Measuring in situ predation by Mysis relicta and observations on underdispersed microdistributions of zooplankton

Described are a method and apparatus that allow in situ measurement of predation on zooplankton by Mysis relicta . The method, which can be generalized to other predators, involves lowering paired large-volume (30-1) plankton traps to the depth of interest, with subsequent trapping of the ambient zooplankton assemblage in each trap and release of predators into one of the traps. The statistical adequacy of the method was shown by error propagation theory to depend on the percentage of available prey consumed, on the number of prey captured by the traps, and on the distribution of zooplankton within the volume of water captured by the traps. Repeated casts of the apparatus showed that, in contrast to other studies of zooplankton distribution, various zooplankton categories were statistically underdispersed (evenly dispersed in space) or at least not more statistically dispersed (clumped) than was a random distribution at a space scale of 1 m. An error analysis of many replicated feeding experiments showed that the errors obtained were reasonably small and that they conformed with or were less than those predicted by error propagation theory that assumed random distribution of zooplankton. Thus, these results supported the practical application of the method and corroborated the conclusion of random dispersion or underdispersion drawn from the experiment of repeated casts of the apparatus.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42917/1/10750_2004_Article_BF00008104.pd

Parents, Teachers, and Community: A Dream Team Approach to Developing Physical Literacy in Children

The abstract of this item is unavailable due to an embargo

Parents, Teachers, and Community: A Team Approach to Developing Physical Competence in Children

Increasing children’s physical activity engagement has short- and long-term health benefits. Developing physical competence is a key component of children’s engagement in physical activity. The purpose of our study was to assess if a 12-week home, school, and community-based physical literacy intervention improved the physical competence of children in kindergarten and grade one. Four schools were either assigned to receive the intervention (n = 2 schools) or continue with their usual practice (control sites) (n = 2 schools). Physical competence was evaluated pre- and post-intervention in 103 intervention (41 female) and 83 usual practice (36 female) children using PLAY Fun. PLAY Parent and PLAY Coach tools measured parent and teacher perspectives of children’s physical competence, respectively. The intervention effect was assessed with repeated measures MANOVA to evaluate change in physical competence, with alpha set at p p p p > 0.05). However, teachers perceived improved physical competence for children in the intervention. Our physical literacy intervention improved the physical competence of children in kindergarten and grade one