Field Trip to the Island of Chiloe (Region de Los Lagos)
Nercon (27/05/09) NER
42°30‘35.6” S, 073°47‘11.5” W
The site is located on south side of the Nercon peninsula iin front of the cabanas ‘Palafitos de Pescadores’. The shore is a mixture of mud-flat, pebbles and cobbles, with a few large boulders that support the only ‘rocky-shore’ species. Samples of mussels, barnacles and sponge were all collected. Another feature is wide slabs of mud-stone which support numerous burrowing molluscs of the genus Pholus. The muddy areas were extremely muddy and typically covered with Ulva and Pelillo. Quantitative sediment samples were collected from an area of fine sand/mud on the mid-shore. The water table was on the surface with the RPD typically less than 1 cm below the surface. The weather was clear and sunny but extremely cold.
The shore at Nercon (NER) near Castro.
Cucao (28/05/09) CUC
42°35‘31.0” S, 074°07‘53.7” W
The site was accessed from the dunes to the north of the village of Cucao. The beach is extremely wide and dissipative with a series of lagoons and dune slacks to the rear. Standard exposed sandy beach samples were collected along with a sample from the lagoon. There was no rocky-shore visible in either direction, north or south, so no rocky-shore samples were collected at this site. The weather was clear and sunny, but cold with a strong southerly breeze.
The windswept beach and dunes at Cucao (CUC).
Quemchi (29/05/09) QUE
42°08‘36.1” S, 073°28‘15.8” W
The site was located within the town on the beach adjacent to the bus terminal. This site was extremely similar in character to Nercon, a mixture of pebbles and cobbles, with small areas of fine sand and a few large boulders supporting the only ‘rocky-shore’ species present. Large patches of fine polychaete tubes were present. The weather was clear and sunny.
The shore at Quemchi (QUE) on the sheltered Golfo de Ancud.
Ancud (30/05/09) ANC
41°51‘35.7” S, 073°49‘40.8” W
The site was located at Playa Arena Gruesa on the north side of the city of Ancud. The beach was, as the name suggests, composed of coarse sand and reflective in nature. This is the most southerly reflective beach I have been able to sample so far. The rocky-shore, located to the east of the beach was species poor, dominated by ephemeral algal species suggesting that the rocks are frequently covered by sand. The weather was overcast with light rain
The Playa Arena Gruesa in Ancud (ANC).
Caulin (31/05/09) CAI
41°49′27.2” S, 073°38‘15.2” W
On the north coast of Chiloe, this is an extensive series of tidal flats within a protected bay. Caulin is most notable for the overwintering flocks of flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis)which create considerable disturbance of the tidal flats while feeding. The site was located on the western side of the bay where the road meets the coast. The top shore consisted of a gravel bank, with coarse sand below, which then gives way to mud-flats, which close to the streams, contain a significant number of pebbles. Flamingos feed by disturbing the sediment with their feet and then sifting the small macrofauna (and meiofauna?) from the suspension. The result is a neat ring of disturbance approximately one meter in diameter, with a raised centre of, usually finer sediment. Samples were taken from the raised centre, the ring itself and the outside of the ring. The weather was overcast.
The mud flats at Caulin (CAI) showing the feeding rings of the Flamingos.
Chilean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) feeding at Caulin.
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