Incomplete search effort: a potential source of bias in estimates of Adélie penguin breeding populations in the Australian Antarctic Territory

ABSTRACT Potential Adélie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae breeding habitat in the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT: 45°E–136°E, 142°E–160°E) was mapped using a geographic information system (GIS), and the literature reviewed for evidence of the mapped habitat being searched for presence or absence of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Record
Main Authors: Southwell, Colin, Smith, David, Bender, Angela
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2009
Subjects:
General Earth and Planetary Sciences
Ecology
Geography, Planning and Development
Antarctic
The Antarctic
Antarctic Peninsula
Australian Antarctic Territory
Antarc*
Antarctica
Polar Record
Pygoscelis adeliae
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409008444
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247409008444
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Summary:ABSTRACT Potential Adélie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae breeding habitat in the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT: 45°E–136°E, 142°E–160°E) was mapped using a geographic information system (GIS), and the literature reviewed for evidence of the mapped habitat being searched for presence or absence of breeding Adélie penguins. It is concluded that incomplete search effort is a possible source of substantial negative bias of Adélie penguin breeding abundance derived from published count data in some regions of the AAT. The extent of search effort in other regions of Antarctica could be determined using the same approach applied here, because GIS data required for mapping potential habitat are available for the entire continent. We would expect that regions with more scientific and tourist activity, such as the Antarctic Peninsula, are likely to have greater search effort than the AAT.

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