Undergraduate student presents his degree work corresponding to the NEXER UMAG project

Under the guidance of Dr. Armando Sepúlveda Jáuregui on March 18, Daniel Contreras Diaz, obtained his Engineering in Natural Resources degree at the University of Magallanes (Umag). An outstanding presentation with a perfect grade under the framework of a project belonging to the Network for extreme environments Research (NEXER) which includes the study of carbon in ecosystems affected by human activity. Among the works that comprise this study is the effect of the reservoirs that the beaver creates on the island of Tierra del Fuego, where this invasive species has modified natural ecosystems. In this context, our recently graduated student worked on the analysis of carbon dynamics under the effect of increased temperature and flooding and drainage of ecosystems affected by beavers. In this process, they took soil and sediment samples from the ecosystems to set up the laboratory test. Together with another exchange student from the University of Toulouse, they carried out aerobic degradation and other anaerobic incubations, which can give a perspective to different scenarios induced by the recognized climate change.

All this study is carried out thanks to the financing of NEXER and FONDECYT DE INICIACIÓN 11170134 as responsible researcher Dr. Armando Sepúlveda. For researchers in our network, it is very important to have undergraduate students as they provide vital help for the development of our projects and without them the scope would be reduced.

Congratulations to the new graduated professional, we look forward to a successful future for him.

Written by: BQ. Francisca Gómez

Edited by: BQ. María Javiera Guarda