Interdependence: Interactions within their species: Macaroni Penguins are friendly with each other unless they feel threatened. The penguin that feels threatened will attack the other penguin. Most other types of penguins are more aggressive and violent while the Macaroni Penguin is more friendly. Interactions with other species: As I stated above, this type of penguin will not attack unless it is threatened. The penguin will turn extremely aggressive and fight the other penguin. Ecosystem: The Macaroni Penguin lives in a very rocky area close to the shore. Macaroni Penguins mostly live on cliffs strictly above the ocean. Biome This type of penguin lives on small islands off the coast of South America and Australia, some breeds live around the Arctic region. On the food Chain, the Macaroni Penguin is above the crustaceans and krill/ Above the Macaroni Penguins are the Leopard Seals and above the Leopard Seals are the killer whales. Hunting Methods: Penguins usually hunt in groups so they can help defend each other. The penguin swallows the fish or crustacean whole and when they come back to their family, feed them. Predators: Macaroni Penguins are predators to small fish, crustaceans, krill, and squid. The Macaroni Penguin is a predator to mostly Leopard seals, Sea Lions, and Orca Whales. The eggs of Macaroni Penguins are predators to sea gulls and basically any type of sea bird. Competitors: Macaroni Penguins are in competition with Fur Seals for krill, specifically Antarctic Krill. It is believed that these two animals are in competition because they dive at similar depths, feed off of krill the same size, and are restricted in their foraging range. Recently, the population of Fur seals have risen and the Macaroni Penguin population has declined which shows that the seals could be attacking and killing the penguins. Flow of Energy: Food Chain FFIn my first picture, it is a food chain of the Macaroni Penguins. It starts off with algae. the krill eats the algae and then the penguins eat the krill. Leopard Seals, Orcas, and Sea lions come next and eat the Penguins. Killer whales eat these predators of the Macaroni Penguins. Cycling of Nutrients (the water cycle): The water cycle plays a huge role in the cycling of major nutrients. It starts off with precipitation, rain and snow falling to the ground. Then some of the water will go, from lakes and ponds, and go to the ocean. Some of that water will evaporate into the sky and the cycle starts all over. This is important to Macaroni Penguins because they spend most of their life in water. They need the water to be cleansed and to get new and fresh nutrients from this cycle. Succession: Succession, how does it affect the environment, and how it affects Macaroni Penguins: Succession is when there is a change in the structure of an ecological community. Primary succession is the development of an ecosystem previously uninhabited. An example of primary succession lichens and some mosses break down rocks into smaller pieces so life can grow more easily. This change can harm the penguins environment rather than help because penguins live in rocky areas. If these lichens are breaking down the rocks, where will the penguins go? Secondary succession is the establishment of a previously damaged ecosystem where the soil was left intact. An example of secondary succession is how a forest fire can help return nutrients into the soil so plant life can grow better. This change affects the Macaroni Penguins because if a fire starts, the soil will be replenished and that could take over the rocky cliffs that these penguins live on. Human Impact: Humans have definitely impacted the Antarctic region. Most people think that Antarctica is kind of deserted and not many people live or visit there, but over the past 10 years more and more people have been visiting and moving there. People have taken rare species on the verge of extinction, killing species, contaminating the soil, and dumping waste into the water so the sea animals can die from it. Humans have made Antarctica more dangerous and unsanitary for the Macaroni Penguins. Global warming is also affecting Macaroni Penguins. Since all the glaciers are melting, the Macaroni Penguin is finding it harder and harder to adapt the changing environment. The icebergs are releasing gases that the animals are not used to which makes it hard for them to adapt. Plant Adaptations: Some plant adaptations are that plants had to adapt to the extremely cold weather, all the ice, and the rocky plain. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any tropisms that live in the Macaroni Penguins biome. Since plants have adapted to cold weather, ice, and the rocky plain Antarctica, things can go very wrong due to global warming. Global warming is causing the ice to melt, the weather to be warmer, and primary succession to change the environment of Antarctica which will cause problems for these plants. Because the conditions are changing, the plants will have to adapt to this weather or they will die. Physical and Behavioral Adaptations: Physical Adaptations: Penguins have webbed feet to help them swim better and more efficiently. They also have solid bones instead of hollow bones. Hollow bones allow birds to fly higher and faster, but the solid bones allows the Macaroni Penguin to swim down deep and have a long dive. Macaroni Penguins have terrible eyesight on land, but underwater their vision is amazing. This allows the penguins to avoid their predators. Behavioral Adaptations: Penguins have a distinct behavioral trait that comes out when they feel threatened or are warning another penguin to back off. The penguin will not look straight, kind of like the penguins head will be facing the opposite direction of the other penguin, but the eye will be looking at the penguin. It’s a warning to let penguins know they are ready going to attack soon. This helps the Macaroni Penguin survive when it comes to their own species.tjtththThe water cycle plays a huge rol: