Reconstructing the past using futuristic developments: Trends and perspectives using logger technology on penguins

• Main Author: Wilson, Rory P.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research Tokyo 2004
• Subjects: Polar Research
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/4998/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/4998/1/04p34-49.pdf

Over the last two decades there has been remarkable progress in the development of sensory systems coupled with loggers that have been attached to free-living marine animals. Increases in sensor resolution, sensor diversity and memory size have been coupled with decreases in unit size. Thus, the periods over which animals have been monitored have increased from hours to months while the sampling frequency has decreased from minutes or seconds to fractions of a second. Four main interrelated trends can be identified. Determination of; (1) animal position in three dimensions, (2) the characteristics of the environment in which the animals operate, (3) animal behaviour and (4) energy management. The elucidation of these trends in penguins is discussed and perspectives given with regard to what is expected in the future.