It has been four months since I left Antarctica but the stories of those striving to understand this dynamic continent and the array of polar science continues. Dr. David Ainley is a remarkable scientist with 40 years experience researching Adélie penguins. His achievements include; a PhD from John Hopkins University, numerous published works within the science community and authorship of five books. A standout among these accomplishments is the book, The Adélie Penguin: Bellwether of Climate Change. Penguin Science: What is it, how does it explain adaptations to climate change and who is involved? Everyone has a soft spot for the feathery inhabitants of Antarctica. So few humans make the journey to the southernmost land mass that when these flightless creatures encounter people, they tend to act like they've known you all their lives. With all the niceties set aside, it is thought that these penguins are the bellwether of polar climate change and the studies conducted on Adélie penguins by David Ainley and other scientists are set to reveal some interesting trends.
Patricia Ballou: What type of research have you been conducting and name the major players in the Adélie penguin studies?
David Ainley: We are funded by the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, U.S. Antarctic Program, and I work for H.T. Harvey and Associates. This is our 12th season working on this particular penguin project. The study of Adélie penguins was undertaken because we noticed their colonies were increasing dramatically in the Ross Sea area, but declining in the Antarctic Peninsula region. Smaller colonies in the Ross Sea are increasing in size and far more rapidly than the larger ones. These noticeable changes are based on aerial censuses taken by Landcare Research - Manaaki Whenua, New Zealand.
PB: What areas are you and cooperative scientists focused on? What type of research is being conducted?
DA: The photo reconnaissance takes place around the beginning of December. Resources limit Landcare's ability to conduct annual surveys for every colony so some colonies, especially those in northern Victoria Land, are counted every few years. They collaborate with us by contributing scientists to help study four colonies of interest: Cape Royds, Cape Crozier, Cape Bird and Beauford Island. Every year our teams go to these areas and track, record and study Adélie colonies and fossil remains from times gone by. The bones left behind have stories to tell about environmental conditions of that time and how these birds adapted to climate change.
DA: In the book Adélie Penguin: Bellwether of Climate Change, it is noted that Adélie penguins are very sensitive to the characteristics of the sea ice. Over the last 30 years global warming and the Antarctic ozone hole has altered the Southern Annular Mode, in turn changing weather patterns. This means there has been a continuous blast of warm air from the north eroding the sea ice across the Antarctic Peninsula. The disappearance of sea ice means the disappearance of Adélie penguins. In return, other species more able to adapt to the open waters are taking their place such as the Chinstrap and Gentoo penguin.
PB: How are Adélie penguin populations adapting to the changes in climate or are they disappearing all together?
DA: The severely decreasing sea ice along the Antarctic Peninsula has been compensated by an increase in sea ice in the southwest Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, including the Ross Sea. Another variable effecting the overall equation is the season of sea ice is 3 months shorter around the Antarctic Peninsula but that much longer in the Ross Sea sector than two decades ago. Adélies are increasing in new areas of sea ice, but are decreasing along the Antarctic Peninsula. Only 5% of Antarctica has ice free land and Adélie penguins rely on this small amount of land to exist and make their nesting colonies. Humans also use this land to set up bases and do research. Dating back to Shackleton's expeditions Adélie and human existence in Antarctica have been closely tied together. We have tons of data from over 100 years of study and research. It is hoped that continued research will help future unknowns when it comes to climate change and changes due to over-exploitation by industrial fishing.
PB: How can the public follow the journey of Adélie penguin research?
DA: Our first couple of years we would share our finding and research data with other scientists and that made us feel good about our explorations. Soon after though, it became clear there was a whole other audience who was oblivious to the changes in climate and fish depletion, and their effects on the Antarctic and its inhabitants. So we added a major educational aspect to our project to include a documentary film produced by Lloyd Fales, which you can get on DVD. It still amazes me that you can walk into classrooms and teachers still don't understand climate change or ocean change or the potential effects on our world. Somehow we need to make the abstract a reality in people's minds. These types of studies are a start.
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