NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center collected fecal samples from Steller sea lions to examine their diet from May 1993 to October 1999. The study focused on sites along the northern coast of Washington, where the sea lion population is most common. Data is archived under NCEI Accession 0145304.
Use Cases
- Analyze prey species composition from fecal sample contents to understand Steller sea lion diet.
- Correlate diet data with collection site and date to study seasonal or geographic feeding patterns.
- Use fecal analysis results to model the sea lions' role as a predator within the California Current ecosystem.
- Compare dietary data from the 1990s with contemporary studies to assess changes in marine food webs.
Strengths
- Data collection spans over six years from 1993 to 1999.
- Focuses on a specific, abundant population on the northern Washington coast.
Limitations
- Sample size and number of collection events are unknown.
- Data is over 20 years old and may not reflect current ecosystem conditions.
- Geographic coverage is biased towards Washington, with limited data from California.
Provenance
- Source
- Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, NOAA.
- Collection Method
- Collection and analysis of fecal samples from Steller sea lions.
- Time Range
- 1993-05-01 to 1999-10-01
- Freshness
- Data collection ended in October 1999.
- Geography
- Primarily the northern coast of Washington, USA; also includes California.