Societies
- Chilean Entomological Society
- Entomological Society of Argentina
- Chilean Ecological Society
- Chilean Biological Society
Research
The Research Group in Ecological Zoology of Arid Zones conducts ecological research in zoology of the desert environment of north-central Chile. Our work is part of the research program of the Department of Biology of the University of La Serena titled Ecology and Taxonomic Diversity of Arthropods and Vertebrates from the Transitional Desert of Chile. The objectives of the program are:
- To advance taxonomical knowledge of the fauna of soil arthropods and mammals in the natural systems of the area of interest;
- To understand the taxonomic diversity of these groups of organisms in the context of the arid environment;
- To identify and characterize their phenological response, both seasonal and contingent;
- To identify and characterize ecological interactions and the role these organisms play in the systems of interest;
- To help advance knowledge onthe natural heritage of the arid-transitional region of northern Chile.
The Group is composed of three academicians and one technical assistant, as well as thesis students, and national and foreign visitors. The Group has at its disposal two research labs and two annex labs with their corresponding equipment, as well as specimen and bibliographic reference collections.
The Group is currently dedicated to the following studies:
- Ecology of rangeland arthropods and effects of reforestation of the coastal arid ecosystem.
- Taxonomy, systematics, and ecomorphology of Tenebrionidae, Scorpiones, and Araneae from the coastal desert.
- Characterization of the abundance, richness, and biodiversity of the vertebrate fauna from arid and Andean environments of northern Chile.
Collaboration with Other Institutions
The Group maintains ties with specialists from the following institutions:
- Entomology Laboratory. IADIZA (CRYCIT), Mendoza, Argentina.
- Division of Arachnology. Bernardino Rivadavia Museum of Natural Science (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Coleopteran Systematics and Biology Laboratory, Departament of Zoology, Faculty of Marine and Natural Sciences, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
- Chair of Animal Diversity I; Faculty of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences; National University of Cordoba, Argentina.
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
Links to ULS Sites
