[A epistemometric view of some biological disciplines in Chile]

During the last decade the articles published by Chilean Research Centers grew 1,73 which compares to the 2.34 fold increase of mainstream research articles registered as a whole in Latin America. However, the relative impact of the Chilean publications surpassed that of Latin America. In Biological Sciences, traditionally the strongest research area within Chile, Latin America also shows a steeper slope of growth. Qualitatively, biological disciplines in Chile are comparable to those published in Latin America although in Chile there are specialties as Physiology that surpass the average world's impact. The scientometric data is consistent with the fall in individual grants that the Chilean Research Fund (FONDECYT) has been allocating during the last decade.