Science Spotlight

Why It's Important:

The threatened Steller’s and spectacled eiders rely on the benthic habitats of the North Pacific for survival and reproduction, and changes in the quality and quantity of available food resources may be limiting recovery of these populations. However, relatively little is known of foraging ecology, nutritional requirements, and food limitation in eiders. Specifically, little is known about critical foraging habitat associations and nutrient requirements during the energetically demanding pre-breeding and breeding seasons in the arctic and subarctic marine environments. Development of diet assessment techniques is a recovery task for both Steller’s and spectacled eiders, due to the importance of further understanding of nutrient resources and habitat associations of threatened populations.

SUPPORT THE
Science


How You Can Help
The Alaska SeaLife Center is a non-profit institution that relies on your support to maintain its important ongoing scientific exploration. There are many ways to get involved. Please click on the links above to find an option that is ideal for you. Your donations, sponsorship, membership and other contributions are greatly appreciated, and thank you for Supporting the Science!