Title Declining rockhopper penguin populations in New Zealand
Author Thompson, D.; Sagar, P.
Source Water and Atmosphere, 10(3), p.10-12. Publisher: NIWAR - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand. ISSN: 1172-1014
Publication Date 2002
Notes In English GeoRef Acc. No: 300724
Index Terms West Pacific Ocean Islands--Auckland Islands; Campbell Island; New Zealand; Pacific Ocean--South Pacific; Auckland Islands; Australasia; Aves; carbon; Chordata; diet; ecology; Eudyptes chrysocome; feathers; isotope ratios; Neornithes; nitrogen; Pacific Ocean; population dynamics; South Pacific; Sphenisciformes; subantarctic regions; Tetrapoda; Vertebrata; West Pacific Ocean Islands
Abstract Analyses stable isotope ratios of nitrogen and carbon in historic (1880-94) and recent feathers of Eudyptes chrysocome breeding on sub-Antarctic Auckland, Campbell and Antipodes islands, to elucidate reasons for dramatic decline in populations since 1940s. Results indicate that rockhopper penguin diets have not changed, but that decline in amount of available preferred prey since 1940s may have resulted in increased adult penguin mortality, or in reduction in chick production or survival.
Publication Type journal article
Record ID 88711