Abandoned penguin colonies and environmental change in the Palmer Station area, Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula

Six abandoned colonies of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) were excavated near Palmer Station, Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula, to investigate the occupation history of this species. Sediments from each site yielded abundant fish bones and otoliths and squid beaks that represent prey remains d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antarctic science 1998-09, Vol.10 (3), p.257-268
Main Authors: Emslie, Steven D., Fraser, William, Smith, Raymond C., Walker, William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth Sciences
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Summary:Six abandoned colonies of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) were excavated near Palmer Station, Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula, to investigate the occupation history of this species. Sediments from each site yielded abundant fish bones and otoliths and squid beaks that represent prey remains deposited by penguins during the nesting period. Radiocarbon analyses indicate that colony occupation began prior to the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1500–1850 AD), with the oldest site dating to 644 yrs before present (BP; average reservoir-corrected date with Is range, 603–679 yr BP). Food remains indicate that the non-euphausiid prey of penguins consisted primarily of a mesopelagic squid (Psychroteuthis glacialis) and two species of fish (Pleuragramma antarcticun and Electrona antarctica). The relative abundance of the first two prey taxa varied significantly among six sites (X2>34.6; df = 10; P
ISSN:0954-1020
1365-2079
DOI:10.1017/S0954102098000352