Monitoring the consequences of local climate change on the natural resources of the ice-free regions of Maxwell Bay (King George Island, Antarctic) | Umweltbundesamt

The Fildes Region is one of the largest ice-free regions in maritime Antarctica and has a relatively high level of biodiversity. This area also represents the logistical centre of the Antarctic Peninsula with its six permanent stations. Given the great importance of long-term monitoring programmes, especially in regions with natural resources at high risk and in areas of rapid climatic change, the survey of local breeding birds and seal communities started in the 1980s in the Fildes Region was continued in the summer months of the 2012/13 to 2014/15 seasons. To analyse long-term trends in the bird and seal populations, extensive data from the 1980s and all available literature were added to recent observations. As a result it could be shown, that regarding their breeding pair numbers most seabird species depend primarily on environmental factors, whereas others are more affected by anthropogenic impacts.