Guest Post: Who's Killing the Krill?

The joys of a parent in assisting with a homework assignment. Tarryn Clancy is in year 8 Geography exploring Antarctic and Marine Science. As some of my blogging has concerned the southern ocean, whales and Antarctica, and I had recently completed the Open2Study Marine and Antarctic Science online course I was able to assist her with some source material and format of references at the end. But the writing and presentation is all hers. Written By Tarryn Clancy

Whales. Each day they eat tons of krill. And that is only one whale. But what would you say if I told you that 'Mr Bigs' is not the one who is responsible. It is in fact, something much closer to home. Climate Change. We overlook It because some people still do not believe it exists. But it does. And the declining number of krill is evidence of that.

Penguin numbers suffering with krill decline due to Global Warming

A new study of declining penguin populations shows a strong correlation between penguin numbers and krill availability. Krill availability is affected by reduced sea ice conditions due to global warming and climate change.

"For penguins and other species, krill is the linchpin in the food web. Regardless of their environmental preferences, we see a connection between climate change and penguin populations through the loss of habitat for their main food source," said Dr. Wayne Trivelpiece, lead author and seabird researcher of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division. "As warming continues, the loss of krill will have a profound effect throughout the Antarctic ecosystem."

Related: On the brink: Penguins face an uncertain climate future (Oct 2010)

On the brink: Penguins face an uncertain climate future

Early this year the African Penguin was redlisted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as in danger of extinction. In response to a 2006 petition by the Centre for Biological Diversity the US Interior Department has listed the African penguin, the only species of penguin breeding on the African continent, for protection under the US Endangered Species Act.



The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) upgraded the status of the Afican Penguin in 2010 to endangered citing "recent data has revealed that it is undergoing a very rapid population decline, probably as a result of commercial fisheries and shifts in prey populations. This trend currently shows no sign of reversing, and immediate conservation action is required to prevent further declines."

Related: Penguin numbers suffering with krill decline due to Global Warming (April 2011)

Warming In Antarctica: cause for concern

In Antarctica the ocean food chain is crashing due to the loss of ice shelves around the Antarctic peninsula caused by climate warming. The breakup of the Larsen B ice shelf in 2002 has also released several glaciers, increasing their speed eight fold, and dumping their loads into the Weddell Sea contributing to a rising sea level, according to new research.