Mercury (Hg) contamination is a global issue due to its ability to undergo long-range transport and its potential toxicity. Since...
Scientific investigation
Chile is a country of contrasts, with a mountain range that runs from 7,000 meters of altitude, down to submarine trenches in its coast that reach 8,000 meters in depth. Flanked by desert, mountains and sea, we are an island in the continent. Our coasts, forests, deserts, rivers and mountains are home to countless species with tremendous biogeographic and conservation value. However, there are still important gaps in knowledge about its systematic, distribution, ecology and above all about the impacts of human activities on them, which means a setback when it comes to achieving effective conservation.
Each species and ecosystem has different degrees of tolerance to environmental changes and, therefore, it is necessary to understand and try to predict the possible consequences of these changes in time, through the generation of scientific knowledge. Since 2012, Fundación MERI has carried out research projects in collaboration with Chilean and international institutions seeking to bring knowledge about the conservation of Patagonia to this area. It is thus, that Fundación MERI conducts internal and collaborative projects with other research institutions, especially by promoting the use of the Melimoyu Nature Reserve, the Melimoyu Bay and Patagonia, as a natural laboratory.
Projects led by Fundación MERI
- Acoustic Monitoring of blue whales in the Gulf of Corcovado (from 2012-to date)
- Biomagnification and potential effects of persistent organic pollutants in food webs of the Antarctic Peninsula and Patagonia. (2013- 2015 by Dr. Gustavo Chiang of Fundación MERI, Universidad de Concepción, Universidad de Mar del Plata, University of New Brunswick, Acadia University)
- Trophic ecology and behavior of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and other cetaceans in the Gulf of Corcovado, Chile (2014- to date. MERI, WHOI, plus researchers from the University of Saint Andrews, NOAA, Stonybrook University, Stanford University).
- The war of a hundred years: Assessing the effects of introduced salmonids on native fishes in small streams in Patagonian freshwater systems (2016-to date. Dr. Paulina Bahamonde. MERI, The Rufford Small Grant Foundation).
- Influence of landscape and physical-chemical features of Patagonian watersheds on freshwater and coastal mercury bioavailability and biomagnification through aquatic food webs. (2016-2019. Dr. Gustavo Chiang. MERI, regular Fondecyt 2016).
Collaborative Projects:
- Oceanographic baseline and sampling of krill (2012, Susannah Buchan (Universidad de Concepción- Universidad Austral.)
- Study and identification of mushrooms in Melimoyu (2012, Dr. Donald Pfister of Harvard University and Dr. Matthew E. Smith of the University of Florida.)
- Darwin’s frog Monitoring (Dr. Claudio Soto, 2013-2016, UNAB, Universidad de Chile.)
- Evaluation of the state of artisanal fishing in Melimoyu. (2013, Rodrigo Oyanedel, Marine Biology student at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile).
- Monitoring of the Melimoyu Volcano (2014- to date. SERNAGEOMIN).
- Small Cetaceans of Chiloé and its surroundings (2015- to date. Yaqu Pacha, UNAB, University of Saint Andrews)
- Research on marine species with therapeutic potential (2015. Fundación Costa Humboldt and Sirenas Marine Discovery)
- Research on sei whales population in Gulf of Penas and Laguna San Rafael National Park (2016 -to date. Patagonia Projects; Blue Marine Foundation; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso; GeoBio-Center; Huinay Scientific Field Station; Deep Trekker, Iridium, Global Marine NETWORKS, Praxes)

The war of a hundred years: Assessing the effects of introduced salmonids on native fishes at small streams in Patagonian freshwater systems.
All the salmonids present in the Chilean freshwater or marine ecosystems are introduced, and sustainable wild populations are reported in...

Trophic ecology and behavior of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and other cetaceans in the Gulf of Corcovado, Chile
Between February 14 to March 7, 2017, we embarked on the fourth expedition of the scientific project “Ecology trophic and...

Development of a real-time monitoring network to prevent collisions of vessels with Blue whales and other large baleen whales in the Gulf of Corcovado, Chile
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), considered the largest animal on earth, is a cosmopolitan species, whose populations have declined drastically...

Development of a predictive oceanographic model for whale watching at the Corcovado Gulf
Considered the largest animal on earth, the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) has been categorized as “endangered.” In the southern hemisphere,...

Labels creation for the automatic detection of blue whales calls
Throughout 2017, a methodology has been developed that allows the detection of blue whale vocalizations by segmentation of recordings using...

Patterns of residence and characterization of associations of the species: Chilean dolphin, Common bottlenose dolphin and Peale’s dolphin at the Melimoyu bay, Aysen region
Photoidentification records (date, time, place, number of animals of the group and species) of individuals of three species of dolphins...

Trophic transfer of trace elements: study applied at different trophic levels in coastal ecosystems of the Antarctic and Chilean Patagonia.
There is much interest in evaluating the impact of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems as a result of anthropogenic activities. Studies...

Comparison of the songs of the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) between a breeding area and a feeding area.
Humpback whales are known for their complex songs and social vocalizations, which they use mainly for reproductive purposes. These songs...

Study of the sounds of the sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) to know its presence, distribution and behavior in the Gulf of Penas
In 2015, the greatest mass stranding of sei whales was discovered in southern Chile. Since then, a joint effort has...

Influencia del paisaje y de las características físico-químicas de las cuencas hidrográficas de la Patagonia en la biodisponibilidad y biomagnificación del mercurio de agua dulce y costera a través de las redes alimentarias acuáticas (Proyecto Fondecyt regular 2016).
Influencia del paisaje y de las características físico-químicas de las cuencas hidrográficas de la Patagonia en la biodisponibilidad y biomagnificación...

State of health of large cetaceans in Chile
Study in charge of researchers of the National University Andres Bello (UNAB, for its acronym in Spanish) and the Panthalassa...

The war of a hundred years: Assessing the effects of introduced salmonids on native fishes at small streams in Patagonian freshwater systems.
All the salmonids present in the Chilean freshwater or marine ecosystems are introduced, and sustainable wild populations are reported in...

Project on Small Cetaceans of Chiloe and its surroundings
The project “Small Cetaceans of Chiloé and its surroundings” takes place in the Melimoyu Bay and its surroundings. The research...

Monitoring of the Melimoyu Volcano
Melimoyu Volcano comes from the Mapuche name that derives from “Meli”, meaning four, and “moyu”, meaning tits or horns; then...

Darwin’s frog Monitoring
Amphibians (Amphibia class) comprise more than 7,000 species, including anurans, caudate and caecilians. Amphibians originated 365 million years ago and...

Trophic ecology and behavior of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and other cetaceans in the Gulf of Corcovado, Chile
In February of 2015, the second version of the scientific project “Trophic ecology and behavior of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus)...

Acoustic Monitoring of Blue Whales
The Project Acoustic Monitoring of Blue Whales of the Gulf of Corcovado is the first scientific research project of the...

Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) Monitoring Project
The Darwin’s frog Monitoring research project is carried out in the Melimoyu Nature Reserve, and is worked in alliance with...

Trophic ecology and behavior of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and other cetaceans in the Gulf of Corcovado, Chile
In February of 2015, the second version of the scientific project “Trophic ecology and behavior of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus)...

Project on Small Cetaceans of Chiloe and its surroundings
The project “Small Cetaceans of Chiloé and its surroundings” takes place in the Melimoyu Bay and its surroundings. The research...

Biomagnification and potential effects of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the aquatic food web of the Antarctic Peninsula and Patagonia.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are a group of substances of natural or anthropogenic origin that share certain basic characteristics: they...

Monitoring of the Melimoyu Volcano
Melimoyu Volcano comes from the Mapuche name that derives from “Meli”, meaning four, and “moyu”, meaning tits or horns; then...

Darwin’s frog Monitoring
Amphibians (Amphibia class) comprise more than 7,000 species, including anurans, caudate and caecilians. Amphibians originated 365 million years ago and...

Biomagnification and potential effects of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the aquatic food web of the Antarctic Peninsula and Patagonia.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are a group of substances of natural or anthropogenic origin that share certain basic characteristics: they...

Monitoring of the Melimoyu Volcano
Melimoyu Volcano comes from the Mapuche name that derives from “Meli”, meaning four, and “moyu”, meaning tits or horns; then...

Darwin’s frog Monitoring
Amphibians (Amphibia class) comprise more than 7,000 species, including anurans, caudate and caecilians. Amphibians originated 365 million years ago and...

Trophic ecology and behavior of blue whales
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal that has ever lived on earth. Both sexes reach sexual maturity...

Filming by Cábala
Cábala producers, which specializes in documenting scientific efforts in remote areas, visited the Melimoyu Nature Reserve between March 13th and...

Assessment of the Status of Artisanal Fishing in Melimoyu.
Work led by Rodrigo Oyanedel, Marine Biology student at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, which had the support of...

First Underwater Expedition in Melimoyu Bay
Between March 1st and 12th, 2013, the Melimoyu Nature Reserve was visited by Céline Cousteau, an expert diver and environmental...

Monitoring of Darwin’s frog
Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) was considered extinct due to the loss of its native forest, which was replaced by species...

Documentary by Wild Expectations
Wild Expectation producers, whose main interest is “everything that is not human,” visited the Melimoyu National Reserve from February 19th...

Study and Identification of Mushrooms in Melimoyu
Between March 10th and 15th, 2012 in Melimoyu we received the visit of two scientists / researchers in mushrooms: Dr....

Monitoreo Acústico de Ballenas Azules
El proyecto de Monitoreo Acústico de Ballenas Azules del Golfo Corcovado corresponde al primer proyecto de investigación científica del Centro...

Oceanographic baseline and Sampling of Krill
The main focus of the research conducted by Susannah Buchan, former doctorate student in the Department of Oceanography at the...