When sea-ice declines, so does the population of Adelie penguins, making this species a predictive indicator of the effects of global warming. This book summarizes our present ecological knowledge of this species: its biology, behavior, and ecology within the Antarctic ecosystem; the ecological factors important to its life history; and details of the mechanisms by which it is responding to climate change. The narrative is complemented by richly written texts from the earliest Antarctic naturalists, fine illustrations from the accomplished artist Lucia deLeiris, and photographs by the author.

BIOMASS (Biological Investigations of Marine Antarctic Systems and Stocks) was a unique, large-scale, long-term, international research programme established in 1977 to investigate the ecology of the Southern Ocean. Its main aim was to gain a greater understanding of the biological systems and stocks in the marine Antarctic environment, thereby providing a sound basis for the future management of the living resources within this immense ocean. The programme was drawn to a close in 1991 and its completion marked by a colloquium which brought together key researchers to summarise and review the results obtained. This volume, arising from that colloquium, provides a succinct, state-of-the-art account of the ecology of the Southern Ocean and serves as a comprehensive record of this unique and successful international project.

The ocean as a habitat, the changing marine environment, the world ocean, classification of the marine environment. Patterns of association. Mircrobial heterotrophs and invertebrates. Marine verterbrates, fishes and reptiles. the deep sea floor.

Examining avian physiology in detail, this text specifically addresses the unique physiological characteristics of birds, although experimental techniques and future research directions are also considered.

Since its discovery Antarctica has held a deep fascination for biologists. Extreme environmental conditions, seasonality and isolation have lead to some of the most striking examples of natural selection and adaptation on Earth. Paradoxically, some of these adaptations may pose constraints on the ability of the Antarctic biota to respond to climate change. Parts of Antarctica are showing some of the largest changes in temperature and other environmental conditions in the world. In this volume, published in association with the Royal Society, leading polar scientists present a synthesis of the latest research on the biological systems in Antarctica, covering organisms from microbes to vertebrate higher predators. This book comes at a time when new technologies and approaches allow the implications of climate change and other direct human impacts on Antarctica to be viewed at a range of scales; across entire regions, whole ecosystems and down to the level of species and variation within their genomes. Chapters address both Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and the scientific and management challenges of the future are explored.