Tag Archives: penguin

Penguin Droppings Contribute to Antarctica’s Cooling Effects

Posted on by
Reply

Adelie penguins on the sea ice off the Antarctic Peninsula

Ashley Cooper Photo/Alamy

Ammonia emitted from droppings in a bustling Antarctic penguin colony contributes to cloud formation.

“This highlights the profound relationship between ecosystems and atmospheric phenomena,” remarks Matthew Boyer from the University of Helsinki, Finland.

The connection lies in how ammonia influences atmospheric particle counts. Cloud formation requires water vapor to condense around significant particles, which are scarce in the frigid, pristine air of Antarctica.

Typically, available cloud formation particles arise from dust, vegetation, or air pollution, primarily sulfate clusters generated by natural emissions from nearby phytoplankton. It has been established that high ammonia levels can enhance the creation of these clusters by up to a thousand times. But where does this ammonia originate in Antarctica? The droppings of penguins appear to be a significant source.

To verify this, Boyer and his team analyzed the concentrations of ammonia, sulfuric acid, and larger particles in the air around Pygoscelis adeliae on the Antarctic Peninsula. “They have a strong odor,” Boyer comments. “They are quite messy birds.”

When the wind blew from the direction of the colony, the ammonia concentrations were significantly higher compared to air from other directions. This uptick in ammonia prompted the formation of sulfuric acid particles large enough to attract condensation, potentially resulting in cloud formation. This phenomenon persisted for several weeks even after the penguins vacated the colony.

Increased cloud cover, particularly at sea, reflects sunlight away from the Earth’s surface, producing a cooling effect. Boyer also notes that declines in penguin populations could lead to warming trends in Antarctica by diminishing cloud cover, particularly due to climate change-driven ocean ice loss. However, current measurements do not adequately estimate the magnitude of this effect.

Other studies indicate significant implications; for instance, Jeffrey Pierce from Colorado State University and his peers have found ammonia in puffin droppings in the Arctic, leading to increased cloud cover during summer, estimating that this cooling effect could offset about one-third of warming caused by carbon dioxide in the region. “I’m confident it has some effect,” states Pierce.

Topics:

  • Antarctica/
  • Animal behavior

Source: www.newscientist.com

Discovery of Ancient Dwarf Penguin “Pacdiptes hakataramea” in New Zealand

Posted on by
Reply

Pakdipthes hakataramea Body size would have been similar to that of modern humans Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor)It is approximately 40-45 cm (15.7-17.7 in) in length.

Artist image Pakdipthes hakatarameaPhoto courtesy of Tatsuya Niimura / Ashoro Museum of Paleontology

Pakdipthes hakataramea It lived in New Zealand about 24 million years ago (Late Oligocene Epoch).

This new species was very small, about the size of a little blue penguin. World's smallest — They have anatomical adaptations that allow them to dive.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea “This fossil fills the morphological gap between modern and fossil penguins,” said Dr. Tatsuro Ando, ​​a paleontologist at the Ashoro Museum in Ashoro Town.

“In particular, the shape of the wing bones is very different, and it was unclear how penguins' wings acquired their current shape and function.”

“The humerus and ulna show how penguins' wings evolved.”

“To my surprise, Pakdipthes hakataramea It was very close to the condition of modern penguins, but the elbow joint was very similar to that of older types of fossil penguins.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea This is the first penguin fossil to be found in this combination and is a key fossil that will shed light on the evolution of penguins' wings.”

Fossilized remains Pakdipthes hakataramea The fossils were discovered by palaeontologists Craig Jones and Professor Euan Fordyce during a series of field expeditions in the Hakataramea Gorge in South Canterbury in 1987.

“Analysis of internal bone structure compared with data from modern penguins shows that these penguins had microanatomical features indicative of diving behaviour,” said Dr Carolina Lock, a palaeontologist at the University of Otago.

Modern penguins have excellent swimming abilities, thanks mainly to their dense, thick bones that provide them with buoyancy when diving.

in Pakdipthes hakatarameaAlthough the medullary cavity containing the bone marrow was open, the cortical bone was quite thick, similar to that seen in modern little blue penguins, which tend to swim in shallow waters.

ability Pakdipthes hakataramea Their ability to dive and swim depends on a unique combination of bones.

“Penguins evolved rapidly from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene. Pakdipthes hakataramea “This is a significant fossil from this period,” Dr Locke said.

“Their small body size and unique bone combination may have contributed to the ecological diversity of modern penguins.”

Discovery Pakdiptes hakataramea teeth, paper In Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

_____

Tatsuro Ando othersA new small penguin fossil discovered from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand and morphofunctional changes in penguin wings. Journal of the Royal Society of New ZealandPublished online July 31, 2024, doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2362283

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists Uncover Four New Emperor Penguin Colonies in Antarctica through Fecal Analysis

Posted on by
Reply

Emperor penguins are the largest species of penguin, often weighing around 90 pounds. However, they also have one of the most precarious breeding methods on the planet.

To ensure their chicks leave the nest in the summer, they breed during the coldest months of the year, when temperatures are close to -50 degrees Fahrenheit and Antarctic winds can gust at 190 miles per hour. Male penguins keep their chicks warm by balancing eggs on their feet, and colonies of up to 5,000 penguins huddle together to stay warm, each with their own body temperature. They are said to be walking around with a limp so that they can take turns.

But these animals do all of their breeding on Antarctic sea ice, and last year’s sea ice reached its lowest peak since scientists started measuring it in 1979. Some scientists fear that the decline is now so extreme that it has become an inevitable snowball effect.

If the ice sheet breaks before the emperor penguin colony leaves its chicks, the chicks will fall into the water and die, Fretwell said. That has happened over the past two years, particularly in 2022, with another study by Fretwell published last year showing “complete breeding failure” in all but one of the five known breeding sites.

The new colonies identified by Fretwell are mostly small. They said in a paper published in the journal Antarctic Science that at least some penguins appear to have migrated because of unstable sea ice conditions.

“If the colonies fail, they will move to other areas,” Fretwell told NBC News.

“We spend all this time monitoring these animals and seeing if they can adapt to climate change, but the truth is that penguins ultimately need to adapt. Not us,” Fretwell added. “We need to end our dependence on fossil fuels, not just for penguins, but for all species and ourselves.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com