Ancient DNA Helps Reconstruct Penguin History

 

Ancient DNA helps reconstruct penguin history from the Stone Age to the present day



Scientists have used ancient DNA to help reconstruct 6,000 years of penguin history at the South Pole.

The researchers found that Adélie penguins had taken over the habitat of southern elephant seals around 1,400 years ago when the climate cooled and sea ice expanded in Cape Hallett, a protected area in eastern Antarctica.

The scientists from Australia, China, New Zealand and the United States said the findings showed that the Antarctic ecosystem was highly sensitive to climate change, and understanding its history could help predict the impact of future shifts in temperature and develop conservation policies.

Adélie penguins are only found in the Antarctic and are the smallest species of penguin there.

The team collected and sequenced 156 sediment samples from active and abandoned Adélie penguin colonies in Ross Island and East Victoria Land coastlines in Antarctica.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications on Wednesday, found that Adélie penguins were the most common vertebrates in the area, followed by the gull-like south polar skua.

“South polar skua commonly nest in the vicinity of Adélie penguin colonies and are a major predator and scavenger of penguin chicks,” they said.

They also found traces of the Wilson’s storm petrel, a small seabird, and various species of seals – including the Weddell seal, leopard seal and southern elephant seals.

The study said the latter species had seen their numbers increase during a warmer spell – sometime between 2,500 and 1,000 years ago – when the levels of sea ice reduced.

But when the ice caps started to expand again, this kept the seals away from Cape Hallett, giving the penguins more room to expand their numbers.

Co-first author Zhou Chengran, a researcher at BGI Research, said the DNA recovered from sediments had been well-preserved thanks to the cold environment in Antarctica.

“Antarctica is like a vast cold storage facility, where ancient DNA is kept relatively intact, allowing us to obtain rather complete information about past ecosystems. This is unlike the often fragmented DNA samples found in soil in temperate regions or near the equator,” she said.

The team also observed shifts in penguins’ diet, which suggested that climate-driven changes in sea ice had reshaped marine habitats and the availability of prey.

About 4,000 years ago, a key prey of the penguins – a shallow-water fish called the bald notothen – began to decline, probably because of changes in the marine environment.

The scientists concluded this had caused them to turn to midwater species such as Antarctic silverfish and green icefish as their main food sources.

They also found that penguins near the south consumed more fish, while those in northern regions preferred krill.

Study author Li Qiye, also from BGI Research, said studying ancient Antarctic ecology informed our understanding of the Earth’s history and helped address environmental and climate issues.

“The study reveals how species adapted to past environmental changes. By analysing the historical distribution and diet of Adélie penguins and southern elephant seals, we can predict their responses to future climate change and develop effective conservation strategies,” he said.

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