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Penguin occupation in the Vestfold Hills

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 November 2008

Tao Huang ,
Liguang Sun ,
Yuhong Wang  and
Renbin Zhu
Tao Huang
Affiliation:
Institute of Polar Environment, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
Liguang Sun*
Affiliation:
Institute of Polar Environment, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
Yuhong Wang
Affiliation:
Institute of Polar Environment, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China National Institute of Health, Bethesda MD 20892, USA
Renbin Zhu
Affiliation:
Institute of Polar Environment, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
*
*author for correspondence:slg@ustc.edu.cn
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Abstract

During CHINARE-22 (December 2005–March 2006), we investigated six penguin colonies in the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, and collected several penguin ornithogenic sediment cores, samples of fresh guano and modern penguin bone and feather. We selected seven penguin bones and feathers and six sediments from the longest sediment core and performed AMS14C dating. The results indicate that penguins occupied the Vestfold Hills as early as 8500 calibrated years before present (cal. yr bp), following local deglaciation and the formation of the ice free area. This is the first report on the Holocene history of penguins in the Vestfold Hills. As in other areas of Antarctica, penguins occupied this area as soon as local ice retreated and the ice free area formed, and they are very sensitive to climatic and environmental changes. This work provides the foundation for understanding the history of penguins occupation in Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica.

Keywords

climate changeEast AntarcticaHolocene deglaciation14C datingornithogenic sediments
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 2009 , pp. 131 - 134
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2009

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