Abstract
Positioned near the top of the food web, the dietary composition of Antarctic penguins and seals can be an excellent indicator of the regional food web and thus the status of the marine ecosystem. The dietary composition of modern penguins and seals has been well investigated; a long-term time series of data on penguin and seal diets, however, are rare. Such data, especially any predating the initiation of human harvesting of fish, whales and seals in Antarctica, are crucial for understanding and predicting responses of regional marine food webs to natural climate changes. Here we review recent progress on research of paleodietary change in Antarctic penguins and seals, specifically the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella). These studies indicate that the dietary changes of penguins correspond quite well with fluctuations in climate and sea ice extent during the Holocene. The depleted δ 15N ratios found in modern Adélie penguins support the “krill surplus hypothesis” in relation to historic human depletion of krill-eating fish, seals and whales.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (41106162 and 40730107), the Chinese Polar Environment Comprehensive Investigation and Assessment Programmes (CHINARE2014-04-01 and CHINARE2014-02-01) and the Open Research Fund from SOA Key Laboratory for Polar Science in China (KP201207).
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Huang, T., Sun, L., Wang, Y. et al. Paleodietary changes by penguins and seals in association with Antarctic climate and sea ice extent. Chin. Sci. Bull. 59, 4456–4464 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0300-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0300-z