CHIC – Cape Horn Center

What is CHIC?

The Cape Horn International Center for Global Change Studies and Biocultural Conservation (CHIC) is the first baseline center of excellence for research in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region, funded by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID)CHIC is a scientific research project under the Subantarctic Biocultural Conservation Program, aiming to build upon over 20 years of work.

It emerges from the Universidad de Magallanes through a consortium also comprised of the Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad Central, Universidad de Talca, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Universidad de Los Lagos, and the Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP) in Aysén, along with an international network coordinated by the University of North Texas, United States.

We are CHIC

Lines of investigation

Sentinels of Climate Change

Responses of Subantarctic and Alpine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning to Climate Change. Long-term monitoring is projected to investigate and make predictions about the impact of climate change on biodiversity and greenhouse gas balance in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Frederik Thalasso, Ph.D. en Biotecnología, lidera el equipo. Tiene cinco Sublíneas que son integradas por Investigadores principales, investigadores asociados e Investigadores colaboradores

The Peatlands subline is led by researcher Fred Thalasso; the High-Andean subline is overseen by the botanist and 2010 National Prize for Natural Sciences recipient, Mary Kalin-Arroyo; the Forests subline is directed by biologist Juan Carlos Aravena; the Freshwater-Aquatic subline is led by biologist Tamara Contador, and the Coastal-Marine subline is directed by biologist Andrés Mansilla.

Sentinels of Biocultural Homogenization

Responses of biocultural diversity to the introduction of exotic species and formal education. This line will combine biotic studies on disease ecology (such as avian malaria) and invasive mammals, along with cultural studies on the effects of formal education on biocultural diversity.

Rodrigo Vásquez, Ph.D en Ecología lidera la segunda línea orientada a la Homogeneización. Destacan las sublíneas de Biótica, enfocada en dos áreas: Epidemiología ecológica con foco en las aves, dirigida por el Investigador Rodrigo Vásquez y la orientada a Especies exóticas invasoras, que lidera la Doctora en Ciencias Naturales, Elke Schüttler.

There is also the Cultural subline, with areas in Education, focused on the dissociation of biocultural context, led by the Ph.D. in Education, Andrea Valdivia, and the area of Environmental Philosophy, with a bioculturally ethical perspective led by the Ph.D. in Ecology and philosopher, Ricardo Rozzi.

Biocultural Conservation on Multiple Scales

Social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Research on the diverse values of biocultural heritage for new approaches to tourism, healthy nutrition, food sovereignty, intercultural education, and the design, management, and implementation of protected areas.

Lorena Medina, Ph.D en Psicología del Aprendizaje e Instrucción, lidera esta línea, que consta de cinco sublíneas del ámbito de Conservación Biocultural. Una de ellas es Educación que lidera la académica de la Facultad de Educación de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Lorena Medina, quien es ex decana de la misma unidad. La sublínea de Patrimonio Biocultural es encabezada por la arqueóloga y directora del Instituto de la Patagonia de la Universidad de Magallanes, Flavia Morello; la sublínea Gastronomía del Sur del Mundo que encabeza el ingeniero civil industrial y Premio Nacional de Ciencias Aplicadas y Tecnológicas 2008, José Miguel Aguilera; la subínea Soberanía Alimentaria y Conservación de Aves que encabeza el ingeniero agrónomo de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Tomás Ibarra y la sublínea de Áreas Protegidas que dirige la doctora en etnobotánica y fisiología de plantas, Francisca Massardo.