From sea to land： assessment of the bio-transport of phosphorus by penguins in Antarctica

• Published in: Chinese journal of oceanology and limnology Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 148 - 154
• Main Author: 秦先燕 孙立广 BLAIS Jules M. 王玉宏 黄涛 黄温 谢周清
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 2014; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: adults; animal manures; Antarctica; Aquatic birds; Biogeochemical cycle; Biogeochemical cycles; Breeding; Chemistry; Dung; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ecosystems; Guano; Marine; Marine ecosystems; Marine mammals; Oceanography; Oceans; penguins; Phosphorus; Phosphorus cycle; Seabirds; Seawater; terrestrial ecosystems; 企鹅; 南极洲; 海洋生态系统; 生物地球化学循环; 磷; 评估; 转运; 陆地生态系统; Antarctica; PS, Antarctica; PSE, Antarctica, Victoria Land, Ross I; PSW, Antarctica, South Shetland Is., Ardley I; PSE, Antarctica, Princess Elizabeth Land, Vestfold Hills; phosphorus cycle; guano; sea-land ecosystem; penguin; Southern Ocean
• ISSN: 0254-4059; 2096-5508; 1993-5005; 2523-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s00343-014-3115-5

In Antarctica, the marine ecosystem is dynamically interrelated with the terrestrial ecosystem. An example of the link between these two ecosystems is the biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus. Bio- vectors, such as penguins, transport phosphorus from sea to land, play a key role in this cycle. In this paper, we selected three colonies of penguins, the most important seabirds in Antarctica, and computed the annual quantity of phosphorus transferred from sea to land by these birds. Our results show that adult penguins from colonies at Ardley Island, the Vestfold Hills, and Ross Island could transfer phosphorus in the form of guano at up to 12 349, 167 036, and 97 841 kg/a, respectively, over their breeding period. These quantities are equivalent to an annual input of 3.96× 10^9-1.63 × 10^10 kg of seawater to the land of Antarctica. Finally, we discuss the impact of phosphorus on the ice-flee areas of the Antarctica.