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Penguins from space: faecal stains reveal the location of emperor penguin colonies
Article first published online: 1 JUN 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00467.x
© 2009 British Antarctic Survey
Additional Information
How to Cite
Fretwell, P. T. and Trathan, P. N. (2009), Penguins from space: faecal stains reveal the location of emperor penguin colonies. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 18: 543–552. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00467.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 7 AUG 2009
- Article first published online: 1 JUN 2009
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- Antarctica;
- Aptenodytes forsteri;
- climate change;
- distribution;
- emperor penguins;
- penguin distribution;
- remote sensing;
- satellite imagery
ABSTRACT
Aim To map and assess the breeding distribution of emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) using remote sensing.
Location Pan-Antarctic.
Methods Using Landsat ETM satellite images downloaded from the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA), we detect faecal staining of ice by emperor penguins associated with their colony locations. Emperor penguins breed on sea ice, and their colonies exist in situ between May and December each year. Faecal staining at these colony locations shows on Landsat imagery as brown patches, the only staining of this colour on sea ice. This staining can therefore be used as an analogue for colony locations. The whole continental coastline has been analysed, and each possible signal has been identified visually and checked by spectral analysis. In areas where LIMA data are unsuitable, freely available Landsat imagery has been supplemented.
Results We have identified colony locations of emperor penguins at a total of 38 sites. Of these, 10 are new locations, and six previously known colony locations have been repositioned (by over 10 km) due to poor geographical information in old records. Six colony locations, all from old or unconfirmed records, were not found or have disappeared.
Main conclusions We present a new pan-Antarctic species distribution of emperor penguins mapped from space. In one synoptic survey we locate extant emperor penguin colonies, a species previously poorly mapped due to its unique breeding habits, and provide a vital geographical resource for future studies of an iconic species believed to be vulnerable to future climate change.