![]() ![]() In addition to bird surveying, we were asked to conduct a marine mammal census by identifying species, behaviors and group size. We even deployed satellite transmitters on southern giant petrels – the data from the first transmitter we analyzed showed that the bird had traveled 1,500 miles in just 10 days! These species were monitored in various ways including mark-recapture, leg band re-sights and nest observation. The sea bird program not only involves the study of penguins, but also every other species of bird surrounding Palmer Station, including giant petrels, brown and south polar skuas and kelp gulls. One of the reasons for this is Adélie penguins rely more on sea ice than gentoos for feeding. Unfortunately, most Adélie colonies were in decline from recent years’ data while gentoo numbers were increasing. One island was home to 6,000 gentoo penguins! Boy, did my thumb hurt that day from using a clicker counter. We took measurements and weights of birds and eggs to obtain a sampling data size of a larger population.Īs part of another aspect of the program, we counted the number of individual birds in colonies of Adélie, gentoo and chinstrap penguins. We also chose nests to be assessed for body condition and egg morphometric data. These nests were monitored daily for predation and for the exact dates of chicks hatching. We selected a few nests to observe throughout the season – our observations included periods of birds laying their eggs, the chicks hatching, and the chicks heading off on their own. Upon my arrival at Palmer Station, we began conducting a breeding chronology study with two colonies of Adélie penguins on two local islands. This makes it difficult for penguins to build their nests and when the snow melts, the nests are at risk of flooding and these birds may find their eggs floating in puddles. Sea ice losses can occur from both warmer air above it and warmer water below, and increased air and water temperatures means more snow. Declining sea ice means fewer krill, which means less food for the fish that eat them and as a result, a depleted food supply for penguins and the rest of the food chain. This animal feeds on the algae that grows underneath the ice and is a primary staple in the diets of many species, including penguins. One example of this can be found by examining a small crustacean called krill. ![]() Sea ice is crucial to the Antarctic ecosystem, and its loss can have profound effects. Declining sea ice levels are negatively impacting many species of wildlife that depend on it. While scientists have determined that the climate is severely warming and affecting all regions in the world, the greatest effects are seen in Antarctica. The fieldwork conducted there through the Polar Oceans Research Group has been ongoing for 40 years, resulting in the collection of a lot of data. Palmer Station is the base for a long-term ecological research program, where scientists are studying all aspects of the Antarctic ecosystem. I’m still in awe of the whole experience. Palmer Research Station to study the populations of penguins and other seabirds. These relay information about ice movements back to the agency’s headquarters in Cambridge.Īdrian Luckman, British glaciologist and professor of geology at Swansea University in Wales, has been examining images of the brunt in recent weeks and estimating when a large chunk of ice might break off from the glacier.Where to begin!? I recently returned from a six-week expedition to Antarctica, living and working at the U.S. ![]() BAS has a range of GPS devices on the Brunt. Large cracks in the ice of this part of Antarctica were first discovered a decade ago and, since then, the BAS has been monitoring the area in case of just such an event. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which has been operating Halley in a reduced role since 2017 because of the concern an iceberg could imminently split off, captured footage of large cracks at Antarctica’s Brunt Ice Shelf earlier in the month. The 1,270 sq km, 150-metre-thick chunk of frozen water separated from the Brunt Ice Shelf on Friday. The separation occurred just over 20km from Britain’s Halley research station but there was no one in the base and so there was no risk to human life. ![]()
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