© Springer-Verlag 1993 Reproductive effort in Ad lie penguins

• Main Authors: Sociobiology, Donald N. Janes, Vaughan H. Shoemaker, Theresa L. Bucher, Shane K. Maloney
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1992
• Subjects: Palmer Station; Palmer-Station; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.211.1298; http://www.biology.ucr.edu/people/faculty/MACpubs/PDFfiles/BESAdelieRE.pdf

Summary. We estimated reproductive effort (energy expenditures for reproduction, as opposed to maintenance) in Ad61ie penguins breeding at Palmer Station, Antarctica. Data on body composition changes and metabolic rate were obtained using isotopic methods. Ad61ie breeding behavior consists of an initial courtship stage (during which both sexes fast), incubation, the 'guard ' stage (when chicks are 1 to 18-28 days old), and the 'creche' stage (from the end of guarding until chicks are 38-45 days old). Both males and females lost considerable mass during the initial stages of the reproductive season, but males fasted longer and lost more mass. Mass losses of both sexes consisted of 66 % depot fat and 34 % lean tissue. Mass and body composition remained constant once birds resumed feeding. The metabolic expenditure