Diets of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Southeast Alaska, 1993−1999

The diet of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) was determined from 1494 scats (feces) collected at breeding (rookeries) and nonbreeding (haulout) sites in Southeast Alaska from 1993 to 1999. The most common prey of 61 species identified were walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), Pacific salmon (Salmonidae), arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), rockfish (Sebastes spp.), skates (Rajidae), and cephalopods (squid and octopus). Steller sea lion diets at the three Southeast Alaska rookeries differed significantly from one another. The sea lions consumed the most diverse range of prey categories during summer, and the least diverse during fall. Diet was more diverse in Southeast Alaska during the 1990s than in any other region of Alaska (Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands). Dietary differences between increasing and declining populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska correlate with rates of population change, and add credence to the view that diet may have played a role in the decline of sea lions in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands

Mentalités of Children’s Literature: 1991-2021

In this lecture Distinguished Professor of English Dr. Roberta Seelinger Trites offers a retrospective look at the evolution of the study of children’s literature during her 30 year career as a teacher and scholar at Illinois State University. Trites’ presentation covers the changing nature of the scholarly study of Children’s Literature as well as a discussion of her own contributions to the field.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/lenskilecture/1000/thumbnail.jp

Alien Registration- Collins, Helena (Vassalboro, Kennebec County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/16656/thumbnail.jp

Reliability and Relationship of Certain Measures of Reading Ability

A number of studies (1) have been published concerning various methods of measuring reading rate and comprehension. The ophthalmograph has been described (2) as one of the more objective, semi-laboratory adaptations of these methods. The ophthalmograph is a portable, binocular eye-movement camera. The reading graph, or eye-movement photograph, obtained while the subject is reading a standard selection, provides objective evidence concerning reading speed, fixations, regressions, and other eye movements. By testing the subject on the material read a measure of his comprehension is obtained

Prey consumption of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) off Alaska: How much prey do they require?

The effects of seasonal and regional differences in diet composition on the food requirements of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) were estimated by using a bioenergetic model. The model considered differences in the energy density of the prey, and differences in digestive efficiency and the heat increment of feeding of different diets. The model predicted that Steller sea lions in southeast Alaska required 45–60% more food per day in early spring (March) than after the breeding season in late summer (August) because of seasonal changes in the energy density of the diets (along with seasonal changes in energy requirements). The southeast Alaska population, at 23,000 (±1660 SD) animals (all ages), consumed an estimated 140,000 (±27,800) t of prey in 1998. In contrast, we estimated that the 51,000 (±3680) animals making up the western Alaska population in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands consumed just over twice this amount (303,000 [±57,500] t). In terms of biomass removed in 1998 from Alaskan waters, we estimated that Steller sea lions accounted for about 5% of the natural mortality of gadids (pollock and cod) and up to 75% of the natural mortality of hexagrammids (adult Atka mackerel). These two groups of species were consumed in higher amounts than any other. The predicted average daily food requirement per individual ranged from 16 (±2.8) to 20 (±3.6) kg (all ages combined). Per capita food requirements differed by as much as 24% between regions of Alaska depending on the relative amounts of low–energy-density prey (e.g. gadids) versus high–energy-density prey (e.g. forage fish and salmon) consumed. Estimated requirements were highest in regions where Steller sea lions consumed higher proportions of low–energy-density prey and experienced the highest rates of population declin

Standards for the Language Competence of French Immersion Teachers: Is There a Danger of Erosion?

We examined standards used by Canadian universities and British Columbia school districts to verify the language competence of French Immersion (FI) teachers in a time of teacher shortage, confirmed by 56 per cent of school districts surveyed. Parents and Directors of Human Resources agreed on their minimum expectations about French teachers’ qualifications in FI schools. We found no guarantee for this level of teachers’ competence because of heterogeneity in universities and school districts language measures and lack of validity and reliability for many of those measures. This may result in lowering teaching quality in FI programs. Key words: teachers’ qualifications, parents’ expectations, language testing, second language, teacher shortage Nous avons examiné les standards utilisés par les universités canadiennes et les commissions scolaires de Colombie‐Britannique pour vérifier la compétence linguistique des enseignants d’immersion française (IF) alors qu’une pénurie d’enseignants a été confirmée par 56% des commissions scolaires interrogées. Les parents et les directeurs des ressources humaines ont des attentes minima similaires au sujet des qualifications des enseignants en IF. Cependant, le niveau de compétence n’est pas garanti à cause de l’hétérogénéité des mesures employées et de leur manque de validité et de fiabilité dans bien des cas. La qualité de l’enseignement dans les programmes d’IF pourrait s’en ressentir. Mots‐clés : qualifications des enseignants, tests de compétence langagière, pénurie d’enseignants, attentes des parents d’élèves