Collaborative Research: Using Multiple Stable Isotopes to Investigate Middle to Late Holocene Ecological Responses by Adelie Penguins in the Ross Sea

合作研究：利用多种稳定同位素研究罗斯海阿德利企鹅中全新世中晚期的生态反应

• 批准号: 2135695
• 负责人: Steven Emslie
• 金额: $ 51.72万
• 依托单位: University of North Carolina at Wilmington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-15 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2135695&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Using; Multiple; Stable

The Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) is the most abundant penguin in Antarctica, though its populations are currently facing threats from climate change, loss of sea ice habitat and food supplies. In the Ross Sea region, the cold, dry environment has allowed preservation of Adélie penguin bones, feathers, eggshell and even mummified remains, at active and abandoned colonies that date from before the Last Glacial Maximum (more than 45,000 years ago) to the present. A warming period at 4,000-2,000 years ago, known as the penguin ‘optimum’, reduced sea ice extent and allowed this species to access and reproduce in the southern Ross Sea. This coastline likely will be reoccupied in the future as marine conditions change with current warming trends. This project will investigate ecological responses in diet and foraging behavior of the Adélie penguin using well-preserved bones and other tissues that date from before, during and after the penguin ‘optimum’. The Principal investigators will collect and analyze bones, feathers and eggshells from colonies in the Ross Sea to determine changes in population size and feeding locations over millennia. Most of these colonies are associated with highly productive areas of open water surrounded by sea ice. Current warming trends are causing relatively rapid ecological responses by this species and some of the largest colonies in the Ross Sea are likely to be abandoned in the next 50 years from rising sea level. The recently established Ross Sea Marine Protected Area aims to protect Adélie penguins and their foraging grounds in this region from human impacts and knowledge on how this species has responded to climate change in the past will support this goal. This project benefits NSF’s mission to expand fundamental knowledge of Antarctic systems, biota, and processes. In association with their research program, the Principal Investigators will create undergraduate opportunities for research-driven coursework, will design K-12 curriculum and assess the effectiveness of these activities. Two graduate students will be supported by this project to update and refine the curricula working with K-12 teachers. There is also training and partial support included for one doctorate, two master and eight undergraduate students. General public will be reached through social media and YouTube channel productions.A suite of three stable isotopes (carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur) will be analyzed in Adelie penguin bones and feathers from active and abandoned colonies to assess ecological shifts through time. Stable isotope analyses of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) are commonly used to investigate animal migration, foraging locations and diet, especially in marine species that can travel over great distances. Sulfur (δ34S) is not as commonly used but is increasingly being applied to refine and corroborate data obtained from carbon and nitrogen analyses. Collagen is one of the best tissues for these analyses as it is abundant in bone, preserves well, and can be easily extracted for analysis. Using these three isotopes from collagen, ancient and modern penguin colonies will be investigated in the southern, central and northern Ross Sea to determine changes in populations and foraging locations over millennia. Most of these colonies are associated with one of three polynyas in the Ross Sea. This study will be the first of its kind to apply multiple stable isotope analyses to investigate a living species of seabird over millennia in a region where it still exists today. Results from this project will also inform management on best practices for Adelie penguin conservation affected by climate change.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

阿德利企鹅 (Pygoscelis adeliae) 是南极洲数量最多的企鹅，尽管其种群目前正面临气候变化、海冰栖息地和食物供应丧失的威胁。在罗斯海地区，寒冷、干燥的环境使得它们得以保存。阿德利企鹅的骨头、羽毛、蛋壳，甚至是木乃伊遗骸，分布在活跃和废弃的栖息地，其历史可以追溯到末次盛冰期之前（超过 45,000 年前）到目前，4,000-2,000 年前的变暖期（被称为企鹅的“最佳时期”）减少了海冰范围，使得该物种能够在南罗斯海栖息和繁衍。该项目将利用保存完好的骨骼和其他组织，研究阿德利企鹅在“最佳状态”之前、期间和之后的饮食和觅食行为的生态反应。主要研究人员将收集并分析罗斯海种群的骨头、羽毛和蛋壳，以确定数千年来种群规模和觅食地点的变化，这些种群大多与海冰周围的高产水域有关。这种趋势正在导致该物种相对快速的生态反应，罗斯海的一些最大的栖息地可能会在未来 50 年内因海平面上升而被遗弃。最近建立的罗斯海海洋保护区旨在保护阿德利企鹅及其种群。该地区的觅食地人类影响以及该物种过去如何应对气候变化的知识将有助于国家科学基金会的使命，即扩大南极系统、生物群和过程的基础知识，并与他们的研究计划相结合。将为本科生提供研究驱动型课程的机会，设计 K-12 课程并评估这些活动的有效性。该项目将支持两名研究生与 K-12 教师合作更新和完善课程。并包括部分支持一名博士生、两名硕士生和八名本科生将通过社交媒体和 YouTube 频道制作来接触公众。将对阿德利企鹅骨骼和羽毛中的三种稳定同位素（碳、氮和硫）进行分析。为了评估随着时间的推移而发生的生态变化而遗弃的栖息地，碳和氮（δ13C 和 δ15N）的稳定同位素分析通常用于研究动物迁徙、觅食地点和饮食，特别是对于能够跨越大洋的海洋物种。硫 (δ34S) 并不常用，但越来越多地用于完善和证实从碳和氮分析中获得的数据。胶原蛋白是进行这些分析的最佳组织之一，因为它在骨骼中含量丰富，保存良好，并且可以保存。使用胶原蛋白中的这三种同位素，将对罗斯海南部、中部和北部的古代和现代企鹅群落进行研究，以确定这些群落中的大多数与数千年来的种群和觅食地点的变化有关。该研究将是罗斯海三个冰间湖之一，首次应用多种稳定同位素分析来研究该地区现存的数千年来的海鸟，该项目的结果也将为管理人员提供信息。关于受气候变化影响的阿德利企鹅保护的最佳实践。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。