Using stable carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) isotopes to infer trophic relationships among black and grizzly bears in the upper Columbia River basin, British Columbia

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Hobson, Keith A, McLellan, Bruce N, Woods, John G
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2000
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Ursus arctos
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z00-069; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z00-069

Ecological segregation of species is difficult to determine using conventional dietary analysis techniques. However, stable-isotope analysis may provide a convenient means of establishing trophic segregation of species and of groups of animals within a species in the same area. We measured stable carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) isotope values in hair of black bears (Ursus americanus) and grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) inhabiting the upper Columbia River basin in southeastern British Columbia, together with samples of potential foods ranging from plant material through invertebrates and ungulate meat. We found extensive overlap in both δ 15 N and δ 13 C values of hair from male grizzly bears and black bears of both sexes. Female grizzly bears, however, had lower δ 15 N values in their hair than the other groups of bears, indicating either less animal protein in their diet or a reliance on foods more depleted in 15 N, possibly related to altitude. Our isotopic model generally confirmed a herbivorous diet for both bear species (a mean estimated plant contribution of 91%). Bears showing the highest δ 15 N values were those captured because they posed a management problem. We suggest that the slope of the relationship between tissue δ 15 N and δ 13 C values might provide a convenient means of evaluating the occurrence of consumption of animal protein in populations, regardless of local isotopic end-points for dietary samples. We examined three black bear cubs from dens and found them to be about a trophic level higher than adult females, reflecting their dependence on mother's milk, a result generally confirmed by an analysis of eight mother-cub pairs from Minnesota. Our study demonstrates how stable-isotope analysis of bear tissue can be used to monitor the feeding habits of populations, as well as provide dietary histories that may reveal dietary specializations among individuals.