Hydrodynamic handicaps and organizational complexity in the foraging behavior of two free-ranging penguin species

• Published in: Animal Biotelemetry
• Main Authors: Meyer, Xavier, Macintosh, Andrew J J, Kato, Akiko, Chiaradia, André, Ropert‐coudert, Yan
• Other Authors: Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie (DEPE-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Kyoto University, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks Australia, BHP-Billiton(Australia), Sasakawa Foundation (Japan), Australian Academy of Science,the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Ministère del’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche (France)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2015
• Subjects: Fractal analysis; Behavioral complexity; Adélie penguin; Little penguin; Flipper band; Bio-logger; Hydrodynamic handicap; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Pygoscelis adeliae
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-01192581; https://hal.science/hal-01192581/document; https://hal.science/hal-01192581/file/s40317-015-0061-8.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-015-0061-8

International audience Background: Animal movement exhibits self-similarity across a range of both spatial and temporal scales reminiscentof statistical fractals. Stressors are known to induce changes in these statistical patterns of behavior, although thedirection and interpretation of such changes are not always clear. We examined whether the imposition of knownhydrodynamic disruptors, bio-logging devices and flipper bands, induces changes in the temporal organization(complexity) of foraging sequences in two penguin species, little penguins (Eudyptula minor) and Adélie penguins(Pygoscelis adeliae).Results: Detrended fluctuation analysis showed that foraging sequences produced by little penguins carrying largerloggers were more complex, i.e., were more erratic tending toward greater stochasticity, than those carrying smallerloggers. However, logger size did not affect complexity in foraging sequences of Adélie penguins. Logger positionwas associated only weakly with altered complexity in little penguins, with individuals carrying loggers in the middleof their backs displaying slightly more complex dive sequences than those carrying loggers lower on their backs.Finally, despite their known negative effects on penguin fitness, flipper bands were not associated with dive sequencecomplexity in little penguins.Conclusions: Despite that externally attached devices can disrupt certain behavioral parameters in diving seabirds,we found mixed evidence in support of the hypothesis that such devices significantly disrupt the time-structuredorganizational properties of foraging sequences in the two penguin species investigated. However, smaller speciescarrying larger loggers, and perhaps those positioned higher on their backs, may experience an added element ofnoise in their behavioral sequences that may indicate a departure from foraging behavior observed under normal,unburdened conditions.