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The confounding effects of source isotopic heterogeneity on consumer-diet and tissue-tissue stable isotope relationships

Codron, Daryl ; Sponheimer, Matt ; Codron, Jacqui ; Newton, Ian ; Lanham, John ; Clauss, Marcus

In: Oecologia, 2012, vol. 169, no. 4, p. 939-953

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    Titel
    • The confounding effects of source isotopic heterogeneity on consumer-diet and tissue-tissue stable isotope relationships
    Autor
    • Codron, Daryl. Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 260, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Sponheimer, Matt. Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado at Boulder, CO80309, Boulder, USA
    • Codron, Jacqui. School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, 3209, Scottsville, Republic of South Africa
    • Newton, Ian. Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, 7701, Rondebosch, Republic of South Africa
    • Lanham, John. Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, 7701, Rondebosch, Republic of South Africa
    • Clauss, Marcus. Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 260, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
    Dokumententyp
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH-ID
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:321575
    Summary
    Stable isotope analysis of consumer tissues document patterns of resource use because data are linearly related to isotope compositions of their source(s) (i.e., food, water, etc.). Deviations in parameters estimated for these relationships can arise from variations in consumer tissue-diet spacing (Δ TS ) and the level of isotopic heterogeneity in the source(s). We present a set of simple hypotheses that distinguish between the effects of Δ TS and source isotope heterogeneity. The latter may arise via mixed diets, during tissue turnover, or by isotopic routing of dietary components. We apply these concepts to stable carbon and nitrogen isotope relationships between gut contents and body tissues of large mammal herbivores from mixed C3/C4 South African savannas and test predictions based on the compound- and/or time-specific data archived within each material. Predicted effects of source isotope heterogeneity are readily detected in carbon isotope relationships between materials representing different time periods or comprising bulk versus protein-only diet components. Differences in Δ TS of carbon isotopes across mammal herbivore species with very different feeding niches (and diet isotope compositions) are likely to be small or non-existent in these habitats. Variations in Δ TS estimated for nitrogen isotopes are much greater, leading to inconsistencies that cannot be explained by diet or trophic level effects alone. The effects of source heterogeneity on isotopic relationships generate numerical artefacts that have been misinterpreted as variations in Δ TS . We caution against generalized application of hypotheses based on assumptions of source isotopic homogeneity, even for single diets commonly used in laboratory studies. More careful consideration of how heterogeneity affects consumer-diet relationships is needed for many field and laboratory systems