, however considerably less in other areas with Mediterranean climates. Knowledge of thes...
Habitat use is how animals use the physical and biological components of the environment. Studies relating habitat and wildlife in forest ecosystems have typically been conducted from the ground, even though most wildlife use the three-dimensional space. The objective of our study was to understand how wildlife uses the whole vertical profile of th...
Dispersal is a key process that impacts population dynamics and structures biotic communities. Dispersal limitation influences the assembly of plant and microbial communities, including mycorrhizal fungi and their plant hosts. Mycorrhizal fungi play key ecological roles in forests by feeding nutrients to plants in exchange for sugars, so the disper...
Background: Secondary foundation species (FS) are organisms that inhabit ecosystems structurally defined by a primary foundation species, providing additional structure to habitats and communities. Trash-basket epiphytes (TBE) are secondary FS that enhance arboreal soil accumulation, providing shelter to animals, and rooting sites for plants. While...
Gaps in the forest canopy, created by treefalls, are fundamental to the process of forest dynamics (Yamamoto 2000). Tree‐fall gaps are critical for the regeneration of shade‐intolerant tree species while at the same time, providing opportunities for the growth and establishment of shade‐tolerant tree species (Yamamoto 2000). Gap dynamics is central...
The world's southernmost tree has been documented along with the condition and growth pattern of the world's southernmost forest on Isla Hornos, Chile. The distribution of trees at broad scales is strongly influenced by the abiotic environment and determining the position and condition of tree limits around the world is an important way to monitor...
Bromeliads are a numerous family of vascular epiphytes, though only one epiphytic species inhabits South-American temperate rainforests: the endemic Fascicularia bicolor. This bromeliad is an important driver of canopy biodiversity, but attributes of its hosts are mostly unknown. Here we report (i) the tree species colonized by F. bicolor, (ii) the...
In May 2008, Chaitén volcano entered in eruptive process, one of the world largest eruptions in the last decades. The catastrophic event left different type of disturbance and caused diverse environmental damage distributed heterogeneously in the surrounding areas of the volcano. We went to the field to assess the early vegetation responses a year...
La investigación y monitoreo a largo plazo proporciona importantes conocimientos ecológicos para mejorar la gestión y manejo de los ecosistemas, particularmente especies raras y amenazadas. Los esfuerzos de conservación en Chile aún mantienen muchas incertezas biológicas y ecológicas sobre las especies foco o no se cuenta con protocolos estandariza...
In southern Chile, the most diverse forest ecosystems are located between 36° and 40° S, in the same areas where agriculture and industrial forestry are concentrated. We studied bird assemblages in Bosque Pehuén Park (39°25’S), along a human disturbance gradient from early successional forest mixed with grasslands to barely disturbed old-growth for...
We documented the first observations of rhinocryptid birds in the canopy of a temperate rainforest in southern Chile. In the Bosque Pehuén Park, located in the southern Chilean Andes (39°42'S, 71°75'W), we installed camera traps in six old Nothofagus dombeyi trees, one per tree between 12 and 21 m above the forest floor. Traps were active from Janu...
Dromiciops gliroides is a small marsupial endemic to the South American temperate rainforest; it is considered a living fossil because it is the only living species of the order Microbiotheria, more related to Australian marsupials than those found in South America. Dromiciops gliroides has been considered a scansorial marsupial most frequently fou...
In Chile, most protected areas are located in the southern Andes, in mountainous landscapes at mid or high altitudes. Despite the increasing proportion of protected areas, few have detailed inventories of their biodiversity. This information is essential to define threats and develop long-term integrated conservation programs to face the effects of...
We report a new record of Podilymbus podiceps (Linnaeus, 1758) in the southern Chilean Patagonia, 120 km south of previous records on the western side of the Andes, and more than 400 km south of their known distribution area on the eastern side of the Andes. This is the southernmost record of this species in Chile and one of the southernmost record...
Epiphytic bryophytes are an important component of many forest ecosystems. Several studies have reported vertical distribution patterns for this species, finding many taxa growing along the entire vertical profile of host trees, some in the most exposed upper areas of the canopies. Many studies in Chilean forests have focused on epiphytes, but most...
a b s t r a c t Ecosystem engineers are organisms that modify habitats and resource flows, they therefore could have a disproportionate impact on the diversity of ecological communities. Evidence suggests that trash basket epiphytes (TBE) can be considered ecosystem engineers of forest canopies, due to their relationship with arboreal soil availabi...
Ecosystem engineers are organisms that modify
habitats and resource flows, they therefore could have
a disproportionate impact on the diversity of ecological
communities. Evidence suggests that trash basket
epiphytes (TBE) can be considered ecosystem engineers of
forest canopies, due to their relationship with arboreal soil
availability and treetop...
Protected wilderness areas are the main tool for the
conservation of biodiversity in the world. In Chile there are
few areas with detailed inventories of the biodiversity they
harbor and the historical use of the lands they protect. This
information is essential for zoning areas, defining threats
and for developing integrated conservation programs...
People’s perception on birds of prey is heavily influenced by its intrinsic value, utility, myths and superstitions. In particular, negative perceptions may encourage poaching and persecution of these birds, affecting their conservation status. One nocturnal raptor species widely distributed across the world is the Barn Owl (Tyto alba, Tytonidae)....
The Chocolate-vented Tyrant (Neoxolmis rufiventris, Tyrannidae) is a rare terrestrial bird inhabitant of the Patagonian steppes classified as “insufficiently known” species by the Chilean classification of endangered species. Here we document a new record of the Chocolate-vented Tyrant for Chile, in the Aysén region, where two individuals were seen at...
Ecological processes in the upper canopy of temperate forests have been seldom studied because of the limited accessibility. Here, we present the results of the first survey of the pollinator assemblage and the frequency of insect visits to flowers in the upper branches of ulmo, Eucryphia cordifolia Cav., an emergent 30-40 m-tall tree in rainforest...
Frugivory is a common interaction mechanism between plants and animals in the temperate rainforest of southern South America. In this study, we examined primary dispersal and predation stages of Persea lingue (Ruiz et Pav.) Nees (Lauraceae), an endemic large-seeded tree of these forests. The main goal was to determine the identity of vertebrate see...
In Chile, the distribution of the filmy fern Hymenophyllum ferrugineum Colla (Hymenophyllaceae) ranges from 39°51' and 52°S. Here, we report the discovery of a new population at 39°S in the southern Andes, at 70 km northern to previous records.
La Reserva Nacional Río Clarillo (RNRC) en la Región Metropolitana se encuentra rodeada por extensas zonas cubiertas con vegetación nativa. La más importante es el Fundo El Principal (FEP), el cual cubre más de 5000 ha, pudiendo actuar como zona de amortiguación de las zonas residenciales y agrícolas alrededor de la reserva. En este trabajo compara...
We presented the checklist of the vascular flora of the Futangue Park, a private natural protected area, in the Andean Temperate Region of southern Chile. We recorded 295 species, distributed in 91 families and 165 genera. This park support an important proportion of the flora from temperate forests of southern South America (ca. 40-70%). The 66% o...
Las epífitas son un componente relevante para la diversidad de los bosques. Cumplen funciones como proveer de hábitat a animales, regular el flujo hídrico y en algunos casos proveer de nutrientes al hospedero. En Chile el dosel es poco conocido, y sólo dos investigaciones han accedido a él registrando gran diversidad de epífitas a lo largo del perf...
Epiphytes represent a conspicuous component of the canopy of old-growth forests, reaching biomass values of up to 44 t/ha. Forest epiphytes host a rich invertebrate community; however, the contribution of epiphytes to the richness and abundance of canopy invertebrates is still quite unknown, and has not been experimentally assessed in old-growth fo...
Desde los años 1980, se han desarrollado varias técnicas de acceso al dosel del bosque, algunas basadas en elementos livianos, compactos y de bajo costo hasta otras basadas en una gran infraestructura y alto costo. Sin embargo, pocos métodos de "tecnología sencilla" ofrecen confort y seguridad durante las observaciones de fauna desde el dosel. En e...
We report the first data on nesting ecology of the Slender-billed Parakeet (Enicognathus leptorhynchus) from two wild nests in native temperate rainforests of southern Chile. Nests were located in natural cavities 19 m up in emergent trees. Posture reached up to ten eggs and clutched four and five nestlings, respectively. Incubation period extended...
We document for the first time the epiphytic composition and biomass of canopy emergent trees from temperate, old-growth coastal rainforests of Chile (42°30′S). Through tree-climbing techniques, we accessed the crown of two large (c. 1m trunk diameter, 25–30m tall) individuals of Eucryphia cordifolia (Cunoniaceae) and one large Aextoxicon punctatum...
Senda Darwin Biological Station (SDBS) is a field research center immersed in the rural landscape of northern Chiloé island (42° S), where remnant patches of the original evergreen forests coexist with open pastures, secondary successional shrublands, Sphagnum bogs, Eucalyptus plantations and other anthropogenic cover types, constituting an agricul...
Senda Darwin Biological Station (SDBS) is a field research center immersed in the rural landscape of northern Chiloé island (42º S), where remnant patches of the original evergreen forests coexist with open pastures, secondary successional shrublands, Sphagnum bogs, Eucalyptus plantations and other anthropogenic cover types, constituting an agricul...
We record for the first time arboreal habits in amphibians from the temperate rainforests of southern South America. In April 2006 we collected an individual of Eupsophus calcaratus at 16 m height, in a large Eucryphia cordifolia tree of old-growth forest of Chiloé Island, southern Chile. This species was considered until now as a terrestrial speci...
NOTA First record on an amphibian in the canopy of temperate rainforests of southern South America: Eupsophus calcaratus (Cycloramphidae) Primer registro de un anfibio en el dosel del bosque templado del sur de Sudamérica: Eupsophus calcaratus (Cycloramphidae) SUMMARY We record for the first time arboreal habits in amphibians from the temperate rai...
Este es el primer registro de hábitos arbóreos en una especie de anfibio de los bosques templados del sur de Sudamérica. En abril de 2006 fue colectado un individuo de Eupsophus calcaratus a 16 m de altura, en un gran árbol de la especie Eucryphia cordifolia en bosques antiguos de la Isla de Chiloé. Hasta ahora, esta especie era considerada como un...
Background/Question/Methods
Epiphytic soil derives from litter and organic matter accumulated on tree trunks and branches. This compartment can be a substantial portion of old-growth forest biomass. This dead biomass could be a subsidiary source of nutrients for temperate forests, in addition to litter on the ground. Temperate evergreen rainforests...
A structural and compositional definition of old-growth forest is presented, which places emphasis on the lack of recurrent
human impact, the presence of a shade-tolerant canopy with emergent pioneers, and a patch area that minimises edge effects.
Using this definition, we provide an overview of the current conservation status, relevance of plant–a...
Background/Question/Methods A social understanding of the ecosystem concept requires conveying the various meanings of the term to non-scientists. The ecosystem concept has ancient cultural roots in most primitive societies, as their worldviews often integrated the living and non-living as interacting parts in the cycle of growth, death and renewal...
Knowledge of species richness centers is necessary for the design of conservation areas. In this study, we present a GIS analysis
of two years of field data on animal and plant diversity distributions in evergreen, coastal rain forests of southern Chile
(39°30′–41°25′S). Despite their high endemism, these forests have remained largely unprotected....
We studied the effects of fragment size, vegetation structure and presence of habitat corridors on the reproductive success of the Des Murs' Wiretail (Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii Des Murs, Furnariidae), a small (10 g) understorey bird, endemic to South American forests. In a rural landscape of Chiloe Island, southern Chile (42 degrees S; 70 degree...
We show how Chilean forest bird species richness, abundance and guild structure changes as a function of structural properties of forest stands. We surveyed bird assemblages in two old-growth (>200 years), two mid-successional (30–60 years), and two early-successional forest stands (4–20 years), from November 1999 to September 2000, on Chiloé Islan...
In South American temperate rainforests, five endemic understory birds (four Rhinocryptidae and one Furnariidae) are often associated with the main understory plant, the native bamboo Chusquea valdiviensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae). We studied the effects of bamboo cover on species abundance and richness of those understory birds and explored the fun...
In South American temperate rainforests, five endemic understory birds (four Rhinocryptidae and one Furnariidae) are often associated with the main understory plant, the native bamboo Chusquea valdiviensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae). We studied the effects of bamboo cover on species abundance and richness of those understory birds and explored the fun...
Analizamos la representatividad, distribución y perspectivas de conservación de los vertebrados terrestres de la Reserva Nacional Río Clarillo, Chile central. Mediante recorridos periódicos realizados entre 1987 y 1996, determinamos la riqueza y distribución altitudinal de los vertebrados terrestres en esta Reserva. Registramos 127 especies (22 mam...
We analyzed the representation, distribution and conservation perspectives of terrestrial vertebrates in the Río Clarillo National Reserve, central Chile. During periodical surveys conducted between 1987 and 1996, we determined the composition and altitudinal distribution of the terrestrial vertebrates in this Reserve. We recorded 127 species (22 m...
Abstract In temperate rainforests on Chiloé Island in southern Chile (42°S), most canopy trees bear fleshy, avian-dispersed propagules, whereas emergent tree species have dry, wind-borne propagules. In the present study, the following hypothesis was tested: regardless of species, fleshy propagules are deposited in greater numbers in canopy gaps and...
We used experimental nests baited with California Quail ( Callipepla californica) eggs or clay eggs to examine relative risks of nest predation in an agricultural landscape and in two large forest preserves in a south-temperate rainforest in Chile. The most common predators, as identified by marks on clay eggs, were a caracara ( Milvago chimango),...
Seeds of seven tree species, six shrub species, and one epiphyte were tested for their rates of removal by seed predators in two remnant patches (15-20 ha) of old-growth temperate forest in Chiloe Island, southern Chile (42°30'S). Field assays were aimed at assessing the rates of post-dispersal seed consumption, mainly by rodents and understory bir...
