Research project on deep-sea ccosystems in Antarctica

随着时间-深度记录器的出现，对呼吸空气的脊椎动物潜水行为的研究发生了巨大的变化。许多潜水动物能潜到透光区更深更长的时间。这些结果提出了新的科学问题。第一，他们怎么能潜得这么深，而且潜得这么久？第二，他们为什么潜得这么深？为了回答这些问题，本研究开发了新技术。加速度数据记录仪为我们提供了潜水动物精细运动的信息。为了检测食物的摄入量，记录了企鹅的食道温度。地磁数据记录仪可以记录海豹的头部方向，用于计算威德尔海豹的三维潜水路径。在南极威德尔海豹自由活动区安装了数字静态图像记录仪，记录了一些与其猎物分布有关的有趣图像。野外试验在亚南极克罗泽岛（王企鹅）和一些南极地区如Syowa站（阿德利企鹅，威德尔海豹）、Dumont d 'Urville法国站（阿德利企鹅）和麦克默多美国站（威德尔海豹）进行。通过该项目取得了一些有趣的结果。例如，使用新开发的数据记录器来测量加速度，我们证明了自由活动的国王企鹅和阿德利企鹅只在下降时拍打鳍状肢，然后在上升时停止游泳，并利用其自然浮力滑回水面。对自由迁徙企鹅的数据进行生物力学计算表明，鸟类的空气体积可以为被动上升提供足够的浮力。当比较浅潜和深潜的被动上升时，空气量和潜水深度之间存在正相关关系。这表明企鹅调节它们的空气量以优化浮力的成本和收益。

The study of the diving behavior of air-breathing vertebrates evolved dramatically with the appearance of time-depth recorders. Many diving animals can dive deeper than photic zone and for longer time. These results propounded new scientific questions. First, how they can dive so deep and for long time? Secondly, why they dive so deep? To answer the questions, new technology was developed in the present study. Acceleration data logger provides us information on fine scale movement of diving animals. To detect the food intaking, oesophagus temperature of penguins was recorded. Geomagnetism data logger can record the head direction of seals, which was used to calculate three-dimensional diving paths of Weddell seals. Digital still picture logger was attached on free-ranging Weddell seals in Antarctica, and recorded some interesting pictures, which related with their prey distributions. Field experiments were conducted at subantarctic Crozet Island (king penguin) and some Antarctic regions such as Syowa Station (Adelie penguin, Weddell seal), Dumont d'Urville French Station (Adelie penguin) and McMurdo US Station (Weddell seal). Some interesting results were obtained through the project. For example, using a newly developed data logger to measure acceleration, we demonstrate that free-ranging king and Adelie penguins only beat their flippers as descending, and then stopped swimming as ascending, and took advantage of their natural buoyancy to glide back to the surface. Biomechanical calculations for data from freeranging penguins indicate that the air volume of the birds can provide enough buoyancy for the passive ascent. When comparing the passive ascents for shallow and deep dives, there is a positive correlation between air volume and the depth of the dive. This suggests that penguins regulate their air volume to optimize the costs and benefits of buoyancy.