Stier A, Lewden A, Ruuskanen S, Noiret A, Angelier F, Robin Jp, Bize P, Raclot T, Roussel D, Ropert-coudert Y, Viblanc Va. (2021). HotPenguin : cool in the water, too hot on land ? Risks and consequences of heat stress in penguins facing climate change.
Abstract: Animals from polar regions have evolved highly specialized adaptations to cope with cold climates, which put them at risk regarding the current rapid climate change. This is especially true for penguins who live most of the year in cold water, but breed on land in the spring/summer. Penguins are thereby likely to be threatened by periods of unusually warm temperatures on land. While heat stress is increasingly studied in warm regions, few studies have investigated whether heat stress could occur in polar regions, and to what extent it could affect individual health and reproduction. My aim is to fill this knowledge gap by leading a collaborative research project taking an integrative approach, from animal behavior to the sub-cellular level. This project aims at helping to better predict how penguin populations will respond to future climate change, and raise awareness of scientists, stakeholders and the general public towards an under-appreciated risk of climate change in polar regions.
Programme: 119
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Steven Franke, Daniela Jansen, Sebastian Beyer, Niklas Neckel, Tobias Binder, John Paden, Olaf Eisen. (2021). Complex Basal Conditions and Their Influence on Ice Flow at the Onset of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (Vol. 126).
Abstract: Abstract The ice stream geometry and large ice surface velocities at the onset region of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) are not yet well reproduced by ice sheet models. The quantification of basal sliding and a parametrization of basal conditions remains a major gap. In this study, we assess the basal conditions of the onset region of the NEGIS in a systematic analysis of airborne ultra-wideband radar data. We evaluate basal roughness and basal return echoes in the context of the current ice stream geometry and ice surface velocity. We observe a change from a smooth to a rougher bed where the ice stream widens, and a distinct roughness anisotropy, indicating a preferred orientation of subglacial structures. In the upstream region, the excess ice mass flux through the shear margins is evacuated by ice flow acceleration and along-flow stretching of the ice. At the downstream part, the generally rougher bed topography correlates with a decrease in flow acceleration and lateral variations in ice surface velocity. Together with basal water routing pathways, this hints to two different zones in this part of the NEGIS: the upstream region collecting water, with a reduced basal traction, and downstream, where the ice stream is slowing down and is widening on a rougher bed, with a distribution of basal water toward the shear margins. Our findings support the hypothesis that the NEGIS is strongly interconnected to the subglacial water system in its onset region, but also to the subglacial substrate and morphology.
Keywords: basal roughness bed conditions Greenland Ice Sheet ice stream Northeast Greenland Ice Stream radio-echo sounding
Programme: 1180
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Stephanie Jenouvrier, Judy Che-Castaldo, Shaye Wolf, Marika Holland, Sara Labrousse, Michelle LaRue, Barbara Wienecke, Peter Fretwell, Christophe Barbraud, Noah Greenwald, Julienne Stroeve, Philip N. Trathan. (2021). The call of the emperor penguin: Legal responses to species threatened by climate change (Vol. 27).
Abstract: Species extinction risk is accelerating due to anthropogenic climate change, making it urgent to protect vulnerable species through legal frameworks in order to facilitate conservation actions that help mitigate risk. Here, we discuss fundamental concepts for assessing climate change risks to species using the example of the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), currently being considered for protection under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). This species forms colonies on Antarctic sea ice, which is projected to significantly decline due to ongoing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We project the dynamics of all known emperor penguin colonies under different GHG emission scenarios using a climate-dependent meta-population model including the effects of extreme climate events based on the observational satellite record of colonies. Assessments for listing species under the ESA require information about how species resiliency, redundancy and representation (3Rs) will be affected by threats within the foreseeable future. Our results show that if sea ice declines at the rate projected by climate models under current energy system trends and policies, the 3Rs would be dramatically reduced and almost all colonies would become quasi-extinct by 2100. We conclude that the species should be listed as threatened under the ESA.
Keywords: climate risk assessments Endangered Species Act foreseeable future population projections redundancy and representation (3Rs) resiliency sea ice projections species distribution treatment of scientific uncertainty
Programme: 109
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Stefan Osterwalder, Sarrah M. Dunham-Cheatham, Beatriz Ferreira Araujo, Olivier Magand, Jennie L. Thomas, Foteini Baladima, Katrine Aspmo Pfaffhuber, Torunn Berg, Lei Zhang, Jiaoyan Huang, Aurélien Dommergue, Jeroen E. Sonke, Mae Sexauer Gustin. (2021). Fate of Springtime Atmospheric Reactive Mercury: Concentrations and Deposition at Zeppelin, Svalbard (Vol. 5).
Abstract: Mid-latitude atmospheric elemental mercury (Hg) emissions undergo extensive oxidation to reactive Hg (RM) compounds during Arctic polar sunrise, resulting in enhanced atmospheric deposition that impacts Arctic marine wildlife and humans. It has been difficult to estimate RM dry deposition, because RM concentrations, compounds, and their deposition velocities are ill-defined. Here, we investigate RM concentrations sampled with membrane-based methods and find these to exceed denuder-based RM detection by 5 times at the Zeppelin Observatory on Svalbard (March 26–July 24, 2019). Measured dry deposition of gaseous oxidized Hg was about half of the modeled RM deposition, demonstrating that particulate-bound Hg was an important component of dry deposition. Using thermal membrane desorption, RM chemistry was found to be dominated by Hg–Cl/Br (51%) and Hg–N (45%) compounds. Back-trajectory analysis indicated that Hg–Br/Cl compounds were predominantly advected from within the marine boundary layer (sea ice exposure), while Hg–N originated from the free troposphere. Weekly average RM compound-specific dry deposition velocities ranged from 0.12 to 0.49 cm s–1, with a net RM dry deposition of 1.9 μg m–2 (1.5–2.5 μg m–2; 95% confidence interval) that exceeds the mean annual Hg wet deposition flux in Svalbard. Overall, we find that springtime atmospheric RM deposition has been underestimated in the Arctic marine environment.
Programme: 1028
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Sophie M. Dupont, Christophe Barbraud, Olivier Chastel, Karine Delord, Charline Parenteau, Colette Trouvé, Frédéric Angelier. (2021). “Home alone!” influence of nest parental attendance on offspring behavioral and hormonal stress responses in an Antarctic seabird, the snow petrel (Pagodroma nivea) (Vol. 131).
Abstract: In altricial species, parents brood their chicks constantly before leaving them unattended sometimes for extended periods when they become thermally independent. During this second phase, there is sometimes important inter-individual differences in parental attendance and the fitness costs and benefits of parental strategies have previously been extensively investigated. However, the impact of parental presence on offspring behaviors and stress physiology has been overlooked. Here, we examined the influence of parental presence on offspring hormonal and behavioral stress sensitivities in snow petrel chicks. We demonstrated for the first time in a wild bird species that attended chicks had lower stress-induced corticosterone levels and a lower probability to show defensive behavior compared to the alone chicks. This reduced stress sensitivity is certainly explained by the well-known link between corticosterone and nutritional status, and by the recent delivery of meals to the attended chicks and the improvement of their nutritional status. It may also be explained by the parental protection against predators or inclement weather, or/and by the psychosocial comfort of parental presence for the offspring. Overall, these results suggest that the presence of a parent in the nest reduces offspring stress sensitivity in wild birds. Further studies would now be required to disentangle the impact of nutritional status and parental presence on stress sensitivity and to better understand the potential impact of parental presence and circulating corticosterone levels on growth and cognitive development in wild birds.
Keywords: Corticosterone stress response Defensive behavior Offspring stress sensitivity Parental presence
Programme: 109
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Sindre H. Eldøy, Jan G. Davidsen, Matthias Vignon, Michael Power. (2021). The biology and feeding ecology of Arctic charr in the Kerguelen Islands (Vol. 98).
Abstract: Subsequent to their introduction in the 1950s, Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus have been able to establish a self-sustaining population that has adapted to the unique conditions of the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands. Here, 48 individuals (198–415 mm) were caught with gillnets and their basic biology and feeding ecology were examined using stable isotope analysis. The Lac des Fougères population split use of littoral and pelagic resources evenly, although larger fish relied more heavily on littoral production and appear to follow the size-dependent life history habitat template seen in many Scandinavian lakes where smaller sized individuals occupy the pelagic zone and larger individuals dominate the littoral habitat. In Kerguelen, Arctic charr mature at the same ages (5.6 years) as Arctic charr in both sub-Arctic and Arctic lakes. Although mortality was average in comparison to comparator sub-Arctic lakes, it was high in comparison to Arctic lakes. Maximal age (>7+) was at the lower end of the range typically seen in sub-Arctic lakes. Although they inhabit a resource-poor environment, Kerguelen Arctic charr showed no evidence of cannibalism. Thus, while Arctic charr can survive and reproduce in the relatively unproductive Kerguelen lake environments, survival and growth nevertheless appear to be traded off against survival and longevity. The uniqueness of the population location and the recency of its introduction suggest that further monitoring of the population has the potential to yield valuable insights into both the adaptability of the species and its likely responses to ongoing large-scale environmental change as represented by climate change.
Programme: 1041
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Simon Véron, Carlos Rodrigues-Vaz, Elise Lebreton, Claudine Ah-Peng, Vincent Boullet, Hervé Chevillotte, Stephan Robbert Gradstein, Joël Jérémie, Elisabeth Lavocat Bernard, Marc Lebouvier, Jean-Yves Meyer, Jérôme Munzinger, Odile Poncy, Louis Thouvenot, Guillaume Viscardi, Guillaume Léotard, Olivier Gargominy, Sébastien Leblond, Marc Pignal, Germinal Rouhan, Sandrine Tercerie, Vanessa Invernon, Serge Muller. (2021). An assessment of the endemic spermatophytes, pteridophytes and bryophytes of the French Overseas Territories: towards a better conservation outlook (Vol. 30).
Abstract: A broad range of climatic and biogeographical conditions are represented in the French Overseas Territories, from sub-polar to equatorial, resulting in a high diversity of endemic species. We mobilized data from herbaria, floras, checklists, literature, the expertise of botanists and plant ecologists to compile the most complete dataset on endemic vascular plants and bryophytes in the 15 French Overseas Territories. To date, 3748 spermatophytes (seed plants), 244 pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes) and 448 bryophytes are strictly endemic to the overseas territories. New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Réunion harbour the highest numbers of strictly endemic species, yet French Guiana and the French Antilles harbour high numbers of regional endemic species due to their proximity with other territories. The endemic flora of these territories is highly threatened. In particular, 51% of strictly endemic spermatophytes are threatened and many species at risk belong to Rubiaceae and Orchidaceae families. Around 82% and 69% of strict and regional endemic spermatophytes and pteridophytes are found in the Paris herbaria. Only 34% of endemic bryophytes have their label information fully databased so that their total number in Paris herbaria is not known. Databasing the remaining specimens in the collection will greatly enhance future research and conservation projects. To facilitate the use of the information we compiled, we provide a publicly searchable dataset of the checklist. This study not only provides a picture of the flora of French overseas territories; it also identifies gaps in knowledge on which future research efforts in systematics, ecology and conservation could focus.
Programme: 136
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Simon Thomas, Pierre-Louis Blelly, Aurelie Marchaudon, Julian Eisenbeis, Samuel Bird. (2021). Simulating the Response of the Ionosphere in IPIM to Extreme Space Weather (Vol. 2021).
Abstract: The IRAP Plasmasphere Ionosphere Model (IPIM) is an ionospheric model which describes the transport equations of ionospheric plasma species along magnetic closed field lines. As input, the previous iteration of IPIM used basic models to provide estimations of the solar wind conditions, convection, and precipitation within the ionosphere. In this presentation, we discuss the development of a new operational version of IPIM as part of the EUHFORIA project to monitor and forecast space weather conditions and hazards. The developments of the model include using in-situ solar wind observations from the OMNI data set, ionospheric radar data of plasma motions from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), and precipitation data from the Ovation model, as inputs to the model. A new conductivity module for low latitudes has also been developed for help in the simulation of geomagnetically induced currents. We present the first results from the latest IPIM version which explore the ionosphere's response to different solar wind conditions, before focussing on an extreme coronal mass ejection on 14th July 2012 with clear magnetic cloud and southward magnetic field. For this event, we explore simulations of important plasma properties of the ionosphere and compare with previous model iterations and all available observations and hence describe the skill of using IPIM as a space weather forecasting tool.
Programme: 312
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Sébastien Descamps, Benjamin Merkel, Hallvard Strøm, Rémi Choquet, Harald Steen, Jérome Fort, Maria Gavrilo, David Grémillet, Dariusz Jakubas, Kurt Jerstad, Nina J. Karnovsky, Yuri V. Krasnov, Børge Moe, Jorg Welcker, Katarzyna Wojczulanis-Jakubas. (2021). Sharing wintering grounds does not synchronize annual survival in a high Arctic seabird, the little auk (Vol. 676).
Abstract: Sharing the same wintering grounds by avian populations breeding in various areas may synchronize fluctuations in vital rates, which could increase the risk of extinction. Here, by combining multi-colony tracking with long-term capture-recapture data, we studied the winter distribution and annual survival of the most numerous Arctic seabird, the little auk Alle alle. We assessed whether little auks from different breeding populations in Svalbard and Franz Josef Land use the same wintering grounds and if this leads to synchronized survival. Our results indicate that birds from the Svalbard colonies shared similar wintering grounds, although differences existed in the proportion of birds from each colony using the different areas. Little auks from Franz Josef Land generally spent the winter in a separate area, but some individuals wintered in the Iceland Sea with Svalbard populations. Survival data from 3 Svalbard colonies collected in 2005-2018 indicated that sharing wintering grounds did not synchronize little auk annual survival rates. However, it is clear that the Iceland Sea is an important wintering area for little auks, and environmental changes in this area could have widespread impacts on many populations.
Keywords: Alle alle Capture-mark-recapture Geolocator Migration Non-breeding distribution Synchrony
Programme: 388
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Scott A. Shaffer, Pierre Blévin, Christophe Barbraud, Olivier Chastel, Henri Weimerskirch. (2021). Comparative egg attendance patterns of incubating polar petrels (Vol. 9).
Abstract: The internal environment of eggs in most birds is regulated by transferring heat energy through contact incubation, maintaining nest microclimate, and frequent egg turning by the incubating parent on its nest. However, we lack information about egg attendance patterns in birds that breed in polar environments where variations in life history are expected to influence incubation behavior. Moreover, crevice/burrow nesting petrels in high-latitude regions are known for periodically leaving their egg unattended (hereafter ‘egg neglect’), but there is little reporting on the internal condition of unattended eggs. At Dumont d’Urville Station, Antarctica, we studied the incubation behavior of 24 snow (Pagodroma nivea) and 15 Cape (Daption capense) petrel pairs using egg loggers that recorded egg turning rates, orientation changes, and temperatures at 1 Hz for durations of 3–6 days.
Keywords: Biologging Cape petrel Egg neglect Egg temperatures Egg turning rates Snow petrel
Programme: 109
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