Sina Zarini
Fish Diet
As a researcher investigating the dietary habits of juvenile round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in Hamilton Harbour, you’re delving into the intricacies of their feeding behavior during both day and night. Round goby, a small freshwater fish native to Eurasia, has become established in various regions across North America, including the Great Lakes. These goby, known for their voracious appetites and adaptability, play a significant role in local ecosystems as both predators and prey.
In Hamilton Harbour, juvenile round goby primarily prey on two main types of organisms: cladocerans and rotifers. Your dataset provides valuable insights into the stomach contents of these juveniles, revealing their consumption patterns across different times of the day. Recorded variables include the fish ID, the time of collection, and the quantities of cladocerans and rotifers found in each fish’s stomach.
1. Cladoceran and Rotifer Consumption:
- What is the median number of cladocerans consumed by the juvenile round goby?
- What is the range of the number of cladocerans consumed?
- What is the mean number of rotifers consumed by the juvenile round goby?
- Generate boxplots to visually explore the distribution of cladoceran and rotifer consumption by the juvenile round goby.
2. Day and Night Feeding Patterns:
- What is the median number of cladocerans consumed during the day versus night?
- What is the range of the number of rotifers consumed during the day versus night?
- Compare the mean number of cladocerans and rotifers consumed during the day and night.
- Create separate boxplots to visually compare the distribution of cladoceran and rotifer consumption during the day and night.
3. Prey Preference:
- What is the percentage of total prey composed of cladocerans?
- What is the percentage of total prey composed of rotifers?
- Generate a stacked bar chart to illustrate the composition of prey (cladocerans and rotifers) in the diet of juvenile round goby.
4. Overall Feeding Behaviour:
- What is the total number of prey consumed by the juvenile round goby?
- Is there a correlation between the number of cladocerans and rotifers consumed?
- Plot a scatter plot to visualize the relationship between the number of cladocerans and rotifers consumed.
- Is there a significant difference between the consumption of cladocerans and rotifers during the day and night (consider day and night samples independent)? First check for normality and then run the appropriate tests.
