The Vaquita marino (Phocoena sinus) is the smallest, most recently discovered, most limited in its distribution, and most highly endangered of all the Cetaceans. Two risk factors have been identified in the Vaquita’s conservation; mortalities due to bycatch in the artisanal fishing fleet in the Upper Gulf of California, and environmental disturbance. The habitat disturbance risk factor is a direct result of the desiccation of the Colorado River Delta because of extensive water diversions form the Colorado River by the dam system within the United States. Significant disagreements exist as to the relative impacts of the two risk factors and how a conservation plan should be developed. This paper utilizes existing data in the literature to display that in fact there is no correlation between the impact of bycatch, and that the Vaquita’s population is depressed because a critical portion of its ecosystem, the Colorado River Delta has been destroyed. This paper argues that a restored Colorado River Delta is critical habitat for the recovery of the Vaquita under the Endangered Species Act and that the ongoing diversion of water from the Colorado River Delta by the US dam system is a violation of the Endangered Species Act. The violation of the Endangered Species Act through the destruction of the Colorado River Delta can have significant economic and social impact in the Western United States.

Memoria para optar al Título Profesional de Ingeniero Agrónomo Mención Sanidad Vegetal / Durante la temporada 2008-2009, se evaluó en laboratorio la toxicidad de cuatro insecticidas de origen botánico; Biomilbe, Biobug, Bugitol y Garlic Barrier, sobre larvas y adultos de la vaquita del olmo, Xanthogaleruca luteola Müller (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), colectados desde árboles ubicados en el Parque O`Higgins, Región Metropolitana. Los insecticidas se aplicaron en cuatro dosis distintas cada uno, mediante una torre de Potter, y su acción se evaluó de tres formas, directa, para determinar la toxicidad por contacto, sobre hojas, para medir el efecto residual, y una prueba con una bandeja que contenía por un lado hojas asperjadas con la mezcla insecticida y por el otro hojas sólo asperjadas con agua, para observar cualquier efecto de repelencia. Para los ensayos se utilizó un diseño estadístico completamente aleatorio, con los cuatro insecticidas en el primer y segundo ensayos, más un testigo sin insecticida, y cuatro repeticiones por tratamiento. La unidad experimental consistió en una placa Petri con 20 individuos. La mortalidad se evaluó 24 y 48 horas después de la aspersión sobre hojas, y a los 30 y 60 minutos en el experimento por aplicación directa. Los porcentajes de mortalidad se sometieron a pruebas no paramétricas sin normalización de datos y pruebas de separación de promedios. Para el ensayo en bandejas se comparó el porcentaje de larvas ubicadas en cada sector, tratado y no tratado. Los porcentajes de mortalidad obtenidos fueron muy bajos. El mayor promedio de mortalidad se obtuvo con Bugitol al 4%, con 46,3% y 37,5% de mortalidad en larvas y adultos respectivamente. En la prueba preliminar de repelencia se encontraron efectos marcados en las hojas tratadas con Biomilbe y Biobug, con las larvas concentrándose en mayor porcentaje sobre las hojas asperjadas sólo con agua. / The toxicity of four botanical insecticides, Biomilbe, Biobug, Bugitol, and Garlic Barrier, was evaluated in the laboratory onto larvae and adults of the elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola Müller (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which were collected in Parque O`Higgins, Santiago, Metropolitan Region of Chile. The insecticides were applied at four concentrations with a Potter spray tower, and their action was evaluated in three ways, directly, to determine contact toxicity, onto leaves, to measure contact effect of residues, and a test using a tray with leaves sprayed with the insecticide on one side, and leaves sprayed only with water in the other, to observe any effect of repellence. For the first two experiments, a completely random statistical design was used, with four insecticide treatments at four concentrations each, and an untreated control, and four replicates per treatment. The experimental unit was a Petri dish with 20 individuals. Mortality was evaluated at 24 and 48 hours after spraying onto leaves, and after 30 and 60 minutes in the experiment of immersion of leaves. Percentages of mortality were subjected to non-parametric tests without standardization of data and range tests to separate means. The percentages of mortality obtained were very low. The greatest mortality was obtained with Bugitol at 4%, with 46,3% y 37,5% of mortality of larvae and adults respectively. The preliminary repellency test show marked effects on the leaves treated with Biomilbe y Biobug, and higher percentage of larvae concentrated on spray leaves only with water.