USGS Alaska Science Center - Ecosystems Analytics Program USGS Alaska Science Center - Polar Bear Research Program 20231219 tabular digital data Anchorage, Alaska U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center Suggested Citation: USGS Alaska Science Center - Ecosystems Analytics Program, USGS Alaska Science Center - Polar Bear Research Program, 2023, Diet composition of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears sampled in spring from 2004 to 2016 estimated with quantitative fatty acid signature analysis: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P976BY21 https://doi.org/10.5066/P976BY21 These data are estimates of the proportional contributions of bearded seal, beluga whale, bowhead whale, and ringed seal to the diets of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. Fat biopsy samples were collected from polar bears captured or biopsy darted along the north coast of Alaska or on offshore ice during March, April, and May from 2004 to 2016. Fatty acid data of the above four prey species were compiled from online sources (Bromaghin et al. 2015ab, USGS 2021) and one private source that has been used in several polar bear diet studies (Thiemann et al. 2008). Diet composition was estimated from polar bear adipose tissue fatty acid composition data (USGS 2023) using three methods: the original quantitative fatty acid signature analysis model (Iverson et al. 2004, McKinney et al. 2017) and two alternative methods based on recommendations by Bromaghin et al. (2015c, 2016ab, 2017). These diet composition estimates were generated during research into the influence of land use during the sea ice minimum period and access to bowhead whale carcasses on polar bear cub survival and recruitment. We anticipate that these estimates will be valuable in future investigations of the effects of climatic warming and anthropogenic stressors on the health of individual polar bears and on polar bear population dynamics. 2004 2016 observed Complete None planned Alaska Beaufort Sea coast and offshore ice. -165.85 -141.00 72.81 67.31 USGS Metadata Identifier USGS:ASC580 ISO 19115 Topic Category Biota Environment NASA GCMD Earth Science Keyword Thesaurus Animals/Vertebrates Mammals Carnivores Bears Seals/Sea lions/Walruses USGS CSA Biocomplexity Thesaurus Threatened species Marine mammals Diets USGS Thesaurus Wildlife Coastal ecosystems Marine ecosystems None Fatty Acids Pinniped Polar bear Ursus maritimus Bearded seal Erignathus barbatus Ringed seal Pusa hispida Beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas Bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Alaska Beaufort Sea None Polar Bear Pacific bearded seal Bowhead whale Ringed Seal Beluga whale ITIS Integrated Taxonomic Information System Unknown online database online ITIS-North America Taxonomic details retrieved November 4, 2023 from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) online database https://www.itis.gov https://doi.org/10.5066/F7KH0KBK Species were identified in the original source datasets by skilled observers in the field based on general appearance. Taxonomy is complete for all samples. Kingdom Animalia Subkingdom Bilateria Infrakingdom Deuterostomia Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata Infraphylum Gnathostomata Superclass Tetrapoda Class Mammalia Subclass Theria Infraclass Eutheria Order Carnivora Suborder Caniformia Family Ursidae Genus Ursus Species Ursus maritimus Polar Bear TSN: 180542 Family Phocidae Genus Erignathus Species Erignathus barbatus Bearded seal TSN: 180655 Subspecies Erignathus barbatus nauticus Pacific Bearded Seal TSN: 622070 Genus Pusa Species Pusa hispida Ringed seal TSN: 622018 Order Cetacea Suborder Mysticeti Family Balaenidae Genus Balaena Species Balaena mysticetus Bowhead whale TSN: 180533 Suborder Odontoceti Family Monodontidae Genus Delphinapterus Species Delphinapterus leucas Beluga whale Beluga TSN: 180483 No access constraints. No use constraints. We request that the suggested citation of this USGS data release be included in any publications that reference or utilize these data. U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center Mailing and Physical

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Anchorage Alaska 99508 USA 907-786-7000 gs-ak_asc_datamanagers@usgs.gov Melissa A McKinney (University of Connecticut, McGill University), Jennifer Bourque (University of Connecticut) Polar bear identifying numbers, sex, and age were extracted from the USGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research program database. Identities (5-digit number tattooed on inner lip) are double checked in the field and during data capture. Age class is determined from a birth year that is assigned based on annual growth circuli in a vestigial tooth extracted the first time an individual bear is captured or the size of dependent young captured with the mother. Sex is determined by inspection of captured bears. The exceptions are that the sex and age class of 24 bears biopsied in 2012 that do not have a 5-digit numerical identifier were determined based on body size and shape by experienced polar bear biologists. The estimated dietary contributions are statistical estimates that are reported to the degree of precision produced by the software used to generate the estimates. Attribute values fall within expected ranges. The diet estimates were constrained to fall within the interval [0,1] and sum to 1. No data were omitted and there are no missing values. Field Fat biopsy samples were collected from polar bears captured or biopsy darted along the north coast of Alaska or on offshore ice during March, April, and May from 2004 to 2016. Fatty acid data of the prey species bearded seal, bowhead whale, beluga whale, and ringed seal were compiled from online sources (Bromaghin et al. 2015a, Bromaghin et al. 2015b, USGS 2021) and one private source that has been used in several polar bear diet studies (Thiemann et al. 2008). Bromaghin, J.F. 2017 journal article Methods in Ecology and Evolution 8(9):1158-1162 online Wiley Bromaghin, J.F., 2017. qfasar: quantitative fatty acid signature analysis with R. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 8(9):1158-1162 doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12740 https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12740 publication 2017 publication date Bromaghin 2017 Methods of estimating diet composition with fatty acid data. Ghalanos, A. Theussl, S. 2015 1.16 R package online The Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN) Ghalanos, A., Theussl, S. 2015. Rsolnp: General non-linear optimization using augmented Lagrange multiplier method. R package version 1.16. https://cran.r-project.org/package=Rsolnp Software 2015 publication date Ghalanos and Theussl 2015 Methods of estimating diet composition. Bromaghin, J.F. Budge, S.M. Thiemann, G.W. Rode, K.D. 2015 tabular digital data online Dalhousie University Bromaghin, J.F., Budge, S.M., Thiemann, G.W., Rode, K.D., 2015. Exploring the sensitivity of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations (Supplementary data). Dalhousie University. doi:10.15273/10222/57254 https://doi.org/10.15273/10222/57254 online database 2015 publication date Bromaghin et al. 2015a Fatty acid data from prey species. Bromaghin, J.F. Budge, S.M. Thiemann, G.W. Rode, K.D. 2015 tabular digital data USGS Data Release doi:10.5066/F7PR7T2W online U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center Bromaghin, J.F., Budge, S.M., Thiemann, G.W., Rode, K.D., 2015. Assessing the robustness of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations (Supplementary data): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PR7T2W https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PR7T2W online database 2015 publication date Bromaghin et al. 2015b Fatty acid data from prey species. USGS Alaska Science Center - Polar Bear Research Program 2021 tabular digital data USGS Data Release doi:10.5066/P92CRWOP online U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center USGS Alaska Science Center - Polar Bear Research Program, 2021, Fatty acid composition of polar bear adipose tissue and ringed and bearded seal blubber collected in the Chukchi Sea, 2008-2017: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P92CRWOP https://doi.org/10.5066/P92CRWOP online database 2021 publication date USGS 2021 Fatty acid data from prey species. USGS Alaska Science Center - Polar Bear Research Program 2023 tabular digital data USGS Data Release doi:10.5066/P9NIMT90 online U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center USGS Alaska Science Center - Polar Bear Research Program, 2023, Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear fatty acid data, spring samples 2004-2016: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9NIMT90 https://doi.org/10.5066/P9NIMT90 online database 2023 publication date USGS 2023 Fatty acid data from polar bears. Bromaghin, J.F. Budge, S.M. Thiemann, G.W. Rode, K.D. 2016 journal arcticle Methods in Ecology and Evolution 7(1):51-59 online Wiley Bromaghin, J.F., Budge, S.M., Thiemann, G.W., Rode, K.D., 2016. Assessing the robustness of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 7(1):51-59 doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12456 https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12456 publication 2016 publication date Bromaghin et al. 2016a Methods of estimating diet composition with fatty acid data. Bromaghin, J.F. Budge, S.M. Thiemann, G.W. Rode, K.D. 2017 journal arcticle Ecology and Evolution 7(16):6103-6113 online Wiley Bromaghin, J.F., Budge, S.M., Thiemann, G.W., Rode, K.D., 2017. Simultaneous estimation of diet composition and calibration coefficients with fatty acid signature data. Ecology and Evolution 7(16):6103–6113 doi:10.1002/ece3.3179 https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3179 publication 2017 publication date Bromaghin et al. 2017 Methods of estimating diet composition with fatty acid data. Bromaghin, J.F. Rode, K.D. Budge, S.M. Thiemann, G.W. 2015 journal article Ecology and Evolution 5(6):1249-1262 online Wiley Bromaghin, J.F., Rode, K.D., Budge, S.M., Thiemann, G.W., 2015. Distance measures and optimization spaces in quantitative fatty acid signature analysis. Ecology and Evolution 5(6):1249-1262 doi:10.1002/ece3.1429 https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1429 publication 2015 publication date Bromaghin et al. 2015c Methods of estimating diet composition with fatty acid data. Iverson, S.J. Field, C. Bowen, W.D. Blanchard, W. 2004 journal arcticle Ecological Monographs 74(2):211–235 online Wiley Iverson, S.J., Field, C., Bowen, W.D., Blanchard, W., 2004. Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis: A new method of estimating predator diets. Ecological Monographs 74(2):211-235 doi:10.1890/02-4105 https://doi.org/10.1890/02-4105 publication 2004 publication date Iverson et al. 2004 Methods of estimating diet composition with fatty acid data. Thiemann, G.W. Iverson, S.J. Stirling, I. 2008 journal article Ecological Monographs 78(4):591–613 online Wiley Thiemann, G.W., Iverson, S.J., Stirling, I., 2008. Polar bear diets and arctic marine food webs: insights from fatty acid analysis. Ecological Monographs 78(4):591-613 doi:10.1890/07-1050.1 https://doi.org/10.1890/07-1050.1 publication 2008 publication date Thiemann et al. 2008 Fatty acid data from prey species. McKinney, M.A. Atwood, T.C. Iverson, S.J. Peacock, E. 2017 journal article Ecosphere 8(1):e01633 online Wiley McKinney, M.A., Atwood, T.C., Iverson, S.J., Peacock, E., 2017. Temporal complexity of southern Beaufort Sea polar bear diets during a period of increasing land use. Ecosphere 8(1):e01633 doi:10.1002/ecs2.1633 https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1633 publication 2017 publication date McKinney et al. 2017 Prior analyses of the same polar bear fatty acid data. Bromaghin, J.F. Budge, S.M. Thiemann, G.W. 2016 journal article Ecological Research 31(4):597–606 online Wiley Bromaghin, J.F., Budge, S.M., Thiemann, G.W., 2016. Should fatty acid signature proportions sum to 1 for diet estimation? Ecological Research 31(4):597–606 doi:10.1007/s11284-016-1357-8 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-016-1357-8 publication 2016 publication date Bromaghin et al. 2016b Methods of estimating diet composition with fatty acid data. Diet composition was estimated using the R package qfasar (Bromaghin 2017) and the function "solnp" from the R package Rsolnp (Ghalanos and Theussl 2015). Unknown Diet composition was estimated from polar bear adipose tissue fatty acid composition data (USGS 2023) using three methods, the original quantitative fatty acid signature analysis model (Iverson et al. 2004, McKinney et al. 2017) and two alternative methods based on recommendations by Bromaghin et al. (2015c, 2016ab, 2017). Method 1: the Iverson et al. (2004) model, marine calibration coefficients from Thiemann et al. (2008), prey estimation space (Bromaghin et al. 2016a), Kullback-Leibler distance, fatty acid proportions of zero replaced with a value equal to 90% of the smallest non-zero proportion in the prey data, fatty acid signatures normalized to 1, and 31 dietary fatty acids: c16.2w6, c16.2w4, c16.3w6, c16.3w4, c16.4w3, c16.4w1, c18.2w6, c18.2w4, c18.3w6, c18.3w4, c18.3w3, c18.3w1, c18.4w3, c18.4w1, c20.1w11, c20.1w9, c20.1w7, c20.2w6, c20.3w6, c20.4w6, c20.3w3, c20.4w3, c20.5w3, c22.1w11, c22.1w9, c22.1w7, c21.5w3, c22.4w6, c22.5w6, c22.4w3, c22.6w3. Method 2: the Iverson et al. (2004) model, all-marine calibration coefficients from Thiemann et al. (2008), predator estimation space (Bromaghin et al. 2016a), Aitchison distance, fatty acid proportions of zero replaced with a value equal to 90% of the smallest non-zero proportion in the prey data, fatty acid signatures augmented (Bromaghin et al. 2016b), and 30 dietary fatty acids: c16.2w6, c16.2w4, c16.3w6, c16.3w4, c16.4w3, c16.4w1, c18.2w6, c18.2w4, c18.3w6, c18.3w4, c18.3w3, c18.3w1, c18.4w3, c18.4w1, c20.1w9, c20.1w7, c20.2w6, c20.3w6, c20.4w6, c20.3w3, c20.4w3, c20.5w3, c22.1w11, c22.1w9, c22.1w7, c21.5w3, c22.4w6, c22.5w6, c22.4w3, c22.6w3. These are the same fatty acids used in Method 1, except 20:1w11 was excluded. Method 3: the Bromaghin et al. (2017) model, predator estimation space (Bromaghin et al. 2016a), Aitchison distance, fatty acid proportions of zero replaced with a value equal to 90% of the smallest non-zero proportion in the prey data, fatty acid signatures augmented (Bromaghin et al. 2016b), and the same 31 dietary fatty acids used in Method 1: c16.2w6, c16.2w4, c16.3w6, c16.3w4, c16.4w3, c16.4w1, c18.2w6, c18.2w4, c18.3w6, c18.3w4, c18.3w3, c18.3w1, c18.4w3, c18.4w1, c20.1w11, c20.1w9, c20.1w7, c20.2w6, c20.3w6, c20.4w6, c20.3w3, c20.4w3, c20.5w3, c22.1w11, c22.1w9, c22.1w7, c21.5w3, c22.4w6, c22.5w6, c22.4w3, c22.6w3. Unknown polarBear_multipleMethodDietEstimates_bromaghin.csv Table with capture details and three different estimates of the proportional contribution of four marine mammals to the lipid intake of an individual bear. Presented in a Comma Separated Value (CSV) formatted table. Author defined Method Values indicate of a set of options used to estimate diet composition. Author defined 1 Method 1: the Iverson et al. (2004) model, marine calibration coefficients from Thiemann et al. (2008), prey estimation space (Bromaghin et al. 2016a), Kullback-Leibler distance, fatty acid proportions of zero replaced with a value equal to 90% of the smallest non-zero proportion in the prey data, fatty acid signatures normalized to 1, and the 31 dietary fatty acids: c16.2w6, c16.2w4, c16.3w6, c16.3w4, c16.4w3, c16.4w1, c18.2w6, c18.2w4, c18.3w6, c18.3w4, c18.3w3, c18.3w1, c18.4w3, c18.4w1, c20.1w11, c20.1w9, c20.1w7, c20.2w6, c20.3w6, c20.4w6, c20.3w3, c20.4w3, c20.5w3, c22.1w11, c22.1w9, c22.1w7, c21.5w3, c22.4w6, c22.5w6, c22.4w3, c22.6w3. Author defined 2 Method 2: the Iverson et al. (2004) model, all-marine calibration coefficients from Thiemann et al. (2008), predator estimation space (Bromaghin et al. 2016a), Aitchison distance, fatty acid proportions of zero replaced with a value equal to 90% of the smallest non-zero proportion in the prey data, fatty acid signatures augmented (Bromaghin et al. 2016b), and the 30 dietary fatty acids: c16.2w6, c16.2w4, c16.3w6, c16.3w4, c16.4w3, c16.4w1, c18.2w6, c18.2w4, c18.3w6, c18.3w4, c18.3w3, c18.3w1, c18.4w3, c18.4w1, c20.1w9, c20.1w7, c20.2w6, c20.3w6, c20.4w6, c20.3w3, c20.4w3, c20.5w3, c22.1w11, c22.1w9, c22.1w7, c21.5w3, c22.4w6, c22.5w6, c22.4w3, c22.6w3 used. These are the same fatty acids used in Method 1, except 20:1w11 was excluded. Author defined 3 Method 3: the Bromaghin et al. (2017) model, predator estimation space (Bromaghin et al. 2016a), Aitchison distance, fatty acid proportions of zero replaced with a value equal to 90% of the smallest non-zero proportion in the prey data, fatty acid signatures augmented (Bromaghin et al. 2016b), and the same 31 dietary fatty acids used in Method 1: c16.2w6, c16.2w4, c16.3w6, c16.3w4, c16.4w3, c16.4w1, c18.2w6, c18.2w4, c18.3w6, c18.3w4, c18.3w3, c18.3w1, c18.4w3, c18.4w1, c20.1w11, c20.1w9, c20.1w7, c20.2w6, c20.3w6, c20.4w6, c20.3w3, c20.4w3, c20.5w3, c22.1w11, c22.1w9, c22.1w7, c21.5w3, c22.4w6, c22.5w6, c22.4w3, c22.6w3. Author defined BearID Unique identifier of each individual bear. Records with a 5-digit identifier represent bears that have been physically captured at some time during their lifetime. Records with a more complicated alphanumeric identifier are from bears from which a sample was obtain by remote biopsy darting and whose genetic data did not match that of a previously captured bear at the time these data were collated. Author defined Unique identifier of each individual bear. Age The age class of an individual bear at the time it was sampled. Author defined adult Adult bears are at least 5 years old. Author defined subadult Subadult bears are independent of their mother and are from 2 to 4 years old. Author defined Sex The sex of an individual bear. Author defined male A male bear. Author defined female A female bear. Author defined Date The date an individual bear was sampled. Sampling occurred in March, April, or May from 2004 to 2016. Author defined 3/26/2004 4/23/2016 Date (MM/DD/YYYY) Bearded The estimated proportional contribution of bearded seal to the lipid intake of an individual bear. Author defined 4.25e-12 0.999999621 Beluga The estimated proportional contribution of beluga whale to the lipid intake of an individual bear. Author defined 1.25e-12 0.99999981 Bowhead The estimated proportional contribution of bowhead whale to the lipid intake of an individual bear. Author defined 8.51e-12 0.999999891 Ringed The estimated proportional contribution of ringed seal to the lipid intake of an individual bear. Author defined 1.82e-11 0.999999941 U.S. Geological Survey USGS ScienceBase Team Mailing and Physical

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