ENGLISH

Skua and Penguin: Predator and Prey (Studies in Polar Research)

By Euan Young

Book information

Year
2005
ISBN
0521018137, 9780511565311, 9780521322515, 9780521018135
Open Library ID
OL7713493M
Language
english
Format
DJVU
Filesize
5 MB (4961113 bytes)
Pages
472\466
Topic
Education
Time added
2011-06-04 13:46:07

Description

Areas of barren rock and scree around the edge of Antarctica provide a breeding ground for two of the continent's most well-known species of bird: the south polar skua and the Adelie penguin. This book considers the relationship between these two species, taking as its study site Ross Island. The author challenges the traditional view, through detailed observations of the foraging ecology of the skua, that they are totally dependant on penguin eggs and chicks for food. In addition, studies of the impact of skuas on penguin breeding and the extent to which the skua breeding cycle is functionally related to that of the penguin provide further evidence to suggest that the two species occur together independently as a consequence of limited breeding space, rather than as a result of a distinct predator-prey relationship.

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