Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spatial and temporal variation in the diet of the gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) at Kerguelen Islands

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Benthic divers are dependent on local resources and may therefore adopt different foraging strategies to cope with their energetic requirements in varying situations. We investigated the diet of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at Kerguelen Islands, comparing its spatial and temporal variations with the general prey distribution. The study was conducted at four sites over 2 years. In total, 212 stomach contents were collected over the entire breeding season. The diet was composed mainly of neritic fish and crustaceans, with important spatial and seasonal variations. Fish dominated the diet at localities facing the open sea (from 38.0% to 94.6% by mass), whereas crustaceans dominated at the more protected site (84.3% by mass). Fish were more abundant in the winter diet and Euphausia vallentini, the major crustacean species, was more abundant in the summer diet. No inter-year variations were detected. These results are consistent with local prey availability, and highlight the large plasticity of the gentoo penguin diet and foraging behaviour.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2a,b
Fig. 3a,b
Fig. 4a,b
Fig. 5a,b

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams NJ, Klages NT (1989) Temporal variation in the diet of the gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Colon Waterbirds 12:30–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Blain S, Tréguer P, Belviso S, Bucciarelli E, Denis M, Desabre S, Fiala M, Martin Jézéquel V, Le Fèvre J, Mayzaud P, Marty J-C, Razouls S (2001) A biogeochemical study of the island mass effect in the context of the iron hypothesis: Kerguelen Islands, Southern Ocean. Deep Sea Res 48:163–187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bocher P, Cherel Y, Labat J-P, Mayzaud P, Razouls S, Jouventin P (2001) Amphipod-based food web: Themisto gaudichaudii caught in nets and by seabirds in Kerguelen waters, southern Indian Ocean. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 223:261–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Bost CA, Jouventin P (1990) Evolutionary ecology of the gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua. In: Davis L, Darby J (eds) Penguins biology. Academic, San Diego, pp 85–112

  • Bost CA, Koubbi P, Genevois F, Ruchon L, Ridoux V (1994) Gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua diet as an indicator of planktonic availability in the Kerguelen Islands. Polar Biol 14:147–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Bost CA, Georges JY, Guinet C, Cherel Y, Charassin JB, Handrich Y, Zorn T, Lage J, Le Maho Y (1997) Foraging habitat and food intake of satellite-tracked king penguins during the austral summer at Crozet Archipelago. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 150:21–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Cairns DK (1992) Bridging the gap between ornithology and fisheries science: use of seabird data in stock assessment models. Condor 94:811–824

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherel Y, Ridoux V (1992) Prey species and nutritive value of food fed during summer to king penguin Aptenodytes patagonica chicks at Possession Island, Crozet Archipelago. Ibis 134:118–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherel Y, Weimerskirch H (2003) The spawning cycle of onychoteuthid squids in the southern Indian Ocean: new information from seabirds predators. Mar Ecol Prog Ser (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherel Y, Weimerskirch H, Trouvé C (2000) Food and feeding ecology of the neritic-slope forager black-browed albatross and its relationships with commercial fisheries in Kerguelen waters. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 207:183–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherel Y, Bocher P, De Broyer C, Hobson KA (2002a) Food and feeding ecology of the sympatric thin-billed Pachyptila belcheri and Antarctic P-desolata prions at Iles Kerguelen, Southern Indian Ocean. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 228:263–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherel Y, Bocher P, Trouvé C, Weimerskirch H (2002b) Diet and feeding ecology of blue petrels Halobaena caerulea at Iles Kerguelen, Southern Indian Ocean. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 228:283–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke ML (1986) A handbook for the identification of cephalopod beaks. Clarendon, Oxford

  • Clausen A, Pütz K (2002) Recent trends in diet composition and productivity of gentoo, magellanic and rockhopper penguins in the Falkland Islands. Aquat Conserv 12:51–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coria N, Libertelli M, Casaux R, Darrieu C (2000) Inter-annual variation in the autumn diet of the gentoo penguin at Laurie Island, Antarctica. Waterbirds 23:511–517

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall JP, Prince PA (1980a) Food, feeding ecology and ecological segregation of seabirds at South Georgia. Biol J Linn Soc 14:103–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall JP, Prince PA (1980b) The food of gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua and macaroni penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus at South Georgia. Ibis 122:245–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Delille B, Delille D, Fiala M, Prevost C, Frankignoulle M (2000) Seasonal changes of pCO2 over a subantarctic Macrocystis kelp bed. Polar Biol 23:706–716

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duhamel G (1987) Ichtyofaune des Secteurs Indien Occidental et Atlantique Oriental de l’océan austral: Biogéographie, cycles biologiques et dynamique des populations. PhD Thesis, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris

  • Duhamel G (1993) Distribution, abondance et principales caractéristiques biologiques des espèces de la ZEE des îles Kerguelen en 1987 et 1988. In: Duhamel G (ed) Campagnes SKALP 1987 et 1988 aux îles Kerguelen à bord des navires “SKIF” et “KALPER”. Rapp Camp Mer Publ IFRTP 93–01:194–251

  • Duhamel G (1995) New data on spawning, hatching and growth of Champsocephalus gunnari on the shelf of the Kerguelen Islands. CCAMLR Sci 2:221–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Green K, Williams R, Green MG (1998) Foraging ecology and diving behaviour of macaroni penguins Eudyptes chrysolophus at Heard Island. Mar Ornithol 26:27–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Grémillet D, Argentin G, Schulte B, Culik BM (1998) Flexible foraging techniques in breeding cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo and shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis: benthic or pelagic feeding? Ibis 140:113–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Hecht T (1987) A guide to the otoliths of Southern ocean fishes. S Afr J Antarct Res 17:1–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Hindell MA (1989) The diet of gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua at Macquarie Island: winter and early breeding season. Emu 89:71–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Kato A, Williams TD, Barton TR, Rodwell S (1991) Short-term variation in the winter diet of gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua at South Georgia during July 1989. Mar Ornithol 19:31–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Kato A, Watanuki Y, Nishiumi I, Kuroki M, Shaughnessy P, Naito Y (2000) Variation in foraging and parental behavior of king cormorants. Auk 117:718–730

    Google Scholar 

  • Klages NTW, Pemberton D, Gales RP (1990) The diets of king and gentoo penguins at Heard Island. Aust Wildl Res 17:53–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Koubbi P (1992) L’Ichtyoplancton de la partie Indienne de la province Kerguelenienne (bassin de Crozet et plateau de Kerguelen): identification, distribution spatio-temporelle et stratégies de développement larvaire. PhD Thesis, Université de Paris VI

  • Koubbi P (1993) Influence of the frontal zones on ichthyoplankton and mesopelagic fish assemblages in the Crozet Basin (Indian sector of the Southern Ocean). Polar Biol 13:557–564

    Google Scholar 

  • Koubbi P, Duhamel G, Hebert C (2000) Role of bay, fjord and seamount on the early life history of Lepidonotothen squamifrons from the Kerguelen Islands. Polar Biol 23:459–465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koubbi P, Duhamel G, Hebert C (2001) Seasonal relative abundance of fish larvae inshore at Iles Kerguelen, Southern Ocean. Antarct Sci 13:385–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Montevecchi WA (1993) Birds as indicators of change in marine prey stocks. In: Furness RW, Greenwood JJD (eds) Chapman & Hall, London, pp 217–266

  • Pakhomov EA (1993) Macroplankton of the waters contiguous to the Kerguelen Archipelago. In: Duhamel G (ed) Campagnes SKALP 1987 et 1988 aux îles Kerguelen à bord des navires “SKIF” et “KALPER”. Rapp Camp Mer Publ IFRTP 93–01:104–112

  • Park YH, Gambéroni L, Charriaud E (1993) Frontal structure, water masses, and circulation in the Crozet basin. J Geophys Res 97:12361–12385

    Google Scholar 

  • Perissinotto R (1989) The structure and diurnal variations of the zooplankton of the Prince Edwards Islands: implications for the biomass build-up of higher trophic levels. Polar Biol 9:505–510

    Google Scholar 

  • Razouls S, Koubbi P, Mayzaud P (1996) Spatio-temporal distribution of mesozooplankton in a sub-Antarctic coastal basin of the Kerguelen Archipelago (southern Indian Ocean). Polar Biol 16:581–587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Razouls S, De Bovée F, Delille D, Fiala M, Mayzaud P (1997) Temporal variability of bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton assemblages of the sub-Antarctic Morbihan Bay (Kerguelen Archipelago). In: Battaglia B, Valencia V, Wlaton DWH (eds) Antarctic communities: species, structure and survival. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 86–92

  • Riaux-Gobin C, Bourgoin P (2002) Microphytobenthos biomass at Kerguelen’s Land (Subantarctic Indian Ocean): repartition and variability during austral summers. J Mar Syst 32:295–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ridoux V (1988) Subantarctic krill Euphausia vallentini preyed upon by penguins around Crozet Islands (Southern Indian Ocean): population structure and avian cycle. J Plankton Res 10:675–690

    Google Scholar 

  • Ridoux V (1994) The diets and dietary segregation of seabirds at the subantarctic Crozet Islands. Mar Ornithol 22:1–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson SA, Hindell MA (1996) Foraging ecology of gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua at Macquarie Island during the period of chick care. Ibis 138:722–731

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1995) Biometry, 3rd edn. Freeman, San Francisco

  • Tremblay Y, Cherel Y (2000) Benthic and pelagic dives: a new foraging behaviour in rockhopper penguins. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 204:257–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Volkman NJ, Jazdzewski K, Kittel W, Trivelpiece WZ (1980) Diets of Pygoscelis penguins at King George Island, Antarctica. Condor 82:373–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Wanless S, Grémillet D, Harris MP (1998) Foraging activity and performance of shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis in relation to environmental characteristics. J Avian Biol 29:49–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Weimerskirch H, Zotier R, Jouventin P (1989) The avifauna of the Kerguelen Islands. Emu 89:15–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams TD (1991) Foraging ecology and diet of gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua at South Georgia during the winter and an assessment of their winter prey consumption. Ibis 133:3–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams TD (1995) Introduction. In: Williams TD (ed) The penguins: Spheniscidae, birds families of the world series. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 3–9

  • Williams TD, Kato A, Croxall JP, Naito Y, Briggs DR, Rodwell S, Barton TR (1992) Diving pattern and performance in nonbreeding gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) during winter. Auk 109:223–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RP (1984) An improved stomach pump for penguins and other seabirds. J Field Ornithol 55:109–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RP, Peters G (1999) Foraging behaviour of the chinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarctica at Ardley Island, Antarctica. Mar Ornithol 27:85–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises, the Institut Polaire Paul Emile Victor and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. We would like to express our thanks to the members of the 37th and 39th missions at Kerguelen, and especially to F. Genevois, for their assistance during the study. We are grateful to Dr. G. Duhamel and Dr. P. Koubbi for their help in data interpretation. D. Grémillet and two anonymous reviewers provided helpful comments on previous versions of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre d’Ecologie et Physiologie Energétiques—CNRS, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 , Strasbourg Cedex 2, France

    Amélie Lescroël & Charles André Bost

  2. Laboratoire de Biologie et Environnement Marins, Université de La Rochelle, avenue Michel Crépeau, 17042 , La Rochelle, France

    Vincent Ridoux

Authors
  1. Amélie Lescroël
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vincent Ridoux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Charles André Bost
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amélie Lescroël.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lescroël, A., Ridoux, V. & Bost, C.A. Spatial and temporal variation in the diet of the gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) at Kerguelen Islands. Polar Biol 27, 206–216 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-003-0571-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-003-0571-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation