The Chilean fjord region represents an important transition area with regards to climatic, biogeographic and biological conditions from the Antarctic area to the Pacific temperate region, playing a key role in biological productivity and carbon cycle in aquatic ecosystems with important repercussions on the benthic biodiversity. Hydrozoans are one of the most voracious groups among the passive benthic suspension feeders and play a fundamental role as energy transfer organisms.
The principal goal of this professional practice will be to characterize the hydrozoan population of Puyuhuapi Fjord, collected in 2019. Students will learn:
i) to identify the main species composing the communities of the fjord;
ii) to recognize the main taxonomical characters of hydrozoans;
iii) to analyse taxonomical data together with environmental ones.
