Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island

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dc.contributor.advisorUnderhill, Leslie Gen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorBarham, Peteren_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorSherley, Richarden_ZA
dc.contributor.authorTol, Leanneen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-27T10:26:17Z
dc.date.available2016-07-27T10:26:17Z
dc.date.issued2016en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe African penguin Spheniscus demersus is a seabird endemic to the south-western coast of Africa and can be found in three main breeding localities; southern Namibia, the Western Cape and Algoa Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The African penguin has been listed as Endangered since 2010, having experienced a decline in population of more than 50% over the past three generations. This study was conducted at the breeding colony on Robben Island, South Africa, and examined two factors that have the potential to affect breeding success of African penguins; body mass at the onset of breeding and the suitability of various nest types to mitigate changing climatic conditions. Body mass was measured by recording weights using an automated weighing scale set up in front of a nest. Weights were taken at the start of breeding of each penguin in a breeding pair and these weights were compared to the number of chicks fledged, fledging period, hatching success, clutch size, and chick fledging weight. Hatching success, clutch size, and fledging weight were not influenced by the mass of either parent. There was a trend of shorter fledging periods as the mass of the heavier parent increased. The greatest effect was from the body mass of the lighter parent on the number of chicks that fledged from the nest; as the mass of the lightest adult increased, more chicks were fledged. If the lighter adult weighed below 2 kg there were always no chicks at the nest that fledged. This suggests evidence for a carry-over effect of body mass from the time before breeding starts into the breeding season, and highlights the importance of food availability for African penguins on a global scale, and not just a local one. The proportion of nest failures of six nest types (vegetation, open, natural burrow, building, wooden nest box, and artificial fibreglass burrow) at the incubation and chick-rearing stage were compared to rainfall and maximum temperature.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationTol, L. (2016). <i>Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20873en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationTol, Leanne. <i>"Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20873en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationTol, L. 2016. Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Tol, Leanne AB - The African penguin Spheniscus demersus is a seabird endemic to the south-western coast of Africa and can be found in three main breeding localities; southern Namibia, the Western Cape and Algoa Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The African penguin has been listed as Endangered since 2010, having experienced a decline in population of more than 50% over the past three generations. This study was conducted at the breeding colony on Robben Island, South Africa, and examined two factors that have the potential to affect breeding success of African penguins; body mass at the onset of breeding and the suitability of various nest types to mitigate changing climatic conditions. Body mass was measured by recording weights using an automated weighing scale set up in front of a nest. Weights were taken at the start of breeding of each penguin in a breeding pair and these weights were compared to the number of chicks fledged, fledging period, hatching success, clutch size, and chick fledging weight. Hatching success, clutch size, and fledging weight were not influenced by the mass of either parent. There was a trend of shorter fledging periods as the mass of the heavier parent increased. The greatest effect was from the body mass of the lighter parent on the number of chicks that fledged from the nest; as the mass of the lightest adult increased, more chicks were fledged. If the lighter adult weighed below 2 kg there were always no chicks at the nest that fledged. This suggests evidence for a carry-over effect of body mass from the time before breeding starts into the breeding season, and highlights the importance of food availability for African penguins on a global scale, and not just a local one. The proportion of nest failures of six nest types (vegetation, open, natural burrow, building, wooden nest box, and artificial fibreglass burrow) at the incubation and chick-rearing stage were compared to rainfall and maximum temperature. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2016 T1 - Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island TI - Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20873 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/20873
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationTol L. Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2016 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20873en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherZoologyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherOrnithologyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherMarine Biologyen_ZA
dc.titleFactors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Islanden_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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