DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8cz8w9h23
title: Interannual structure of the bathyal deep-sea food-web at South Sandwich Islands (Southern Ocean): Stable isotope values of 𝛅13C and 𝛅15N

description: In this work we used stable isotope analyses of 𝛅13C and 𝛅15N to study the
 deep-sea food-web structure in three consecutive years at South Sandwich
 Islands (Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean). Stable isotopes were measured in the
 muscle of individuals, and in prey from their stomachs, captured during
 the toothfish fishing operations in 2020, 2021 and 2022. This dataset
 contains the raw data of 𝛅13C, 𝛅15N, %C and %N values for each individual
 analysed in this study.
description: The muscle used in this study was sampled from fish captured
 aboard fishing vessels during toothfish fishing seasons 2020, 2021 and
 2022 at South Sandwich Islands (CCAMLR Subarea - 48.4) and from fresh prey
 sampled from the stomachs of captured fish. Muscle was frozen at -20 ºC
 aboard. On the laboratory, the muscle was freeze-dried.
 The muscle was delipidated using 3-successive rinses of cyclohexane and
 posteriorly dried in an oven overnight. Isotopic ratios
 of Carbon (δ<sup>13</sup>C) and Nitrogen
 (δ<sup>15</sup>N) determined by a Continuous Flow Mass
 Spectrometer (Thermo Scientific® Delta V Plus – Isotope Ratio Mass
 Spectrometer) coupled to an elemental analyser (Thermo Scientific® Flash
 2000).
description: # Interannual structure of the bathyal deep-sea food-web at South Sandwich
 Islands (Southern Ocean): Stable Isotope values of 𝛅13C and 𝛅15N
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8cz8w9h23](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8cz8w9h23) ## Description of the data and file structure This data was produced to study the structure of deep-sea benthopelagic food-webs at the South Sandwich Islands in three consecutive years. Muscle tissue used here were sampled from fish captured aboard fishing vessels operating at the South Sandwich Islands - CCAMLR (Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources) Subarea 48.4; and from fresh prey collected from the stomachs of individuals captured in the longlines. Muscle samples were frozen at -20ºC aboard. Muscle samples were freeze-dried for 36 h. Lipids were removed from the samples using three successive rinses of cyclohexane. After delipidation, muscle was dried in an oven overnight. Isotope ratios of carbon (*d*13C) and nitrogen (*d*15N) were determined by a Continuous Flow Mass Spectrometer (Thermo Scientific® Delta V Plus – Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer) coupled to an elemental analyser (Thermo Scientific® Flash 2000). The results are presented using the *delta*-notation in ‰ (*per mille*). ### Files and variables #### File: SIA\_Interannual\_Food-Web\_Structure\_South\_Sandwich\_Islands.xlsx **Description:**  ##### Variables * Column 1: Unique ID for each sample; * Column 2: Species name; * Column 3: Sampling year; * Column 4: d13C values (in *per mille*) * Column 5: % C * Column 6: d15N values (in *per mille*) * Column 7: % N #### Related works This dataset relates with the work: Queirós JP, Hollyman PR, Bustamante P, Vaz D, Belchier M, Xavier JC. Deep-sea food-web structure at South Sandwich Islands (Southern Ocean): net primary production as a main driver for interannual changes. Ecography DOI: 10.1111/ecog.07263