Geographic Structure of Adelie Penguin Populations: Demography of Population Expansion

南极罗斯海地区的阿德利企鹅（Pygoscelis adeliae）种群近年来一直在发生变化。还注意到环境条件的变化，特别是海冰状况的变化，这是与这些海鸟觅食生态有关的一个重要变量。这个更新项目的重点是调查负责地理结构的机制，新殖民地的建立，以及阿德利企鹅最近的人口扩张。过去的研究表明，没有一个蜂群的筑巢空间受到限制，海冰的范围和浓度会影响饮食、觅食努力（以及最终雏鸟的生长和生存）和越冬生存。此外，大的殖民地影响觅食范围内较小的觅食模式，也许最终，这些殖民地的大小。虽然移民的量化仍在进行中，其速度和方向似乎也受到海冰条件的限制，合理的冰浓度有利于较小的殖民地的生长，觅食竞争是最小的。 目前的研究将解决殖民地增长（或下降）的人口机制，包括成年人生存，青少年生存，招募年龄，成年人繁殖的比例，迁出/迁入，或这些因素的组合的变化。 研究将包括在罗斯海岸的三个殖民地进行人口普查工作：克罗齐角、罗伊兹角和伯德角以及博福特岛。这四个殖民地在大小和人口统计上各不相同。这项工作将包括继续进行为期七年的普查记录，并包括已知年龄的鸟类。研究小组将使用以下技术：计算机化地磅，评估觅食努力和成功，以及量化诸如频带损失等困难问题;时间深度记录仪和卫星发射机，评估觅食行为与海冰和殖民地之间的重叠;和档案标签，利用天体线索（日落和日出的时间，日长），确定迁移时间和路线，以及蜕皮和越冬区域的位置。 信息将与卫星图像量化的海冰状况有关。研究结果将增加对人口调节和分散模式以及气候变化影响的理解，这些影响是通过海冰条件对人口的变化来介导的。

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) populations in the Ross Sea region, Antarctica have been undergoing change in recent times. Changes in environmental conditions have also been noted, particularly changes in the sea ice condition, an important variable related to foraging ecology of these seabirds. The focus of this renewal project is to investigate the mechanisms responsible for geographic structuring, the founding of new colonies, and recent population expansion of Adelie penguins. Past research has shown that none of the colonies is nesting-space limited, and that sea-ice extent and concentration affect diet, foraging effort (and ultimately chick growth and survival), and over-winter survival. In addition, large colonies affect the foraging patterns of smaller ones within foraging range and, perhaps ultimately, the size of those colonies. While quantification of emigration is still in progress, its rate and direction appear also to be constrained by sea ice conditions, with reasonable concentrations of ice favoring growth of smaller colonies, where foraging competition is minimal. The current research will address the demographic mechanism of colony growth (or decline), including changes in adult survival, juvenile survival, recruitment age, proportion of adults breeding, emigration/immigration, or a combination of these factors. Research will include census work at three colonies on the Ross Sea coast: Cape Crozier, Cape Royds and Cape Bird as well as Beaufort Island. The four colonies differ in size and demography. The work will involve continuing a seven-year census record and includes known-age birds. The research team will use such technology as: computerized weighbridges that assess foraging effort and success, as well as quantify such difficult problems as band loss; time-depth-recorders and satellite transmitters to assess foraging behavior with respect to sea ice and overlap among colonies; and archival tags that, using celestial cues (time of sunset and sunrise, day length), determine migration timing and routes, and location of molting and wintering areas. Information will be related to sea-ice conditions as quantified by satellite images. Results will increase an understanding of population regulation and patterns of dispersion and the effects of climate change, mediated through changes in sea ice condition on populations.