Benthic macrofauna of three saline-lake wetlands on the coastal rim of southern Chile

A coastal-lake wetland is a type of inland water ecosystem that does not occur very frequently in Chile, of which lakes Budi, Huillinco and Cucao are examples. Textural differences were found in the various constituent parts of the coastal lake sediments. Gravel was the smallest fraction and showed significant differences among the three coastal lakes (P < 0.05). Significant differences (P < 0.05) were also recorded for the sand and mud fractions. Lakes Cucao and Huillinco are described as muddy sand, in contrast to Lake Budi, which is described as sandy mud, composed primarily of mud with a smaller percentage of sand. There were statistical differences among the lakes with regard to the contributions of organic matter in each fraction. The macrofauna in these bodies of water belongs to the fauna inhabiting estuary environments in southern Chile. Lake Budi had seven taxa, and lakes Huillinco and Cucao ten species of macrofauna each. There were no significant differences in the number of species captured at the three coastal lakes (P > 0.05), but differences did emerge in comparisons made among the sampling stations. Total abundances showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in comparisons made both among the lakes and the stations. Salinity and grain size could be limiting the density and number of species at the lakes.