Scale matters: sea ice and breeding success of Adélie penguins

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Barreau, Emmanuelle, Ropert‐coudert, Yan, Delord, Karine, Barbraud, Christophe, Kato, Akiko
• Other Authors: 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)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2019
• Subjects: East Antarctica; Pygoscelis adeliae; Time series; Sea-ice concentration; Spatial and temporal scales; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Southern Ocean; Pointe-Géologie; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Biology; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-02193358; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02531-2

International audience Southern Ocean ecosystems are extremely vulnerable to sea-ice changes occurring at different spatial and temporal scales. Variability in the sea-ice conditions strongly influence the survival and reproduction of animals that are synchronized with the seasonality of sea ice. Although the linkages between Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and sea-ice conditions are well established, the spatial and temporal scales at which sea ice affects individuals and populations are poorly known. Using 23 years of penguin breeding success and remote-sensing data of sea ice, we investigate the spatial and temporal scales at which sea-ice changes best explain variations in the reproductive success of Adélie penguins at Pointe Géologie, East Antarctica. The best spatial scale encompassed all foraging areas exploited and all the sea-ice conditions encountered by penguins over a breeding season. There was a consistent influence of sea-ice concentration during the guard stage on the overall breeding success. We demonstrate the importance of considering sea ice at a fine temporal scale rather than using an average value over the breeding season to best explain reproductive success in Adélie penguins.