Energy density and content of forage species in the California Current Ecosystem

This dataset provides energy density and energy content measurements for three ecologically important forage species in the California Current Ecosystem (CCE): northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax), and market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens). These metrics serve as key indicators of prey quality, a functional trait that influences predator-prey dynamics. Unlike previous studies that emphasize differences between species, this collection highlights variation within species, examining how energy metrics shift across size classes, maturity stages, and environmental conditions. Specimens were collected during spring and summer from central and southern CCE regions to capture spatial, seasonal, and life history-driven variability. By capturing intraspecific variation in prey quality, this dataset helps refine predator-prey models, improve ecosystem-level predictions, and strengthen bioenergetics models that rely on accurate prey energy inputs.