Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T03:14:01.612Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Population trends of seabirds at Stinker Point, Elephant Island, Maritime Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 May 2018

Maria V. Petry ,
Fernanda C.L. Valls ,
Elisa S. Petersen ,
Júlia V.G. Finger  and
Lucas Krüger
Maria V. Petry*
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS, Av. Unisinos, no 950, Cristo Rei, 93.022-000, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research - INCT-APA
Fernanda C.L. Valls
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS, Av. Unisinos, no 950, Cristo Rei, 93.022-000, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research - INCT-APA
Elisa S. Petersen
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS, Av. Unisinos, no 950, Cristo Rei, 93.022-000, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research - INCT-APA
Júlia V.G. Finger
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS, Av. Unisinos, no 950, Cristo Rei, 93.022-000, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research - INCT-APA
Lucas Krüger
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS, Av. Unisinos, no 950, Cristo Rei, 93.022-000, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research - INCT-APA
*
[email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Available information about seabird breeding population trends on Stinker Point (Elephant Island, Maritime Antarctic Peninsula) is outdated by decades. This study reports current numbers of breeding species, and evaluates population trends over 28 years. We counted breeding pairs of seabirds along all ice-free areas on Stinker Point during two distinct periods (summers of 1985/86–1991/92 and 2009/10–2013/14). Thirteen species currently breed in the area: four Sphenisciformes, four Procellariiformes, one Suliforme and four Charadriiformes. Chinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarcticus has the highest number of breeding pairs (4971±590), followed by gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua (1242±339). Comparisons between the two intervals showed declining trends for almost all breeding populations, although southern giant petrels Macronectes giganteus are experiencing a subtle population growth. Population decreases in locations with low human disturbance, such as Stinker Point, may indicate sensibility to climate and environmental change and need further investigation.

Keywords

breeding sitecoloniesImportant Bird Areamappingpopulation statusSouth Shetland Islands
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , August 2018 , pp. 220 - 226
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BirdLife International . 2017. IUCN Red List for birds. Available from http://www.birdlife.org (accessed 12 July 2017).Google Scholar
Bogaart, A.P., van der Loo, M. & Pannekoek, J. 2016. Package “rtrim”. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=rtrim.Google Scholar
Bruce, G. & Furse, C. 1973. Elephant Island Joint Services Expedition 1970–71. Ornithological Report, BAS Archives, Doc. 1999/33/45.Google Scholar
CCAMLR. 2004. Ecosystem monitoring program: standard methods. Standard Method A3: Penguins: adélie, chinstrap, gentoo, macaroni (Pygoscelis adeliae, Pygoscelis antarctica, Pygoscelis papua, Eudyptes chrysolophus) parameters: breeding population size. Hobart, TAS: CCAMLR, 233 pp.Google Scholar
Chwedorzewska, K.J. & Korczak, M. 2010. Human impact upon the environment in the vicinity of Arctowski Station, King George Island, Antarctica. Polish Polar Research, 31, 10.4202/ppres.2010.04.Google Scholar
Copello, S. & Quintana, F. 2003. Marine debris ingestion by Southern Giant Petrels and its potential relationships with fisheries in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46, 10.1016/S0025-326X(03)00312-6.Google Scholar
Coria, N.R., Favero, M., Silva, P. & Casaux, R.J. 1995. Breeding birds at Duthoit Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Marine Ornithology, 23, 61–64.Google Scholar
Croxall, J.P. 2002. Environmental change and Antarctic seabird populations. Science, 297, 10.1126/science.1071987.Google Scholar
Croxall, J.P., Butchart, S.H.M., Lascelles, B., Stattersfield, A.J., Sullivan, B., Symes, A. & Taylor, P. 2012. Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment. Bird Conservation International, 22, 10.1017/S0959270912000020.Google Scholar
Croxall, J.P. & Kirkwood, E.D. 1979. The distribution of penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula and Islands of the Scotia Sea. Cambridge: British Antarctic Survey, 186 pp.Google Scholar
Fishpool, L.D.C. & Evans, M.I. 2001. Important bird areas in Africa and associated islands: priority sites for conservation. Newbury and Cambridge: Pisces Publications and BirdLife International, 314–338.Google Scholar
Forcada, J. & Trathan, P.N. 2009. Penguin responses to climate change in the Southern Ocean. Global Change Biology, 15, 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.01909.x.Google Scholar
Harris, C.M., Carr, R., Lornez, K. & Jones, S. 2011. Important bird areas in Antarctica: Antarctica Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands - Final report. Cambridge: Environmental Research & Assessment Ltd, 39 pp.Google Scholar
Harris, C.M. et al. 2015. Important bird areas in Antarctica. Cambridge: BirdLife International and Environmental Research & Assessment Ltd, 301 pp.Google Scholar
Herman, R.W., Valls, F.C.L., Hart, T., Petry, M.V., Trivelpiece, W.Z. & Polito, M.J. 2017. Seasonal consistency and individual variation in foraging strategies differ among and within Pygoscelis penguin species in the Antarctic Peninsula region. Marine Biology, 164, 10.1007/s00227-017-3142-9.Google Scholar
Hijmans, M.R.J. 2013. Package “raster”. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=raster.Google Scholar
Kendall, K.A., Ruhl, H.A. & Wilson, R.C. 2003. Distribution and abundance of marine bird and pinniped populations within Port Foster, Deception Island, Antarctica. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 50, 10.1016/S0967-0645(03)00096-1.Google Scholar
Krüger, L., Paiva, V.H., Petry, M.V. & Ramos, J.A. 2017. Breeding population size of a seabird from Antarctic Peninsula is related to fishing activities in its non-breeding range off South America. Antarctic Science, 4, 10.1017/S0954102017000207.Google Scholar
Lumpe, P. & Weidinger, K. 2000. Distribution, numbers and breeding of birds at the northern ice-free areas of Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, 1990–1992. Marine Ornithology, 28, 41–46.Google Scholar
Lynch, H.J., Naveen, R. & Fagan, W.F. 2008. Censuses of penguin, blue-eyed shag Phalacrocorax atriceps and southern giant petrel Macronectes giganteus populations on the Antarctic Peninsula, 2001–2007. Marine Ornithology, 36, 83–97.Google Scholar
Patterson, D.L., Woehler, E.J., Croxall, J.P., Cooper, J., Poncet, S., Hunter, S. & Fraser, W.R. 2008. Breeding distribution and population status of the northern giant petrel Macronectes halli and the southern giant petrel M. giganteus . Marine Ornithology, 36, 115–124.Google Scholar
Pannekoek, J. & van Strien, A. 2005. TRIM 3 manual (TRends & Indices for Monitoring data). The Hague: Statistics Netherlands. www.bc-europe.en/upload/EurButtInd/trim3man.pdf.Google Scholar
Petersen, E.S., Valls, F.C.L., Aver, G.F. & Petry, M.V. 2015. Unusual breeding site for kelp gulls on Deception Island, Antarctica. Antarctic Science, 27, 10.1017/S0954102015000267.Google Scholar
Petry, M.V., Basler, A.B., Valls, F.C.L. & Krüger, L. 2013. New southerly breeding location of king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) on Elephant Island (Maritime Antarctic). Polar Biology, 36, 10.1007/s00300-012-1277-1.Google Scholar
Petry, M.V., Valls, F.C.L., Petersen, E.D.S., Krüger, L., Piuco, R.D.C. & dos Santos, C.R. 2016. Breeding sites and population of seabirds on Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica. Polar Biology, 39, 10.1007/s00300-015-1846-1.Google Scholar
Pezza, A.B., Rashid, H.A. & Simmonds, I. 2011. Climate links and recent extremes in Antarctic sea ice, high-latitude cyclones, Southern Annular Mode and ENSO. Climate Dynamics, 38, 10.1007/s00382-011-1044-y.Google Scholar
Phillips, R.A., Gales, R., Baker, G.B., Double, M.C., Favero, M., Quintana, F., Tasker, M.L., Weimerskirch, H., Uhart, M. & Wolfaardt, A. 2016. The conservation status and priorities for albatrosses and large petrels. Biological Conservation, 201, 169–188.Google Scholar
Quintana, F., Punta, G., Copello, S. & Yorio, P. 2006. Population status and trends of Southern Giant Petrels (Macronectes giganteus) breeding in North Patagonia, Argentina. Polar Biology, 30, 10.1007/s00300-006-0159-9.Google Scholar
R Core Team 2017. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing: Vienna, Austria. http://www.R-project.org/.Google Scholar
Sander, M., Balbão, T.C., Costa, E.S., dos Santos, C.R. & Petry, M.V. 2006. Decline of the breeding population of Pygoscelis antarctica and Pygoscelis adeliae on Penguin Island, South Shetland, Antarctica. Polar Biology, 30, 10.1007/s00300-006-0218-2.Google Scholar
Sander, M., Balbão, T.C., Polito, M.J., Costa, E.S. & Carneiro, A.P.B. 2007. Recent decrease in chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) populations at two of Admiralty Bay’s islets on King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Polar Biology, 30, 10.1007/s00300-007-0259-1.Google Scholar
SCAR. 1992. Status and trends of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds. In: Report of the eleventh meeting of the scientific committee of CCAMLR. Hobart: CCAMLR, 443–461.Google Scholar
Sergio, F., Caro, T., Brown, D., Clucas, B., Hunter, J., Ketchum, J., McHugh, K. & Hiraldo, F. 2008. Top predators as conservation tools: ecological rationale, assumptions, and efficacy. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 39, 1146/annurev.ecolsys.39.110707.173545.Google Scholar
Sierakowski, K., Korczak-Abshire, M. & Jadwiszczak, P. 2017. Changes in bird communities of Admiralty Bay, King George Island (West Antarctic): insights from monitoring data (1977–1996). Polish Polar Research, 38, 231–262.Google Scholar
Sydeman, W., Thompson, S. & Kitaysky, A. 2012. Seabirds and climate change: roadmap for the future. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 454, 10.3354/meps09806.Google Scholar
Trivelpiece, W.Z., Hinke, J.T., Miller, A.K., Reiss, C.S., Trivelpiece, S.G. & Watters, G.M. 2011. Variability in krill biomass links harvesting and climate warming to penguin population changes in Antarctica. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108, 10.1073/pnas.1016560108.Google Scholar
Turner, J., Colwell, S.R., Marshall, G.J., Lachlan-Cope, T.A., Carleton, A.M., Jones, P.D., Lagun, V., Reid, P.A. & Iagovkina, S. 2005. Antarctic climate change during the last 50 years. International Journal of Climatology, 25, 10.1002/joc.1130.Google Scholar
van Strien, A., Pannekoek, J., Hagemeijer, W. & Verstrael, T. 2004. A loglinear Poisson regression method to analyse bird monitoring data. Proceedings of the International Conference and 13th Meeting of the European Bird Census Council, Pärnu, Estonia, 13, 33–39.Google Scholar
Woehler, E.J. & Croxall, J.P. 1997. The status and trends of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds. Marine Ornithology, 25, 43–66.Google Scholar
Yeh, Y.-M., Huang, H.-W., Dietrich, K.S. & Melvin, E. 2013. Estimates of seabird incidental catch by pelagic longline fisheries in the South Atlantic Ocean. Animal Conservation, 16, 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2012.00588.x.Google Scholar