Terrestrial biological monitoring on Fildes Peninsula (Maxwell Bay, Antarctic)

Abstract

The analysis of decades of data series on the occurrence of penguins and seabirds in Maxwell Bay contributes to the understanding of the effects of climate change on the marine ecosystems in the area of the northern Antarctic Peninsula. The species spectrum of penguins is shifting further in unfavour of the "true" Antarctic species, while sub-Antarctic penguins continue to increase in population. The availability of food appears to play a causal role in this, which in turn depends on the extent of sea ice.These and other results were obtained by polar researchers from Jena by analysing a data set on breeding birds, some of which they collected themselves over a period of around 40 years. This study is based on one of the longest data sets of the entire Antarctic and is therefore a milestone in polar environmental monitoring.