Over het archief
Het OWA, het open archief van het Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium heeft tot doel alle vrij toegankelijke onderzoeksresultaten van dit instituut in digitale vorm aan te bieden. Op die manier wil het de zichtbaarheid, verspreiding en gebruik van deze onderzoeksresultaten, alsook de wetenschappelijke communicatie maximaal bevorderen.
Dit archief wordt uitgebouwd en beheerd volgens de principes van de Open Access Movement, en het daaruit ontstane Open Archives Initiative.
Basisinformatie over ‘Open Access to scholarly information'.
Seasonal prey switching in non-breeding gentoo penguins related to a wintertime environmental anomaly around South Georgia
Xavier, J.C.; Velez, N.; Trathan, P.N.; Cherel, Y.; De Broyer, C.; Canovas, F.; Seco, J.; Ratcliffe, N.; Tarling, G.A. (2018). Seasonal prey switching in non-breeding gentoo penguins related to a wintertime environmental anomaly around South Georgia. Polar Biol. 41(11): 2323-2335. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00300-018-2372-8
In: Polar Biology. Springer-Verlag: Berlin; Heidelberg. ISSN 0722-4060; e-ISSN 1432-2056, meer
| |
Trefwoorden |
Pygoscelis papua (Forster, 1781) [WoRMS] Marien/Kust |
Author keywords |
Pygoscelis papua; Southern Ocean; Diet; Antarctic winter; Abnormalenvironmental conditions |
Auteurs | | Top |
- Xavier, J.C.
- Velez, N.
- Trathan, P.N.
|
- Cherel, Y.
- De Broyer, C., meer
- Canovas, F.
|
- Seco, J.
- Ratcliffe, N.
- Tarling, G.A.
|
Abstract |
Information is needed on how anomalous environmental conditions affect important Antarctic ecological sentinels during the winter. Using a non-invasive method (scats), the diet of non-breeding gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua at Bird Island, South Georgia, was examined during the winter of 2009 when local environmental conditions were abnormal (e.g. warmer sea surface waters). Scats were collected every 2 weeks from May until October 2009 (N = 168); the diet was dominated by the amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii by frequency of occurrence (77.5% of the samples) and by number (70.5% of the total individuals). By mass, different species of crustaceans (T. gaudichaudii and Antarctic krill Euphausia superba) and fish (Champsocephalus gunnari, Lepidonotothen larseni and Pseudochaenichthys georgianus) were the most important in different periods. Numerically, prey switching occurred at the end of winter, when E. superba became more abundant in the penguins’ diets in late September and early October (austral spring), when sea surface temperatures became colder. T. gaudichaudii is sub-optimal prey for gentoo penguins and its consumption most likely reflects a lack of E. superba in local waters. The consumption of T. gaudichaudii and fish, in place of E. superba, was probably insufficient for the penguins to maintain a body condition suitable for reproduction, contributing to the observed late commencement of breeding (i.e. 2–3 weeks) that year. Our results highlight the sensitivity of gentoo penguin populations to variations in environmental conditions, particularly in terms of how these conditions affect the availability of preferred dietary items and potential follow-on effects in the subsequent breeding season. |
IMIS is ontwikkeld en wordt gehost door het VLIZ.