Cape Horn Research Articles

Physiological resilience of intertidal chitons in a persistent upwelling coastal region

Current climate projections for mid-latitude regions globally indicate an intensification of wind-driven coastal upwelling due to warming conditions. The dynamics of mid-latitude coastal upwelling are marked by environmental variability across temporal scales, which affect key physiological processes in marine calcifying organisms and can impact their large-scale distribution patterns. In this context, marine invertebrates often exhibit phenotypic plasticity, enabling them to adapt to environmental change. In this study, we examined the physiological performance (i.e., metabolism, Thermal Performance Curves, and biomass and calcification rates) of individuals of the intertidal mollusk Chiton granosus, a chiton found from northern Peru to Cape Horn (5° to 55°S). Our spatial study design indicated a pattern of contrasting conditions among locations. The Talcaruca site, characterized by persistent upwelling and serving as a biogeographic break, exhibited lower pH and carbonate saturation states, along with higher pCO2, compared to the sites located to the north and south of this location (Huasco and Los Molles, respectively). In agreement with the spatial pattern in carbonate system parameters, long-term temperature records showed lower temperatures that changed faster over synoptic scales (1–15 days) at Talcaruca, in contrast to the more stable conditions at the sites outside the break. Physiological performance traits from individuals from the Talcaruca population exhibited higher values and more significant variability, along with significantly broader and greater warming tolerance than chitons from the Huasco and Los Molles populations. Moreover, marked changes in local abundance patterns over three years suggested population-level responses to the challenging environmental conditions at the biogeographic break. Thus, C. granosus from the Talcaruca upwelling zone represents a local population with wide tolerance ranges that may be capable of withstanding future upwelling intensification on the Southern Eastern Pacific coast and likely serving as a source of propagules for less adapted populations.

Development of food and gastronomy in the sub-Antarctic end of the world

Regional food and gastronomy flourish worldwide driven by unique local foods, the remembrance of old culinary traditions, and the visitors’ desire to taste memorable dishes in an environment evoking cultural heritage and geographical uniqueness. The sub-Antarctic Magellan region of Chile is the southernmost zone of the planet and is unique in centenary food and culinary practices. A detailed description of marine and terrestrial local food sources and biocultural traditions is documented. This article presents a PCF to develop local food and gastronomy in this region. Collection and analysis of bibliometric data led to three pillars supporting the FPC: the nutritional value and uniqueness of local foods and culinary traditions; a booming sustainable tourism that drives the development of gastronomic endeavors, and; lessons from past experiences in other remote places. The proposed PCF may be adapted to different regions worldwide. Recent gastronomic initiatives to implement this PCF at the Cape Horn International Center in Puerto Williams (Chile) are also described.

Native rodents of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve at the southern end of Chile: advances in their knowledge and conservation

Native rodents of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve at the southern end of Chile: advances in their knowledge and conservation

Natural history of the Fuegian snipe (Gallinago stricklandii (Gray 1845): a resident bird at Cape Horn?

The Fuegian snipe Gallinago stricklandii (Gray, 1845) is one of the most enigmatic members of the family Scolopacidae Rafinesque, 1815. It is the least known species of the Gallinago genus and inhabits throughout the range of the biome of South American temperate forests, between the Maule region (36°S) and Cape Horn (56°S). In this biogeographical range, its reproductive and migratory habits are still poorly known. In this study, we report observations conducted between the years 2002 and 2023 in the Cape Horn National Park, with an emphasis on the most recent fieldwork on Horn Island. On this island, between January and October 2023, we recorded the autoecology of a family group composed of two adults and one juvenile. One of these adults was captured, banded, and measured in February 2023 (55°57.896’S - 67°13.478’W). The family group of G. stricklandii on Horn Island resided there during the summer, fall, winter, and spring seasons. This behavior contrasts with the migratory habit of the Magellanic snipe G. magellanica (King 1828), a better-known sympatric species. In addition to the resident habits of this family group and other individuals of G. stricklandii, we report new information about the morphology, feeding, and reproductive habits in the southern end of its distribution. This information recorded at the southern extreme of the American continent will enable new studies about this species and open up comparative analyses with other species of the cosmopolitan Scolopacidae family, which includes the world’s northernmost breeding birds at the boreal extreme of the Americas

Morphological description of the White-throated treerunner (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831) in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile

The sub-Antarctic Magellanic ecoregion is one of the most pristine wilderness areas remaining on the planet, and is home to the southernmost forest ecosystems in the world, which are protected by the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR). In these forests, birds are the group of vertebrates with the largest number of species. However, essential aspects of the ecology and morphology of several species in this region are still understudied. These species include the White-throated treerunner (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831), considered a “living fossil” as it is the only living species of the genus Pygarrhichas. In addition, this Furnariid is endemic to the temperate forests of South America. Using the 23-year database of the Long-Term Ornithological Research Program of Omora Park (54º56’S, 67º38’W), based on monthly captures and banding of forest birds, we describe the morphology, longevity, and presence of the White- throated treerunner in the CHBR. Between 2000 and 2022, 91 individuals were captured, including 29 recaptures. Based on these recaptures we determined that this species can live for at least five years. Morphometric measures showed a positive correlation between bill measures and tarsus length with both tail and wing lengths. The average weight varied for each season but not significantly. The greater presence on old-growth forests sites suggests a dependence of treerunners on large trees. This study expands the knowledge about the natural history of the White-throated treerunner, particularly about its populations inhabiting the world’s southernmost forests

Satellite-Derived Variability of Sea Surface Salinity and Geostrophic Currents off Western Patagonia

The coastal ocean off western Patagonia is one of the main coastal regions with high freshwater inputs from rivers, rain, and glaciers in the Southern Hemisphere. This study conducts an analysis of the seasonal and interannual variations in sea surface salinity and meridional geostrophic transports, specifically focusing on the Cape Horn Current, using improved satellite-derived data of sea surface salinity (SSS) and geostrophic velocities spanning an ∼11-year period (September 2011–August 2022). Our results reveal a clear salinity minimum in a coastal band between 42–54°S associated with the highest freshwater content. The average geostrophic currents are stronger south of 49°S, in line with the location of the Cape Horn Current. The average salinity minimum tends to disappear south of 54°S, with salinity values increasing slightly southward. The seasonal cycle of salinity shows the most pronounced minimum in summer (∼33.2–33.4). The greatest variability in salinity (standard deviation of salinity fields) occurs in the southern region of the Cape Horn Current. Hovmöller plots reveal two cores of minimum salinity observed in spring and summer (∼33.3–33.4). The freshwater off the Gulf of Penas contributes to the northern core. The meridional geostrophic transport differs between the northern and southern sections, with transports predominantly towards the Equator (Pole) north (south) of about 47–48°S during spring–summer. There is a marked seasonal variability in the magnitude and northern limit of the southward-flowing Cape Horn Current, being extended further north during winter and with a maximum average magnitude during summer–fall (about −2×104 m2 s−1). On the interannual scale, a major drop in surface salinity occurred off northern and central Patagonia during 2018–2019. Finally, a potential long-term freshening trend is observed in the coastal area off southern Patagonia (south of 52°S), although prolonged data records are essential to confirm this pattern.

First catalogue of benthic marine macroalgae from glacier-influenced environments of the Beagle Channel, deposited in the new Sub-Antarctic Cryptogamic Herbarium (SCH) of the University of Magallanes

The environmental characteristics and geomorphological landscape in the sub-Antarctic Magellanic ecoregion underpin a biological diversity that evolved adapting to the microhabitats produced by these heterogeneous ecological conditions. The high level of endemism found in these biological communities is nowadays protected thanks to the creation of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR), a natural laboratory at the southern end of the sub-Antarctic Magellanic ecoregion. Studies produced in this region offer a valuable knowledge of its biological, ecological and cultural facets in a state still scarcely impacted by anthropogenic activities. The retreat of glaciers present along the channels and fjords of the CHBR due to global climate change impacts the marine benthic and macroalgae communities hosted in these water bodies. European expeditions in the 18th and 19th centuries pioneered the works which provided our current knowledge about this subantarctic marine flora. Nevertheless, there is still a gap of taxonomic information of macroalgae diversity in the CHBR. To solve this gap, with support of the Cape Horn Internationional Center (CHIC), we created the Sub-Antarctic Cryptogamic Herbarium (SCH) hosted at the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Marine Ecosystems Laboratory (LEMAS), University of Magallanes. In 2020, the New York Botanical Garden indexed the SCH in its Index Herbariorum. This indexation granted by this world-renowned institution places the SCH's biological collection as the world's southernmost cryptogamic repository. As such, the SCH's botanical collection is currently the only gateway to the subantarctic ecosystem's biological legacy. The catalogue below provides information about the ecological and morphological characteristics of macroalgae deposited in the SCH, with particular focus on those species present in the CHBR. We identified 54 species. Among them 23 belong to the Rhodophyta division (43%), 19 species to the Chlorophyta division (35%), and 12 species to the Ochrophyta division (22%). In the context of rapid global change, involving increasingly threatened taxa due to human impact, baseline studies and records deposited at the SCH will provide an essential tool for assessing patterns of change and defining conservation practices to protect the rich biodiversity of these sub-Antarctic ecosystems.

On the distribution and habitat use of the sub-Antarctic fly Hyadesimyia clausa Bigot (Diptera, Tachinidae) according to citizen science.

Hyadesimyia clausa Bigot is a morphologically striking tachinid that inhabits the Sub-Antarctic Ecoregion of the Magallanes Region in Chile and Tierra del Fuego province in Argentina. Much of the distributional information about this species is restricted to the Cape Horn islands, which have extreme environmental conditions, but the species' natural history, range limits, and habitat use have never been described or confirmed. Our goals were to describe the distributional limits of this sub-Antarctic fly with the help of citizen science and use this information type to describe this tachinid's habitat use and potential biological interactions with nonvascular and vascular flora. We found that citizen science significantly increased our understanding of the extent of occurrence, expanding the known distributional range by 195 km to the north and 153 km to the west. On the contrary, the values for the area of occupancy were not significant, but the occupancy overlap between different records was very low. We confirmed that H. clausa's habitat uses peatlands and although we have not provided evidence of pollination or movement of spores, we hypothesized, that the walking activity of H. clausa could help move sperm from mosses and pollen from the flowers of vascular plants, so they could act as potential pollinators. Citizen science can reduce and eliminate some scientific knowledge shortfalls and propose new ecological questions that could increase our knowledge of extreme ecosystems.

When ice and sea are not barriers for flies: First report of Trichocera maculipennis (Diptera) in South America

Abstract During the 2022/2023 austral winter, large swarms of Trichocera (Saltrichocera) maculipennis Meigen, 1818 (Diptera: Trichoceridae), were observed around house roofs in Puerto Williams (Navarino Island, southern Chile, 54° S). In January 2023, the presence of this species was also confirmed in Punta Arenas (53° S), with specimens collected within the Chilean Antarctic Institute warehouse facilities. Trichocera maculipennis is native to the Holarctic region and became established on King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Maritime Antarctic) over 15 years ago. However, the species has not previously been reported from South America. Taxonomic and molecular identification techniques were used to confirm the identity of the new specimens obtained from Navarino Island and Punta Arenas. Preliminary observations of the fly's habitat preferences and swarming behaviour in Puerto Williams are provided, as well as comparisons in wing morphometrics between flies from Puerto Williams and King George Island. The fly's extensive distribution and high abundance in Puerto Williams are consistent with human‐facilitated introduction and several years' establishment. These findings emphasise the importance of implementing robust management strategies and biosecurity measures, particularly during transportation between logistical hubs in southern South America and the remote areas of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve and Antarctica.

Benthic foraminifera diversity from the south Atlantic Ocean: Tierra del Fuego and surrounding waters (South America).

The present study provides a detailed record of foraminiferal fauna and their ecological implications from surface sediments from Atlantic shelf of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The foraminiferal assemblage is mostly composed by four main hyaline genera, such as Cibicidoides, Cibicides, Globocassidulina and Buccella, which allowed the identification of three environmental zones. Zone 1 (Z1, 37 to 90 m) encompasses the eastern Beagle Channel and San Sebastian Bay. The assemblage reflected well-oxygenated marine inner shelf habitat, adapted to cold temperate waters. Zone 2 (Z2, up to 98.4 m), is located around the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego. The assemblage suggested a deeper marine environment, well oxygenated and with higher energy, probably due to the effect of tides and mainly by the influence of Malvinas Current. Finally, Zone 3 (Z3, up to 195 m) is located furthest from the Atlantic coast and the assemblage suggested an environment characteristic of outer shelf, with well-oxygenated cold waters and high-energy environment, reflected by species adhered to the substrate and coarse sediments. The distribution and abundance of certain species showed the influence of the Malvinas Current, while others evidenced a contribution of the Cape Horn waters.

Spatial and temporal changes of temperature zones on Earth and in Türkiye according to Köppen (1884) climate classification

Using monthly air temperature data from, 3202 meteorological stations for the period 1971-1990, the temperature zones of the world are redefined according to the Köppen (1884) thermal zone classification. Moreover, using monthly air temperature data from 155 stations from 1961 to 2020, the spatial changes in temperature zones are analyzed according to the reference climate periods 1961-2020, 1961-1990, 1981-2010 and 1990-2020. The world temperature map based on meteorological measurements is largely similar to Köppen's map of 1884, which was prepared by utilizing various phytogeographic studies. The most obvious difference occurs in the polar belt in the Northern Hemisphere, which is not as widely distributed as in the 1884 map. However, some shifts in the boundaries of the so-called temperature belts were observed over Cape Horn, Madagascar island, southwest Australia and the Mediterranean Basin. On a larger scale, over Türkiye, the warm areas tended to shift further north and towards higher elevations, whereas the cold areas representing northeastern Anatolia shrank in area and the temperature regime changed. The results of this study reveal for the first time the spatio-temporal variation of the so-called Köppen (1884) temperature belts based on station data both in the world and in Türkiye. The results are useful for understanding the temperature characteristics on Earth and in Türkiye.

Floristic Similarities between the Lichen Flora of Both Sides of the Drake Passage: A Biogeographical Approach.

This paper analyses the lichen flora of Navarino Island (Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn Region, Chile), identifying species shared with the South Shetland Islands (Antarctic Peninsula). In this common flora, species are grouped by their biogeographic origin (Antarctic-subantarctic endemic, austral, bipolar, and cosmopolitan), their habitat on Navarino Island (coastal, forest, and alpine), their morphotype (crustaceous, foliaceous, fruticulose, and cladonioid), and the substrate from which they were collected (epiphytic, terricolous and humicolous, and saxicolous). A total of 124 species have been recognised as common on both sides of the Drake Passage, predominantly bipolar, crustaceous, and saxicolous species, and with an alpine distribution on Navarino Island. The most interesting fact is that more than 30% of the flora is shared between the southern tip of South America and the western Antarctic Peninsula, which is an indication of the existence of a meridian flow of propagules capable of crossing the Antarctic polar front.

Using Sea Level to Determine the Strength, Structure and Variability of the Cape Horn Current

AbstractThe Cape Horn Current (CHC) is one of the components of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current system that enables it to fulfill its crucial role as a conduit between ocean basins. Despite this, to‐date there have been very few measurements of CHC strength and none continuous in time or space. Here, we use a combination of ocean models, one free‐running and one data‐assimilating, and satellite altimetry (1993–2021) to estimate the time‐dependent strength of the CHC at 10 transects along its length. We find the time‐mean CHC transport increases from 0.4 ± 0.5 Sv near 49°S to 5.3 ± 2.2 Sv at Cape Horn, with peak‐to‐peak interannual fluctuations of 0.8–3.4 Sv. Although, theoretically, increased run‐off from a wasting Patagonian Ice‐field would strengthen its flow, the CHC appears quite stable over the last 29 years, with little evidence of a coherent, long‐term increase or decrease in the strength of the current.

Southern limit of the Patagonian Ice Sheet

The southern limit of the Patagonian Ice Sheet at glacial maxima is poorly constrained due to a paucity of field data. This particularly applies to southern outlet glaciers of the Cordillera Darwin whose full extents have been debated by glacial geologists since 1899 CE, introducing uncertainty into estimates of total ice volume. Here we report on the stratigraphy of exposed stratigraphic sections on the west coast of Isla Hermite which include glacial diamict with discontinuous boulder pavement, overlain by successions of peats and sandy silt. The location of these sections, orientation of clasts within the glacial diamict, and geomorphology of the adjacent marine trough, suggest that an ice stream extended south from an ice centre at Cordillera Darwin across an extended Magellan outwash plain, through Paso Mantellero, to Islas Hermite and Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn). This was similar in extent to the Canal Beagle and Lago Fagnano Ice Lobes which extended to the east. Retreat occurred sometime before 12,880 cal yr BP based on radiocarbon dated peat macrofossils immediately overlying the glacial diamict. We discuss whether this is a close minimum age, or a product of delayed onset of peat accumulation at the sampling site.

Survival rates in the world's southernmost forest bird community.

The Magellanic sub-Antarctic Forest is home to the world's southernmost avian community and is the only Southern Hemisphere analogue to Northern Hemisphere temperate forests at this latitude. This region is considered among the few remaining pristine areas of the world, and shifts in environmental conditions are predominantly driven by climate variability. Thus, understanding climate-driven demographic processes is critical for addressing conservation issues in this system under future climate change scenarios. Here, we describe annual survival patterns and their association with climate variables using a 20-year mark-recapture data set of five forest bird species in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. We develop a multispecies hierarchical survival model to jointly explore age-dependent survival probabilities at the community and species levels in a group of five forest passerines. At the community level, we assess the association of migratory behavior and body size with survival, and at the species level, we investigate the influence of local and regional climatic variables on temporal variations of survival. We found a positive effect of precipitation and a negative effect of El Niño Southern Oscillation on juvenile survival in the white-crested Elaenia and a consistent but uncertain negative effect of temperature on survival in juveniles and 80% of adults. We found only a weak association of climate variables with survival across species in the community and no temporal trends in survival for any of the species in either age class, highlighting apparent stability in these high austral latitude forests. Finally, our findings provide an important resource of survival probabilities, a necessary input for assessing potential impacts of global climate change in this unique region of the world.

"Type D" killer whale genomes reveal long-term small population size and low genetic diversity.

Genome sequences can reveal the extent of inbreeding in small populations. Here, we present the first genomic characterization of type D killer whales, a distinctive eco/morphotype with a circumpolar, subantarctic distribution. Effective population size is the lowest estimated from any killer whale genome and indicates a severe population bottleneck. Consequently, type D genomes show among the highest level of inbreeding reported for any mammalian species (FROH ≥ 0.65). Detected recombination cross-over events of different haplotypes are up to an order of magnitude rarer than in other killer whale genomes studied to date. Comparison of genomic data from a museum specimen of a type D killer whale that stranded in New Zealand in 1955, with 3 modern genomes from the Cape Horn area, reveals high covariance and identity-by-state of alleles, suggesting these genomic characteristics and demographic history are shared among geographically dispersed social groups within this morphotype. Limitations to the insights gained in this study stem from the nonindependence of the 3 closely related modern genomes, the recent coalescence time of most variation within the genomes, and the nonequilibrium population history which violates the assumptions of many model-based methods. Long-range linkage disequilibrium and extensive runs of homozygosity found in type D genomes provide the potential basis for both the distinctive morphology, and the coupling of genetic barriers to gene flow with other killer whale populations.

Patterns and drivers of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the kelp forests of southern Patagonia.

The kelp forests of southern Patagonia have a large diversity of habitats, with remote islands, archipelagos, peninsulas, gulfs, channels, and fjords, which are comprised of a mixture of species with temperate and sub-Antarctic distributions, creating a unique ecosystem that is among the least impacted on Earth. We investigated the distribution, diversity, and abundance of marine macroinvertebrate assemblages from the kelp forests of southern Patagonia over a large spatial scale and examined the environmental drivers contributing to the observed patterns in assemblage composition. We analyzed data from 120 quantitative underwater transects (25 x 2 m) conducted within kelp forests in the southern Patagonian fjords in the Kawésqar National Reserve (KNR), the remote Cape Horn (CH) and Diego Ramírez (DR) archipelagos of southern Chile, and the Mitre Peninsula (MP) and Isla de los Estados (IE) in the southern tip of Argentina. We observed rich assemblages of macroinvertebrates among these kelp forests, with a total of 185 unique taxa from 10 phyla and 23 classes/infraorders across the five regions. The number of taxa per transect was highest at IE, followed by MP, CH, and KNR, with the lowest number recorded at DR. The trophic structure of the macroinvertebrate assemblages was explained mostly by wave exposure (28% of the variation), followed by salinity (12%) and the KNR region (11%). KNR was most distinct from the other regions with a greater abundance of deposit feeders, likely driven by low salinity along with high turbidity and nutrients from terrigenous sources and glacial melt. Our study provides the first broad-scale description of the benthic assemblages associated with kelp forests in this vast and little-studied region and helps to establish baselines for an area that is currently lightly influenced by local anthropogenic factors and less impacted by climate change compared with other kelp forests globally.

Are Tourists Facilitators of the Movement of Free-Ranging Dogs?

Dogs are the most abundant carnivores on earth and, as such, negatively impact wildlife. Free-ranging dogs roam in many protected areas, which in turn are often tourist destinations. Whether tourists influence their roaming is largely unexplored but highly relevant to wildlife conservation. To address this question, we obtained (i) 81 completed questionnaires from tourists on their experience with free-ranging dogs in the remote Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile, and (ii) photographs of three camera-traps placed next to trekking trails (n = 87 trap days). A third of the participants were followed by dogs for up to four days, and 39% saw free-ranging dogs on their hikes, but neither feeding dogs nor fear of them had any influence on whether tourists were followed by dogs. Camera-traps yielded 53 independent dog sequences, recorded 32 individuals plus 14 unidentified dogs, of which only one was leashed, with a frequency of one dog every 28th person. In 17% of 53 sequences, dogs were photographed together with hikers carrying large backpacks for several-day trips. We conclude that tourists are facilitators for the movement of dogs and highlight the importance of the engagement of the tourism sector in wildlife conservation in and close to protected areas.

Multi-Year Sea Ice Conditions in the Northwest Passage: 1968–2020

ABSTRACT The Northwest Passage is often referred to as the “Holy Grail” of ship navigation as it provides a shorter route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans compared to the Northern Sea Route, Panama Canal, Suez Canal, and transiting around Cape Horn. Here, we summarize 52 years of observed multi-year ice (MYI) conditions from 1968 to 2020 in the western Canadian Arctic regions of the Northwest Passage updating a previous study that considered 1968–2006. Results indicate that on average, MYI area anomalies during the shipping season were +28% from 1968 to 2006 but −33% from 2007 to 2020 relative to the 1991–2020 climatology. The frequency of negative MYI area anomalies from 2007 to 2020 was unprecedented over the 52-year record. 13 of the past 14 years were negative in the Beaufort Sea, Franklin, and the Western Arctic Waterway; 10 of the past 14 years were negative in Western Parry Channel and Queen Elizabeth Islands; and 9 of the past 14 years were negative in the M’Clintock Channel. Despite strong and frequent negative MYI anomalies from 2007 to 2020, MYI recovery from first-year ice (FYI) aging and MYI dynamic import continued, but was reduced by 47% and 22%, respectively compared to 1968–2006. We demonstrate that from 2007 to 2020 (i) MYI dynamic recovery decreased because Arctic Ocean MYI has been primarily flowing into the Canadian Arctic via the smaller apertures in the Queen Elizabeth Islands and not from the Beaufort Sea via the M’Clure Strait and (ii) FYI aging decreased because recent changes in thermodynamic forcing have contributed to more melt. Overall, our results re-affirm that light MYI years in the Northwest Passage may occur more frequently as the Arctic continues to warm, but MYI recovery will continue to present a significant hazard to navigation for the foreseeable future.

The diversity and distribution of poroid wood‐inhabiting fungi of Chile is influenced by climate and host species

AbstractThe diversity and distribution of poroid wood‐inhabiting fungi in South America are relatively well known. However, the information from Chile is scarce and scattered. The host preference differs among fungi in this group, as some species depend on a specific host, whereas others are associated with multiple hosts. At the same time, their occurrence is influenced by climatic conditions. Thus, information about the host‐fungi relationship and climatic conditions of this group is needed to understand their distribution. Chile has 83 poroid wood‐inhabiting fungal species in six orders and 21 families, mainly Polyporales and Hymenochaetales, distributed from 30°S in Fray Jorge National Park to 56°S in Cape Horn, but Polyporales grow predominantly in forests with a higher precipitation range than Hymenochaetales. The biggest diversity resides in deciduous forests and sclerophyll forests in warm climates. Many species are specialist and mostly associated with angiosperms rather than gymnosperms. Poroid Gloeophyllales, Agaricales and Russulales are narrowly distributed.