Byers Peninsula,which is located at the western end of Livingston Island,is the largest ice-free area among the South Shetland Islands.We collected a 55-cm-long sediment core (P1)influenced by penguin droppings,and carried out in-depth analyses,including chemical element content and isotopic geochemical characteristics,for the sediment profile.Based on the analysis of C/N,sources of organic matter,and delta~(15)N in the sediment profile,we conclude that the organic matter in the P1 sediments mainly originated from penguin guano.Using enrichment factors,correlation analysis,PCA and other statistical analysis methods,P,F,Cu,Hg,As,S were identified to have originated from the penguin droppings.The contents of these elements in the P1 sediment profile have a significant positive correlation with TOC and delta~(15)N,reflecting that they were controlled by the relative fluctuation of guano input into the sediments.We compared our results with the bio-element assemblage of the ornithogenic sediments from Ardley Island near the Great Wall Station of West Antarctica,and Gardner Island near Davis Station of East Antarctica,and found that the bio-element assemblages of these three different areas are mostly consistent,reflecting their generality throughout the entire Antarctic area.Our results provide the foundation for reconstructing the historical penguin population in this region and its possible response to climate change.