King penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus diving and breeding behavior in years with contrasting prey availability at South Georgia : State-dependent allocation of time, body mass and diving effort: Sub-optimal life-history decisions in King penguins
Institution: | University of Oslo |
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Department: | |
Year: | 1000 |
Keywords: | VDP::488 |
Record ID: | 1281898 |
Full text PDF: | https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/11729 |
During three subsequent reproductive seasons with contrasting food availability, the King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus responses were monitored in a small colony at Husvik, South Georgia. Observations of metal flipper rings were complemented with transponder implants; automatically scaling and time-depth recorders. Three central life-history parameters were studied: (1) Body reserves adjustments, (2) allocation of time and (3) off shore foraging (diving) behaviour. During the last season, poor food condition forced the birds to make state-dependent decisions that maximised foraging effort and squeezed time budgets, in order to maintain body mass. However, and contrary to life-history theory, at the cost of future fecundity.