Tidal Influence on Adélie Penguin Foraging Locations

Matthew Oliver, University of Delaware, moliver@udel.edu (Presenter)
Andrew Irwin, Mount Allison University, airwin@mta.ca (Presenter)
William Fraser, Polar Oceans Research, bfraser@3rivers.net
Oscar Schofield, Rutgers University, oscar@marine.rutgers.edu
Mark Moline, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, mmoline@calpoly.edu

Penguin foraging and breeding success depends on broad-scale climate and local-scale hydrographic features of their habitat. Dramatic warming at Anvers Island on the West Antarctic Peninsula over the last 50 years has lead to a decline of Adélie penguin populations and the introduction of Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins at nearby sites. We investigate the effect of local tidally driven currents on Adélie foraging during the breeding season using AUVs and 250m resolution remotely sensed chlorophyll and temperature. Adélie penguins on Humble Island change their foraging locations in response to short-term changes in tidally-driven currents. but it appears that Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins do not respond in the same way. This suggests that localized differences in hydrographic forcing influence feeding strategies and may have an effect the breeding success of Adélie penguins.

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Global Change Impact & Vulnerability   (Tue 11:30 AM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Oliver, Matt: Satellite Driven Studies of Climate Mediated Changes in Antarctic Food-Webs ...details

Poster Location ID: 268