We conducted a study to characterize the foraminiferal association off south-central Chile under positive (January to December 2006), neutral (January to June 2007), and negative (July to September 2007) thermal anomalies, which coincided approximately with El Niño (EN), normal (NC), and La Niña (LN) conditions, respectively, using samples collected in a sediment trap located off Concepción at 2300 m depth. During the three environmental conditions, total species richness was 19, with 18 species present during EN, 14 during NC, and 14 during LN. Moreover, a typical association of subantarctic waters was observed during NC and LN, but not during EN, when we found a mixture of cold and warm water species as well as higher foraminiferal and calcium carbonate fluxes. However, diversity was very similar under the three conditions. We observed significant differences in foraminiferal and calcium carbonate fluxes between NC and EN, with higher values during the warm phase.

RESUMEN. Se estudió por primera vez las variaciones estacionales de los foraminíferos planctónicos frente a las costas de Iquique (20ºS, 70ºW) y Concepción (36ºS, 74ºW), Chile. Las muestras fueron recolectadas mediante trampas de sedimentos ubicadas en dos profundidades: 1.000 y 2.300 m, entre septiembre y diciembre 2005, bajo condiciones normales (con surgencias permanentes y ausencia del evento El Niño) en la zona norte, y entre enero y octubre durante el evento El Niño 2006 en la zona sur (con surgencias estacionales). Se determinó un total de 23 especies, 22 de las cuales se recolectaron frente a Iquique y 16 frente a Concepción. Además, se determinó el flujo de carbonato de calcio de foraminíferos, flujo de individuos y diversidad para definir patrones faunísticos en dichas áreas, de diferentes condiciones oceanográficas. Los resultados mostraron que en Iquique, bajo condiciones normales, se produjo un constante flujo de individuos y carbonato, con máximos en septiembre y octubre 2005, confirmando la presencia de surgencia costera en este período. Por el contrario, en Concepción, bajo condiciones El Niño (2006), el flujo de individuos y carbonato de calcio presentó máximos durante la época estival evidenciando surgencias, que sin embargo, son de menor duración (enero-febrero) respecto a lo descrito en condiciones normales para esta área. La diversidad fue mayor a menor en profundidad en ambas zonas, permaneciendo constante durante todo el período en la zona norte, a diferencia de la zona sur, cuyos mayores valores se observaron durante la época estival coincidiendo con los afloramientos costeros en esta área. Palabras clave: foraminíferos planctónicos, surgencia costera, Iquique, Concepción, El Niño, Chile. Seasonal variations of planktic foraminifera during 2005-2006 off Iquique (20ºS) and Concepción (36ºS), ChileABSTRACT. We studied for first time the seasonal variations of planktic foraminifera off Iquique (20ºS, 70ºW) and Concepcion (36ºS, 74ºW), Chile. The samples were collected by sediment traps located at two depths: 1000 and 2300 m between September and December 2005, under normal conditions (with permanent upwelling and the absence of El Niño) in the northern area and between January and October during the event El Niño 2006, in the southern area (with seasonal upwelling). In this study we determined in total 23 species, 22 which were collected off Iquique and 16 off Concepción. Furthermore, we determined the following parameters: carbonate and individual fluxes and the diversity in order to define faunal patterns in these areas in different oceanographic conditions. The results show that off Iquique (20°S) under normal conditions, there is a constant individual and carbonate flux, with peaks in September and October 2005 reaffirming the presence of coastal upwelling in this period. In contrast, off Concepción, under El Niño 2006, the individuals and calcium carbonate fluxes exhibits maxima during the summer upwelling showing however are of shorter duration (January-February) compared to that descri...

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