Increase in penguin populations during the Little Ice Age in the Ross Sea, Antarctica

UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Dr.. Steven D. Emslie, Professor (Creator)

Institution

The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )

Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/

Abstract: Penguins are an important seabird species in Antarctica and are sensitive to climate and environmental changes. Previous studies indicated that penguin populations increased when the climate became warmer and decreased when it became colder in the maritime Antarctic. Here we determined organic markers in a sediment profile collected at Cape Bird, Ross Island, high Antarctic, and reconstructed the history of Adélie penguin colonies at this location over the past 700 years. The region transformed from a seal to a penguin habitat when the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1500–1800 AD) began. Penguins then became the dominant species. Penguin populations were the highest during ca. 1490 to 1670 AD, a cold period, which is contrary to previous results in other regions much farther north. Different responses to climate change may occur at low latitudes and high latitudes in the Antarctic, even if for same species.

Increase in penguin populations during the Little Ice Age in the Ross Sea, Antarctica
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Additional Information

Publication

Hu, Q.-, Sun, L.-, Xie, Z.-, Emslie, S. D., & Liu, X.- (2013). Increase in penguin populations during the little ice age in the ross sea, antarctica. Scientific Reports, 3(2472), 1-6. doi:10.1038/srep02472

Language: English

Date: 2013

Keywords

Palaeoclimate, Climate-Change ecology, Palaeoecology, Biogeochemistry, Penguin population, Little Ice Age

Subjects

Paleoclimatology

Animal populations—Climatic factors

Climatic changes—Environmental aspects

Paleoecology

Biogeochemistry

Penguins--Antarctica

Penguins--Behavior--Antarctica

Adélie penguin--Climatic factors

Adélie penguin--Antarctic regions

Ross Island (Ross Sea, Antarctica)

Ross Sea (Antarctica)

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