Large-scale occupancy surveys in East Antarctica discover new Adélie penguin breeding sites and reveal an expanding breeding distribution

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Southwell ◽  
Louise Emmerson

AbstractKnowledge of spatial distribution is fundamental to ecological studies and crucial for conservation and management of species and biodiversity, but detailed, large-scale spatial data are lacking for most taxa. Although the Adélie penguin is one of the most intensively studied Antarctic vertebrates, spatial data that could aid in ecological study and conservation management are incomplete. We undertook a large-scale survey of the current breeding distribution of Adélie penguins along 3800 km of the East Antarctic coastline. The survey increased the number of known breeding locations by 50% and revealed that the breeding distribution has expanded in some parts of the survey region over the past two to three decades. The expanding breeding distribution may reflect underlying population dynamics of sustained growth and resultant density dependent effect on dispersal and movement from established breeding sites to new sites. The comprehensive, large-scale distribution data from this study will form a baseline for assessing any future changes in Adélie penguin breeding distribution, provide data for developing spatial models for predicting future changes in breeding distribution under plausible scenarios of environmental change, and contribute to the development of metapopulation models by providing estimates of local colonization and extinction probabilities under specific conditions of metapopulation change.

Polar Record ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Low ◽  
Lisa Meyer ◽  
Colin Southwell

ABSTRACTIn November 2005, the first comprehensive survey for Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding sites in the Robinson Group of islands, situated 25 to 55 km east of Australia's Mawson station (67.602°S, 62.879°E) was conducted. Breeding Adélie penguins were found on 30 of the 149 islands, with the number of nests on each island ranging from fewer than 10 to several thousand. With the exception of those islands in the southeast, nesting Adélie penguins were found throughout the Robinson Group. In this paper, the spatial coordinates and presence/absence of breeding penguins for all 149 islands are reported so that researchers may interpret the results in relation to possible future survey work. All locations reported in this paper are in decimal degrees.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2681
Author(s):  
Seo-Yeon Hong ◽  
Jong-Ku Gal ◽  
Bo-Yeon Lee ◽  
Wu-Ju Son ◽  
Jin-Woo Jung ◽  
...  

To identify the dietary composition and characteristics of both Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri) penguins at four breeding sites, we performed stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of down samples taken from penguin chicks. Adélie Penguin chicks at Cape Hallett mostly fed on Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba; 65.5 ± 3.5%), a reflection of the prevalence of that species near Cape Hallett, and no significant differences were noted between 2017 and 2018. However, Adélie Penguin chicks at Inexpressible Island, located near Terra Nova Bay, fed on both Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica; 42.5%) and ice krill (Euphausia crystallorophias; 47%), reflecting the high biomass observed in Terra Nova Bay. Meanwhile, no significant difference was noted between the two breeding sites of the Emperor Penguin. Emperor Penguin chicks predominantly fed on Antarctic silverfish (74.5 ± 2.1%) at both breeding sites (Cape Washington and Coulman Island), suggesting that diet preference represents the main factor influencing Emperor Penguin foraging. In contrast, the diet of the Adélie Penguin reflects presumed regional differences in prey prevalence, as inferred from available survey data.


Polar Record ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 36 (198) ◽  
pp. 215-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.I. Norman

AbstractTemporally and spatially increasing information on the distribution of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding sites is used as an index of various national activities in eastern Prydz Bay, East Antarctica. Recorded instances of such sites are used to indicate both exploration and enhanced local knowledge. While Norwegians discovered the area (1935), and revisited it (1937), reports of penguins were minimal. The 1938 Ellsworth expedition added few details and the potential of Operation Highjump (1947) photographs to delimit breeding sites was never realised. Observations by Australian expeditioners from the mid-1950s onwards, supplemented to some extent by those from the Soviet Union, increased information substantially. When Davis station was established (January 1957), at least five breeding sites were known around eastern Prydz Bay. By 1973 this had increased to 23 or 24 sites, mostly north of the Sørsdal Glacier, which had apparently acted as a barrier to land-based exploration. Data available to 1980 showed 20 sites in the Vestfold Hills, added two in the Rauer Group, and omitted some recorded earlier. Ground surveys of the Vestfold Hills (November 1973) increased known sites slightly, discounted erroneous records, and massively increased numbers of individual colonies. In 1981 an air survey recognised 24 sites in the Vestfold Hills and increased those known to 47. In approximately the same period, official Soviet records showed perhaps four sites in the Vestfold Hills and another in the Rauer Group. Early reports provided poor estimates of breeding population sizes — totals of some 130,000 (or 174,200) pairs in the Vestfold Hills in 1973 are compared with perhaps 196,600 in 1981, with another 129,000 pairs to the south. By 1983 locations of breeding sites in the Vestfold Hills were well established, and this was achieved in southern Prydz Bay following publication of 1981 survey results.Progression of information regarding breeding sites in eastern Prydz Bay was slow. Initial Australian activities were slight following acceptance of its Antarctic Territory (1933). However, a Soviet Antarctic whaling fleet, uncertainty regarding American and Soviet intentions, and the imminent International Geophysical Year increased Australian interest. A station was established, local search areas expanded, and enhanced details regarding penguin breeding sites and colonies followed. Data reviews and surveys followed increasing international interest in southern ecosystems. Improved knowledge regarding the species' local populations reflected changing political agendas. Indeed, ‘knowledge’ itself gave early support to territorial claims. Participation in international surveys became an acceptable scientific endeavour, anticipated under Treaty agreements and promoted by associated organisations. In such fora, surveys and monitoring are expected, although not necessarily furthering the strength of existing claims.


2014 ◽  
Vol 513 ◽  
pp. 253-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Cimino ◽  
WR Fraser ◽  
DL Patterson-Fraser ◽  
VS Saba ◽  
MJ Oliver

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 577-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan C. Banks ◽  
S. Craig Cary ◽  
Ian D. Hogg

Plant Disease ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (6) ◽  
pp. 1309-1318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Zhao ◽  
Wen Yang ◽  
Yuanle Zhang ◽  
Zhanmin Wu ◽  
Qiao-Chun Wang ◽  
...  

Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) is an economically substantial fruit crop with China the main producer. China is the primary source of wild kiwifruit and the largest producer of kiwifruit in terms of both production and planting area, and Shaanxi province is the largest kiwifruit producer in China. Previous studies reported presence of kiwifruit viruses in Actinidia chinensis. In this study, six viruses were identified in kiwifruit ‘Xuxiang’ (A. deliciosa) in Shaanxi, China. The incidence, distribution, and genetic diversity of these viruses were studied. The results showed that Actinidia virus A (AcVA), Actinidia virus B (AcVB), Actinidia chlorotic ringspot-associated virus (AcCRaV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), apple stem grooving virus (ASGV), and potato virus X (PVX) were the main viruses infecting Xuxiang kiwifruit in Shaanxi, China. Incidence of the various viruses with both single and multiple infection varied with different kiwifruit-growing counties. For single virus infection, the highest and the lowest numbers of samples infected were about 22 for AcCRaV and 0 for AcVB in Meixian out of 170 samples, 12 for AcVA and 0 for CMV in Zhouzhi out of 120 samples, 10 for AcVA and 0 for AcVB, AcCRaV, ASGV, PVX, and CMV in Yangling out of 70 samples, and 8 for AcCRaV and CMV and 0 for AcVA, AcVB, ASGV, and PVX in Hanzhong out of 80 samples, respectively. Samples which were multiply infected with two or more viruses were also detected. Analysis of the phylogenetic tree of these viruses showed some genetic variability in the AcVA, AcVB, and AcCRaV isolates of Shaanxi kiwifruit. There was no obvious molecular variation in the coat protein genes of ASGV, CMV, and PVX virus isolates from Shaanxi kiwifruit. The present study is the first large-scale survey of kiwifruit viruses in Shaanxi, China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PVX infecting kiwifruit and the first report of molecular variability of AcVA, AcVB, and AcCRaV. These results provide important data for studying the genetic evolution of AcVA, AcVB, AcCRaV, ASGV, CMV, and PVX.


Author(s):  
Yexuan Shi ◽  
Yongxin Tong ◽  
Yuxiang Zeng ◽  
Zimu Zhou ◽  
Bolin Ding ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 284
Author(s):  
Dan Lu ◽  
Yahui Wang ◽  
Qingyuan Yang ◽  
Kangchuan Su ◽  
Haozhe Zhang ◽  
...  

The sustained growth of non-farm wages has led to large-scale migration of rural population to cities in China, especially in mountainous areas. It is of great significance to study the spatial and temporal pattern of population migration mentioned above for guiding population spatial optimization and the effective supply of public services in the mountainous areas. Here, we determined the spatiotemporal evolution of population in the Chongqing municipality of China from 2000–2018 by employing multi-period spatial distribution data, including nighttime light (NTL) data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP-VIIRS). There was a power function relationship between the two datasets at the pixel scale, with a mean relative error of NTL integration of 8.19%, 4.78% less than achieved by a previous study at the provincial scale. The spatial simulations of population distribution achieved a mean relative error of 26.98%, improved the simulation accuracy for mountainous population by nearly 20% and confirmed the feasibility of this method in Chongqing. During the study period, the spatial distribution of Chongqing’s population has increased in the west and decreased in the east, while also increased in low-altitude areas and decreased in medium-high altitude areas. Population agglomeration was common in all of districts and counties and the population density of central urban areas and its surrounding areas significantly increased, while that of non-urban areas such as northeast Chongqing significantly decreased.


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