A dataset on worldwide penguin diet.

Area of Science:

• Marine Ecology
• Ornithology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Understanding penguin diets is crucial for assessing their ecological roles and responses to environmental shifts.
• Penguins are key indicators of marine ecosystem health.
• Effective conservation strategies rely on accurate dietary information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the 'Penguin Diet Dataset-v2', a comprehensive compilation of penguin dietary data.
• To consolidate dietary information from a systematic literature review.
• To provide a foundation for future research on penguin feeding ecology.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of penguin diet studies from 1980-2019.
• Inclusion of data from 149 global locations, covering 17 penguin species.
• Compilation of 2,749 dietary entries with qualitative and quantitative prey information and metadata.

Main Results:

• The dataset covers 17 of 19 penguin species, with Adélie and Magellanic penguins being most studied.
• Key prey items include teleost fish, malacostracan crustaceans, and cephalopod mollusks.
• Data spans 1980-2019 across 149 locations, detailing prey types and ecological context.

Conclusions:

• The 'Penguin Diet Dataset-v2' is a valuable resource for advancing penguin feeding ecology research.
• The dataset highlights knowledge gaps concerning understudied species, regions, and time periods.
• This compilation supports informed conservation strategies and ecological trend analysis.