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We report on the first sightings of the invasive Rapa Whelk Rapana venosa in Maldonado Bay (Punta del Este Harbor and Gorriti Island) using in vivo, underwater observations and video surveys. The species was first detected in the Río de la Plata (Uruguay and Argentina) in 1999, and by 2004 it had extended its local distribution to Punta del Este at the eastern boundary of the estuary. Observations performed by SCUBA diving showed that R. venosa is preying on native mussels Mytilus edulis and Brachidontes spp., and that formerly abundant mussel beds are being seriously depleted due to a combination of human extraction, habitat deterioration and predation by the Rapa Whelk.

Resumen: En esta investigación se pretende dar cuenta de las diferencias de género en el componente evaluativo (Labov & Waletzky, 1967;Labov, 1972) en un sub-tipo específico del discurso narrativo juvenil en Santiago de Chile, a saber, en las narraciones de experiencias personales. Dichas diferencias fueron relevadas en una muestra de 64 entrevistas sociolingüísticas (32 masculinas y 32 femeninas) estratificadas socioculturalmente, conformando, de esta forma, una muestra significativa de discurso natural grabado en el estilo que Labov (1972) denomina como 'vernacular'. La hipótesis que sustenta la investigación es la existencia de diferencias de género en el discurso narrativo juvenil, específicamente, en lo concerniente al componente evaluativo; por lo tanto, el objetivo principal de la indagación consistió en recopilar las mencionadas diferencias y establecer su incidencia en el desarrollo de las narraciones, en el caso de que existieran. Tras el análisis de los 64 relatos, se verificó la existencia de diferencias de género en el mencionado constituyente de las narraciones, presente en 61 de las 64 historias. Nuestro trabajo incluyó, también, un análisis de siete categorías evaluativas (emoción, percepción, cognición, estado físico, intención, relación y habla reportada), según la propuesta de Jiménez (2006), donde se concluyó que, en la mayoría de las ocasiones, son las mujeres las que emplean la mayor cantidad de elementos de evaluación. Por último, podrían explicarse las diferencias de género relevadas recurriendo a la relativa mayor conciencia que las mujeres tienen de la importancia de la cultura oral.Palabras Clave: Narraciones de experiencias personales, habla juvenil, componente evaluativo, categorías evaluativas. Diferencias de género en evaluaciones de narraciones de experiencias personales en el habla juvenil de 19Abstract: This study presents gender differences in the evaluative component (Labov & Waletzky, 1967;Labov, 1972) in a specific sub-type of narrative discourse in young people from Santiago, Chile: personal narratives. These differences were collected from a sample of 64 (32 female; 32 males) culturally stratified sociolinguistic interviews. Thus, a representative sample of recorded natural discourse was comprised, what Labov (1972) calls vernacular. The hypothesis is the existence of gender differences in the narrative discourse of young speakers, especially in relation to the evaluative component; therefore, the main objective of this investigation consisted in establishing the occurrence of these differences, if any, in the development of the narrations. After analyzing all 64 accounts, the existence of gender differences in the evaluative constituent of narrations was detected in 61 of them. Following Jiménez (2006), this study also includes an analysis of seven evaluative categories (emotion, perception, cognition, physical state, intention, relation, and reported speech), whereby it was established that it is women who mostly use evaluative elements. Finally, the gender differences ...

ResumenEn este artículo se analiza el empleo del discurso referido en el habla de Santiago de Chile desde el punto de vista sociolingüístico. Para tal propósito, se estudiaron las secuencias discursivas en las que se manifestó dicho recurso en 54 entrevistas que forman parte del Corpus Sociolingüístico del PRESEEA en Santiago de Chile. Para el marco conceptual de esta investigación se consultaron los estudios sobre la polifonía del lenguaje (Ducrot, 1986;Reyes, 1993) y el análisis sociolingüístico del discurso (Silva-Corvalán, 2001;Serrano, 2006). En el análisis se consideró el discurso referido como un caso de variable sociolingüística, en un sentido amplio del concepto, con dos valores o variantes generales: el discurso directo y el discurso indirecto y con diferentes subtipos o variantes específicas de acuerdo con distintos niveles o grados de reformulación y distanciamiento del sujeto respecto de su enunciado. Consecuentemente, se correlacionaron los factores sociodemográficos de los sujetos con el empleo de dichas variantes, los que demostraron tener incidencia en su empleo. Por otra parte, como variable interna se analizó el tipo de secuencia discursiva en la que las variantes generales del discurso referido aparecían con mayor frecuencia, confirmando el predominio del empleo de dicho recurso en las narraciones, si bien su participación como parte del repertorio de recursos argumentativos de los sujetos también es importante. Finalmente, se verificó que las mujeres suelen emplear con mayor frecuencia el discurso directo como una estrategia pragmática mediante la cual intentan dotar de mayor teatralidad a sus narraciones en forma de 'mini-dramas'.Palabras Clave: Sociolingüística, análisis del discurso, variación discursiva, español de Chile, discurso referido.

Following the Labovian variationist approach, this research study analyzes the use of the historical present in a sample of 192 oral personal experience narratives in the Spanish spoken in Santiago, Chile. We aim at establishing the frequency of use of this variable element and testing whether there exists variation among the sociodemographic factors -sex, age, and socioeconomic group-of the speakers and the use of the said resource. We also describe its place in the narrative structure (Labov & Waletzky, 1967;Labov, 1983) and the function it performs in the narratives (Silva-Corvalán, 1983, 2001). Our data analysis shows that, firstly, there is sociolinguistic variation in the use of the historical present in personal experience narratives, specifically, among women of 20 to 34 years and over 55 in the four socioeconomic groups studied, presenting statistical significance. Secondly, our analysis indicates that it is possible to consider the historical present as a variable phenomenon with a specific function, namely, that of being an evaluative resource Silva-Corvalán, 1983, 2001). Finally, we could establish that this phenomenon is located in the narrative complication (Silva-Corvalán, 1983, 2001).

New records of the cubozoan jellyfish Tamoya haplonema in Uruguayan waters are reported together with historical records for the region, and associated with the oceanographic conditions at the moment of the finding. Occurrences of the species are mainly associated with positive Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies especially during summer months when the intrusion of warm oceanic waters to the Uruguayan coastline is stronger. This was particularly strong during 2012-2013, when a dry period enhanced this scenario. This species is the only cubozoan present in Uruguay, with a sporadic occurrence and so far has no appreciated negative effects on public health. However, from observed increasing frequency of positive temperature anomalies it would be reasonable to predict a future southward shift in the latitudinal distribution of T. haplonema. In this context, occurrence of this toxic species along Uruguayan coastal waters must be considered with particular attention to the potential negative impact on tourism and on general public health.

Synthetic plastics have become an indispensable component of modern life, and the amount of plastics disposal has increased dramatically as a result. With human population increasing, it is expected that the prevalence of plastic debris in the environment will also increase, unless sustainable daily habits are incorporated, waste management improved, and new alternative materials are discovered and popularized. To date, several reports show negative effects of plastic debris on marine and freshwater fauna (e.g. invertebrates, birds, turtles, marine mammals). Plastic are ubiquitous in the water column, deposited Lozoya et al. (2015) 378 in fine sediments and enter the guts, respiratory structures and tissues of different aquatic species, and are incorporated into food webs via ingestion. This global problem also affects beach and near-shore activities (e.g. tourism, fisheries, and aquaculture) with negative social and economic consequences. The research of plastics effect on aquatic environments in Uruguay is only incipient. With the aim of contributing to scientific knowledge, decision-making and the management of plastic debris, here we reviewed the available information on plastic debris sources, their impacts on biodiversity, and policy issues in Uruguayan aquatic systems. Moreover, we reviewed and systematized community outreach initiatives, and examined national policies and management initiatives. We found that Uruguayan aquatic systems (freshwater, coastal marine and benthic) are affected by plastic pollution, both from land-based and sea-based activities, although national-level policies are modern and well suited for minimizing the impacts of plastic pollution. We reviewed biota-plastic debris interactions, and found evidence for impacts on a number of aquatic taxa, including the poorly reported ingestion of microplastics in freshwaters fishes and the association with plastic benthic debris. Global and regional hydrographic settings (Río de la Plata Estuary), as well as idiosyncratic ecological, socio-economic and cultural issues, make Uruguay a valuable test-site for this topic. Our ultimate goal is to minimize the effects of this widespread environmental, economic, health and aesthetic problem. Resumo Pesquisas e manejo de descartes plásticos em sistemas aquáticos uruguaios: atualização e perspectivasProdutos plásticos tem se tornado um componente indispensável na vida moderna, como conseqüência disso a quantidade de plásticos descartados tem dramaticamente aumentado. É esperado que com o aumento da população de seres humanos a prevalência de descartes plásticos também aumente, a menos que hábitos cotidianos sustentáveis sejam incorporados, e novos materiais alternativos sejam descobertos e popularizados. Até o momento, diversas pesquisas têm mostrado os efeitos negativos de descartes plásticos sobre a fauna marinha e dulcícola (p. ex.: invertebrados, aves, tartarugas e mamíferos marinhos). Em ambientes aquáticos, plásticos estão em toda parte: na coluna de água, depositados em sedimento fino e dent...

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