Cape Horn Research Articles

An alien fisher in Patagonian South America

While doing fieldwork in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve at the southernmost tip of South America (Patagonia), we saw an American mink (Neovison vison) diving into a kelp forest and later emerging with an enormous golden kingklip (Genypterus blacodes), which it ate on the rocky shore. Mink were introduced to Chile and Argentina by fur farmers in the 1940s. Since then, this invasive, semiaquatic mammal has spread through Patagonia, feeding on mammals, birds, and fishes. Of the fishes, mink prey on small exotic salmonids, galaxiids, and notothenioids. Astonishingly, this mink had caught a demersal fish that was larger than itself. The kingklip, a marine predator that is important for small-scale fisheries, inhabits depths from the intertidal zone to 1000 m, but is most abundant between 50 m and 500 m. So, this was likely an unusual prey for a mink, raising new questions about mink's feeding habits. Are we detecting all native species that are affected by invasive mink? Despite using scat or stable isotope analyses to identify the prey items of invasive species, direct observations can also contribute essential data. The kingklip has very small, smooth-edged scales, which can make it undetectable in scat. How did the mink catch a marine demersal fish? The boulder-covered seafloor is a perfect habitat for a kingklip, but mink must dive to catch this prey. Most diving mink studies are done in freshwater environments where dives typically do not exceed 3 m depth. Our observation also provides questions about invasive mink ecology: has their diving behavior been learned in marine environments, and are mink expanding beyond their normal range in this novel environment? What are the likely consequences for the marine food web in Patagonia?

Moult intensity in blue petrels and a key moult site off West Antarctica

AbstractBlue petrels (Halobaena caeruleaGmelin) rapidly moult their flight feathers in Antarctic waters in February–April, immediately following the breeding season, yet the behaviour of moulting birds at sea has not been described. We observed large numbers of moulting blue petrels off West Antarctica from 67–71°S and 78–119°W in mid-February 2017. Most of these birds probably breed at the Diego Ramirez archipelago, southwest of Cape Horn, which is the closest colony to this area. Moulting petrels often sit on the water in dense flocks, just outside the marginal ice zone, at sea temperatures of -0.7 to 0.9°C. Wing moult is intense, with 7–8 inner primaries (62–75% of primary length and 55–69% of primary mass), their corresponding primary coverts and all greater secondary coverts being grown at the same time. Moulting petrels need a reliable food source during this energetically demanding period, so the waters off West Antarctica are probably crucial for the Diego Ramirez population, which makes up more than half of the world's blue petrels.

Unnamed for over 30 years: Gigartina falshawiae sp. nov. (Gigartinaceae, Rhodophyta) and its confusion with Iridaea tuberculosa in New Zealand

ABSTRACTGigartina species are very common and abundant on intertidal rocky shores in New Zealand but members of this genus and the family Gigartinaceae are still not fully documented. A well-known species, distributed as No. 164 of the Lindauer Nova-Zelandicae Exsiccatae, were labelled by Lindauer as Gigartina tuberculosa from material collected in Stewart Island. However, Gigartina tuberculosa (as Chondrus tuberculosus) was described based on specimens collected from the New Zealand subantarctic Auckland Island. Later, material from the Strait of Magellan was referred to this species. In 1993, Gigartina tuberculosa was transferred to Iridaea tuberculosa with its distribution considered to be Chile, Cape Horn, Antarctica, Falklands Islands, Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island and the Campbell Plateau. The species distributed by Lindauer is here described as Gigartina falshawiae sp. nov. These species can be differentiated morphologically: G. falshawiae has thalli that are forked, somewhat irregular and form bushy clumps, with proliferations at the margins and on the blades, and with cystocarps surrounded by lobes, whereas thalli of Iridaea tuberculosa are fan-shaped, lack proliferations, and have globose cystocarps. The distributional ranges of these species also differ: G. falshawiae is found on Stewart Island and I. tuberculosa on the New Zealand subantarctic islands (recorded from the Antipodes, Auckland and Campbell Islands), while the species co-occur on the Snares Islands.

Reassessment of the genus Lophurella (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from Australia and New Zealand reveals four cryptic species

ABSTRACT Cryptic diversity is common in the red algae and is often discovered when comparing specimens from distant locations or different morphotypes of species with high phenotypic plasticity. The genus Lophurella includes seven species from the cold-temperate coasts of the southern hemisphere. L. periclados is the only species reported from Australia where two morphotypes were identified in relation to levels of wave exposure. In New Zealand, three species of Lophurella have been reported – the endemic L. caespitosa (type locality Parimahu, North Island of New Zealand), L. hookeriana (type locality Cape Horn, South America) and L. periclados. We reassessed species diversity of Lophurella in Australia and New Zealand with the aim of determining (1) whether New Zealand and South American specimens of L. hookeriana actually represent a single species, and (2) if the morphotypes of L. periclados mask cryptic diversity. We studied rbcL sequences and morphological features of 36 specimens identified as L. periclados, one specimen of L. caespitosa, and five samples of L. hookeriana, three from New Zealand and two from Cape Horn. Molecular analyses revealed that L. hookeriana from New Zealand and South America are distinct species and the new species L. pauciramulosa is described from New Zealand. L. periclados is a complex involving four species and we propose three new species, L. mutabilis, L. nigra and L. tasmanica. Cryptic diversity in L. periclados did not align with the previously defined ecotypes and several species were often found at the same site. L. periclados, L. nigra and L. tasmanica can be distinguished by morphological characters. Conversely, L. mutabilis has high morphological plasticity, with characters that overlap with L. periclados and L. nigra, and can only be distinguished by DNA sequences.

Sharp phylogeographical differentiation near the southern range edge of the silverside Odontesthes nigricans: Distinct peripheral populations and incipient speciation?

The silverside Odontesthes nigricans is the Atheriniform species that reach the southernmost latitude in Patagonia. Its wide distribution ranges from temperate waters in the Atlantic coast of South America (39°S, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) to the Sub-Antarctic environment of Cape Horn (56°S). A previous study has shown significant intraspecific differences on growth parameters and otolith morphology between the southern peripheral population of O. nigricans in the Beagle Channel and the populations in the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego. In this work, we report the first data on population genetics of O. nigricans along the southern part of its distributional range, including the peripheral populations of Beagle Channel. To examine the genetic variability, we analyzed 224 sequences of 815 bp of mitochondrial control region generated from individuals captured at two sites in the Beagle Channel and six sites at the Atlantic coast. The genetic structure assessment revealed a sharp phylogeographic division between Beagle Channel and the Atlantic coast of Patagonia with a 39.83% of variance among groups. The observed genetic diversity was lower in Beagle Channel than in the Atlantic coast sites and the demographic analyses are compatible with a scenario of past population expansion, especially in Beagle Channel. We hypothesize two possible scenarios: one is a recent colonization of the Beagle Channel from the Atlantic Coast followed by divergence promoted by adaptation to local conditions. On the other hand, population differentiation may have been attained or initiated in allopatric conditions during Quaternary glacial phases and the populations may now be experiencing a secondary contact near the eastern tip of Tierra del Fuego. These hypotheses should be addressed in the future with genomics tools. By now, these populations should be considered as different units for conservation and management purposes.

Seasonal changes of macroalgae assemblages on the rocky shores of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Sub-Antarctic Channels, Chile

The Magellanic Sub-Antarctic Channels ecoregion supports one of the greatest number of macroalgae species in South America. In this ecoregion, the majority of macroalgae research has been associated with spatial ecology. In contrast, the temporal scale has received little attention. Here, we report the seasonal changes of taxa richness, wet biomass and assemblage structure for intertidal macroalgae in Robalo Bay (55 °S), situated within the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Overall, forty-nine macroalgae taxa were identified. We found a higher taxa richness and wet biomass in the summer than in the winter, but the strength of seasonal variations varied spatially across intertidal sites and levels. A similar seasonal pattern was detected with multivariate analysis. The seasonal changes are explained by the rise of seasonal algae such as Adenocystis utricularis. In turn, we found temporally-persistent algae such as Ceramium virgatum and Nothogenia fastigiata which did not show sharp seasonal variation. In conclusion, we suggest that macroalgal seasonality might be strongly modulated by coupled factors such as light, nutrient availability, sea surface temperature, relative humidity, and species composition. These factors would support an increase of taxa richness and wet biomass in the summertime on the rocky shores in high latitudes of South America.

Breeding strategies of open-cup-nesting birds in sub-Antarctic forests of Navarino Island, Chile

BackgroundThere is limited knowledge about the breeding strategies of birds inhabiting in South American temperate forests. This is particularly true for open-cup forest passerines breeding at high latitudes (> 42°). To better understand the ecology of these species, in this study we described and compared the breeding strategies (i.e., nest dimensions, nest height from the ground, egg laying rhythm, clutch size, length of the developmental periods, breeding phenology, and diversity of nesting substrate) of five passerine birds that inhabit sub-Antarctic ecosystems.MethodsDuring three breeding seasons (2014–2017), we monitored 103 nests of the five most abundant open-cup forest-dwelling passerines (Phrygilus patagonicus, Anairetes parulus, Turdus falcklandii, Elaenia albiceps, and Zonotrichia capensis) on Navarino Island (55°S), Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, southern Chile. Additionally, we compared the breeding strategies of T. falcklandii to another population breeding at lower latitude (39°S).ResultsMost of the species started laying eggs the last week of September; only E. albiceps started 2 months later. During the breeding season of 2016–2017 both E. albiceps and Z. capensis started laying eggs earlier than the previous year. Anairetes parulus and Z. capensis were the most specialized in terms of nesting substrate. Turdus falcklandii had larger clutch sizes and nested closer to the ground on Navarino Island compared to the northern population, which might put this and other ground nesting species of this island at a higher risk of predation by the recently introduced American mink (Neovison vison).ConclusionsOur five study species breed exclusively in open-cups (not in cavities) in sub-Antarctic forests, and some of them built their nests closer to the ground compared to populations breeding at lower latitudes. This may be associated with the lack of terrestrial predators on Navarino Island. Our study opens further questions about the mechanisms driving differences in breeding strategies among populations.

Experience of long-term transoceanic sailing: Cape Horn example

Unlike boating tourism, which emphasises ecological concerns, and cruise tourism, with its hedonistic focus, sailing tourism is characterised by a distinct experiential emphasis. The aim of this research was to determine whether or not the participants in an ocean crossing from New Zealand to the Falkland Islands around Cape Horn underwent experiences that can be characterised by the behavioural structure of each factor in the model of a spiritually healthy personality. A mixed research design combining research methods (questionnaires, interviews, and mind maps) was chosen. A sample consisted of 11–19 respondents, according to the research techniques: questionnaires were filled out by 18 respondents; mind maps by 19 individuals; and 11 participants were interviewed. An analysis of the data points to the diversity of the individual experiences of the participants, with the possible general characteristic that on such voyages what is unique is not the hedonistic pleasure, but rather a eudaimonic experiential structure, thus defining the spiritual dimension of this kind of tourism as a nonreligious pilgrimage. This conclusion can help develop the theoretical concept of sailing, boating and cruise tourism in quite a significant way.

Rounding Cape Horn in 1826 and 1836: The personal accounts of two French explorers

This is the first English translation of the day-by-day accounts of French explorers Hyacinthe de Bougainville and Auguste Vaillant who rounded Cape Horn in 1826 and 1836 respectively, but in different directions and seasons. Bougainville took what is usually considered to be the easier route and season, sailing from Valparaiso to Rio in summer. Vaillant sailed against the elements from Rio to Valparaiso in winter. Both explorers present details of their experiences and indicate the time they took to complete their journey.

New records of invasive mammals from the sub-Antarctic Cape Horn Archipelago

The southernmost archipelago of the Americas is dominated by invasive mammals that outnumber their native counterparts. Despite the relatively low ability of most invasive mammals to cross cold sea water channels, invaders are apparently colonizing new islands. Our objective was to provide an assessment of the expansion of invasive mammals within these sub-Antarctic ecosystems, determine whether human-mediated movement of invasive species is a plausible dispersal mechanism, and identify areas likely to be colonized in the near future. We report a decade of fieldwork (2006–2017) in 44 sites on 13 islands within the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve including opportunistic and systematic camera trapping, carnivore diet, questionnaires, small mammal trapping, and walks/transects. We found new records of invasive mammals on seven islands, particularly for American mink (Neovison vison) and American beaver (Castor canadensis). Interviews with fishermen showed that mink, dogs (Canis familiaris), and small rodents are likely passengers in vessels. Finally, species distribution models revealed that the putative invasive-free Cape Horn National Park (55°S) is suitable for several invasive species, suggesting a high risk of invasion if species are introduced. We conclude that it is urgent to implement barriers to dispersal to prevent further invasion. In the case of dogs and cats (Felis catus), the first step should be control actions that target pet owners. Finally, we highlight the need of systematic, long-term biodiversity monitoring and citizen science in the Cape Horn Archipelago and common conservation guidelines for the terrestrial sub-Antarctic ecosystems.

Two new species of Psolus Oken from Brazil (Holothuroidea: Psolidae),with neotype designation and redescription of Psolus vitoriae Tommasi, 1971, and a key to the southwestern Atlantic and Magellanic species.

The taxonomy of the southeastern Brazilian species of Psolus is reviewed and two new species described. Additionally, P. vitoriae is redescribed based on a newly designated neotype and supplemental material from the type locality and nearby regions. The synonymy of P. marcusi with P. patagonicus is called into question. The calcareous ring is useful for distinguishing between some Psolus species. Psolus tommasi sp. nov. is characterized by having five oral valves, an anus covered by a variable number of small, irregular anal valves, oral and anal valves distinct from body wall scales, calcareous ring interradial plates entire, calcareous ring simple, without posterior processes; radial and interradial plates entire, dorsal ossicles spheroid bodies and sole ossicles knobbed and smooth perforated plates. Psolus thandari sp. nov. is characterized by granules on body scales; mouth surrounded by five to seven triangular valves of equal size; anus surrounded by a variable number of small and irregular anal valves that grade into surrounding scales; calcareous ring with interradial plates entire. Six species of Psolus are known from the southwestern Atlantic and Magellanic region: P. vitoriae (São Paulo, Brazil); P. patagonicus (Mar del Plata to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina; Strait of Magellan and Cape Horn); P. segregatus (Patagonia, Argentina; Strait of Magellan, Chile; Hikurangi Margin and Chatham Rise, New Zealand); P. antarcticus (Magellanic region; South Georgia Island, southern Atlantic Ocean; Macquarie Island and Ridge, New Zealand); P. lawrencei (Mar del Plata, Argentina) and Psolus murrayi Théel, 1886 (Montevideo, Uruguay). A key to the species of Psolus from the southwestern Atlantic and Magellanic region, and a synoptic table to all southern Atlantic Psolus species is provided.

Ocean circulation along the southern Chile transition region (38°–46°S): Mean, seasonal and interannual variability, with a focus on 2014–2016

Satellite and atmospheric model fields are used to describe the wind forcing, surface ocean circulation, temperature and chlorophyll-a pigment concentrations along the coast of southern Chile in the transition region between 38° and 46°S. Located inshore of the bifurcation of the eastward South Pacific Current into the equatorward Humboldt and the poleward Cape Horn Currents, the region also includes the Chiloé Inner Sea and the northern extent of the complex system of fjords, islands and canals that stretch south from near 42°S. The high resolution satellite data reveal that equatorward currents next to the coast extend as far south as 48°–51°S in spring-summer. They also display detailed distributions of forcing from wind stress and wind stress curl near the coast and within the Inner Sea. Between 38°–46°S, both winds and surface currents during 1993–2016 change directions seasonally from equatorward during summer upwelling to poleward during winter downwelling, with cooler SST and greater surface chlorophyll-a concentrations next to the coast during upwelling, opposite conditions during downwelling. Over interannual time scales during 1993–2016, there is a strong correlation between equatorial El Niño events and sea level and a moderate correlation with alongshore currents. Looking more closely at the 2014–2016 period, we find a marginal El Niño during 2014 and a strong El Niño during 2015 that connect the region to the tropics through the oceanic pathway, with some atmospheric connections through the phenomenon of atmospheric blocking (as noted by others). The period also includes a Harmful Algal Bloom of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella during early-2016 that occurred during a sequence of physical conditions (winds, currents and temperatures) that would favor such a bloom. The most anomalous physical condition during this specific bloom is an extreme case of atmospheric blocking that creates a long period of calm in austral autumn after strong upwelling in austral summer. The blocking is related to the 2015–2016 El Niño and an unusual coincident positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode.

Science and Human Animality in Mary Shelley’sFrankenstein

Science and Human Animality in Mary Shelley’s<i>Frankenstein</i>

Creature della fine del mondo. Il popolo Yámana/Yagán

After James Cook's discovery of massive herds of marine mammals in the waters around Cape Horn, and the subsequent exploration of the Beagle Channel by Robert Fitzroy, Tierra del Fuego became a destination for whalers, missionaries, breeders, gold prospectors and adventurers of all sorts. With the arrival by sea of these aliens for native comunities of cazadores y canoeros living in the different islands of the archipelago began an abrupt change in their traditional living conditions, and a degradation that quickly led them to extinction. The shrinking of living space, the repeated massacres, serious food shortages, diseases and pestilences were direct causes of such a demographic collapse. An outcome the western colonizers considered inescapable as a necessary consequence of the inability of these people to leave the primordial condition in which they still were from millennia.The paper focuses on the impressions and reflections developed by Charles Darwin on the Fuegians, and on the theoretical support that his positions although deformed ended up to provide to the formation and dissemination of this orientation.

Spanish maritime experience in Southern Africa during the Early Modern Period

Apparently, the Treaty of Tordesillas dismissed the possibility of Spanish shipping via Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. The preferred route to Asia was via Cape Horn or Acapulco. In this article we will show that access to Southern Africa was not entirely closed to the Spanish between the 16th and 18th centuries. We will analyse shipping in this period and, above all, we will discuss the enlightened reforms of the 18th century that changed the connecting routes between Spain and the Philippines, making them pass through Cape Town, as well as the hostility shown to the Hispanic presence in those waters by great powers like the Netherlands. Based on these connections, we will discuss the exchange of plants between Spain and Southern Africa.

Negotiating local versus global needs in the International Long Term Ecological Research Network’s socio-ecological research agenda

Over the past decade, long-term socio-ecological research (LTSER) has been established to better integrate social science research and societal concerns into the goals and objectives of the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network, an established global network of long-term ecological monitoring sites. The Horizon 2020 eLTER project, currently underway, includes as one of its key objectives to evaluate the performance of LTSER platforms. This article reflects part of this evaluation: six LTSER platforms were assessed through site visits of the lead author, coupled with reflections and insights of the platform managers, who are also co-authors. We provide background for the mission and goals of LTSER, then assess the six international LTSER platforms—Baltimore Ecosystem Study LTER, USA; Braila Island LTSER, Romania; Cairngorms LTSER, UK; Doñana LTSER, Spain; Omora Ethnobotanical Park Cape Horn LTER, Chile; and Sierra Nevada LTSER, Spain. While based on a strong theoretical foundation in socio-ecological research, there has been a steep learning curve for scientists applying the concept in practice at LTSER platforms. We show positive impacts that have been achieved, including contributions to policy, land-use planning, and natural resource management. We explain key aspects of LTSER platforms that have proven challenging, including management, interdisciplinary integration, and stakeholder collaboration. We characterize the tensions between top-down desires for network harmonization, bottom-up demands such as local policy relevance, and platform-level constraints such as time and budget. Finally, we discuss challenges, such as local context dominating the character of LTSER platforms, and the fact that scientists are often disincentivized from engaging in transdisciplinary science. Overall, we conclude that while the international network offers important advantages to its members, a more productive balance between local and global goals could be achieved, and members may need to temper their expectations of what the network can and cannot offer at the local level.

Marine biodiversity at the end of the world: Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez islands.

The vast and complex coast of the Magellan Region of extreme southern Chile possesses a diversity of habitats including fjords, deep channels, and extensive kelp forests, with a unique mix of temperate and sub-Antarctic species. The Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez archipelagos are the most southerly locations in the Americas, with the southernmost kelp forests, and some of the least explored places on earth. The giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera plays a key role in structuring the ecological communities of the entire region, with the large brown seaweed Lessonia spp. forming dense understories. Kelp densities were highest around Cape Horn, followed by Diego Ramírez, and lowest within the fjord region of Francisco Coloane Marine Park (mean canopy densities of 2.51 kg m-2, 2.29 kg m-2, and 2.14 kg m-2, respectively). There were clear differences in marine communities among these sub-regions, with the lowest diversity in the fjords. We observed 18 species of nearshore fishes, with average species richness nearly 50% higher at Diego Ramírez compared with Cape Horn and Francisco Coloane. The number of individual fishes was nearly 10 times higher at Diego Ramírez and 4 times higher at Cape Horn compared with the fjords. Dropcam surveys of mesophotic depths (53–105 m) identified 30 taxa from 25 families, 15 classes, and 7 phyla. While much of these deeper habitats consisted of soft sediment and cobble, in rocky habitats, echinoderms, mollusks, bryozoans, and sponges were common. The southern hagfish (Myxine australis) was the most frequently encountered of the deep-sea fishes (50% of deployments), and while the Fueguian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis) was the most abundant fish species, its distribution was patchy. The Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez archipelagos represent some of the last intact sub-Antarctic ecosystems remaining and a recently declared large protected area will help ensure the health of this unique region.

Domestic carnivore interactions with wildlife in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile: husbandry and perceptions of impact from a community perspective.

BackgroundHundreds of millions of domestic carnivores worldwide have diverse positive affiliations with humans, but can provoke serious socio-ecological impacts when free-roaming. Unconfined dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) interact with wildlife as predators, competitors, and disease-transmitters; their access to wildlife depends on husbandry, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of pet owners and non-owners.MethodsTo better understand husbandry and perceptions of impacts by unconfined, domestic carnivores, we administered questionnaires (n = 244) to pet owners and non-owners living in one of the last wilderness areas of the world, the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, located in southern Chile. We used descriptive statistics to provide demographic pet and husbandry information, quantify free-roaming dogs and cats, map their sightings in nature, and report experiences and perceptions of the impact of free-roaming dogs and cats on wildlife. We corroborated our results with an analysis of prey remains in dog feces (n = 53). With generalized linear models, we examined which factors (i.e., food provisioning, reproductive state, rural/village households, sex, and size) predicted that owned dogs and cats bring wildlife prey home.ResultsThirty-one percent of village dogs (n = 121) and 60% of dogs in rural areas (n = 47) roamed freely day and/or night. Free-roaming dog packs were frequently observed (64% of participants) in the wild, including a feral dog population on Navarino Island. Dogs (31 of 168) brought home invasive muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) and avian prey, and over half of all cats (27 of 51) brought home mainly avian prey. Birds were also the most harassed wildlife category, affected by one third of all dogs and cats. Nevertheless, dog-wildlife conflicts were hardly recognized (<9% of observed conflicts and suspected problems), and only 34% of the participants thought that cats might impact birds. Diet analysis revealed that dogs consumed livestock (64% of 59 prey occurrences), beavers (Castor canadensis, 14%), and birds (10%). The probability that dogs brought prey to owners’ homes was higher in rural locations and with larger dogs. There was also evidence that cats from rural households and with an inadequate food supply brought more prey home than village cats.DiscussionAlthough muskrat, beavers, and birds were brought home, harassed, or found in dog feces, free-roaming dogs and, to a lesser extent, cats are perceived predominantly in an anthropogenic context (i.e., as pets) and not as carnivores interacting with wildlife. Therefore, technical and legal measures should be applied to encourage neutering, increase confinement, particularly in rural areas, and stimulate social change via environmental education that draws attention to the possibility and consequences of unconfined pet interaction with wildlife in the southernmost protected forest ecoregion of the globe.

Micropropagation of Peatland Bryophytes from Tierra del Fuego

There exists an increasing pressure on peatland ecosystems in southern South America due to extensive exploitation of Sphagnum and peat. A way to avoid the loss of bryophyte diversity is the establishment of micropropagation protocols. In South America only few studies have assessed the tissue culture of native bryophytes under axenic conditions. The main objective of our work was to assess different conditions to propagate bryophytes, focusing on species from fuegian peatland ecosystems. Four fertile species of mosses (Sphagnum fimbriatum, Conostomum pentastichum, Warnstorfia fluitans, Polytrichastrum longisetum) and one liverwort (Blepharidophyllum densifolium) in vegetative state were collected in bogs of Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Cultures were initiated from protonemata obtained after spore germination and from gametophyte fragments. Explants were exposed to four different culture media. Coverage area of the in vitro explants and the number of regenerated shoots were quantitative variables measured after 12 weeks of culture. Overall, small pieces of protonemata (ca 1 mm2) were a suitable explant for the micropropagation of mosses, whereas liverwort regeneration was successfully achieved from apical portions of stems. Media with low mineral concentration or supplemented with a mixture of IBA/BA produced statistically similar effects on the coverage area of mosses. Low mineral medium systematically induced the regeneration of elongated shoots in mosses and liverworts, and the combination of sucrose and IBA/BA systematically induced the production of calli in mosses and liverwort species. This study provides new insights into the propagation of species from poorly known peatland ecosystems of southern South America.

First record of microplastics in stomach content of the southern king crab Lithodes santolla (Anomura: Lithodidae), Nassau bay, Cape Horn, Chile

This study reports the first record of microplastics in the stomach contents of the king crab Lithodes santolla. Samples were collected in Nassau Bay during September 2017. Plastics ingested belonged to small microplastics between 3.0 and more than 20 mm long having mainly blue color. Their frequency of occurrence in stomachs was 27%. The microplastic ingestion by L. santolla may present not only a risk for the species self, also for other trophic levels in the food web.