Researchers from Iowa State discussed their trip to Antarctica yesterday in the Memorial Union.

Carol Vleck, assistant professor in zoology, and her three associates presented slides and a video from their recently completed trip to study adelie penguins.

Vleck, along with Asrun Kristmundsdottir, a research assistant, Wendy Reed, a graduate student, both in zoology and genetics, and Theresa Bucher, a postdoctorate associate from UCLA, observed and took samples from penguins throughout the arctic summer.

With funding from the National Science Foundation’s Polar Programs, the research ran from last September to early March at the United States’ Palmer Station. Palmer Station is one of three research stations in Antarctica and can house up to 40 people.

A camp was set up on Torgersen Island where the adelie penguins come ashore to mate. Torgersen Island is approximately 200 to 300 meters long, Reed said.

Within two weeks, thousands of penguins arrived on the island and began staking out nests, Reed said. Since there are no twigs or other matter to build nests, the penguins use rocks.

The nests are built and the males attract mates. The only time when the researchers were able to determine the sex of the penguins was during copulation, she said.

After eggs are laid, the male begins incubation, while the female returns to feed in the sea for approximately 10 days. During this entire process, the penguins do not return to the water, and when the female returns from feeding, the male has already spent 4 to 6 weeks fasting. A dieting male’s weight could drop up to 30 percent throughout this time, Kristmundsdottir said.

After the female returns, the pair take turns warming the egg. The incubation process takes about 33 days, Reed said. Penguins are very persistent in their incubation. Even during heavy snow storms the penguins stay in place—sometimes with only their beaks protruding from the snow.

The researchers took consistent blood, body dimensions and weight samples of the penguins.

The team hoped to track hormonal changes in the penguins throughout the mating season and its relation to mating success. This year, Vleck said, the reproduction rate was above average due to plenty food supplies. Vleck expects the next reproductive season to be successful as well.

The team still has much work ahead of them. While at Palmer station, 1,000 samples were taken from the penguins, now the task is to analyze and process the data, Reed said.