A possible Adélie penguin sub-colony on fast ice by Cape Crozier, Antarctica

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-194
Author(s):  
Michelle Larue ◽  
David Iles ◽  
Sara Labrousse ◽  
Leo Salas ◽  
Grant Ballard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Natal Philopatry ◽  
Egg Incubation ◽  
Bright Pink ◽  
Fast Ice ◽  
Proximate Causes ◽  
High Resolution Satellite Imagery ◽  
Adélie Penguins

AbstractAdélie penguins are renowned for their natal philopatry on land-based colonies, requiring small pebbles to be used for nests. We report on an opportunistic observation via aerial survey, where hundreds of Adélie penguins were documented displaying nesting behaviours on fast ice ~3 km off the coast of Cape Crozier, which is one of the largest colonies in the world. We counted 426 Adélie penguins engaging in behaviours of pair formation, spacing similarly to normal nest distributions and lying in divots in the ice that looked like nests. On our first visit, it was noticed that the guano stain was bright pink, consistent with krill consumption, but had shifted to green over the course of ~2 weeks, indicating that the birds were fasting (a behaviour consistent with egg incubation). However, eggs were not observed. We posit four hypotheses that may explain the proximate causes of this behaviour and caution against future high-resolution satellite imagery interpretation due to the potential for confusing ice-nesting Adélie penguins with the presence of emperor penguin colonies.

scholarly journals UPDATING MAPS USING HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B4 ◽  
pp. 711-719
Author(s):  
Muhamad Alrajhi ◽  
Khurram Shahzad Janjua ◽  
Mohammad Afroz Khan ◽  
Abdalla Alobeid
Keyword(s):  
Aerial Photography ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Stereo Images ◽  
Large Cities ◽  
High Resolution Satellite Imagery ◽  
Under Construction

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the most dynamic countries of the world. We have witnessed a very rapid urban development's which are altering Kingdom’s landscape on daily basis. In recent years a substantial increase in urban populations is observed which results in the formation of large cities. Considering this fast paced growth, it has become necessary to monitor these changes, in consideration with challenges faced by aerial photography projects. It has been observed that data obtained through aerial photography has a lifecycle of 5-years because of delay caused by extreme weather conditions and dust storms which acts as hindrances or barriers during aerial imagery acquisition, which has increased the costs of aerial survey projects. All of these circumstances require that we must consider some alternatives that can provide us easy and better ways of image acquisition in short span of time for achieving reliable accuracy and cost effectiveness. The approach of this study is to conduct an extensive comparison between different resolutions of data sets which include: Orthophoto of (10 cm) GSD, Stereo images of (50 cm) GSD and Stereo images of (1 m) GSD, for map updating. Different approaches have been applied for digitizing buildings, roads, tracks, airport, roof level changes, filling stations, buildings under construction, property boundaries, mosques buildings and parking places.

Predation of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) by leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in Prydz Bay, Antarctica

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 1001-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Rogers ◽  
M. M. Bryden
Keyword(s):  
Prydz Bay ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Hydrurga Leptonyx ◽  
Fast Ice ◽  
Ice Edge ◽  
Adélie Penguins

The behaviour of leopard seals, Hydrurga leptonyx, feeding on Adélie penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae, was investigated between November 1993 and January 1994 in Prydz Bay, Antarctica. The seals were distributed along the fast-ice edge in locations where departing penguins congregated. Five different hunting techniques were observed, four of which were used through most of the summer. Individual leopard seals favoured specific hunting techniques. Hitherto, penguin hunting was believed to be carried out primarily by a few male seals; in this study, however, the predation observed involved many different individuals of both sexes. It is estimated that six leopard seals feeding in this area over a period of 120 days would consume 2.7% of the adult penguin population.

Breeding habitats of emperor penguins in the western Ross Sea

1993 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald L. Kooyman
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Water Access ◽  
Emperor Penguins ◽  
Breeding Habitats ◽  
Fresh Snow ◽  
Fast Ice ◽  
Western Ross Sea

Within the Western Ross Sea, there are six emperor penguin colonies of widely different size that occur exclusively on sea ice. In 1990 a survey of all six sites, two by close overflights and four from the ground, showed that the breeding habitats were highly variable. The most important physical characteristics of these habitats appear to be stable fast ice, nearby open water, access to fresh snow, and shelter from the wind.

scholarly journals Emperors on thin ice: three years of breeding failure at Halley Bay

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter T. Fretwell ◽  
Philip N. Trathan
Keyword(s):  
Historical Record ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Tenfold Increase ◽  
Breeding Failure ◽  
Penguin Colony ◽  
Fast Ice ◽  
Strong Winds ◽  
Early Breakup

AbstractSatellite imagery is used to show that the world's second largest emperor penguin colony, at Halley Bay, has suffered three years of almost total breeding failure. Although, like all emperor colonies, there has been large inter-annual variability in the breeding success at this site, the prolonged period of failure is unprecedented in the historical record. The observed events followed the early breakup of the fast ice in the ice creeks that the birds habitually used for breeding. The initial breakup was associated with a particularly stormy period in September 2015, which corresponded with the strongest El Niño in over 60 years, strong winds, and a record low sea-ice year locally. Conditions have not recovered in the two years since. Meanwhile, during the same three-year period, the nearby Dawson-Lambton colony, 55 km to the south, has seen a more than tenfold increase in penguin numbers. The authors associate this with immigration from the birds previously breeding at Halley Bay. Studying this ‘tale of two cities’ provides valuable information relevant to modelling penguin movement under future climate change scenarios.

Heart and ventricle weights of Antarctic penguins

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 2602-2604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles M. Drabek
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Left Ventricle ◽  
Right Ventricle ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Morphological Parameters ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Pygoscelis Antarctica ◽  
Aptenodytes Forsteri ◽  
The Right ◽  
Adélie Penguins

The hearts of Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri), Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica), and Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) were weighed and measured to elucidate morphological parameters that might be functional for diving. These heart parameters are the first to be described for penguins. Heart weights of both the Chinstrap (42.4 g) and Adelie penguins (37.5 g) were greater than predicted for birds of their body size. The weight of the right ventricle in proportion to both the heart and the left ventricle was significantly greater in the Emperor Penguin than in the Chinstrap and Adelie penguins.

scholarly journals UPDATING MAPS USING HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B4 ◽  
pp. 711-719
Author(s):  
Muhamad Alrajhi ◽  
Khurram Shahzad Janjua ◽  
Mohammad Afroz Khan ◽  
Abdalla Alobeid
Keyword(s):  
Aerial Photography ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Stereo Images ◽  
Large Cities ◽  
High Resolution Satellite Imagery ◽  
Under Construction

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the most dynamic countries of the world. We have witnessed a very rapid urban development's which are altering Kingdom’s landscape on daily basis. In recent years a substantial increase in urban populations is observed which results in the formation of large cities. Considering this fast paced growth, it has become necessary to monitor these changes, in consideration with challenges faced by aerial photography projects. It has been observed that data obtained through aerial photography has a lifecycle of 5-years because of delay caused by extreme weather conditions and dust storms which acts as hindrances or barriers during aerial imagery acquisition, which has increased the costs of aerial survey projects. All of these circumstances require that we must consider some alternatives that can provide us easy and better ways of image acquisition in short span of time for achieving reliable accuracy and cost effectiveness. The approach of this study is to conduct an extensive comparison between different resolutions of data sets which include: Orthophoto of (10 cm) GSD, Stereo images of (50 cm) GSD and Stereo images of (1 m) GSD, for map updating. Different approaches have been applied for digitizing buildings, roads, tracks, airport, roof level changes, filling stations, buildings under construction, property boundaries, mosques buildings and parking places.

The use of space by yearling Columbian ground squirrels before male dispersal

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 2490-2493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Waterman
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Ground Squirrel ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Natal Philopatry ◽  
Use Of Space ◽  
Male Dispersal ◽  
Spermophilus Columbianus ◽  
Proximate Causes ◽  
Columbian Ground Squirrels ◽  
Spring Emergence

The development of spatial patterns relevant to natal philopatry and dispersal was examined in yearling Columbian ground squirrels, Spermophilus columbianus. Observations using scan and all-occurrence sampling recorded the activities and locations of 56 yearlings in a population in southwestern Alberta. Yearling males moved greater distances from spring emergence to the time of dispersal from the colony. Females were more restricted in their movements, with no increase in the maximum distance moved over the summer. Early movement patterns of males reflected patterns of later dispersal, whereas females appeared to centre their activities on the natal area. These differences are discussed in light of the proximate causes of dispersal in the Columbian ground squirrel.

scholarly journals Historical air photo missions in the Maritimes during the early 1920s: coverage, thematic scope, and utility 100 years later

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Dirk Werle
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Partial Reconstruction ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Centennial Time Scale ◽  
High Resolution Satellite Imagery ◽  
Industrial Landscapes ◽  
Air Photo ◽  
The Great War

The historical and technological developments of powered flight and aerial photography have early connections in the Maritimes. Following the Great War (1914-18), a series of pioneering survey missions were initiated by the Canada Air Board in the civilian domain. From a science perspective, the air photos offer a unique opportunity for the detection of environmental change at an unusual centennial time scale. The missions of the early 1920s initially relied on military surplus seaplanes and innovative camera equipment that yielded several thousand high-resolution vertical air photos. This paper is focussed on the scope and outcome of the first experiments carried out over Nova Scotia and New Brunswick between 1921 and 1925, prior to more systematic use for topographic mapping during the remainder of that decade. The research is based on archival records and partial reconstruction of the digitized air photos into image mosaics. Photo interpretation and comparison with recent high-resolution satellite imagery offer insights concerning land use and land cover changes, coastal dynamics, and transformation of urban, rural and industrial landscapes. Experience todate with these early air photos and mosaics of the Maritimes holds promise for examining similar aerial survey missions in other parts of Canada. 

Chick production at the largest emperor penguin colony decreases by 50% from 2008–10

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.L. Kooyman ◽  
P.J. Ponganis
Keyword(s):  
Complete Recovery ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Step Change ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Previous Estimate ◽  
Emperor Penguins ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
Recent Estimate ◽  
Ice Conditions ◽  
Penguin Colony

AbstractThe emperor penguin colony at Coulman Island is reputedly the largest known. This reputation is based on intermittent ground and aerial surveys performed since 1958. From an aerial survey obtained on 28 October 2010 we discovered that the total number of chicks was 56% of the lowest previous estimate of 2006 and only 41% of the most recent estimate in 2008. All of the counts tallied since 1983 were determined either by ground counts or from aerial film or digital photographs, or estimates from adult counts. We also determined the sea ice conditions in autumn, which is close to the time the adults arrive to breed. We present three hypotheses of what might have happened from 2008–10 to cause the step change in chick production, the small recovery of chick numbers in 2011, and the complete recovery of number of adults from 2010–11. We conclude that local circumstances may have strongly influenced the breeding behaviour of the emperor penguins in 2010 and to a lesser degree in 2011 when many adults elected not to breed.

scholarly journals Significant chick loss after early fast ice breakup at a high-latitude emperor penguin colony

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie E. Schmidt ◽  
Grant Ballard
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
High Latitude ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Storm Events ◽  
Ice Dynamics ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Species Response ◽  
Ice Breakup ◽  
Fast Ice

AbstractEmperor penguins require stable fast ice, sea ice anchored to land or ice shelves, on which to lay eggs and raise chicks. As the climate warms, changes in sea ice are expected to lead to substantial declines at many emperor penguin colonies. The most southerly colonies have been predicted to remain buffered from the direct impacts of warming for much longer. Here, we report on the unusually early breakup of fast ice at one of the two southernmost emperor penguin colonies, Cape Crozier (77.5°S), in 2018, an event that may have resulted in a substantial loss of chicks from the colony. Fast ice dynamics can be highly variable and dependent on local conditions, but earlier fast ice breakup, influenced by increasing wind speed, as well as higher surface air temperatures, is a likely outcome of climate change. What we observed at Cape Crozier in 2018 highlights the vulnerability of this species to untimely storm events and could be an early sign that even this high-latitude colony is not immune to the effects of warming. Long-term monitoring will be key to understanding this species' response to climate change and altered sea ice dynamics.

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