Changes in sea ice extent and polynya size and productivity associated with climate conditions in the Ross Sea region have an important role on the ecological responses of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). Nevertheless, there have been few studies that elaborate on the effects of atmospheric and oceanic circulation on their populations. Here, we reconstructed the population dynamics of Adélie penguins on Beaufort Island during the past 350 years using various alternative geochemical indices and Generalized Additive Models (GAMs). We explored the effects of atmospheric-ocean circulation patterns, including the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), and the Amundsen Sea Low (ASL), on the population ecology of penguins. The results indicated that their population on the island has been growing with fluctuations since ~1650 AD, and there were three significant increases, corresponding to 1650–1750, 1825–1900 and after 1950 AD. It was revealed that climate warming in this region was not a necessary factor for penguin population growth, since their populations maintained an increasing trend during the Little Ice Age (LIA) when relatively colder climate conditions prevailed. The present results indicated that atmospheric-ocean circulation patterns likely impose prominent influences on the historical change of penguin populations on Beaufort Island.

罗斯海地区与气候条件相关的海冰范围和冰晶大小和生产力的变化对阿德利企鹅 ( Pygoscelis adeliae ) 的生态响应具有重要作用）。然而，很少有研究详细说明大气和海洋环流对其种群的影响。在这里，我们使用各种替代地球化学指数和广义加法模型 (GAM) 重建了过去 350 年中博福特岛阿德利企鹅的种群动态。我们探索了大气-海洋环流模式对企鹅种群生态学的影响，包括厄尔尼诺-南方涛动 (ENSO)、南方环形模式 (SAM) 和阿蒙森海低压 (ASL)。结果表明，他们在岛上的人口自公元 1650 年以来一直在波动增长，并且出现了三个显着增长，分别对应于公元 1650-1750 年、1825-1900 年和 1950 年之后。结果表明，该地区的气候变暖并不是企鹅种群增长的必要因素，因为在相对寒冷的气候条件盛行的小冰河时代（LIA），企鹅的种群数量保持增长趋势。目前的结果表明，大气 - 海洋环流模式可能对博福特岛企鹅种群的历史变化产生显着影响。