Abstract:
This dataset pertains to gentoo penguin breeding success at selected colonies on Signy island from 1978 to 2020. It comprises annual ground counts of occupied and incubating nests, eggs (proxy for breeding pairs), chicks hatched, and chicks expected to fledge. The GPS locations for surveyed sites are also included. From the 1996-1997 season onwards, this dataset conforms to CCAMLR data collection standards and contributes to the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP).
Ecosystems component of BAS Polar Science for Planet Earth Programme, funded by NERC.
Keywords:
Breeding success, Gentoo penguin, Population size, Signy Island
Dunn, M., Adlard, S., Lynnes, A., Briggs, D., Fox, D., & Morley, T. (2021). Population size and breeding success of gentoo penguins on Signy Island from 1978 to 2020. (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/883c6b40-024e-41e8-9c3e-2668a44b5751
| Access Constraints: | There are no access constraints. |
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| Use Constraints: | This data is governed by the NERC data policy http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/sites/data/policy/ and supplied under Open Government Licence v.3 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/. |
| Creation Date: | 2021-08-04 |
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| Dataset Progress: | Planned |
| Dataset Language: | English |
| ISO Topic Categories: |
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| Parameters: |
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| Personnel: | |
| Name | UK Polar Data Centre |
| Role(s) | Metadata Author |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Name | Dr Michael J Dunn |
| Role(s) | Technical Contact, Investigator |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Name | Dr Stacey Adlard |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Name | Amanda Lynnes |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators |
| Name | Dirk Briggs |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Name | Derren Fox |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds |
| Name | Tim Morley |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
| Parent Dataset: | N/A |
| Reference: | Dunn MJ, Jackson JA, Adlard S, Lynnes AS, Briggs DR, Fox D, Waluda CM. 2016 Population size and decadal trends of three penguin species nesting at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. PLOS One 11. (!0): e0164025. Forcada J, Trathan PN, Reid K, Murphy EJ, Croxall JP (2006) Contrasting population changes in sympatric penguin species in association with climate warming Global Change Biology 12: 411-423 Forcada J, & Trathan PN. (2009). Penguin responses to climate change in the Southern Ocean. Global Change Biology, 15(7), 1618-1630. Dunn MJ, Adlard S, Taylor AP, Wood AG, Trathan PN, Ratcliffe N. (2021) Un-crewed aerial vehicle population survey of three sympatrically breeding seabird species at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands (Polar Biol 44, 717-727 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02831-6 |
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| Quality: | Standard CCAMLR (CEMP) monitoring methods were implemented in 1996. Prior to this date, counting methods and timing of counts may have varied, which should be considered when comparing counts and calculating inter-annual trends from previous seasons. For some seasons, only information on specific parameters was possible to obtain (when the base would open late/shut early). In some years, certain data pertaining to chick counts was not possible to obtain. For NA values in the column titled 'Total number of nests without eggs", which is carried out mid-season, some, if not all failed nests are abandoned by the time of the survey. Their stones are then stolen by other nesting birds, and the nests are no longer visible to field assistants. Abnormalities or the lack of data collected for other reasons is explained in the comments alongside that season's data. More details on the counts can be provided upon request to the Polar Data Centre. For this publication on annual gentoo penguin population monitoring, individual colony counts across the island were combined into totals per season. For additional details as to colony counts within Signy Island, please contact the Polar Data Centre. |
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| Lineage: | Gentoo penguin colonies, predetermined as distinct groups of breeding pairs, were selected and surveyed using ground counts starting in the 1978-1979 season. In total, ten Gentoo colonies were surveyed annually, and in this dataset those colonies are combined for total counts per season. Optimal count dates were determined by observed phenology each season. Monitoring comprised of counts of occupied nests and incubating nests for gentoo penguins. Nests were categorised as "incubating" (at least one egg present) and "occupied" (no eggs observed) either through manual nest marking, or observations from the colony edge using a tally counter. This was carried out one week after peak egg-laying (CEMP Standard Method A3A). Subsequently, fledgling counts were completed when all chicks had entered creche (CEMP Standard Method A6C). Counts were always individually repeated three times on the same day, until within 10 percent of each other. From the 2006/2007 season onwards, hand-held GPS devices were also used to provide specific coordinates of each surveyed colony. An annual index of breeding population size was then calculated by determining the means of the number of occupied nests and incubating nests for several aggregated colonies. Breeding success was calculated by taking the annual number of creched chicks prior to fledging, divided by the total number of breeding pairs |
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| Temporal Coverage: | |
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| Start Date | 1978-11-26 |
| End Date | 2021-01-16 |
| Spatial Coverage: | |
| Latitude | |
| Southernmost | -60.7 |
| Northernmost | -60.7 |
| Longitude | |
| Westernmost | -45.6 |
| Easternmost | -45.6 |
| Altitude | |
| Min Altitude | N/A |
| Max Altitude | N/A |
| Depth | |
| Min Depth | N/A |
| Max Depth | N/A |
| Location: | |
| Location | South Orkney Islands |
| Detailed Location | Signy Island |
| Sensor(s): |
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| Data Storage: | 1x .csv file of breeding success data 1x .csv file of GPS coordinates for colonies measured |
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