1. Global Warming Effects on Adelie Penguins
Lizzy Plotkin
Thomas Daigneau
Amanda McCracken

2. Presentation Outline
“Based on various scientific evidence, we anticipate that on the Antarctic Peninsula, rapid climate change is leading to population decline of the Adelie Penguins.”
Background Information
Meet the Penguins
Antarctica
Global Warming
The Consequences…
In the Future
Two Adelie penguins

3. Meet the Adelie Penguins
Pygoscelis adeliae
Smallest Antarctic Penguin species
Ice Dependent
Rapid Population Decline
A Group of Adelie Penguins

4. Area of Study Antarctic Peninsula Home of the Adelie
Antarctic Peninsula Map
Antarctic Peninsula
Home of the Adelie
Mostly on the Peninsula
177 colonies
Average Temperature:
0 to -10°C
Adelie Penguin colonies in Antarctica

5. Global Warming Basics Starting at the Industrial Revolution
Increase in Greenhouse Gases
Many Possible Causes
Global warming trends from 1860 to 2001

6. Effects on Antarctica
Winter Temperature has risen 9°F in last 50 years
Unpredictable yet dramatic
Ice Melting
Glacier Calving
Species Loss
Antarctic glacier calving

7. The Consequences
Adelie Population as a Result of Sea Ice Extent and Air Temperature
Adelie Population and Sea Ice Extent ( )

8. The Food Chain So what’s the problem?
A diagram of the bottom up food chain consisting of ice algae, krill and the Adelie Penguins.
So what’s the problem?

9. Effects of Ice Melting Decline in ice algae causes break in food chain
Blocks in usual forage paths
Destruction of nests
Glacier calving
Heavier snows
Slush vs. ice and rock

10. STELLA Model
STELLA model showing the effects of melting ice on the populations of the Ice Algae, Krill, and Adelie penguin species.

11. STELLA RESULTS
A diagram comparing the populations of the Ice Algae, Krill and Adelie penguins with the temperature change in Antarctica.
Adelie penguin population with the temperature change in the Antarctic peninsula.

12. Future Predictions Continuation of ice loss
Loss of nesting sites
More melting
Sun’s ray on dry ice vs. wet ice
Tb=ETs
Further break down of the food chain
Species adaptation to new niches
Homogenization
Less diverse speciation
Larsen B ice shelf, 5th March 2002 (16 days later)
Larsen B ice shelf, 17th Feb 2002

13. What You Can Do Limit use of fossil fuels Use less energy Recycle
Spread the word
Sign up to help!
Greenpeace International
You’ll make the penguins much happier!

14. Sources
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Broeke, M. (2005). Strong surface melting preceded collapse of Antarctic Peninsula ice shelf. Geophysical Research Letters, 32.
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