Studying how penguins respond to climate change in Antarctica

Biologist David Ainley of H. T. Harvey & Sons has been studying Adélie penguins in Antarctica for more than 25 years. These resilient and charismatic birds, adapted to survive one of the harshest environments on earth, are now being threatened by global warming that affects the sea ice and ocean ecosystems on which they depend. David is leading a team of biologists who will collect data about the changing demographics of the breeding Adélies, in particular looking at why birds emigrate from one colony to another depending on environmental conditions. Studying how penguins respond to environmental changes—which are happening more dramatically at the poles than anywhere else on earth—will help scientists shed light on how species and ecosystems across the globe will be affected by climate change.

David Ainley and his team spread out to three different Adélie breeding colonies on the Ross Sea, Antarctica, in November 2007. Learn more about the team’s research into three Adélie breeding colonies—Cape Crosier, Cape Byrd, and Cape Royd—through Ainley’s blog and Webcasts from the team.