Penguin Helpers

King penguins could help scientists monitor the effects of climate change. Scientists at the University of Birmingham are investigating whether the penguins can be used as bio-indicators.

"If penguins are traveling further or diving deeper for food, that tells us something about the availability of particular fish in regions of the Antarctic," said one of the researchers Lewis Halsey who presented study results at the annual meeting of the Society for Experimental Biology in Glasgow.

"We may be able to assess the pressure exerted by king penguins on this ecosystem, and look at the effects of both climate change and over-fishing in this region of the world," Halsey added.

King penguins are good candidates as bio-indicators for several reasons. For instance, while foraging they cover hundreds of kilometers and dive to depths of several hundred meters, so they explore large swaths of the Southern Oceans. Plus, since they come ashore to molt, the penguins are accessible to researchers. Since their diets are well known, scientists can keep track of certain fish populations by monitoring the penguins' health and food consumption.

In the recent study, Halsey and colleagues figured out the relationship between heart rate and energy expenditure using lab experiments. Then, they implanted heart-rate monitors in a group of penguins and sent them off to sea. As the heart-rate information rolls in, the researchers can determine whether the penguins have to work harder when food is scarce.

--LiveScience Staff

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Credit: Lewis Halsey