DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cz8w9gjft
title: Feeding ecology of the critically endangered Gobio Insuyanus (Gobionidae)

description: Despite the critical conservation status of the endemic gudgeon Gobio
 insuyanus, its feeding ecology remained unstudied. This research addresses
 this gap by investigating the diet of G. insuyanus in the Insuyu
 spring-stream system of Central Anatolia (Turkey) analyzing spatial,
 temporal, and intraspecific variations. We compared two distinct habitats:
 a stable spring and its continuum, a fluctuating stream. Results indicate
 that G. insuyanus is an omnivore, consuming primarily detritus, Gammarids,
 and Diptera larvae. Feeding activity was higher in the spring habitat,
 particularly in summer, possibly related to its stable temperature and
 lower turbidity. Dietary diversity was higher in the stream, potentially
 reflecting its greater habitat complexity, but decreased in both habitats
 in autumn, suggesting a seasonal decline in prey availability. A
 significant ontogenetic shift in diet was observed; mature individuals
 exhibited a narrower niche and preferred larger prey, probably due to
 increased gape size, improved foraging ability and higher energy
 requirements. No significant dietary differences were found between the
 sexes. The results have conservation implications, emphasizing the need to
 maintain the integrity of both habitats. Future research incorporating
 fish movement data with feeding ecology will further improve our
 understanding and inform more targeted conservation strategies.
description: # Feeding Ecology of the Critically Endangered Gobio insuyanus
 (Gobionidae)
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cz8w9gjft](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cz8w9gjft) ## Description of the data and file structure The data consist of the contents of the stomach of *Gobio insuyanus*, collected for the analysis of the feeding ecology of the species. ### Files and variables #### File: EcoEvo\_Gobio.7z **Description:** The folder contains two .xlsx and one .csv files through which the stomach content of the individuals analysed. *Habitat_FVN*: this file contains 9 sheets of percent Frequency of occurrence (%FO), percent Volume of preys (VO%), percent number of preyd (N%) and calculated index of relative importance (IRI). All these are provided for Spring and Stream habitats separately. The first 5 columns in each sheet include the prey taxon from phylum to the lowest possible taxon. The rows represent individual fish, and their prey values starting from the F column. The other *Volumetrics Seasons* .xlsx file has the same data structure with the *Habitat_FVN *with all data broken down to the seasons.  *MultivariateR*: This dataset represents the diet composition of *Gobio insuyanus*, detailing the volume of various prey organisms consumed. The data includes different taxonomic groups of prey items, measured in volumetric proportions, along with categorical factors such as habitat, season, sex, and maturity. The dataset consists of **rows** representing individual observations and **columns** representing prey items or categorical variables. ### Columns: 1. **Prey Taxa (Volumetric Data):** * Nematoda * Bivalvia * Gastropoda * Ostracoda (Suspended) * Ostracoda (Benthic) * Cyclopoida * Amphipoda * Gammaridae * Chydorus sphaericus * Odonata Larvae * Plecoptera Larvae * Curculionoidea (Adult) * Corixidae (Adult) * Diptera (Larvae) * Diptera (Adult) * Actinopterygii (Larvae) * Detritus 2. **Categorical Factors:** * **Habitat:** The habitat where the sample was collected (e.g., "Spring" or "Stream") * **Season:** The season in which the sample was collected (e.g., "Su" for summer, "Au" for autumn, "Wi" for winter, "Sp" for Spring) * **Sex:** The sex of the individual (M = Male, F = Female) * **Maturity:** The maturity stage of the individual (Mature or Immature) ## Code/software .xlsx files can be opened, viewed and edited by Microsoft Excel. .csv file can be opened, viewed and edited by Microsoft Excel, and can be analyzed in RStudio.