Diet of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) from the central Arctic Ocean

Summary

This file contains stomach content data from polar cod (Boreogadus saida) caught from underneath the sea ice of the central Arctic Ocean during spring and summer. The fish were collected during Polarstern expeditions PS80 (2012), PS92 (2015), PS106.2 (2017) and PS122 (2019/2020). The data was collected to gain knowledge on the diet of polar cod and the ice-associated food web of the central Arctic. The stomach contents of 86 individuals were analysed using a Discovery V8 stereomicroscope (Zeiss, Germany). All recognizable food items were counted and are listed in this dataset. Fish parameters, such as length and weight, were recorded. In addition, the condition index of the fish was calculated. The stomach and stomach contens were also weighed and the degree of digestion of the contents were estimated. The dataset also contains length measurements performed on prey items found in the stomachs using an AxioCam HRc with AxioVision40 V 4.8.2.0 software (Zeiss, Germany), including Calanus spp., Tisbe spp, Themisto spp, and Apherusa glacialis.