100 nests in designated Adelie and Chinstrap penguin colonies are marked and then regularly monitored. Data are collected on when eggs are laid in each nest, when they hatch, when eggs or chicks are lost, and when chicks become unguarded. Data exist from 1996 onwards. For Adelie penguins, 100 nests in a colony designated A41 was monitored between 1996 and 2002, from 2003 onwards 100 nests in a colony designated A39 were monitored. For Chinstrap penguins, 100 nests in a colony designated A69 were monitored between 1996 and 2015, from 2016 onwards, 100 nests in a colony designated C66 were monitored. No data were collected in the 1997-98, 1999-2000 and 2010-2011 seasons. To calculate the annual hatching date a binomial model was fitted using the proportion of nests containing one or more chicks as the response variable and the date in days after 1 Oct as the explanatory variable. This model was fitted for each species and year separately. The dose.p function in the MASS package in R was used to derive the day when 50% of nests contained one or more chicks to produce the mean hatching date for each species-year combination. Mean laying dates were back-calculated from the mean hatching dates by subtracting the average incubation periods for each species (35 days for Adelies and 36.4 days for chinstraps, which are relatively constant between years). This has been calculated for data from 1996 to 2016.

This dataset captures annual measurements of body mass for Adelie penguin chicks at Signy Island, from 1997 until 2020. Between 50 and 100 chicks are measured on beaches immediately prior to their departure, with 3-5 weighing sessions carried out annually per species in the period before fledging is complete. This monitoring contributes to the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) and is part of the annual seabird Long Term Monitoring Science carried out by the British Antarctic Survey at Signy Island. This work was funded by Natural Environment Research Council (UK) core funding to the British Antarctic Survey.

This datasets captures the annual measurements of body mass for chinstrap penguin chicks at Signy Island, from 1997 to 2020. Between 50 to 100 chicks are measured, with 3-5 weighing sessions carried out in the period before fledging is complete. This monitoring contributes to the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) and is part of annual monitoring carried out by the British Antarctic Survey. This work was funded by Natural Environment Research Council (UK) core funding to the British Antarctic Survey.

This dataset pertains to gentoo penguin breeding success at selected colonies on Signy island from 1978 to 2020. It comprises annual ground counts of occupied and incubating nests, eggs (proxy for breeding pairs), chicks hatched, and chicks expected to fledge. The GPS locations for surveyed sites are also included. From the 1996-1997 season onwards, this dataset conforms to CCAMLR data collection standards and contributes to the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP). Ecosystems component of BAS Polar Science for Planet Earth Programme, funded by NERC.

This dataset pertains to chinstrap penguin breeding success at selected colonies on Signy island from 1978 to 2020. It comprises annual ground counts of occupied and incubating nests, eggs (proxy for breeding pairs), chicks hatched, and chicks expected to fledge. The GPS locations for surveyed sites are also included. From the 1996-1997 season onwards, this dataset conforms to CCAMLR data collection standards and contributes to the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP). Ecosystems component of BAS Polar Science for Planet Earth Programme, funded by NERC.

100 nests in designated Adelie and Chinstrap penguin colonies are marked and then regularly monitored. Data are collected on when eggs are laid in each nest, when they hatch, when eggs or chicks are lost, and when chicks become unguarded. Data exist from 1996 onwards. For Adelie penguins, 100 nests in a colony designated A41 was monitored between 1996 and 2002, from 2003 onwards 100 nests in a colony designated A39 were monitored. For Chinstrap penguins, 100 nests in a colony designated A69 were monitored between 1996 and 2015, from 2016 onwards, 100 nests in a colony designated C66 were monitored. No data were collected in the 1997-98, 1999-2000 and 2010-2011 seasons. To calculate the annual hatching date a binomial model was fitted using the proportion of nests containing one or more chicks as the response variable and the date in days after 1 Oct as the explanatory variable. This model was fitted for each species and year separately. The dose.p function in the MASS package in R was used to derive the day when 50% of nests contained one or more chicks to produce the mean hatching date for each species-year combination. Mean laying dates were back-calculated from the mean hatching dates by subtracting the average incubation periods for each species (35 days for Adelies and 36.4 days for chinstraps, which are relatively constant between years). This has been calculated for data from 1996 to 2016.

This dataset comprises covariables describing the seasonal sea ice cycle around Signy Island, South Orkney Islands between 1982 and 2024. The data are derived from satellite images using R-scripts which have been made available on Zenodo. Sea ice concentration was derived from satellite measurements of percent sea ice concentration. The satellite sea ice concentration data are modelled to provide derived covariates that together measure inter-annual differences in the sea ice season. The derived covariates are: 1) day of advance: first day when sea ice concentration exceeded 15% for at least five consecutive days; 2) day of retreat: first day when sea ice concentration remained less than 15% until the end of period; 3) ice season duration: total number of sea-ice days, between day of advance and retreat; 4) sea-ice persistence: percent time sea ice was present between day of advance and retreat; 5) day of minimum sea ice extent; 6) day of maximum extent; 7) day of minimum sea ice area; 8) day of maximum sea ice area; 9) minimum area of the ocean in km2 with at least 15% sea ice concentration; and 10) maximum area of the ocean with at least 15% sea ice concentration. Sea ice covariates are used as predictors of population dynamics of Antarctic seals at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. This work was funded by Natural Environment Research Council (UK) core funding to the British Antarctic Survey.

This dataset pertains to Adelie penguin breeding success at selected colonies on Signy island from 1978 to 2020. It comprises annual ground counts of occupied and incubating nests, eggs (proxy for breeding pairs), chicks hatched, and chicks expected to fledge. The GPS locations for surveyed sites are also included. From the 1996-1997 season onwards, this dataset conforms to CCAMLR data collection standards and contributes to the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP). Ecosystems component of BAS Polar Science for Planet Earth Programme, funded by NERC.

Data presented are mean biomass values of samples of Aequiyoldia eightsii larvae collected between June and September 1990 using a 100 micron plankton net deployed from a small inflatable boat from Factory Cove, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Samples were returned to the laboratory and larvae removed from bulk samples by eye using a Wild M5 field microscope. Numbers in samples were between 8 and 40, but predominantly 15 or 20. Sampling, sorting and later processing was conducted by Jeremy Colman. The data were used to evaluate the development rate and duration of the pelagic larval phase of this sediment dwelling Antarctic bivalve mollusc. Data analyses were conducted in MINITAB. Funding source: The work was fully supported by core funds to the British Antarctic Survey from the Natural Environment Research council, UK

The South Orkney Fast-Ice series (SOFI) is an annual record of the timing of formation and breakout of fast-ice in Factory Cove, Signy Island, in the South Orkney Islands on the Scotia Arc in the northern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Fast-ice formation and break-up has been studied at the South Orkeny Islands since the early 1900s, with this dataset covering the period of 1903 to 2019. This dataset is produced by personnel from the British Antarctic Survey, in efforts to study sea-ice variability in the Southern Hemisphere. Data was collected using various methods over the reporting period, namely an offset date from Laurie Island's fast-ice, direct observation, and with camera equipment. This is an updated version (2.0) of the dataset, that includes data from 2008 to 2019.