Arctic fish biomarker profiles from Beaufort Sea coastal lagoons, 2017–2022

Fish sampling occurred in three regions across the Beaufort Sea coast: Elson Lagoon in Utqiaġvik, Stefansson Sound in Prudhoe Bay, and Kaktovik and Jago lagoons in Barter Island (city of Kaktovik). Arctic fishes were collected to determine trophic niche overlap by determining stomach contents, bulk carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (SI), compound specific stable isotopes of carbon in essential amino acids (CSIA-EAA) and their fatty acid (FA) profiles. Fishes were collected in each of the three regions during the open water season in August 2021 and 2022, with supplemental samples collected in 2017 – 2019. The target fish species included three diadromous species: Arctic Cisco (Coregonus autumnalis), Least Cisco (Coregonus sardinella), and Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), and three marine fish species: Polar Cod (Boreogadus saida), Saffron Cod (Eleginus gracilis), and Fourhorn Sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis). Up to ten individuals per species per region were sampled, but not all species could be collected in all regions. Stomach contents were reported as the total number of individuals per prey category for the following categories: Amphipoda, Polychaeta, Harpacticoidea, Saduria entomon, Nemertea, Priapulida, Cumacea, Mysidacea, Calanoidea, Larval fish, Chironomida, Insecta, Misc. Stable isotope values of δ13C and δ15N are reported as “del_13c” and “del_15n”, respectively. Individual fatty acids are reported as the percent relative to total fatty acids for 35 fatty acids: C8:0, C10:0, C11:0, C12:0, C13:0, C14:0, C14:1n5, C15:0, C15:1, C16:0, C16:1n7, C17:0, C17:1, C18:0, C18:1n9 trans, C18:1n7, C18:2n6 trans, C18:2n6 cis, C18:3n3, C18:3n6, C20:0, C20:1n9, C20:2n6, C21:0, C20:3n6, C22:0, C20:4n6, C20:3n3, C20:5n3, C22:1n9, C22:2n6, C23:0, C24:0, C22:6n3, C24:1n9. Stable isotope values of δ13C are reported in the following essential amino acids: Valine (Val), Leucine (Leu), iLeu (isoleucine), Methionine (Met), Phenylalanine (Phe), Lysine (Lys).