Defining the impact of anthropogenic stressors on Antarctic wildlife is an active aim for investigators. Telomeres represent a promising molecular tool to investigate the fitness of wild populations, as their length may predict longevity and survival. We examined the relationship between telomere length and human exposure in Adélie penguin chicks (Pygoscelis adeliae) from East Antarctica. Telomere length was compared between chicks from areas with sustained human activity and on neighboring protected islands with little or no human presence. Adélie penguin chicks from sites exposed to human activity had significantly shorter telomeres than chicks from unexposed sites in nearby protected areas, with exposed chicks having on average 3.5% shorter telomeres than unexposed chicks. While sampling limitations preclude our ability to draw more sweeping conclusions at this time, our analysis nonetheless provides important insights into measures of colony vulnerability. More data are needed both to understand the proximate causes (e.g., stress, feeding events) leading to shorter telomeres in chicks from human exposed areas, as well as the fitness consequences of reduced telomere length. We suggest to further test the use of telomere length analysis as an eco-indicator of stress in wildlife among anthropized sites throughout Antarctica.

确定人为压力源对南极野生动物的影响是研究人员的一个积极目标。端粒是一种很有前途的分子工具，用于研究野生种群的适应性，因为它们的长度可以预测寿命和生存。我们研究了 Adélie 企鹅幼崽( Pygoscelis adeliae)端粒长度与人类暴露之间的关系) 来自南极洲东部。比较来自人类活动持续地区和邻近受保护岛屿上几乎没有人类存在的小鸡的端粒长度。来自暴露于人类活动地点的阿德利企鹅雏鸡的端粒明显短于来自附近保护区未暴露地点的雏鸡，暴露的雏鸡的端粒平均比未暴露的雏鸡短 3.5%。虽然采样限制使我们无法在此时得出更全面的结论，但我们的分析仍然提供了对殖民地脆弱性措施的重要见解。需要更多的数据来了解导致来自人类暴露区域的雏鸡端粒较短的直接原因（例如压力、喂养事件），以及端粒长度缩短对健康的影响。