FONDAP-HUMBOLDT Programme

FONDAP-HUMBOLDT Program - Circulation and Physical-Biological
Interactions in the Humboldt Current System and their Impact upon
Regional Biogeochemical Cycling 1997-2000

The FONDAP-Humboldt program has had a major input into developing
oceanographic research in the East Boundary Humboldt Current, in both
inshore and offshore waters. From 18-38 degrees south , moored
oceanographic buoys allow continuous collection of time series data.
This information will be used to give insights into local variability
forced by remote large-scale events, originated at the equator, such
as El Nino and La Nina events and the influence of coastal trapped
waves.

Two large-scale cruises were performed in the rich fishery system
off Concepcion (38 degrees S) and another was carried out off northern
Chile (20 degrees S):

MircI October 1998 off Central-south Chile
MircII July 1999 off Central-south Chile
MinOx March 2000 off northern Chile

MircI and MircII dealt with upwelling filaments off Concepcion (36
degrees S) and included complete physical-chemistry measurements of
the water column, primary production, respiration, zooplankton and
fish larvae sampling. MinOx was a cruise devoted to study the
physics/chemistry of the oxygen minimum zone and its associated
biological components. Some process studies were carried out onboard.

Special attention has been given to latitudinal gradients, coupled to
growth and development responses. The population dynamics of the
endemic Zoo plankton species of the Humboldt Current, the copepod
Calanus Chilensis and the small krill Euphausia mucronata have also
been studied.

Information supplied by Dr. Ruben Escribano, Chile GLOBEC National
Representative.