The Adélie penguin is one of the best-studied birds in the world
and is the subject of research programs from a dozen nations
interested in monitoring changes in the environment and the food
webs of the Southern Ocean. This species' population has been
changing dramatically over the past few decades coincident with a
general warming of the maritime portion of Antarctica. When the
sea-ice is seen to decline so does the population of Adélie
penguins. Further south, however, the population is increasing.
This book summarizes our present ecological knowledge of this
polar seabird. In so doing, David Ainley describes the ecological
factors important to its life history and details the mechanisms by
which it is responding to climate change. The author also
chronicles the history of research on Adélie penguins, beginning
with the heroic expeditions at the beginning of the twentieth
century.
Weaving together history, ecology, natural history, and written
accounts from the earliest Antarctic naturalists into a fascinating
account of this charismatic bird, The Adélie Penguin
provides a foundation upon which future ornithological research and
environmental monitoring can be based. It is a model for
investigations into the effect of climate change on a particular
species. The book also contains many fine illustrations from the
accomplished illustrator Lucia deLeiris and photographs by the
author.