Aspland Island / Eadie Island (29466)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Aspland Island / Eadie Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -61.4698, Longitude: -55.9230
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 500
Area of KBA (km2): 10.0355
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Aspland Island and Eadie Island and O'Brien Island are ~40-50 km southwest of Elephant Island, in the eastern region of the South Shetland Islands. Aspland Island is the largest of the two, with its lower slopes being ice-free with a permanent ice cap rising to 735 m covering higher terrain. Eadie Island is a small rocky island approximately 2 km across, with an ice-capped summit of over 250 m. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the concentration of seabirds present (in particular Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) and Southern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialoides)) and comprises both islands. Over 80 terrestrial plant species have been recorded on Elephant Island and its neighbouring islands. On Eadie Island, these include the moss Orthotrichum crassifolium, the lichens Caloplaca sp., Catillaria corymbosa and Unsea antarctica, and the alga Prasiola crispa (Allison & Smith 1973). There are no scientific stations in the vicinity, with the nearest facility 155 km to the southwest on King George Island.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Sizeable colonies of Chinstrap Penguin breed on these islands, with approximately 8650 pairs on Aspland Island (Croxall & Kirkwood 1979) and ~5150 pairs on Eadie Island in 1977. Large colonies of Southern Fulmar also breed on these islands, with ~9800 pairs estimated on Aspland Island (Furse 1978) and ~8500 pairs estimated on Eadie Island in 1977 (Creuwels et al. 2007). A small group of Macaroni Penguin (21 pairs) was recorded by Furse (1978) on southwestern Aspland Island in 1977 (Croxall & Kirkwood 1979). Furse (1978) estimated 1300 and 1160 pairs of Cape Petrel ( Daption capense ) on Aspland and Eadie islands respectively in 1977. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: Shortest perimeter around islands and/or ice-free areas >5km2.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Allison, J.S. & Smith, R.I.L. 1973. The vegetation of Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin 33 & 34: 185-212. Creuwels, J.C.S., Poncet, S., Hodum, P.J. & van Franeker, J.A. 2007. Distribution and abundance of the Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides . Polar Biology 30: 1083-97. Croxall, J.P. & Kirkwood, E.D. 1979. The distribution of penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula and Islands of the Scotia Sea . British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge. Furse, J.R. 1978. Joint Services Expedition to the Elephant Island group, 1976 – 77. Unpublished report, BAS archives, Cambridge.