A scientific expedition carried out in the Aysén region detected a significant expansion of the invasive anemone Metridium senile on the seabed of Northern Patagonia.

This finding raised alerts among researchers due to its potential impact on one of the country’s most pristine marine ecosystems.

The discovery occurred during the second Seabed Expedition, an initiative led by the MERI Foundation of Filantropía Cortés Solari, which in January of this year carried out a new scientific campaign in Melimoyu Bay, in the Aysén region.

The objective of the work was to continue the monitoring started in 2024 to better understand the changes in the communities that inhabit the fjord’s seabed.

The results showed that the presence of this non-native species is no longer isolated, as had been previously observed, but now appears in most of the sites studied in shallow areas of the ecosystem.

Scientists warn about the advance of the invasive species

The director of the expedition, Alejandro Pérez Matus, explained that the data shows a clear expansion of the invasive anemone in shallow sectors of the seabed. As the researcher detailed, “in the past expedition we observed a fragmented distribution of this invasive anemone. In this second campaign we see that its presence is no longer isolated: it appears in practically almost all the sampled sites on the shallow seabed”.

The specialist added that the presence of the species is mainly concentrated in areas up to 20 meters deep, which opens new scientific questions about the environmental factors that could be favoring its expansion. In that sense, he indicated that “this opens relevant scientific questions about the environmental limits of the system and about what fjord conditions could be conditioning the expansion of this species”.

The Patagonian seabed hosts complex benthic communities, home to cold-water corals, invertebrates, and numerous associated species that play a key role in the balance of marine ecosystems.

The executive president of Filantropía Cortés Solari, Francisca Cortés Solari, highlighted the importance of monitoring these ecosystems to anticipate potential environmental impacts. She noted that “monitoring their status, understanding their dynamics and detecting the advance of invasive species in time is fundamental” to protect the country’s natural heritage.

During the expedition, the team used various marine research technologies, including visual censuses, remote underwater cameras, environmental sensors, and specialized monitoring structures to study the biodiversity of the seabed with greater precision.

The study’s results will allow further deepening the knowledge about the marine ecosystems of Northern Patagonia and support future conservation decisions in one of the least explored areas of the Chilean ocean.

Source: ADN