Temporal variation in trophic relationships among three congeneric penguin species breeding in sympatry.

ABSTRACT: Penguins are a monophyletic group in which many species are found breeding sympatrically, raising questions regarding how these species coexist successfully. Here, the isotopic niche of three sympatric pygoscelid penguin species was investigated at Powell Island, South Orkney Islands, during two breeding seasons (austral summers 2013-2014 and 2015-2016). Measurements of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) stable isotope ratios were obtained from blood (adults) or feather (chicks) samples collected from Adélie Pygoscelis adeliae, chinstrap P. antarctica, and gentoo P. papua penguins. Isotopic niche regions (a proxy for the realized trophic niches) were computed to provide estimates of the trophic niche width of the studied species during the breeding

SUBMITTER: Tarroux A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5901183 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature