scholarly journals Dynamics of Numbers and Occurrence of Colonial Species of Birds in the Area of Ukrainian Antarctic Station Akademik Vernadsky

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 491-500
Author(s):  
V. M. Smagol ◽  
D. V. Pilipenko ◽  
A. O. Dzhulai
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Water Area ◽  
Gentoo Penguin ◽  
Chinstrap Penguin ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
The North ◽  
Pygoscelis Antarctica ◽  
Time Gap ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Green Island

Abstract The research covers water area, island archipelagos and coastal line of the Antarctic Peninsula from 65°31ʹ S, 64°25ʹ W in the South to 65°03ʹ S, 63°53ʹ W in the North. There was time gap of 7 years between the researches (2011 and 2018), which allows to define tendencies in development of individual colonies and to make conclusion about success of existence of a given species. The work itself was carried out during the first half of January, that is in the time when the stage of brooding ends and the period of hatching starts. As of 2011, 12 nesting points of gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) with total number of 8,342 pairs were found in the region under investigation. Till 2018, quantity of the colony grew to 14, with total number of 14,105 pairs. For seven years, quantity of nesting points of aelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) almost did not change (4 colonies). Instead, total number of the species decreased somewhat: from 3559 pairsin 2011 to 3295 onesin 2018. Number of chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) in united stable locality for nesting also decreased from 26 pairsin 2011 to19 onesin 2018. Booth Island (65°04ʹ S, 64°02ʹ W) for chinstrap penguins and Green Island (65°19ʹ S, 64°09ʹ W) for gentoo penguins are the southern most points of nesting range of the species. Also, 7 colonies of antarctic shag (Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis) were revealed in the region under investigation. For seven years from 2011 to 2018 total number of the species in the region under investigation grew from 190 pairs to 299, and in most cases the antarctics shag forms settlements jointly with penguins.

Persistent organic pollutants and porphyrin levels in excreta of penguin colonies from the Antarctic Peninsula area

Polar Record ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solange Jara-Carrasco ◽  
Ricardo Barra ◽  
Winfred Espejo ◽  
José E. Celis ◽  
Daniel González-Acuña ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Pollutants ◽  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Persistent Organic Pollutants ◽  
Chemical Exposure ◽  
Gentoo Penguin ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Pygoscelis Antarctica ◽  
Biomonitoring Tool ◽  
Animal Exposure ◽  
The Antarctic

ABSTRACTPersistent organic pollutants (POPs) and their effects on Antarctic seabirds by using excreta as a non-destructive biomonitoring tool have received little consideration. Here we determine the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and some organochlorine pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorobencene (HCB), heptachlor, and endrin aldehyde in penguin excreta. Animal exposure to these environmental contaminants was determined through porphyrins in penguin droppings. Stool samples of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) and gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) were collected on two locations of the Antarctic Peninsula area: Base O´Higgins (Antarctic Peninsula) and Ardley Island (King George Island). Despite POPs have been banned more than three decades ago, the levels (ng g−1ww) of PCBs (1.45-2.35), DDTs (1.33-1.76), HCB (0.51-1.70), endrin (0.48-0.71) and heptachlor (0.97-2.40) showed that these pollutants are still present in Antarctica. Porphyrin levels in excreta (4.6-6.7 nmol g−1dw) were significantly correlated to POPs, indicating certain chemical exposure on penguin colonies that inhabit the Antarctic Peninsula area. The levels of heptachlor found in penguin guano may be affecting some biota in terrestrial sites next to nesting places. Further studies and better understanding of POPs impact on animal performance in Antarctic biota are recommended.

Apparent absence ofCryptosporidium, GiardiaandToxoplasma gondiiin three species of penguins along the Antarctic Peninsula

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria José Palacios ◽  
Andrés Barbosa ◽  
Susana Pedraza-Díaz ◽  
Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora ◽  
Francisco Valera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Apparent Absence ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Pygoscelis Antarctica ◽  
The Antarctic

AbstractWe carried out a study to investigate the presence of some protozoan parasites (Cryptosporidiumsp.,Giardiasp.,Toxoplasma gondii) on three species of Antarctic penguins: Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) from different locations along the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. Swabs and faeces samples were analysed by PCR assay forCryptosporidiumsp. andGiardiasp. whileToxoplasmawas studied using serological methods from blood samples. We did not detect the presence of these organisms in the species studied. However, based on the upper values of the confidence intervals of the observed prevalence, their presence cannot be completely excluded.

scholarly journals Climate change in the western Antarctic Peninsula since 1945: observations and possible causes

1998 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 571-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. King ◽  
S. A. Harangozo
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
The West ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
The North ◽  
Ultimate Cause ◽  
Temperature Records ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Antarctic

Temperature records from slations on the west roast of the Antarctic Peninsula show a very high level of interannual variability and, over the last 50 years, larger warming trends than are seen elsewhere in Antarctica. in this paper we investigate the role of atmospheric circulation variability and sea-ice extent variations in driving these changes. Owing to a lack of independent data, the reliability of Antarctic atmospheric analyses produced in the 1950s and 1960s cannot be readily established, but examination of the available data suggests that there has been an increase in the northerly component of the circulation over the Peninsula since the late 1950s. Few observations of sea-ice extent are available prior to 1973, but the limited data available indicate that the ice edge to the west of the Peninsula lay to the north of recently observed extremes during the very cold conditions prevailing in the late 1950s. The ultimate cause of the atmospheric-circulation changes remains to be determined and may lie outside the Antarctic region.

scholarly journals Speedup and fracturing of George VI Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 797-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. O. Holt ◽  
N. F. Glasser ◽  
D. J. Quincey ◽  
M. R. Siegfried
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Ice Shelf ◽  
Ice Shelves ◽  
The North ◽  
Surface Elevation Change ◽  
Elevation Changes ◽  
Negative Surface ◽  
The Antarctic

Abstract. George VI Ice Shelf (GVIIS) is located on the Antarctic Peninsula, a region where several ice shelves have undergone rapid breakup in response to atmospheric and oceanic warming. We use a combination of optical (Landsat), radar (ERS 1/2 SAR) and laser altimetry (GLAS) datasets to examine the response of GVIIS to environmental change and to offer an assessment on its future stability. The spatial and structural changes of GVIIS (ca. 1973 to ca. 2010) are mapped and surface velocities are calculated at different time periods (InSAR and optical feature tracking from 1989 to 2009) to document changes in the ice shelf's flow regime. Surface elevation changes are recorded between 2003 and 2008 using repeat track ICESat acquisitions. We note an increase in fracture extent and distribution at the south ice front, ice-shelf acceleration towards both the north and south ice fronts and spatially varied negative surface elevation change throughout, with greater variations observed towards the central and southern regions of the ice shelf. We propose that whilst GVIIS is in no imminent danger of collapse, it is vulnerable to ongoing atmospheric and oceanic warming and is more susceptible to breakup along its southern margin in ice preconditioned for further retreat.

scholarly journals Speedup and fracturing of George VI Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 373-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. O. Holt ◽  
N. F. Glasser ◽  
D. J. Quincey ◽  
M. R. Siegfried
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Ice Shelf ◽  
Ice Shelves ◽  
The North ◽  
Surface Elevation Change ◽  
Elevation Changes ◽  
Negative Surface ◽  
The Antarctic

Abstract. George VI Ice Shelf (GVIIS) is located on the Antarctic Peninsula, a region where several ice shelves have undergone rapid breakup in response to atmospheric and oceanic warming. We use a combination of optical (Landsat), radar (ERS 1/2 SAR) and laser altimetry (GLAS) datasets to examine the response of GVIIS to environmental change and to offer an assessment on its future stability. The spatial and structural changes of GVIIS (ca. 1973 to ca. 2010) are mapped and surface velocities are calculated at different time periods (InSAR and optical feature tracking from 1989 to 2009) to document changes in the ice shelf's flow regime. Surface elevation changes are recorded between 2003 and 2008 using repeat track ICESat acquisitions. We note an increase in fracture extent and distribution at the south ice front, ice-shelf acceleration towards both the north and south ice fronts and spatially varied negative surface elevation change throughout, with greater variations observed towards the central and southern regions of the ice shelf. We propose that whilst GVIIS is in no imminent danger of collapse, it is vulnerable to on-going atmospheric and oceanic warming and is more susceptible to breakup along its southern margin in ice preconditioned for further retreat.

Ornithological observations at Eckener Point, Antarctic Peninsula

Polar Record ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J Woehler ◽  
Louise Blight ◽  
Ian Bullock
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Personal Communication ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Nesting Habitat ◽  
The West ◽  
Lichen Diversity ◽  
Unpublished Report ◽  
Pygoscelis Antarctica ◽  
The Antarctic

Eckener Point (64° 26′S; 61° 36′W) lies on the northeast side of the entrance to Charlotte Bay and southeast of Murray Island, on the west coast of Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula (Fig. 1). Data from a 1987 census (Woehler 1993) show 40 breeding pairs of chinstrap penguins Pygoscelis antarctica at the site. An unpublished report of 180 nests of blue-eyed cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps/bransfieldensis (S Poncet, personal communication, 2004) in 1983 is the only other ornithological record for the site. Here we report on the results of a brief survey conducted to document the breeding seabirds for this locality. Suitable ice-free sites on the Antarctic Peninsula are limited, and Eckener Point, though small, provides nesting habitat for a high number of avian species. Plant and lichen diversity also appears unusually high.

Bellingshausen and the discovery of Antarctica

Polar Record ◽  
1971 ◽  
Vol 15 (99) ◽  
pp. 887-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terence Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
West Coast ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
The Antarctic

For the last twenty years there has been considerable Soviet interest in the circumnavigation of Antarctica by the Russian naval expedition of 1819–21, led by Captain T. T. Bellingshausen, with Lieut M. P. Lazarev as his second in command, in the sloops Vostok and Mirnyy. It is now reasonably certain that Bellingshausen sighted the Antarctic continent several times, notably on 27 January 1820 (New Style) at a point about lat 69°21′S, long 2°14′W, and was thus the first to see it (Edward Bransfield sighted the north-west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula at about lat 63°50′S, long 60°30′W on 30 January 1820, three days later). Bellingshausen did not claim to have done so however, but his descriptions of what he saw tally very well with what the edge of the continent here is now known to look like. There is one relatively new point. Bellingshausen's first sighting has been moved forward one day, from the 28th to the 27th, because it has been shown that he was keeping ship's time, from mid-day to mid-day, and therefore that what his log called the 28th (his sighting being in the second half of the day) was what the civil calendar would call the 27th (Belov, 1963, p 19–29). All this much is well documented and unlikely to be disputed. The question is, how much importance did he, and his contemporaries, attach to this discovery? And did he realize that he had seen the edge of a continent? Recent Soviet studies have sought to show that he had a very good idea of the importance of what he had seen, and that this idea did get through to his contemporaries. It is here that there is room for argument with the Soviet scholars.

Late Quaternary Iceberg Rafting along the Antarctic Peninsula Continental Rise and in the Weddell and Scotia Seas

2001 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colm Ó Cofaigh ◽  
Julian A. Dowdeswell ◽  
Carol J. Pudsey
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Late Quaternary ◽  
Sediment Cores ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
Glacial Cycles ◽  
Continental Rise ◽  
The North ◽  
Glacial Periods ◽  
The Antarctic

AbstractSediment cores from the continental rise west of the Antarctic Peninsula and the northern Weddell and Scotia Seas were investigated for their ice-rafted debris (IRD) content by lithofacies logging and counting of particles >0.2 cm from core x-radiographs. The objective of the study was to determine if there are iceberg-rafted units similar to the Heinrich layers of the North Atlantic that might record periodic, widespread catastrophic collapse of basins within the Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Quaternary. Cores from the Antarctic Peninsula margin contain prominent IRD-rich units, with maximum IRD concentrations in oxygen isotope stages 1, 5, and 7. However, the greater concentration of IRD in interglacial stages is the result of low sedimentation rates and current winnowing, rather than regional-scale episodes of increased iceberg rafting. This is also supported by markedly lower mass accumulation rates (MAR) during interglacial periods versus glacial periods. Furthermore, thinner IRD layers within isotope stages 2–4 and 6 cannot be correlated between individual cores along the margin. This implies that the ice sheet over the Antarctic Peninsula did not undergo widespread catastrophic collapse along its western margin during the late Quaternary (isotope stages 1–7). Sediment cores from the Weddell and Scotia Seas are characterized by low IRD concentrations throughout, and the IRD signal generally appears to be of limited regional significance with few strong peaks that can be correlated between cores. Tentatively, this argues against pervasive, rapid ice-sheet collapse around the Weddell embayment over the last few glacial cycles.

Censuses of penguin, blue-eyed shag, and southern giant petrel populations in the Antarctic Peninsula region, 1994–2000

Polar Record ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 36 (199) ◽  
pp. 323-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron Naveen ◽  
Steven C. Forrest ◽  
Rosemary G. Dagit ◽  
Louise K. Blight ◽  
Wayne Z. Trivelpiece ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Gentoo Penguin ◽  
Population Estimates ◽  
Giant Petrel ◽  
Southern Giant Petrel ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
First Time ◽  
Pygoscelid Penguins

AbstractThis paper presents new census data and population estimates for penguins, blue-eyed shags, and southern giant petrels from 26 sites in the Antarctic Peninsula, collected by the Antarctic Site Inventory from 1994 to 2000. For nine sites, population data or estimates are published for the first time. The newly discovered gentoo penguin population of 215 nests at Herofna Island (63°24'S, 54°36'W) represents the easternmost location where this species has been found breeding in the Peninsula. All three pygoscelid penguins — gentoo, Adelie, and chinstrap — were found breeding at Gourdin Island (63° 12'S, 57° 18'W), the fourth known site where these species nest contiguously in the Peninsula. During the period, significant declines in nesting populations of blue-eyed shag were documented at three northwestern Peninsula locations.

scholarly journals Enhanced glacial discharge from the eastern Antarctic Peninsula since the 1700s associated with a positive Southern Annular Mode

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Dickens ◽  
G. Kuhn ◽  
M. J. Leng ◽  
A. G. C. Graham ◽  
J. A. Dowdeswell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Southern Annular Mode ◽  
Ice Shelf ◽  
Annular Mode ◽  
Ice Shelves ◽  
The North ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Glacial Discharge ◽  
The Antarctic

Abstract The Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet is currently experiencing sustained and accelerating loss of ice. Determining when these changes were initiated and identifying the main drivers is hampered by the short instrumental record (1992 to present). Here we present a 6,250 year record of glacial discharge based on the oxygen isotope composition of diatoms (δ18Odiatom) from a marine core located at the north-eastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. We find that glacial discharge - sourced primarily from ice shelf and iceberg melting along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula – remained largely stable between ~6,250 to 1,620 cal. yr BP, with a slight increase in variability until ~720 cal. yr. BP. An increasing trend in glacial discharge occurs after 550 cal. yr BP (A.D. 1400), reaching levels unprecedented during the past 6,250 years after 244 cal. yr BP (A.D. 1706). A marked acceleration in the rate of glacial discharge is also observed in the early part of twentieth century (after A.D. 1912). Enhanced glacial discharge, particularly after the 1700s is linked to a positive Southern Annular Mode (SAM). We argue that a positive SAM drove stronger westerly winds, atmospheric warming and surface ablation on the eastern Antarctic Peninsula whilst simultaneously entraining more warm water into the Weddell Gyre, potentially increasing melting on the undersides of ice shelves. A possible implication of our data is that ice shelves in this region have been thinning for at least ~300 years, potentially predisposing them to collapse under intensified anthropogenic warming.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document