Plant Composition of Skuas Nests at Hennequin Point, King George Island, Antarctica

Abstract

We investigate the plant composition in the Skuas nest at Hennequin Point, located in the Admiralty Bay Area, King George Island, Antarctica. Sample of 61 activity nests were analyzed. 21 plant and lichenized fungi species were found in the nest composition, being the mosses Sanioniauncinata (Hedw.) Loeske and Polytrichastrumalpinum (Hedw) G. S. Smith the most frequent species found in the Skuas nests. Usneaantarctica Du Rietz was the most frequent lichen and the grass Deschampsiaantarctica Desv was the most frequent flowering plant found in the nests. These results contribute for the environmental menagement of the Admiralty Bay area research activities.