A 1300-year record of penguin populations at Ardley Island in the Antarctic, as deduced from the geochemical data in the ornithogenic lake sediments

作者：Liu XD; Sun LG^*; Xie ZQ; Yin XB; Wang YH

来源：Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Research, 2005, 37(4): 490-498.

DOI：10.1657/1523-0430(2005)037[0490:AYROPP]2.0.CO;2

We have reconstructed a continuous high-resolution penguin population record over the past similar to 1300 years from the geochemical and C-14 dating data in the ornithogenic lake sediments at Ardley Island in the Antarctic. The concentrations of F, P, Sr, Se, S, Cu, Zn, and Ca in the sediments are notably enriched and significantly correlated with each other, and they have a consistent pattern of change versus depth. These elements, as previously reported, are biomarkers of penguin droppings and population. Over the past similar to 1300 years, the penguin population at Ardley Island, as measured by these biomarkers' concentrations, has a decreasing trend, especially during the past century when the penguin population has dropped steeply. Compared with the paleoclimatic records and glacial advance and retreat history in the study area, the pronounced penguin population changes in the absence of human activities appear to be related to climatic changes. The steep decline of the penguin populations in the past century, however, seems to be caused by the abnormally wan-ning climate in the Antarctic Peninsula.

• 出版日期2005-11
• 单位中国科学技术大学