The Adélie penguin is one of the best-studied birds in the world and is the subject of research programs from a dozen nations interested in monitoring changes in the environment and the food webs of the Southern Ocean. This species' population has been changing dramatically over the past few decades coincident with a general warming of the maritime portion of Antarctica. When the sea-ice is seen to decline so does the population of Adélie penguins. Further south, however, the population is increasing.

This book summarizes our present ecological knowledge of this polar seabird. In so doing, David Ainley describes the ecological factors important to its life history and details the mechanisms by which it is responding to climate change. The author also chronicles the history of research on Adélie penguins, beginning with the heroic expeditions at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Weaving together history, ecology, natural history, and written accounts from the earliest Antarctic naturalists into a fascinating account of this charismatic bird, The Adélie Penguin provides a foundation upon which future ornithological research and environmental monitoring can be based. It is a model for investigations into the effect of climate change on a particular species. The book also contains many fine illustrations from the accomplished illustrator Lucia deLeiris and photographs by the author.

Zusammenfassung
Predictive indicators of the effects of global warming by the rise and fall of their populations, Adelie penguins are examined in this ecological work on their biology, behaviour, and ecology within the Antarctic ecosystem.

Inhalt

Introduction 2. Marine Ecology 3. Size And Distribution of Breeding Populations 4. The Annual And Nesting Cycles 5. The Occupation Period - Pair Formation. Egg Laying and Incubation 6. Reoccupation Period - Chicks and Breeding Success 7. Predation 8. Demography 9. The Bellwether Of Climate Change Literature Cited