雪鹱

正雪鹱(Pagodroma confuse)隶属于鹱形目鹱科鸟类,体长36～45 cm,翼展70～80 cm,体重500～550 g。主要活动在南极陆缘海的浮冰区域,以磷虾为主食,偶尔取食小鱼和乌贼。雪鹱多在南极大陆或岛屿的峭壁缝隙和岩石下筑巢,产卵1～2枚。雪鹱除了眼睛、喙和腿爪为黑色外,通体白     

南极生物粪对汞的生物放大作用

首次报道了南极地区金图企鹅、阿德利企鹅、黑背鸥和巨海燕 4种海鸟 ,以及象海豹、威德尔海豹、毛皮海狮等 3种海豹新鲜粪便中的全 Hg含量 ,并对比了该区风化土壤的 Hg含量 ,其中 Hg含量水平依次为 :土壤背景值 <黑背鸥粪 <金图企鹅粪 <阿德利企鹅粪 <威德尔海豹粪 <象海豹粪 <巨海燕粪 <毛皮海狮粪 ,可见 ,相对于背景土壤生物粪明显富集 Hg元素。此外 ,结合上述粪便样品的 δ15 N测定结果 ,讨论了南极生物粪对 Hg的生物放大作用。研究表明 ,随着 δ15 N升高 ,即生物营养级的升高 ,其粪便的全 Hg含量有逐步增高的趋势 ,这证实了生物粪和生物肌体一样存在对 Hg的生物放大作用。文中还对南极阿德雷岛一个经过企鹅粪污染的 Y2湖泥芯剖面上 15个样品的 2 6种元素进行了聚类分析 ,结果表明 ,沉积物中的汞和企鹅粪的标型元素具有同源性 ,即沉积物中的汞主要是由企鹅粪带入的 ,由于生物粪对汞的生物富集作用 ,生物粪的混入会造成湖泊沉积物中汞含量的增高     

企鹅

企鹅是生活在南半球,而且善于游泳和潜水的海鸟。它隶属于鸟纲、楔翼总目(Impennes)、企鹅目(Sphenisciformes)、企鹅科(Spheniscidae)。企鹅主要分布在南极洲沿岸。寒冷给南极造成一种特殊恶劣的生活环境,使得一般生物无法在那里生活。可是,企鹅在南极附近地区却安然无恙,这有其历史发展上的因素。也有人认为与企鹅具长期绝食能力(达4个月之久),它们在陆地上常常直立行走,并且站在海岸上远眺企望,因而有了“企鹅”的名称。企鹅的英文名称是penguin,penguin导源于拉丁文的penguis,意思是肥     

南极食物链顶端海鸟卵中PCBs和OCPs积累水平及其全球意义

采用气相色谱-电子捕获检测器(GC-ECD)内标法定量测定了南极乔治王岛世袭栖息地海鸟(棕贼鸥、灰贼鸥、巨海燕、白眉企鹅)卵样中持久性有机氯污染物多氯联苯(PCBs)和有机氯农药(OCPs)残留量,研究探讨南极海洋食物链顶级生物体有机毒物积累水平探讨其环境意义。结果显示,卵样中有机毒物积累水平依次为:多氯联苯>滴滴涕>氯代苯>六六六。贼鸥卵样多氯联苯含量范围在91.9~515.5ng/g,滴滴涕56.6~304.4ng/g,氯代苯6.5~70.5ng/g,六六六<0.5~2.0ng/g;企鹅卵样多氯联苯含量范围在0.4~0.9ng/g,滴滴涕2.4~10.3ng/g,氯代苯6.0~10.2ng/g,六六六0.1~0.4ng/g;巨海燕卵样多氯联苯含量范围在38.1~81.7ng/g,滴滴涕12.7~53.7ng/g,氯代苯4.2~8.8ng/g,六六六0.5~1.5ng/g。研究结果还显示,不同种类海鸟卵样检出多氯联苯和有机氯农药均以七氯、六氯联苯、滴滴涕同系物(P,P′-DDE)和氯代苯化合物为主体。贼鸥、巨海燕卵样检出9种多氯联苯同系物(大小依次为PCB-180>PCB-153>PCB-194>PCB-138>PCB-118>PCB-170>PCB-101>PCB163>PCB-149)。贼鸥卵样七氯、六氯取代物的多氯联苯同系物含量在17.5~205.5ng/g占其总多氯联苯的62%;巨海燕卵样在14.5~30.5ng/g,占其总多氯联苯的69%;企鹅卵样检出5种多氯联苯同系物相对积蓄较低,其卵样之间变化相对稳定。对不同种类海鸟卵样的有机污染物数据进行统计分析,结果显示不同鸟种有机毒物积累水平的差异取决于不同鸟种的生态习性,如活动范围、迁徒距离、觅食习性以及巢址选择等,最主要是海鸟在海洋生态食物链中的位置,其食谱的宽窄,同时表明海鸟体内PCBs和OCPs积累通过食物链逐级加强的结果。有机毒物最高积累水平出现在棕贼鸥卵样中,灰贼鸥和巨海燕次之,企鹅最低。因为贼鸥不仅食性杂食谱宽,而且贼鸥与企鹅及其他小型海鸟之间存在着一定的捕食与被捕食的关系。南极海鸟卵样多氯联苯和有机氯农药的检出,是全球性有机氯污染又一新的重要证据。南极海鸟卵样中有机毒物的检出,揭示了人造有机污染物在南极鸟类代间转移的存在,它们在南大洋生态系统中的消除将会需要较长的时间过程,表明人类活动对南极生物圈与南极海洋环境的持久影响,南极是全球唯一无污染地区的价值正在丧失。     

游禽和涉禽

正生活在不同湿地类型中的水鸟,在长期的进化和适应过程中逐渐形成了不同的生态类型,其中主要有游禽和涉禽等两种类型。游禽游禽是一类适应于在水中游泳或潜水的鸟类,包括潜鸟目、目、鹱形目、鹈形目和雁形目的所有种类,以及鸻形目的鸥科燕鸥科种类。其中,鹱形目与鹈形目的鹲科、鲣鸟科和军舰鸟科为远洋性海鸟;雁形目的鸭、雁和天鹅等往往被人们称之为水禽(Waterfowl)。鸥类在生活习性上适应于     

四种企鹅叫声特征的比较

2005年2月15日～3月10日使用全方向性麦克风记录了南极地区4种企鹅(王企鹅、长眉企鹅、白眉企鹅和纹颊企鹅)的叫声,分析了其叫声的声谱图和能谱图,比较了不同种企鹅在叫声的持续时间、最高(低)频率和主频等方面的差异。通过比较发现,4种企鹅的叫声存在着明显的种间差异,这使得不同种的企鹅可以从声音上彼此区分开。而无巢企鹅(王企鹅)的声音结构比有巢企鹅(其余3种)更加复杂,这与营无巢生活的习性相符合。     

海洋鸟类对海洋环境的适应

海洋面积占地球表面的 2 / 3 ,在海洋中生活的生物是海洋的一个重要组成部分 ,如浮游生物、鱼类和底栖生物等 ,也包括海洋鸟类。真正的海鸟只在营巢时利用陆地 ,其它大部分时间在海上度过 ,与内陆完全失去联系 ,为大洋性海鸟 ,它们主要在海上取食 ,如信天翁、贼鸥等 ;当然 ,有一些沿岸生活的海鸟也偶而会到内陆江湖中去 ,即在内陆取食、休息 ,沿海岸取食的种类 ,与内地联系密切 ,属于“半海洋性”海鸟 ,如各种鸥类和燕鸥类。海洋面积虽大 ,但因其环境单一 ,多样性低 ,因而真正的海鸟种类并不多 ,全球共有 2 5 0～2 60种 (有人认为有 2 85种 …     

2011年夏秋季南奥克尼群岛水域南极磷虾集群时空分布

基于2011年度夏秋季中国南极磷虾渔业科学观察员在大型拖网加工船“开欣轮”上收集的影像资料(作业水域为南奥克尼群岛周边海域,时间为2011年3月6日-4月21日),对该水域南极磷虾集群的时空分布特征进行了分析.结果表明:南极磷虾群在南奥克尼群岛西北部海域出现的次数较为集中,主要出现在60°00′S-60° 15′S,45 °30′W-46°30′W区域内;不同水层中,磷虾群主要呈块状分布,0～50 m和50 ～100 m水层集群类型极为相似(PSI=92.3),散点状、块状和带状磷虾群在0～50 m水层出现比例最高,且块状磷虾群和带状磷虾群在各水层中的分布极为相似(PSI=94.4);1:00-18:00南极磷虾群出现频率较高,随后比例开始下降,19:00-20:00出现频率最低.     

稻田氮肥施用量对黑肩绿盲蝽捕食功能的影响

在实验室条件下研究了黑肩绿盲蝽Cyrtorhinuslividipennis Reuter在不同含氮量稻株上对褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens Stal卵和低龄若虫的捕食能力、对褐飞虱卵的捕食功能反应以及褐飞虱蜜露和水稻伤流液对其捕食 能力的影响。结果表明,黑肩绿盲蝽对褐飞虱卵和若虫的捕食量均与寄主植物的含氮量呈显著 负相关。黑肩绿盲蝽在相同氮肥施用量的稻株上连续饲养2代后对褐飞虱卵的捕食能力没有改变 。黑肩绿盲蝽对褐飞虱卵的功能反应呈Holling Ⅱ型方程,其参数瞬时发现率(a)和处置时间(T_h)只与寄主含氮量有关,而与黑肩绿盲蝽种群和褐飞虱卵的来源无关。 在高氮量稻株上黑肩绿盲蝽种群对褐飞虱卵的瞬时发现率(a)下降导致了功能反应的减弱, 而在相同含氮量稻株上黑肩绿盲蝽种群之间的捕食功能没有明显差异。黑肩绿盲蝽成虫取食水 稻伤流液和褐飞虱蜜露时寿命明显延长,取食高氮稻株的褐飞虱分泌的蜜露对延长黑肩绿盲蝽 雌成虫寿命的作用最大。但是,在高氮稻株上褐飞虱蜜露显著降低黑肩绿盲蝽的捕食能力。这 些结果表明黑肩绿盲蝽对褐飞虱自然控制作用的下降是稻田过量施用氮肥后褐飞虱种群增加的 主要原因之一。     

南极磷虾渔场(48渔区)CPUE的年、月变化及其与海表温度、叶绿素浓度的关系

根据2010—2015年南极磷虾渔汛期(1—6月)的渔获量和海洋遥感数据,利用数理统计方法、产量重心法等对南极磷虾单位捕捞努力渔获量(catch per unit effort,CPUE)、渔场时空变动特征作了分析。结果表明:南极磷虾年平均CPUE总体呈上升趋势,2014年南极磷虾CPUE达到峰值(18.6 t·h~(-1));从月变化来看,1月南极磷虾CPUE较低(9.2t·h~(-1)),5月CPUE最高(20.9 t·h~(-1)),近60%的捕捞作业频次位于南设得兰群岛的夏季时段(1—3月);南极磷虾渔场集中在60°S—64°S、46°W—62°W范围内的海域;从渔场重心变动来看,每年1—6月渔场重心从南设得兰群岛附近海域向东北方向偏移,大部分重心主要集中在南设得兰群岛附近海域;南极磷虾作业渔场48.1、48.2、48.3亚区渔场适宜海表温度(sea surface temperature,SST)分别为-1.8～1.9、-1.8～0.8、1.1～1.4℃,1—3月CPUE高值区的适宜SST为-0.8～1.2℃,4—6月CPUE高值区的适宜SST为-1.8～-0.4℃; 48.1、48.2、48.3亚区叶绿素浓度适宜范围分别为0.09～1.21、0.14～0.52、0.32～0. 39 mg·m~(-3),CPUE高值区(20 t·h~(-1))海域的叶绿素浓度为0.13～0.83 mg·m~(-3);总体来说,南极磷虾渔场年平均CPUE值呈逐渐增长趋势,主捕区位于南设得兰群岛附近海域,中心渔场最适SST为-1.8～1.2℃,叶绿素浓度为0.13～0.83 mg·m~(-3)。     

Prevalence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Edwardsiella tarda</Emphasis> in Antarctic wildlife

For many years, the Antarctic region has been isolated from human activity. However, there is little data available regarding endemic and exotic diseases. The purpose of this work was to determine the prevalence of Edwardsiella tarda in Antarctic wildlife, including birds, mammals and fish. During the summer of 2000 and 2002 in the Potter Peninsula, and during the summer of 2001 and 2003 in Hope Bay, a total of 1,805 faecal samples from Antarctic animals and 50 infertile eggs of Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) were collected in order to isolate E. tarda. The classic Edwardsiella tarda was isolated from 281 (15.1%) of the 1,855 Antarctic wildlife samples. This is the first report of E. tarda isolation from southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus), brown skuas (Stercorarius lonnbergi), south polar skuas (Stercorarius maccormicki), kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus), greater sheathbills (Chionis albus), chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), eggs of Adelie penguins and Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli). None of the evaluated animals showed clinical signs of disease. Our results suggest that E. tarda is a common bacterium amongst Antarctic birds and mammals.     

Diet and reproductive success of Adélie and chinstrap penguins: linking response of predators to prey population dynamics

The diet and reproductive performance of two sympatric penguin species were studied at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands between 1997 and 2001. Each year, Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and chinstrap (P. antarctica) penguins fed almost exclusively (>99% by mass) on Antarctic krill; however, there was considerable inter-annual variation in reproductive output. In 1998, chinstrap penguins were adversely affected by extensive sea-ice in the vicinity of the colony, whereas Adélie penguins were unaffected by this. However, in 2000, both species suffered reduced reproductive output. Detailed analysis of the population-size structure of krill in the diet indicated a lack of recruitment of small krill into the population since 1996. A simple model of krill growth and mortality indicated that the biomass represented by the last recruiting cohort would decline dramatically between 1999 and 2000. Thus, despite the lack of a change in the proportion of krill in the diet, the population demographics of the krill population suggested that the abundance of krill may have fallen below the level required to support normal breeding success of penguins sometime before or during the 2000 breeding season. The role of marine predators as indicator species is greatly enhanced when studies provide data reflecting not only the consequences of changes in the ecosystem but also those data that elucidate the causes of such changes.     

Dietary segregation of krill-eating South Georgia seabirds

The diets of six of the main seabird species (two petrels, two albatrosses, two penguins) breeding at Bird Island, South Georgia were studied simultaneously during the chick-rearing period in 1986. For five species, Antarctic krill Euphausia superba was the main food (39–98% by mass); grey-headed albatrosses took mainly the ommastrephid squid Martialia hyadesi (71%) and only 16% krill. The size of the krill taken was similar between seabird species, although there were small but significant differences between penguins and the other species. Sex and reproductive status of krill, however, was different between all seabird species, reflecting some combination of differences in foraging ranges, selectivity by predators, or differences in escape responses of krill. For the krill-eating species, the rest of the diet varied substantially between species, comprising Martialia and nototheniid fish (blackbrowed albatross and, along with lanternfish, white-chinned petrel), lanternfish and amphipods (Antarctic prion and macaroni penguin), and icefish (gentoo penguin). Long-term data on breeding success and information on diet in 5–10 other years suggest that in 1986 seabird diet and reproductive performance was indicative of a year of good availability of krill around South Georgia. In such circumstances, ecological segregation between krill-eating species appears to be maintained chiefly by differences in foraging range and feeding methods, which are reviewed. This situation is rather different from the few studies of seabird communities elsewhere, where prey type and size are believed to be the main mechanisms of dietary segregation.     

Proximity of krill and salps in an Antarctic coastal ecosystem: evidence from penguin-mounted cameras

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and salps (mainly Salpa thompsoni) are main components of Southern Ocean ecosystem, but little is known about their coastal distribution at a fine scale (<1 km). We deployed miniaturised cameras on breeding chinstrap (n = 9 birds) and gentoo penguins (n = 9 birds) in the Antarctic Peninsula region and obtained 2,333 krill images, 93 salp images and 609 sea floor images from 1,843 dives. 51.2 % of penguin dives that had salps present in the images occurred near the dives with krill images (within 5 min). The vertical distribution of salp images showed overlap with the upper depth zone of krill images. While 16.3 % of dives with krill images were associated in time with the sea floor, only 1.2 % of dives with salp images did. These results revealed close proximity between krill and salps within the penguin’s foraging range in an Antarctic coastal ecosystem. These results also imply that krill patches were common in both pelagic and benthic habitat, whereas salps were common mainly in pelagic habitat. If the effects of deployments are similar between the years or regions, inter-annual or regional comparison using the penguin-mounted camera will be valid for characterising prey environment in the penguin foraging area.     

Divergent responses of Pygoscelis penguins reveal a common environmental driver

The responses of predators to environmental variability in the Antarctic Peninsula region have exhibited divergent patterns owing to variation in the geographic settings of colonies and predator life-history strategies. Five breeding colonies of Pygoscelis penguins from King George Island and Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, were examined to (1) compare the responses of sympatric congeners to recent changes in their Antarctic ecosystem and (2) assess underlying causes for such responses. We used linear regression and correlation analyses to compare indices of abundance, recruitment, and summer breeding performance of the Adélie (P. adeliae), gentoo (P. papua), and chinstrap penguins (P. antarctica). Breeding colonies of Adélie and chinstrap penguins have declined by roughly 50% since the mid-1970s, and recruitment indices of Adélie penguins have declined by roughly 80%, but no such patterns are evident for gentoo penguins. Fledging success, however, has remained stable at all breeding colonies. The different trends in abundance and recruitment indices for each species, despite generally similar indices of summer performance, suggest that winter conditions contribute to the divergent responses among the penguins. In particular, strong correlations between indices of penguin and krill recruitment suggest that penguins in the South Shetland Islands may live under an increasingly krill-limited system that has disproportionate effects on the survival of juvenile birds.     

Outbreaks of avian cholera in Hope Bay, Antarctica

During austral summers 1999-2000 and 2000-01, two outbreaks of avian cholera occurred in the Hope Bay area (63 degrees 24'S, 56 degrees 59'W), located on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Eighty-six dead birds were found: five kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus), 36 skuas (Stercorarius sp.), and 45 Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). The carcasses were studied using clinical, pathological, and microbiological criteria. Water samples from ponds where birds were settled and samples from 90 healthy birds also were analyzed during the second outbreak. Pasteurella multocida isolates were identified by biochemical tests, capsular type, somatic serotype, and susceptibility to nine antibiotics. Molecular subtyping was performed by ApaI and SmaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC-PCR). In February 2000, mortality in skuas was 16% and 2% in kelp gulls. In the 2000-01 breeding season, mortality in south polar skuas was 47%, 24% in brown skuas, 1.4% in kelp gulls, and 0.01% in Adelie penguins. All birds had lesions of avian cholera. In kelp gulls the presentation was chronic, whereas skuas and penguins suffered subacute and acute disease, respectively. Fifty-five isolates recovered from dead birds and one from water were identified as P. multocida gallicida, type A:1. The strains presented a unique molecular pattern by PFGE and ERIC-PCR. A possible hypothesis to explain the origin of the outbreaks was that nonbreeder kelp gulls carried P. multocida gallicida to Hope Bay, and avian cholera was transmitted through water to skuas and penguins. This study reports avian cholera in new bird species, their potential role in the transmission of the disease, and the different responses of these species to the disease.     

Cycles of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphausia superba</Emphasis> recruitment evident in the diet of Pygoscelid penguins and net trawls in the South Shetland Islands,Antarctica

Size and sex of Antarctic krill taken from chinstrap and gentoo penguin diet were compared to those from scientific net surveys in the South Shetland Islands from 1998 to 2006 in order to evaluate penguin diet as a sampling mechanism and to look at trends in krill populations. Both penguin diet and net samples revealed a 4–5 year cycle in krill recruitment with one or two strong cohorts sustaining the population during each cycle. Penguin diet samples contained adult krill of similar lengths to those caught in nets; however, penguins rarely took juvenile krill. Penguin diet samples contained proportionately more females when the krill population was dominated by large adults at the end of the cycles; net samples showed greater proportions of males in these years. These patterns are comparable to those reported elsewhere in the region and are likely driven by the availability of different sizes and sexes of krill in relation to the colony.     

Penguins, fur seals, and fishing: prey requirements and potential competition in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds, marine mammals, and human fisheries concentrate their foraging efforts on a single species, Antarctic krill (Euphausiasuperba). Because these predators may have a significant effect on krill abundance, we estimated the energy and prey requirements of Adelie (Pygoscelisadeliae), chinstrap (Pygoscelisantarctica), and gentoo (Pygoscelispapua) penguins and female Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalusgazella) breeding on the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and compared these estimates with catch statistics from the Antarctic krill fishery. Published data on field metabolic rate, population size, diet, prey energy content, and metabolic efficiency were used to estimate prey requirements of these breeding, adult, land-based predators and their dependent offspring. Due to their large population size, chinstrap penguins were the most significant krill predators during the period examined, consuming an estimated 7.8 × 10⁸ kg krill, followed by Adelie penguins (3.1 × 10⁷ kg), gentoo penguins (1.2 × 10⁷ kg), and Antarctic fur seals (3.6 × 10⁶ kg). Total consumption of all land-based predators on the South Shetland Islands was estimated at 8.3 × 10⁸ kg krill. The commercial krill fishery harvest in the South Shetland Island region (1.0 × 10⁸ kg) was approximately 12% of this. Commercial harvest coincides seasonally and spatially with peak penguin and fur seal prey demands, and may affect prey availability to penguins and fur seals. This differs from the conclusions of Ichii et al. who asserted that the potential for competition between South Shetland predators and the commercial krill fishery is low. Received: 26 August 1997 / Accepted: 16 December 1997     

Seasonal occurrence and dominance of Centropages congeners in the Middle Atlantic Bight,USA

The distribution and abundance of 15 taxa of birds seen from a vessel in the region of Prydz Bay, Antarctica between November and December 1982 are presented. Antarctic petrels were by far the most frequent in the survey area while Adélie and emperor penguins made up 77% of the observed avian biomass. The distribution and abundance of birds was found to be related to ice conditions, air temperature and wind speed but not to water temperature or air pressure. The extent of species associations at sea are shown and the possibilities of diurnal fluctuations in bird numbers at sea are examined.     

Warming effects in the western Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem: the role of population dynamic models for explaining and predicting penguin trends

The western Antarctica Peninsula and Scotia Sea ecosystems appear to be driven by complex links between climatic variables, primary productivity, krill and Avian predators. There are several studies reporting statistical relationships between climate, krill and Penguin population size. The Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), Chinstrap (P. antarctica) and Gentoo (P. papua) penguins appear to be influenced by interannual variability in sea-ice extent and krill biomass. In this paper we developed simple conceptual models to decipher the role of climate and krill fluctuations on the population dynamics of these three Pygoscelis penguin species inhabiting the Antarctic Peninsula region. Our results suggest that the relevant processes underlying the population dynamics of these penguin species at King George Island (South Shetland Islands) are intra-specific competition and the combined effects of krill abundance and sea-ice cover. Our results using population theoretical models appear to support that climate change, specifically regional warming on the western Antarctic Peninsula, represents a major driver. At our study site, penguins showed species-specific responses to climate change. While Chinstrap penguins were only influenced by krill abundance, the contrasting population trends of Adélie and Gentoo penguins appear to be better explained by the “sea-ice hypothesis”. We think that proper population dynamic modeling and theory are essential for deciphering and proposing the ecological mechanisms underlying dynamics of these penguin populations.