RECENT STUDIES ON THE ANTARCTIC SHAG Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis

CASAUX R.; BARRERA-ORO E.

Berichte zur Polar und Meeresforschung

Alfred Wegener Institut

Lugar: Bremerhaven; Año: 2008 vol. 571 p. 176 - 183

1618-3193

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} span.msoDel {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-style-name:""; text-decoration:line-through; color:red;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> In a previous synopsis of research performed in relation to the Potter Cove coastal ecosystem we reported on our studies on the Antarctic Shag Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis carried out in the South Shetland Islands between 1991 and 1997 (see Casaux et al. 1998a). There, we provided information on different aspects of the trophic ecology of this bird such as diet composition, variations in the diet among and within seasons and among colonies, variation of the foraging strategy throughout the breeding cycle, colony food requirements during the breeding period and on the feasibility of using the analysis of the diet of the Antarctic Shag to monitor trends in coastal fish populations. Since 1998, our project related to the Antarctic Shag has continued in the South Shetland Islands and has been also extended to the Antarctic Peninsula region.                  In this paper we summarise the advances of our project on the Antarctic Shag during the period 1998-2006. Most of this information has been provided in Casaux & Barrera-Oro (2006).