| Summary: | The changing climate and its potential future impacts on the ecosystems of the planet, highlights the need to better understand factors which can leave a species vulnerable to change. In Antarctica, the wildlife is specially adapted to extreme environments, but many species are restricted to a limited latitudinal range, hence making them particularly vulnerable to a change in climate. At the same time, there is rapid growth in tourism, and continued growth in other activities in Antarctica. As wildlife is likely to come into contact with humans more and more, it is important to obtain as much information as possible on the potential effects of this interaction. The breeding success of a species is critical for a healthy population and therefore anything affecting breeding needs to be fully understood. Penguins are an iconic and abundant Antarctic species and this paper investigates what is known about human impact on their breeding success. The papers reviewed have very differing results so there is still uncertainty about the significance and magnitude of human impacts on breeding penguins. What has become clear however, is a need for more species specific studies, and also further understanding of other factors that may affect breeding success.
|
|---|