A salmon diet database for the North Pacific Ocean

Abstract

AbstractThe North Pacific Marine Salmon Diet Database is an open-access relational database built to centralize and make accessible salmon diet data through a standardized database structure. The initial data contribution contains 21,862 observations of salmon diet, and associated salmon biological parameters, prey biological parameters, and environmental data from the North Pacific Ocean. The data come from 907 unique spatial areas and mostly fall within two time periods, 1959–1969 and 1987–1997, during which there are more data available compared to other time periods. Data were extracted from 62 sources identified through a systematic literature review, targeting peer-reviewed and gray literature. The purpose of this database is to consolidate data into a common format to address gaps in our ecological understanding of the North Pacific Ocean, particularly with respect to salmon. This database can be used to address a variety of questions regarding salmon foraging, productivity, and marine survival. The North Pacific Marine Salmon Diet Database will continue to grow in the future as more data are digitized and become available.