Summary
Adélie penguin survival is influenced by a variety of processes operating at different spatial and temporal scales. For example, previous research shows that penguin survival is related to the marine ice environment through the indirect effect that ice has on their access to food. During the winter months, extreme northward sea-ice extent and minimal sea-ice extent are thought to negatively affect their ability to reach optimal winter foraging grounds for some populations. Penguin survival can also be related to their condition during the previous breeding season, predation and their success at breeding, and there is evidence that survival varies with penguin age with the younger penguins being more susceptible. In this talk we present results in which we examine survival of the Béchervaise Island Adélie penguin population in relation to a range of direct factors and mediating influences including population parameters which indicate the condition of the breeding season immediately prior winter as well as variables of the marine ice environment at various times during the winter months. Our analyses show a clear indication that survival is linked with the sea-ice environment in their presumed winter foraging grounds but that the relationship and importance of the physical marine environment varies according to penguin age. These results are a product of efforts from the annual monitoring of Adélie penguins at Béchervaise Island near Mawson Station since 1990 as part of Australia’s contribution to the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program.