Critical Habitat of Emperor Penguins Breeding in the Western Ross Sea

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9615390 KOOYMAN The emperor penguin is one of seventeen species of penguins and the only one to breed during the extreme Antarctic winter, when temperatures can drop to below -50 degrees centigrade and winds can reach 300 kilometers per hour. The total number of emperor penguins is unknown because new colonies are still begin discovered. Current population estimates range from 135,000 to 175,000 breeding pairs, living at about 40 sites on the sea-ice margin of Antarctica. Seven of these colonies are in the Ross Sea, where Gerald Kooyman has been studying the physiology and ecology of emperor penguins since the early 1960's. This project will focus on data analysis and synthesis from this long term study. Work will focus on physiological adapations pertinent to hypotheses on habitat exploitation and on ecological aspects of breeding and foraging and habitat selection. A major goal of the project is the completion of a monograph on emperor penguins at Cape Washington, Coulman Island and Cape Roger. This project will produce synthetic work which will provide new insights into the role of emperor penguins in the Antarctic ecosystem.