The interactions between aquaculture farms and endemic marine birds in the Northern Hemisphere have been a recurrent topic in the past decades. In the Northern Hemisphere, shellfish aquaculture farms have diverse effects on wildlife populations, and the substantial predation on mussels by birds can lead to culling of the birds by farm managers. In this work, we assessed the interaction between Chilean blue mussel Mytilus chilensis farms and the Magellanic steamer duck Tachyeres pteneres, an endemic duck of southern Chile whose population is thought to be declining. In particular, we assessed the importance of the Chilean blue mussel in the Magellanic steamer duck’s diet, and we estimated the magnitude of losses to aquaculture due to predation by the ducks. Between March 1988 and February 1989, observations and sampling collections were performed around a bivalve aquaculture farm in Yaldad Bay (Chiloé Island, Chile). In contrast to what happens in the Northern Hemisphere, we infer that Chilean blue mussel farms do not promote the increase of the Magellanic steamer duck population in Chile: the population dynamics appear to be responding to other habitat variables. Moreover, our estimate for the losses due to predation was less than 1.6% of the annual farm production in Chile. Despite the fact that sampling was done almost 30 years ago, this study is the most recent one investigating the ecology and social behaviour of the Magellanic steamer duck and its relationship with bivalve aquaculture.

中文翻译：

---

智利南部离底双壳类水产养殖与麦哲伦蒸鸭 Tachyeres pteneres 的关系

在过去的几十年里，水产养殖场与北半球特有海鸟之间的相互作用一直是一个反复出现的话题。在北半球，贝类水产养殖场对野生动物种群产生多种影响，鸟类对贻贝的大量捕食可能导致养殖场管理者扑杀这些鸟类。在这项工作中，我们评估了智利蓝贻贝 Mytilus chilensis 养殖场与麦哲伦蒸鸭 Tachyeres pteneres 之间的相互作用，Tachyeres pteneres 是智利南部的一种特有鸭，其种群数量被认为正在下降。特别是，我们评估了智利蓝贻贝在麦哲伦蒸鸭饮食中的重要性，并估计了由于鸭子的捕食而对水产养殖造成的损失程度。1988 年 3 月至 1989 年 2 月期间，在 Yaldad 湾（智利奇洛埃岛）的一个双壳类水产养殖场周围进行了观察和采样收集。与北半球发生的情况相反，我们推断智利蓝贻贝养殖场不会促进智利麦哲伦蒸鸭种群的增加：种群动态似乎对其他栖息地变量做出了反应。此外，我们对捕食造成的损失的估计不到智利年农业产量的 1.6%。尽管采样是在近 30 年前完成的，但这项研究是最近一项调查麦哲伦蒸鸭的生态和社会行为及其与双壳贝类养殖关系的研究。我们推断智利蓝贻贝养殖场不会促进智利麦哲伦蒸鸭种群的增加：种群动态似乎对其他栖息地变量做出了反应。此外，我们对捕食造成的损失的估计不到智利年农业产量的 1.6%。尽管采样是在近 30 年前完成的，但这项研究是最近一项调查麦哲伦蒸鸭的生态和社会行为及其与双壳贝类养殖关系的研究。我们推断智利蓝贻贝养殖场不会促进智利麦哲伦蒸鸭种群的增加：种群动态似乎对其他栖息地变量做出了反应。此外，我们对捕食造成的损失的估计不到智利年农场产量的 1.6%。尽管采样是在近 30 年前完成的，但这项研究是最近一项调查麦哲伦蒸鸭的生态和社会行为及其与双壳贝类养殖关系的研究。