Physico-chemical and biological data from 36 kettle lakes: fish, amphibian, and zooplankton communities [Québec, Canada, 2024]

Data were collected in 36 kettle lakes between April 29 and August 9, 2024 in Québec, Canada. Lakes were classified according to the presence or absence of fish and their hydrological connectivity (connected or disconnected from surrounding aquatic ecosystems).

Physico-chemical parameters expected to influence amphibian, fish, and zooplankton assemblages were measured in each lake. Fish presence or absence was assessed by deploying three baited minnow traps and one fyke net overnight in each lake. Amphibian communities were assessed using acoustic recorders to detect calling score of adult males, visual surveys to count amphibian egg masses, and larvae and newts were sampled using minnow traps and a fyke net. Zooplankton sampling was conducted using a plankton net.

The purpose of the dataset was to evaluate how fish presence and hydrological connectivity influence amphibian and zooplankton community composition, abundance, and diversity in kettle lake ecosystems. A preprint has been published (https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.01.22.700881) and the manuscript has been submitted to Freshwater Biology.