Aim: Biological invasions and changes in land and sea use are among the five major causes of global biodiversity decline. Shipping and ocean sprawl (multiplication of artificial structures at the expense of natural habitats) are considered as the major forces responsible for marine invasions and biotic homogenization. And yet, there is little evidence of their interplay at multiple spatial scales. Here, we aimed to examine this interaction and the extent to which the type of artificial habitat alters the distribution of native and non-indigenous biodiversity. Location: Southeast Pacific-Central Chilean coastline.Methods: Settlement plates were deployed upon two types of artificial habitats (floating and non-floating hard substrates) at a total of ten study sites, exposed to either international or local traffic. After colonization periods of 3 and 13 months, plates were retrieved to determine their associated fouling sessile assemblages at an early and late stage of development, respectively. Putative confounding factors (temperature, metal concentrations) were taken into account.Results: While traffic type had no detectable effect, there were strong differences in community structure between habitats, consistent across the study region. These differences were driven by non-indigenous species which contributed to 58% and 40% of the community structure in floating habitats after 3 and 13 months, respectively-roughly 10 times greater than in their non-floating counterparts. Assemblages on floating structures also displayed a lower decline in similarity with increasing distance between sampling units, being thus more homogenous than non-floating habitats at the regional scale. Main conclusions:With the absence of international traffic effect, the colonization success by non-indigenous species appears to be mainly habitat-dependent and driven by local propagules. Floating structures not only provide specific niches but characteristics shared with major introduction and dispersal vectors (notably hulls), and in turn constitute important corridors to invasions and drivers of biotic homogenization at multiple scales. | 63LECLERC Et aL.

ResumenSe analizó la deserción estudiantil universitaria, en estudiantes de carreras de ingeniería de la cohorte del año 2004 hasta enero del año 2007. Se evaluó la retención utilizando un modelo de Kaplan-Meier, y se determinaron factores de la deserción con un modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox. Los resultados muestran que la mayor probabilidad de desertar se presenta en los tres primeros semestres, y en estudiantes que provienen de colegios financiados por el estado. Son factores determinantes de la retención un alto promedio ponderado acumulado, disponer de crédito universitario, a mayor puntaje de la prueba de selección universitaria, provenir de un establecimiento educacional de enseñanza media científico-humanista y altos ingresos promedio familiar. Se analiza también los factores de deserción más recurrentes y se proponen medidas para disminuir la deserción estudiantil universitaria. Palabras clave: deserción estudiantil, retención estudiantil, modelo de Cox, riesgo de deserción Student Dropout Factors in Engineering: An Application of Duration Models AbstractCollege drop-out of undergraduate engineering students from 2004 until January 2007 was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier model to evaluate the retention rate of students. Drop-out factors were determined using a Cox model for proportional risks. The results show that it is most likely that dropouts take place within the first three terms and mainly affect those students coming from public school, financed by the government. Retention decisive factors are: high average high school grades, access to the national system of university credit, high average grade in the national university selection exam, secondary education with a scientific and humanities oriented curriculum, and high family incomes. The most common drop-out factors are also discussed and solutions to diminish university desertion are proposed.

Growing coastal urbanization together with the intensification of maritime traffic are major processes explaining the increasing rate of biological introductions in marine environments. To investigate the link between international maritime traffic and the establishment of non-indigenous species (NIS) in coastal areas, we compared biofouling communities in 3 international and 3 nearby local ports, along 100 km of coastline in Southcentral Chile, using settlement panels and rapid assessment surveys. A larger number of NIS was observed in international ports, as expected in these 'invasion hubs'. However, despite a few environmental differences between international and local ports, the two port categories did not display significant differences regarding NIS establishment and contribution to community structure, over the studied period (1.5 years). In international ports, the free space could be a limiting factor for NIS establishment. Our results also suggest that local ports should be considered in NIS surveillance programs in Chile.

Non-native ascidians are important members of the fouling community associated with artificial substrata and man-made structures. Being efficient fouling species, they are easily spread by human-mediated transports (e.g., with aquaculture trade and maritime transports). This is exemplified by the ascidian Asterocarpa humilis which displays a wide distribution in the Southern Hemisphere and has been recently reported in the Northern Hemisphere (NW Europe). In continental Chile, its first report dates back from 2000 for the locality of Antofagasta (23°S). Although there was no evidence about the vectors of introduction and spread, nor the source, some authors suggested maritime transport by ship hulls and aquaculture devices as putative introduction pathways and vectors. In the present study, we report for the first time the presence of A. humilis on the hull of an international ship in a commercial port in Concepción bay (36°S), south central Chile. We also found one individual associated to a seashell farm, 70 km far from Concepción bay. Further individuals were subsequently identified within Concepción bay: one juvenile settled upon international harbor pilings and a dozen individuals along aquaculture seashell longlines. For the first specimens sampled, species identification was ascertained using both morphological criteria and molecular barcoding, using the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and a nuclear gene (ribosomal RNA 18S). The nuclear 18S gene and the mitochondrial gene COI clearly assigned the specimens to A. humilis, confirming our morphological identification. Two haplotypes were obtained with COI corresponding to haplotypes previously obtained with European and Northern Chilean specimens. The present study thus reports for the first time the presence of A. humilis in the Araucanian ecoregion, documenting the apparent expansion of this non-native tunicate in Chile over 2,000 km, spanning over three ecoregions. In addition we reveal the potential implication of the international maritime transport as a vector of spread of this species along the Eastern Pacific coast, and the putative role of aquaculture facilities in promoting local establishments of non-native tunicates.

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