Ecosystem processes, management and human dimension of tectonically-influenced wetlands along the coast of central and southern Chile

Abstract

During the spring of 2017, the first Workshop on Coastal Wetlands of Central and Southern Chile was held at the Universidad Austral de Chile in Valdivia. A central point of the discussion was the impact of the periodic occurrence of earthquakes and tsunamis along the temperate region of the Chilean coast and their implication for wetland ecosystems. These natural events cause major modifications in the environment of wetlands that appear to be associated with variable but relatively fast rates of resilience. Strong emphasis was also placed on the social dimensions of such natural disturbances considering their impact on ecosystem services.