Meeting Abstract
Penguin populations have been declining in Antarctica for the last three decades. Populations of Chinstrap and Adélie penguins alone have decreased by 1.1 and 3.4 % per year respectively. Antarctic penguins are highly susceptible to the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in their tissues as a result of their intense feeding activity during the short Antarctic summer. Since 1966, penguins have been assessed for levels of POPs, which are toxic chemicals found in pesticides, flame retardants, industrial byproducts, and burned waste. POPs are transported to Antarctica via atmospheric circulation, where they are deposited and readily accumulate in biological tissues. Can penguins be used as bioindicators of the spatial and temporal patters of deposition of POPs in Antarctica? We conducted a meta-analysis of existing, published data on POPs in Antarctic penguins. Concentrations of POPs in different tissues from the same individuals were compared to obtain bio-accumulative ratios amongst tissue types, allowing the tissue types analyzed in different studies to be compared. Comparisons among three penguin species suggest patterns of accumulation are driven by differences in feeding behavior. Spatial and temporal trends in penguin bioaccumulation were used to infer levels of pollution in the Antarctic ecosystem. Regions of Antarctica with the highest levels of POPs were identified with potential implications for penguin populations over the coming decades to centuries.
