Scat Science

Aiming to improve upon traditional methods of reconstructing pinniped diets, Consortium researchers recently integrated cutting-edge DNA technology into a conventional method of analyzing scat samples — and proved that a little change can indeed be a good thing.

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September 16, 2009

The Fasts of Life

Seasonal Differences in Biochemical Adaptation to Fasting in Juvenile and Subadult Steller Sea Lions

Fasting is a significant part of the Steller sea lion’s life history, but until recently, researchers knew little about the physiological changes that occur while the animal goes without food. Consortium researchers recently delved into the biochemical details of fasting—and emerged with interesting findings.

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August 20, 2009

‘Tis the (Field) Season

The UBC Fisheries Centre is a flurry of activity as researchers prepare for their summer field seasons. Here is a look at some of the adventures that await them.

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July 7, 2009

Cutting the Costs of Foraging
Consortium researchers studying the costs of foraging in Steller sea lions recently discovered that the animals spend less energy during longer series of continuous dives than shorter ones. Intrigued, they focused on how sea lions manage their oxygen while foragingand came to an interesting conclusion.

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June 3, 2009