Trends in gentoo penguin ( Pygoscelis papua ) breeding population size at Macquarie Island

Gentoo penguins ( Pygoscelis papua ) have a widespread breeding distribution across the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic. Population trends vary across their range, with increases recorded in the Antarctic and Atlantic sectors of the Southern Ocean, while other sub-Antarctic populations are decreasing. M...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Biology
Main Authors: Pascoe, P, McInnes, JC, Lashko, A, Robinson, S, Achurch, H, Salton, M, Alderman, R, Carmichael, N
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer-Verlag 2020
Subjects:
Biological Sciences
Ecology
Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)
Antarctic
Southern Ocean
The Antarctic
Heard Island
Pacific
Antarc*
Gentoo penguin
Macquarie Island
Polar Biology
Pygoscelis papua
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-020-02697-0
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/142891
Description
Summary:Gentoo penguins ( Pygoscelis papua ) have a widespread breeding distribution across the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic. Population trends vary across their range, with increases recorded in the Antarctic and Atlantic sectors of the Southern Ocean, while other sub-Antarctic populations are decreasing. Macquarie Island is the only breeding site for gentoo penguins in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean and one of just two breeding sites within Australian territories. Eight island-wide censuses were undertaken between 1984 and 2017 to estimate the number of breeding pairs, with a follow-up chick census conducted in four years to calculate breeding success. The most recent census in 2017 recorded the fewest breeding pairs since counts began, with 2527 66 gentoo pairs island wide. However, breeding success was the highest recorded at 0.99 chicks per nest. Trends in sub-populations around the island differed. However, island-wide breeding pairs have decreased by −1.8 0.4% per annum over the past 34 years, particularly driven by breeding colonies in the east-coast section of the island. This overall negative trend differs from the currently stable global trend, but mirrors what is happening in some other parts of the species sub-Antarctic range. We suggest based on a 50% decrease in breeding pairs over the species last three generations, and a lack of recent data from Heard Island, Australias other gentoopenguin breeding site, the species be considered for listing under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Similar Items