Revista Chilena de Historia Natural
71: 4 79-499, 1998

Diversidad, estructura y funcionamiento de ecosistemas costeros rocosos del norte de Chile
Diversity, structure and functioning of rocky coastal ecosystems in northern Chile

JULIO A. VASQUEZ 1, PATRICIO A. CAMUS 2 y F. PATRICIO OJEDA 3
1

Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 117, Coquimbo, Chile
E-mail: jvasquez@socompa.cecun.ucn.cl
2
Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Ssma. Concepción, Casilla 297,
Concepción, Chile. E-mail: pcamus@david.uscs.cl
3
Departamento de Ecología, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
E-mail: pojeda@genes.bio.puc.cl

RESUMEN
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The general objetives of our study were: (1) characterize the taxonomic composition and community structure, as a function of categories or trophic levels in subtidal and intertidal habitats; (2) characterize the spatio-temporal dynamics of the diversity and abundance of species in the communities studied, relating these to variations in productivity and sea surface temperature (obtained by remole sensing); and (3) evaluate the effects of upwelling on community attributes in relation to similar comparisons between areas with and without upwelling. Our results show that the frequency of upwelling was not a determining
(Recibido el 27 de julio 1998; aceptado el 6 de octubre 1998; manejado por Francisco Bozinovic)

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factor in the diversity of the rocky littoral communities which were studied. Although the species richness of the subtidal benthos and ichthyofauna is greater in Caleta Constitución (permanent upwelling) than in Carrizal Bajo
(seasonal upwelling), these values were lowest for San Lorenzo (permanent upwelling). In contras!, the species richness of intertidal habitats did not show evident differences among the communities studied. There was no relationship evident between the diversity of primary producer and benthic herbivores with the frequency of coastal enrichment. However,