Nutrient concentrations in 59 Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) scats collected in 2022 in two colonies of the Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean

The dataset contains dry weight nutrient concentrations (20 nutrients, calcium Ca, phosphorus P, sodium Na, potassium K, magnesium Mg, strontium Sr, iron Fe, zinc Zn, copper Cu, manganese Mn, selenium Se, arsenic As, nickel Ni, cobalt Co, molybdenum Mo, chromium Cr, cadmium Cd, vanadium V, silver Ag, lead Pb) measured on 59 scat samples from Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) collected in Cap Noir (49°07’ S 70°45’ E) and Pointe Suzanne (49°44’ S 70°44’ E) colonies of the Kerguelen Islands (southern Indian Ocean), during austral summer 2021-2022. Samples were stored at -20°C within 48 hours of collection and until processing. In 2022, scat samples were individually thawed, cleaned of large plant debris, weighted and stored at -20°C before being freeze-dried for a minimum of 72 hours and ground to fine powder until analysis. All material was carefully rinsed with ultrapure water and ethanol between samples to avoid contamination. Total concentrations of major constitutive chemical elements in biological tissues (P, Ca, K, Na, Mg) were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES, Vista-Pro Varian). Aliquots of samples (∼250 mg dry mass of homogenised powder) were digested using a 6:2 (v/v) mixture with nitric acid (HNO3 69%, Trace Metal Grade®, FisherScientific) and hydrochloric acid (HCl, 34%, Trace Metal Grade®, FisherScientific). Acidic digestion of the samples was performed over-night at room temperature and then in a microwave oven (START-D, Milestone). Finally, the digestats were diluted to 50 mL with ultrapure water before analyses with ICP-OES. Total concentrations of essential trace nutrients (As, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, Zn) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, ICAP-Qc ThermoFisher). Aliquots of samples (∼200 mg dry mass of homogenised powder) were placed in Teflon bombs and mineralized with a mixture of ultrapure HNO3 acid (PlasmaPure Plus grade, SCP Science®) and ultrapure water using a micro-wave (ETHOS-UP, Milestone). The digests were then diluted to 50 mL with ultrapure water before analyses with ICP-MS. The quality assurance of all metal analyses relied on blank and internal standard controls, and on the accuracy and reproducibility of data relative to the certified reference materials (CRMs) used in each analytical run. Blank values were systematically below the detection limits and CRM values concurred with certified concentrations. Results for the CRMs are provided in the dataset

本数据集包含20种营养成分的干重浓度测定数据，涵盖钙（Calcium, Ca）、磷（Phosphorus, P）、钠（Sodium, Na）、钾（Potassium, K）、镁（Magnesium, Mg）、锶（Strontium, Sr）、铁（Iron, Fe）、锌（Zinc, Zn）、铜（Copper, Cu）、锰（Manganese, Mn）、硒（Selenium, Se）、砷（Arsenic, As）、镍（Nickel, Ni）、钴（Cobalt, Co）、钼（Molybdenum, Mo）、铬（Chromium, Cr）、镉（Cadmium, Cd）、钒（Vanadium, V）、银（Silver, Ag）、铅（Lead, Pb）。数据来源于南印度洋凯尔盖朗群岛的两个南极海狗（Arctocephalus gazella）聚居群落：卡诺角（Cap Noir，49°07′ S 70°45′ E）与苏珊角（Pointe Suzanne，49°44′ S 70°44′ E），共采集59份粪样，采样时间为2021-2022年南半球夏季。

样本于采集后48小时内置于-20℃环境下保存，直至开展后续处理。2022年，研究人员对每份粪样进行单独解冻，清除其中的大型植物碎屑，称重后再次保存于-20℃环境中；随后将样本冷冻干燥至少72小时，研磨为细粉以待分析。为避免样本间交叉污染，所有实验器材均使用超纯水和乙醇进行彻底冲洗。

生物组织中主要组成化学元素（P、Ca、K、Na、Mg）的总浓度采用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法（Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry, ICP-OES，Vista-Pro Varian）测定。称取约250mg均质化粉末的干重样品，使用体积比6:2的硝酸（HNO3 69%，Trace Metal Grade®，FisherScientific）与盐酸（HCl 34%，Trace Metal Grade®，FisherScientific）混合溶液进行消解。样本的酸消解过程先于室温下过夜进行，随后转移至微波消解仪（START-D，Milestone）中完成后续步骤。最后将消解液用超纯水定容至50mL，再通过ICP-OES进行分析。

必需微量营养元素（As、Co、Cu、Fe、Mn、Ni、Se、Zn）的总浓度采用电感耦合等离子体质谱法（Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, ICP-MS，ICAP-Qc ThermoFisher）测定。称取约200mg均质化粉末的干重样品，置于聚四氟乙烯消解罐中，使用超纯硝酸（PlasmaPure Plus grade，SCP Science®）与超纯水的混合体系，通过微波消解仪（ETHOS-UP，Milestone）完成矿化过程。消解完成后，将溶液用超纯水定容至50mL，再通过ICP-MS进行分析。

所有金属元素分析的质量控制均依托空白对照与内标质控，同时通过各分析批次中使用的标准参考物质（Certified Reference Materials, CRMs）验证数据的准确性与重现性。本次分析的空白值均低于检测限，标准参考物质的测定值与认证浓度一致。该数据集附带了标准参考物质的测定结果。