CENSUS OF ANTARCTIC MARINE LIFE (CAML) IN LATIN AMERICA, AND ITS SUPPORT TOWARDS MARINE MAMMAL ANTARCTIC RESEARCH.

BASSOI, M; RODRÍGUEZ, D; CAMPOS, L

Mérida, México

Conferencia; Primera Reunión Internacional sobre el Estudio de Mamíferos Acuáticos SOMEMMA-SOLAMAC; 2006

Sociedad Mexicana de Mamíferos Marinos y Sociedad Latinoamericana de Mamíferos Acuáticos

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) has proposed a Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) to be undertaken as a major activity during the International Polar Year (IPY). CAML is also one of 14 field programs under the international program Census of Marine Life (CoML). The CAML is an ambitious 5-year project that will focus interest on the ice-bound oceans of Antarctica, requiring large and internationally integrated field and laboratory programmes during the IPY (March 2007 ? March 2009). Its philosophy is to integrate knowledge across all regions, biomes, habitats, and fields of study. The efforts in Latin America started with a workshop ("I Oficina Latinoamericana del CAML ? I OLA CAML") held in Concépcion, Chile on Aug 2006, in conjunction with the "II Simpósio Latinoamericano sobre Investigaciónes Antárticas". The I OLA CAML meet administrators and scientists in order to assist in the Antarctic interactions between Latin American countries, identify common South American Antarctic interests and research interfaces, promote the CAML?s sampling protocols, collaborative work, data exchange, and to assist in the South American Antarctic dissemination and outreach activities. The outcomes from the I OLA CAML have been the general agreement on: 1) building a "Matrix" including the information on all Antarctic scientific projects, researchers, institutions, and logistics from the Latin American countries; 2) building a list of Latin American taxonomists; 3) creating a South American Consortium for optimizing efforts in Antarctica, and strengthening South American Antarctic Programmes. At the present time there are six marine mammal projects collaborating with CAML for the IPY, from Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. The research works involve cetaceans and pinipedes from the following main themes: physiology, distribution and abundance, migration patterns, molecular biology, population dynamics, environmental impact, contamination, and oceanographic data interaction. The main study sites are the Austral Channels of South America, Drake Passage, Elephant Island, King George Island, Bransfield and Gerlache Straits. However, this is a preliminary list of marine mammal projects that will join forces with CAML for the IPY. The collaborative projects may well increase through the IPY timeframe.