Gut content of nearshore fishes across glaciated watersheds in Kachemak Bay, 2020-2021

• Main Author: Katrin Iken
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Research Workspace
• Subjects: OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN > GULF OF ALASKA; Hexagrammos stelleri; whitespotted greenling; Eleginus gracilis; saffron cod; Lepidopsetta bilineata; rock sole; Microgadus proximus; Pacific tomcod; Oncorhynchus keta; chum salmon; Platichthys stellatus; starry flounder; Leptocottus armatus; Pacific staghorn sculpin, charrasco de astas; Pholis laeta; crescent gunnel; 2021; 2020; EARTH SCIENCE > CLIMATE INDICATORS > CRYOSPHERIC INDICATORS > GLACIAL MEASUREMENTS; EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES; EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > FISH; gut content analysis; Gulf of Alaska; Pacific; Keta; Gunnel; Kachemak; Alaska
• Online Access: https://search.dataone.org/view/10.24431_rw1k7dt_20230808T215210Z

Stomach contents from Crescent Gunnels (Pholis laeta) were analyzed from April through September from multiple watersheds in Kachemak Bay. Field seasons were summers of 2020 and 2021. In addition, stomach contents of Starry Flounders (Platichthys stellatus) and Staghorn Sculpins (Leptocottus armatus) were analyzed from August and September from the same watersheds. Opportunistically, other fish species were analyzed as well. Stomach fullness, volume, as well as fish length and weight were determined. Prey items in fish stomachs were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level, and categorized by terrestrial and marine prey components. A point system was used to quantify all prey components in fish stomachs. This work is part of the Alaska EPSCoR Fire and Ice program.