Better late than never? Interannual and seasonal variability in breeding chronology of gentoo penguins at Stranger Point, Antarctica

Polar research

Jorge A. Mennucci¹  M. Mercedes Santos²  Mariana A. Juáres³  M. Rita Santos³  Néstor R. Coria⁴  Javier Negrete⁴  Lucrecia Longarzo⁴  Alejandro R. Carlini†⁴  Emilce Rombolá⁵ 

[1] Departamento Biología de Predadores Tope, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Balcarce 290 (C1064AAF), Buenos Aires, Argentina;Departamento Biología de Predadores Tope, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Balcarce 290 (C1064AAF), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaCorrespondence;Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Rivadavia 1917 (C1033AAJ), Buenos Aires, Argentina;Departamento Biología de Predadores Tope, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Balcarce 290 (C1064AAF), Buenos Aires, Argentina;Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular, Calle 526 y Camino General Belgrano (B1900BTE), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

关键词: Antarctica;    breeding delay;    breeding phenology;    snow;    Pygoscelis papua;    Euphausia superba;   

DOI  :  10.3402/polar.v32i0.18448

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

Rapid climate change recorded in the western Antarctic Peninsula confronts species with less predictable conditions in the marine and terrestrial environments. We analysed the breeding chronology and nesting site selection of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), Antarctica, during four seasons in which differences in snow presence and persistence on the ground were observed. We recorded an overall delay as well as seasonal asynchrony at the beginning of reproduction for those years with higher snow deposition. A redistribution of breeding groups was also observed. Nevertheless, the population breeding success and chicks’ weight at fledging remained relatively constant, despite the delay in breeding chronology, the increased duration of foraging trips during the guard stage and the decreased weight of stomach contents during the crèche stage. We suggest that the plasticity of their trophic biology, along with the flexibility of their breeding phenology and relocation ...

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC