Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet
Seasonal shifts in diet are widespread, but our ability to detect them can be limited. Comparisons of stable isotope signatures in metabolically inert tissue portions grown at different times are inadequately exploited in dietary reconstructions. We propose that segments of guard hair can index diet...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-149 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z02-149 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z02-149 2024-09-15T18:01:16+00:00 Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet Darimont, C T Reimchen, T E 2002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-149 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z02-149 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 80, issue 9, page 1638-1642 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 journal-article 2002 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z02-149 2024-06-27T04:11:03Z Seasonal shifts in diet are widespread, but our ability to detect them can be limited. Comparisons of stable isotope signatures in metabolically inert tissue portions grown at different times are inadequately exploited in dietary reconstructions. We propose that segments of guard hair can index diet to periods of growth (i.e., seasons differing in resource availability). We examined inter-hair δ 13 C and δ 15 N signatures from gray wolves (Canis lupus) of British Columbia to test whether the bulk of enriched (marine-derived) nutrients was assimilated during fall, the peak of salmon (Onchorynchus spp.) migration. In five animals, we detected a seasonal dietary shift: relatively more 13 C and 15 N was assimilated during fall than during summer, suggesting use of salmon during fall. Twelve wolves and both controls showed no seasonal shift in diet. Using salmon when available may be adaptive, given its predictability, spatial constraint, caloric content, and lower potential to inflict injury relative to that imposed by large mammals. Our study complements others that also used novel and fine-scale isotope approaches and may permit the identification of otherwise undetectable niche differentiation among conspecifics or heterospecifics. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus gray wolf Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology 80 9 1638 1642 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Seasonal shifts in diet are widespread, but our ability to detect them can be limited. Comparisons of stable isotope signatures in metabolically inert tissue portions grown at different times are inadequately exploited in dietary reconstructions. We propose that segments of guard hair can index diet to periods of growth (i.e., seasons differing in resource availability). We examined inter-hair δ 13 C and δ 15 N signatures from gray wolves (Canis lupus) of British Columbia to test whether the bulk of enriched (marine-derived) nutrients was assimilated during fall, the peak of salmon (Onchorynchus spp.) migration. In five animals, we detected a seasonal dietary shift: relatively more 13 C and 15 N was assimilated during fall than during summer, suggesting use of salmon during fall. Twelve wolves and both controls showed no seasonal shift in diet. Using salmon when available may be adaptive, given its predictability, spatial constraint, caloric content, and lower potential to inflict injury relative to that imposed by large mammals. Our study complements others that also used novel and fine-scale isotope approaches and may permit the identification of otherwise undetectable niche differentiation among conspecifics or heterospecifics. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Darimont, C T Reimchen, T E |
spellingShingle |
Darimont, C T Reimchen, T E Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet |
author_facet |
Darimont, C T Reimchen, T E |
author_sort |
Darimont, C T |
title |
Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet |
title_short |
Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet |
title_full |
Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet |
title_fullStr |
Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet |
title_full_unstemmed |
Intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet |
title_sort |
intra-hair stable isotope analysis implies seasonal shift to salmon in gray wolf diet |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-149 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z02-149 |
genre |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 80, issue 9, page 1638-1642 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z02-149 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
80 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
1638 |
op_container_end_page |
1642 |
_version_ |
1810438442397466624 |