Stable Isotope Analyses of Pygoscelid Penguin remains from Active and Abandoned Colonies in Antarctica

该研究结合了地质学，古生物学和生物学的跨学科研究，使用稳定同位素和放射性碳分析，研究气候变化和资源利用如何影响全新世中后期企鹅的人口分布，运动和饮食。 以前的调查表明，被遗弃的殖民地含有保存完好的遗骸，可用于研究南极洲不同地区企鹅对气候变化的不同反应。 因此，研究小组将在四个野外季节与中国科学家合作，调查南极半岛和罗斯海地区的废弃和活跃的pygoscelid企鹅（Adelie，Chinstrap和Gentoo）殖民地，可能还有Prenchez湾。 将对回收的企鹅组织和鸟粪中的猎物遗骸进行稳定同位素分析，以解决有关企鹅占领历史、人口流动和饮食与晚更新世以来气候变化的假设。这项研究将包括一个博士，两名硕士和16名本科生在项目期间进行高级研究。学生将接触到各种领域，科学方法和国际科学研究。 他们将完成个人项目的实地和实验室研究或荣誉论文的学术学分。该项目还将包括基于网络的外展活动，为中学生举办讲座，以及开发互动练习，突出假设驱动的研究和南极洲的生态。将雇用联合国妇女理事会的两名法语和西班牙语本科生协助翻译网页上的张贴内容，以便更广泛地获得这一信息。

The research combines interdisciplinary study in geology, paleontology, and biology, using stable isotope and radiocarbon analyses, to examine how climate change and resource utilization have influenced population distribution, movement, and diet in penguins during the mid-to-late Holocene. Previous investigations have demonstrated that abandoned colonies contain well-preserved remains that can be used to examine differential responses of penguins to climate change in various sectors of Antarctica. As such, the research team will investigate abandoned and active pygoscelid penguin (Adelie, Chinstrap, and Gentoo) colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula and Ross Sea regions, and possibly Prydz Bay, in collaboration with Chinese scientists during four field seasons. Stable isotope analyses will be conducted on recovered penguin tissues and prey remains in guano to address hypotheses on penguin occupation history, population movement, and diet in relation to climate change since the late Pleistocene. The study will include one Ph.D., two Masters and 16 undergraduate students in advanced research over the project period. Students will be exposed to a variety of fields, the scientific method, and international scientific research. They will complete field and lab research for individual projects or Honor's theses for academic credit. The project also will include web-based outreach, lectures to middle school students, and the development of interactive exercises that highlight hypothesis-driven research and the ecology of Antarctica. Two undergraduate students in French and Spanish languages at UNCW will be hired to assist in translating the Web page postings for broader access to this information.