Comparative study of the effects of the late pack-ice break-off on chinstrap and Adélie penguins' diet and reproductive success at Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica

摘要: The effects of ice cover on diet and breeding chronology Adelie (Pygoscelis adeliae) chinstrap penguins (P. antarctica) were studied in the colonies located at Point Martin, South Orkney Islands. Reproductive success parameters measured as described CCAMLR Environmental Monitoring Program protocols. It was found that late pack-ice break-off 1998 resulted lower reproductive than 1999 for penguins, while penguin rather insensitive. This species has shown to be able cope with this environmental factor, suggested by its circumpolar more southerly range. Significant differences stomach contents' weights proportion whole krill between ice-covered open-sea periods within years. Foraging trips both became longer, resulting underfeeding chicks nest desertion chinstrap-penguin parents. Simultaneous analysis their diets have proven useful discriminating variation due prey accessibility abundance.