Arctic Char Foraging Ecology and Muscle Pigmentation in Western Hudson Bay

Western Hudson Bay data from 2021 and 2022 investigates the foraging ecology of anadromous Arctic char and its influence on muscle pigmentation. The study compares two locations, Rankin Inlet and Naujaat, using stomach contents, stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), highly branched isoprenoids, carotenoid spectrophotometry, and a muscle colour scale. It examines spatiotemporal diet variation and links invertebrate consumption to muscle carotenoid concentrations like astaxanthin.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatiotemporal variation in Arctic char diet composition using stomach contents data from Rankin Inlet and Naujaat.
• Model trophic position and carbon sources of Arctic char using stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) from two contrasting years.
• Investigate the relationship between invertebrate-based diet and muscle carotenoid concentrations, such as astaxanthin, measured via spectrophotometry.
• Compare isotopic niche breadth between the southern (Rankin Inlet) and northern (Naujaat) study locations along western Hudson Bay.
• Assess inter-annual variability in muscle colour using the DSM SalmoFan scale in relation to sea ice dynamics and prey availability.

Strengths

• Data spans two consecutive years (2021, 2022) with contrasting environmental conditions, enabling temporal comparison.
• Integrates multiple analytical methods: stomach contents, stable isotopes, highly branched isoprenoids, carotenoid spectrophotometry, and a colour scale.
• Provides a direct comparison between two distinct geographic locations (Rankin Inlet and Naujaat) along the western Hudson Bay coastline.

Limitations

• Sample size and number of individual fish records are not specified in the provided input.
• Geographic scope is limited to two specific locations along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut.
• The dataset's description is truncated, potentially omitting full methodological details or results.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Community-based monitoring program implementing stomach content analysis, stable isotope analysis, spectrophotometry, and colour scoring.

Time Range

2021, 2022

Freshness

null

Geography

Western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada (specifically Rankin Inlet and Naujaat)