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As part of its participation in the 61st Antarctic Scientific Expedition (ECA61) of INACH, the team from the UC Molecular Biodiversity Laboratory, led by Dr. Juliana Vianna, crossed the Antarctic Circle to enhance the surveillance and monitoring of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in the frozen continent.

Punta Arenas.—Under strict biosecurity measures and in coordination with the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), the Chilean Navy, Army, and Air Force, scientists Dr. Fabiola León, Claudia Ulloa, and Carolina Márquez embarked on their scientific journey aboard the Betanzos vessel, operated by DAP. Their mission is to collect samples and conduct laboratory analyses as part of their work at the UC Molecular Biodiversity Laboratory, led by Dr. Juliana Vianna (BASE/CRG, Lili, UC Institute for Sustainable Development), in collaboration with the Millennium Institute BASE.

“After successfully detecting positive cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in Antarctica during the ECA60 expedition of INACH in January 2024, we have been working diligently to analyze samples and coordinate research teams studying birds such as penguins, cormorants, and skuas in Antarctica,” says Dr. Juliana Vianna, a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Ecology and a faculty member at UC.

The Antarctic scientist, who also serves as the deputy director of the Millennium Institute CRG, highlights the importance of studying wildlife health in Antarctica due to the connectivity between species and the continent’s crucial role in global ecosystem balance. “The migration and movement of species can influence the spread of avian influenza, potentially increasing mortality rates. This underscores the importance of continuing field studies to monitor affected areas and species,” emphasizes Dr. Vianna.

The scientific work with birds in Antarctica aims to strengthen the surveillance and monitoring of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1).

Throughout 2023-2024, the collection and analysis of samples in Antarctica were coordinated by researchers Dr. Fabiola León (UC/BASE/CRG, Lili) and Eduardo Pizarro (UC/BASE/CRG), with international support from the vessel Le Commandant Charcot, operated by Ponant Cruises. In 2025, the research is being conducted aboard the Betanzos vessel, part of the DAP group, reaching beyond the Antarctic Circle into the so-called “deep Antarctica,” specifically in Lagotellerie Island and Aves Island in Margarita Bay.

“Our field experience has been essential in ensuring safe and rigorous scientific work under strict biosecurity measures. It is important to highlight that our campaigns cover a wide geographic range and are conducted at different times of the season, allowing for surveillance over a timeline that helps determine the status of avian influenza at various stages of the nesting season for both flying and non-flying birds,” says Dr. Fabiola León. Her research has taken her to sample emperor, Adélie, gentoo, and king penguins in locations such as Snow Hill Island, Danger Islands, Red Rock Ridge, Cape Hallett, and Sims Island.

Essential biosecurity measures

The “Prevention and Control Protocol for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Antarctica,” issued by the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), aligns with international recommendations from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). These biosecurity measures apply to all expeditions taking place from January to March 2025 in Antarctica and follow the “One Health” guidelines for preserving the health of the unique and fragile Antarctic ecosystem.

“The study of avian influenza and its evolution is essential for understanding viral dynamics and global public health. At our Millennium Institute BASE, we are committed to scientific excellence, working rigorously and collaboratively to address this constantly evolving phenomenon. High-quality science not only allows us to obtain accurate results but also provides the necessary tools to anticipate and mitigate risks associated with the spread of infectious diseases,” states Dr. Elie Poulin, director of the Millennium Institute for Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystem Biodiversity.

As part of these protective efforts, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) plays a crucial role. As indicated by the Chilean Institute of Public Health (ISP), PPE includes specialized gear, apparatus, or devices designed to protect the body—either partially or entirely—from specific risks. These measures help prevent occupational diseases, reduce accidents, and minimize their impacts.

Researchers Fabiola León, Claudia Ulloa, and Carolina Márquez wear biosecurity suits for sample collection in Antarctica.

The Millennium Institute BASE/UC/CRG research team emphasizes that in Antarctica, the use of masks, gloves, and coveralls protects both people and the living organisms inhabiting the region. “Introducing new pathogens from humans to birds and mammals or unintentionally transporting and spreading them from healthy colonies to other locations is a critical concern that requires extreme caution,” they note. Additionally, pre- and post-sampling cleaning of equipment before entering any area is a mandatory part of the daily protocol during field expeditions.

“Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a major concern within the international scientific community,” states Dr. Ricardo Jaña, head of INACH’s Scientific Department. “A special group has been organized to gather and analyze evidence across different Antarctic research sites, establishing an information system through reports,” he adds.

Jaña highlights that this effort extends beyond Chile, as other countries are also contributing data from their research expeditions. “South Korea has recently reported findings in the Fildes Peninsula area, and Chile, through its campaign in Margarita Bay, has also documented cases from different bird populations,” he notes.

INACH’s Scientific Department head and expert in Natural Resources/Glaciology affirms that “this concern extends beyond Antarctica.” “In the local region, a working group led by the Ministry of Agriculture has been established, with our colleague Marcelo González serving as an institutional representative,” he concludes.

Through tools such as infographics and specialized publications, the Chilean Antarctic Institute has provided guidelines and recommendations, which can be downloaded from https://www.inach.cl/expedicion-antartica/protocolo-influenza-aviar/.

Blood Sample Analysis in Penguins Helps Study Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1)

The early detection and epidemiological surveillance of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Antarctic Peninsula are being led by various virology and wildlife teams from the Chilean Antarctic Institute’s National Antarctic Science Program (PROCIEN). Since 2024, two avian influenza testing laboratories have been operating at Escudero Base and O’Higgins Base to support areas of national and international interest and establish connections with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) programs.

This initiative is complemented by Antarctic governance actions, where Chile is leading an intersessional contact group under the Antarctic Treaty on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. This group includes, for example, Dr. Luis Valentín Ferrada, a professor at the University of Chile and researcher at the Millennium Institute BASE.

A joint effort between universities, top-tier research institutes, and Antarctic operators underscores the significance of collaborative work and scientific research in Antarctica to understand and mitigate the risks associated with avian diseases in this unique region.

 

 

By: Nadia Politis
Photographs: Constanza Barrientos/Millennium Institute BASE

Aboard the French research vessel Le Soléal (Ponant Cruises) collaborative effort between PhD. Claudio González-Wevar (UACh/BASE/IDEAL) and Professor Hamish G. Spencer (University of Otago) combines expertise in molecular genomics, evolutionary biology, and biogeography to investigate the distribution, diversity, and evolutionary history of molluscs in the Southern Ocean’s unique and understudied ecosystems. The expedition aims to advance the understanding of subantarctic molluscs through detailed collection and study.

Marking their tenth expedition, the BASE Millennium Institute and Ponant Cruises continue groundbreaking research, this time on Macquarie, Stewart and Auckland Islands, led by PhD. González-Wevar, head of the Laboratory of Antarctic and Subantarctic Molecular Genomics and Ecology (LAGEMAS-UACh). The project is also strengthened by the expertise of Professor Hamish G. Spencer, Sesquicentennial Distinguished Professor from the Department of Zoology at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Together, the team focuses on sampling and analyzing intertidal ecosystems, highlighting the importance of these islands, which host key study groups such as mollusc species Nacella (e.g., terroris, macquariensis), Laevilitorina (e.g., mcphersonae, venusta), and Margarella (e.g., violacea, macquariensis), among others.

The scientific work involves sampling from the subantarctic intertidal zone. Image: Hamish Spencer

“The participation of PhD. Hamish Spencer from the University of Otago has been invaluable. His expertise enabled us to access Stewart Island and collect specimens for our studies”, González-Wevar adds. The expedition covers rare and remote locations, including Traills Bay, the Auckland Islands in New Zealand, and Macquarie Island in Australia. These areas offer unparalleled opportunities for understanding biodiversity and ecological dynamics.

Professor Hamish G. Spencer, underscores the significance of the research: “The biogeography of the Southern Ocean is fascinating and yet understudied. Nevertheless, we have long understood that the world’s strongest oceanic current, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), is the major physical player in the distribution of organisms in the subantarctic. In a long-standing collaboration with Professor Claudio González-Wevar of BASE, I am interested in understanding how long-distance dispersal in the ACC has shaped the marine biodiversity around the shores of the Southern Ocean. We have used molluscs as our model organisms and have previously collaborated on projects about limpets (Nacella and Siphonaria), topshells (Margarella), and periwinkles (Laevilacunaria and Laevilitorina)”.

Spencer elaborates on the mission’s goals: “We now want to expand our work to include more populations and species from the New Zealand and Australian subantarctic islands (Auckland, Campbell and Macquarie). These islands are especially important because they have acted as refugia for some species during past Ice Ages. We are aiming on this cruise to collect samples of all of the above genera, as well as some others for new projects (e.g., the bivalve Gaimardia). Our preliminary work on some of these groups suggests that there has been significant evolutionary radiation in this region, even though it is connected by long-distance dispersal to Patagonia, the Antarctic Peninsula, and the subantarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian sectors”.

The Auckland and Campbell Islands (New Zealand) and Macquarie Island (Australia) are key sites for scientific research.

 

A Partnership Driving Scientific Excellence

Since 2022, the collaboration between the BASE Millennium Institute and Ponant Cruises has paved the way for groundbreaking research. “This partnership allows us to conduct more and better science while strengthening ties with world-class research teams”, says PhD. Elie Poulin, director of the BASE Millennium Institute.

PhD. Claudio González-Wevar and Phd. Hamish Spencer embarking on a subantarctic expedition.
Image: C. González-Wevar

Together with Dr. Spencer, González-Wevar delves into population genetics, phenotypic plasticity, phylogenetics, and the unique characteristics of New Zealand molluscs. The Auckland, Campbell, and Macquarie Islands are pivotal to their work, particularly Macquarie Island, which UNESCO declared a World Heritage site in 1997. This island’s geological significance, as the only location where mantle rocks are exposed above sea level, underscores its importance for scientific inquiry.

Professor Spencer concludes: “The ultimate goal of our work is to explain the origin of intertidal and nearshore Southern Ocean biodiversity, especially the range of evolutionary outcomes, from widespread species to island-group endemics”.

UNESCO highlights New Zealand’s subantarctic islands as biodiversity hotspots where Antarctic and subtropical waters converge, fostering high marine productivity and unique ecosystems. “These islands boast significant endemism, especially among birds, plants, and invertebrates”, the organization points. This biodiversity underscores the global significance of research conducted by González-Wevar and his team.

 

By: Nadia Politis, BASE Millennium Institute

Main picture: French vessel Le Soléal, operated by Ponant Cruises. By Hamish Spencer.

The alternate director of the Millennium BASE Institute, Julieta Orlando, emphasized the significance of the white continent for the planet, during a keynote talk organized by the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the Universidad Católica del Maule.

BASE Millenium Institute associate researcher, PhD. Hugo Benítez, and alternate director of the BASE Millennium Institute, PhD. Julieta Orlando. Photo: BASE Millennium I.

“Protecting Antarctic biodiversity is important for humanity”. With this statement, the alternate director of the Millennium BASE Institute, Julieta Orlando, emphasized why the frozen continent is considered the heart of the planet, during a master lecture she gave at the Universidad Católica del Maule (UCM).

“While Antarc tica looks remote and isolated, it is very interconnected. What happens there can affect other latitudes, including permanent human settlements, and therefore the protection of that biodiversity not only takes care of that balance, but also the global one”, said the associate professor of the University of Chile in the activity organized by the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of Maule (CIEAM, in Spanish), belonging to the campus.

The event, which was attended by the dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences of the institution, Claudio Fredes, was aimed at commemorating Antarctica Month.

CIEAM Researcher, PhD. Alexis Castillo. Photo: Universidad Católica del Maule

“It is also important to maintain the balance in this territory because there are many resources within the biodiversity that are not yet known but could prove useful in the future”, stated the PhD of Sciences, who has made several contributions to polar research, considers both charismatic and well-known organisms, as well as imperceptible microorganisms that could mitigate climate change.

The scientist has participated in ten expeditions to the southernmost continent in the world, which celebrates its day every November 6, commemorating the milestone established by former President Pedro Aguirre Cerda when he defined the limits of the Chilean Antarctic Territory in 1940.

PhD. Julieta Orlando, alternate director of the BASE Millennium Institute. Photo: BASE Millennium I. / N. Politis

“The Chilean Antarctic Institute, INACH, envisions Antarctica being recognized not just on a specific day, but throughout a whole month, so that all people, even from Arica, Iquique or Antofagasta, can feel that this territory is an integral part of their country and the planet”, she emphasized.

In addition to Orlando, doctors Aparna Banerjee, Alexis Castillo and Felipe Gordillo, as well as the director of CIEAM and researcher at the Millennium BASE Institute, PhD. Hugo Benítez, shared their experiences on the white continent.

“The center has two Antarctic science projects that were awarded two years ago. With this event, we aimed to showcase our high-level research in the Antarctic environment, and invite students to participate of it with internships and doctoral or master’s theses”, said Benítez.

Click here to visit the CIEAM Website

By: Universidad Católica del Maule

Main picture: BASE Millennium I. / N. Politis

 

 

From October 24 to 26, 2023, more than a hundred scientific teams will meet at the Teaching and Research Assistance Center of the University of Magallanes (CADI-UMAG). Human footprints in Antarctica, biotechnology, climate change and international Antarctic law are part of the event’s themes.

Punta Arenas, June 2, 2023.- With the motto “Interdiscipline, Science and Future Scenarios”, researchers from all over Chile will meet from October 24 to 26 in Punta Arenas to exchange their advances in polar science and their challenges for the next years.

The eleventh version of the Chilean Congress of Antarctic Research, which after 19 years is once again taking place in this southern city, will also include tables on Antarctic Scientific Communication, Women in Antarctic Science and a keynote talk open to the public. In this way, the most important meeting of Chilean polar knowledge recovers its face-to-face character after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the previous version to be done virtually in 2021.

The State of the Antarctic ecosystem; Antarctic Thresholds: Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation; Climate change in Antarctica; Astronomy and Earth Sciences; Biotechnology; Human footprints in Antarctica, and Social Sciences and Humanities are the lines of study that converge in the National Antarctic Science Program, administered by the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), with the aim of developing areas of particular national and international interest and establishing links to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) programmes. In the same way, it guides the financing priorities of the competitive funds. All this universe of topics and interested parties will meet in the city that is the gateway to the White Continent.

The XI Chilean Congress of Antarctic Research is organized by INACH, the Millennium Biodiversity Institute of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE Millennium Institute) and the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research. Registration can be done on the site https://www.inach.cl/xicongresoantartico/ .

In parallel, the “V Chilean Conference on Antarctic Law: Relationship between the Antarctic Treaty System and other international regimes” will be held, promoting multi and interdisciplinarity in polar studies. The meeting will take place on October 24 and 25, in a hybrid manner. Papers and articles will be received that, preferably, address political-legal issues regarding the relationship between the Antarctic Treaty System and the other international regimes that eventually apply or may apply in the Sixth Continent or in the Southern Ocean, such as the Agreement on the Conservation of Biodiversity beyond the Areas of National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), among others. Abstract submission is available until August 18.

The installation of biodiversity observatories and the collection of samples for genomic studies were some of the activities carried out this 2022-2023 Antarctic season by researchers from the BASE Millennium Institute on the white continent.

April 11, 2023.- At least 30 researchers from the Millennium Institute BASE were part of the LIX Antarctic Scientific Expedition (ECA 59) coordinated by the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH). From January to early March 2023, they carried out work in various areas of the Antarctic peninsula and the South Shetland islands.

Biodiversity observatories

In the area of ​​Bahía Fildes, King George Island, a team led by the principal investigator of the Millennium Institute BASE, also the University of Magallanes, PhD. Karin Gerard, carried out the installation of the Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS) of the Marine Observatory. In addition, recordings were made with benthic sleds, sample collection with trawls and phytoplankton nets.

l’s teama Dra. Karin Gerard was made up of an academic from the Universidad Austral of Chile (UACh) and researcher at the Institute of Marine and Limnological Sciences (ICML), Vincente Villabolos; the academic of the University of Sorbonne and researcher of the Station Marine Concarneau of the National Museum of Natural History of France, PhD. Cyril Gallut; and the professional diver, Alberto Ahumada.

For its part, the team led by the PhD. Tamara Contador, an academic at the University of Magallanes and a researcher at the Millennium Institute BASE, the Cape Horn International Center (CHIC), and the Millennium Nucleus of Southern Invasive Salmonids (INVASAL), installed sensors to measure environmental parameters, and collected samples of freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, in the area of ​​Fildes Bay, Ardely Peninsula and Deception Island.

The installation of the sensors and the sampling were carried out within the framework of the Earth Observatory project together with the academic from the Catholic University of Maule, also an adjunct researcher at the Millennium Institute BASE and CHIC, PhD. Hugo Benítez.

Photograph by Melisa Gañan, doctoral student at the Millennium Institute BASE.

Terrestrial ecology team

PhD. Tamara Contador and PhD. Hugo Benítez also carried out monitoring of fly populations Parochlus steinenii on King George Island, Deception Island and Nelson Island, sampling of Chicken branchinecta and Bockella poppei (within the framework of the postdoctoral project of the researcher affiliated with the Millennium Institute BASE, PhD. Claudia Maturana) and collection of the invasive fly Trichocera maculipennis on King George Island. In the places where they found populations of Parochlus steinenii, B. gainii and B. poppei, made chemical measurement of the lake water.

For her part, the doctoral student at the Millennium Institute BASE, Melisa Gañan, who was aboard the DAP Mares vessel Betanzos, surveyed the land in search of the winged fly Parochlus steinenii, associated with lakes and lagoons, and the wingless fly Belgium Antarctic, which is associated to a greater extent with mosses and terrestrial plants such as Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis. 

Next to Melisa Gañan, ishad the undergraduate student at the University of Concepción (UdeC), Micaela Conejeros, who works together with the principal investigator of the Millennium Institute BASE, also a UdeC academic and director of the Biogeography, Macroevolution and Systematics Laboratory (BIOMAS) PhD. Pablo Guerrero. Micaela is dedicated to the search for vascular plants such as Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis.

Photograph by Daniela Nualart, doctoral student at the Millennium Institute BASE.

Collection of lake samples and freshwater invertebrates

The PhD. Angie Díaz, academic at the University of Concepción (UdeC) and principal investigator at the Millennium Institute BASE, together with a doctoral student from the University of Chile, Sebastian Rosenfeld, sailed for 15 days on the DAP Mares vessel Betanzos. By means of diving and collecting on the coast, they obtained samples of marine invertebrates (echinoderms, molluscs and crustaceans) with the aim of generating a biodiversity inventory of the eastern sector of the Antarctic peninsula.

On the other hand, the doctoral student from the University of Chile and the Millennium Institute BASE, Diego Ahumada, dedicated himself to collecting water and sediment samples from 11 different lakes on King George Island, and measuring physicochemical parameters of the water (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and conductivity) with the aim of studying the bacterial communities of this ecosystem. .

Collection of marine vertebrates

In the area of ​​King George Island, UACh academics and researchers from the Millennium Institute BASE and the IDEAL Center, PhD. Luis Vargas- Chacoff and PhD. Kurt Paschke, together with the doctoral student from the UACh, Centro IDEAL and Millennium Institute BASE, Daniela Nualart, they collected adult fish (Antarctic Harpagifer) and amphipods (Gondogeneia antarctica, Cheirimedon femoratus and Gliptonotus antarcticus) for physiological studies. The team worked together with the Cont Anadromous Fish Research Center of United States, Steve McCormick, and the researcher from the University of Algarve in Portugal, Pedro Guerreiro.

PhD students from the University of Chile and the Millennium Institute BASE, Valentina Bernal and Francisca Rodriguez, also collected samples of Antarctic Harpagifer but in the larva stage and with the support of a bongo network on Greenwich Island, in order to carry out genomic studies.

Photograph of Valentina Bernal, doctoral student at the Millennium Institute BASE.

Study of habitats and sampling for genetic analysis in Antarctic birds

ECA 59 also had the participation of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students from the Instituto Milenio BASE, as was the case of the UACh doctoral student, also the IDEAL Center, Albert Palomino, and the undergraduate student from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) and the UC Molecular Biodiversity Laboratory (directed by PhD. Juliana Vianna), Elisa González, who camped for 70 days at Punta Armonía, Nelson Island. The objective of his stay was to carry out biological sampling, aerial and ground counts, and breeding and post-breeding tracking in chinstrap penguin colonies, under the leadership of the INACH and BASE Millennium Institute researcher, Dr. Lucas Krüger.

More members of the UC Molecular Biodiversity Laboratory team were also present at ECA59. In the vicinity of the General Bernardo O’Higgins base, Claudia Ulloa, a researcher from the Instituto Milenio BASE, along with PUC doctoral student Beatriz Esnard and PUC master’s student Eduardo Pizarro, carried out ecological monitoring studies in gentoo and chinstrap penguins. They carried out the installation of GPS and the obtaining of blood samples, with the aim of studying the use of the habitat by breeding penguins.

Likewise, the UCH doctoral researcher, Daly Noll; the doctoral student of the Andrés Bello University (UNAB), Lucila Morales; and the PUC undergraduate student, Josefina Jorquera; they collected samples of penguins, skuas and cormorants, during the 15 days they were sailing on the Betanzos vessel.

Photograph by Daly Noll, doctoral student at the Millennium Institute BASE.

Works based Professor Julio Escudero

The principal investigator of the Millennium Institute BASE, also a researcher at INACH, PhD. César Cárdenas, remained for about 30 days in the place, carrying out tasks as Head of Base Professor Julio Escuderodel INACH, coordinating the logistical and scientific activities offurther of 12 projects developed during said period.

The doctoral student from the University of Chile, also the Millennium Institute BASE, Magdalena Osorio, Professor Julio Escudero also remained at the base of INACH. The purpose of his stay was to analyze the technical feasibility of being able to carry out his project during the next ECA60 and the logistical requirements to be able to carry out experiments in the aquariums of said base.

 

Main pictura: M. Institute BASE/ Hugo Benítez

Punta Arenas, April 3, 2023.- Chinstrap penguins, during their reproductive period, feed almost exclusively on krill. But, what will happen to them if the availability of their main food is affected by environmental conditions such as rising temperatures, reduced sea ice and lower marine productivity? Will it negatively impact their populations, their reproduction and, consequently, in their young?

Some answers are contained in a recent study published in Scientific Reports, one of the most important science magazines on the planet, in which researchers from the Scientific Department of the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), Francisco Santa Cruz, Lucas Krüger and César Cárdenas participated, these last two are also members of the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems (BASE).

Field works. INACH image.

The importance of this article lies in being one of the few works that directly relates food availability, feeding behaviors of a marine predator (chinstrap penguin) and evaluation of environmental parameters. “There are almost no studies linking in a synchronized manner the satellite tracking of marine predators, the acoustic abundance of krill, and satellite environmental information. Even more important is having achieved it during several consecutive campaigns; this allowed us to generate a time series with which we were able to answer key questions. Chile is one of the first countries to achieve this in Antarctica”, says Francisco Santa Cruz, one of the authors of the letter.

In simple words, everything is connected: the amount of sea ice influences the oceanic primary productivity when it melts in spring-summer and, consequently, there is less availability of krill that chinstrap penguins feed on. “The penguins in the study area have adapted in such a way that they synchronize the birth of their chicks with these increases in productivity that are more or less cyclical and predictable. When environmental variations cause oceanic productivity peaks to change in space or time, penguins are probably not able to maintain the same chick survival rates. This is what our results indicated for the colony we have studied”, explains Dr. Lucas Krüger, a specialist in Antarctic birds.

To reach these conclusions, different sampling techniques were combined, such as transects in the INACH Karpuj scientific boat, penguin tracking with GPS devices and TDR depth sensors, as well as aerial photographs taken with a drone. “Thanks to scientific platforms such as Karpuj, we have been able to collect important acoustic data on krill, in order to be able, together with satellite data, to help understand bird feeding patterns and how these are influenced by the environment in the face of changes in krill availability. ”, expressed Dr. César Cárdenas.

The work focused specifically on Punta Armonía, Nelson Island (South Shetland Islands) in the INACH Antarctic Scientific Expeditions of the years 2019-2020 (ECA 56) and 2021-2022 (ECA 58). On the island there is a Specially Protected Antarctic Zone (ASPA), where the environment is protected from human presence in activities such as tourism and intensive research. “In this case, we only focused on Nelson Island, because it is the site where we have been monitoring since 2019, we also took acoustic data to estimate the abundance off the island, which helped to carry out a more complete study that did not it only includes the satellite tracking of the birds”, mentions Cárdenas.

Preliminary results indicate that this population has been reduced by more than half, following the reduction values that were presented in another study, but it remains an important colony of chinstrap penguins in the South Shetland Islands.

In this sense, the study that has just been published is connected to other previous research published by Krüger at the beginning of March, where it is suggested that the increase in the frequency of years of low krill availability due to the increase in winter temperatures , could eventually explain the population trends that are verified in the northernmost areas of the Antarctic peninsula. However, it will be necessary to verify if this phenomenon is repeated in more colonies for this hypothesis to be accepted.

The importance of Marine Protected Areas

For Dr. César Cárdenas, this study is a new piece to the puzzle of the work carried out in the INACH Marine Protected Areas Program and also the annual monitoring that has been carried out at Punta Armonía since 2019. This type of study highlights the importance of protecting The antartica. “The environment is changing, so it is necessary to improve our knowledge of how organisms behave and how they are affected by environmental changes, which will increase in the future according to climate change projections,” he points out.

These INACH researchers are working on a proposal for a Marine Protected Area (AMP) for Domain 1 (Antarctic Peninsula), a tool for ocean conservation and to safeguard biodiversity and manage fisheries, while restoring and preserving the ecosystem function, which is strongly challenged by climate change.

Francisco Santa Cruz and Lucas Krüger in INACH’s Karpuj boat. INACH image.

The MPA for Domain 1 is critical to prevent another driver of krill decline, such as fisheries, from having an additional impact, eventually reducing the ability of chinstrap penguins to adapt to changes in their environment. For example, in periods of low krill availability, fisheries could prevent them from being caught and still available to penguins.

Nuria Salmerón and Solenne Belle also participated in the scientific article “Environmental changes generate less availability of Antarctic krill, affecting the reproduction of chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula”, who completed their master’s thesis in 2022 at INACH by the International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea), from the University of Ghent, Belgium. As authors, the contribution of Nicolás Alegría from the Fisheries Research Institute (Inpesca), Júlia Gronmann Finger, Denyelle Hennayra Cora and María Virginia Petry from the Ornithology and Marine Animals Laboratory of the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS) and Cristina Hernandez from the University of Magallanes.

 

By: Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH)

Main image: Francisco Santa Cruz

Punta Arenas, March 1, 2023.- Nearly 60% of the world population of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) reproduce in the Antarctic Peninsula and its northernmost maritime islands (South Shetland Islands and Orkney Islands), an emblematic species of the White Continent that has experienced a dramatic decline of about 30% of its population in just three generations.

This categorical data is part of a study carried out by the researcher of the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH) and the Millennium Institute BASE, PhD. Lucas Krüger and recently published by the specialized magazine Diversity, where it also reveals that in a period of 40 to 50 years , 62% of the colonies (groups of penguins) suffered declines greater than 50%.

He also warns that these conditions already mentioned (30% decrease in three generations), would place it in the category of vulnerability to extinction, according to the criteria used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

To carry out this elaborate analysis, standardized records and counts of penguins in the Antarctic peninsula for six decades (since 1960) were studied. Likewise, since 2017, an international group of scientists has been dedicated to compiling all the existing information and making it available on a free access platform that is updated every year and that is on the website: https://www. .penguinmap.com/ 

Photography: Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH)

 

Possible causes of the decrease

The dramatic levels of decline in these populations are added to the fact that the suspected causes are probably not reversible in the short or medium term.

For the rest, there is some controversy in the scientific community regarding the factors that may be leading to the decline in chinstrap penguin populations. Recent evidence suggests that “the most likely reason is the spatiotemporal change in krill abundance in the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula due to warming and winter sea ice retreat. It is also probable that other factors act together, mainly associated with climate change, affecting the survival of the nestlings in the breeding colonies and of the juveniles in their first year of life”, declares Lucas Krüger.

Other relevant hypotheses are related to the recovery of whale populations, which are also important consumers of Antarctic krill, in addition to the increase in krill fisheries in Antarctica. “These factors could have contributed to population dynamics, although evidence suggests this could only occur when there are years of low krill abundance”, he adds.

Photography: Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH)

 

Projections

The INACH researcher explains that the models that have projected changes in the ecosystem of the Antarctic Peninsula in the face of different environmental scenarios indicate that current decline trends should be followed up.

“But at the same time, it is complex and difficult with the current knowledge that is available, to give an accurate estimate of the future of the species. For now, we can say that in the recent past the populations have declined considerably, and could be put at risk if the trends continue. Better understanding how this species relates to rapid environmental changes in the Antarctic Peninsula is critical,” he says.

The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the areas of the planet that has suffered the most rapidly from the effects of global warming in recent years and these changes are of great concern to scientists around the world.

The INACH is a technical body of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with full autonomy in everything related to Antarctic matters of a scientific, technological and dissemination nature. INACH complies with the National Antarctic Policy by encouraging the development of excellent research, effectively participating in the Antarctic Treaty System and related forums, strengthening Magallanes as the gateway to the White Continent and carrying out actions to disseminate Antarctic knowledge among citizens. .

 

Text and images: Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH)

Mauricio Mardones, the doctoral researcher at the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH) and the Millennium BASE Institute, who was awarded a scholarship from the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), aims to develop a stock assessment model for the krill fishery.

The doctoral researcher of the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), Millennium BASE Institute, IDEAL Center, and the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP), Mauricio Mardones, was awarded a scholarship from the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). With this scholarship, the Scientific Committee of the Commission and its working groups hope to encourage young scientists to research areas that interest them.

PhD researcher, Mauricio Mardones. Photo: I. Milenio BASE/ C. Barrientos

As Mauricio Mardones pointed out, the objective of his project is to advance in quantitative methodologies to know the krill population dynamics and its management approach, which is currently being discussed in the CCAMLR Scientific Commission. “It is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this important fishery in a high-latitude ecosystem context and as a great academic and scientific challenge that must be lived up to”.

“The chance to work with researchers from INACH and the Antarctic Department of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States (NOAA), is very relevant to my doctoral project because these groups are developing high-level science about krill and its fishery in the Southern Ocean. These interactions will improve the quality of academic and scientific work. In turn, it would allow me to better understand and contribute to the fisheries management of this important species of the Antarctic ecosystem”, said Mauricio.

Mauriciois a marine biologist from the University of Concepción (UdeC) and, currently, is working on his PhD in Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Sciences at the University of Magallanes (UMAG). He is supervised by Dr. César Cárdenas, a researcher at the Chilean Antarctic Institute and the BASE Millennium Institute. This project is being developed in the context of Antarctic fisheries, specifically in terms of stock assessment, management, and climatic context.

The scholarship will be used to participate in meetings of the Working Groups of the CCAMLR during 2023-2024, one month of work at INACH and two months of internship with NOAA Antarctic Department researchers in La Jolla, California, United States.

“The work Mauricio intends to do is an extremely relevant investigation; it is perfectly framed in the discussions that have taken place in the CCAMLR Scientific Committee since 2019, related to the new management strategy for the krill fishery. In this way, people have been talking about how important it is to evaluate this strategy once it is implemented. “Mauricio’s expertise in evaluating resources in Chile drew him to this topic”, said Dr César Cárdenas.

by Constanza Barrientos and Harry Díaz

Translation by Catlina Ovando

Main photography: BASE Millennium Institute/ C. Barrientos