Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis
We investigated the application of stable isotope analysis of proboscidean remains (collagen in bone/dentin/cementum and structural carbonate in enamel bioapatite) for genus-level identification of isolated specimens, assessment of geographic origins, and testing for nutritional stress. Mammoths (Ma...
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ftunivwestonta:oai:ir.lib.uwo.ca:earthpub-1009 2023-10-01T03:56:30+02:00 Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis Metcalfe, Jessica Z Longstaffe, Fred Jass, Christopher N Zazula, Grant D Keddie, Grant 2016-01-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/earthpub/8 https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2849 https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/context/earthpub/article/1009/viewcontent/Metcalfe_et_al.__2016_.pdf unknown Scholarship@Western https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/earthpub/8 doi:10.1002/jqs.2849 https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/context/earthpub/article/1009/viewcontent/Metcalfe_et_al.__2016_.pdf Earth Sciences Publications isotopes mammoth mastodon collagen carbonate Earth Sciences Geochemistry Paleontology article 2016 ftunivwestonta https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2849 2023-09-03T06:58:59Z We investigated the application of stable isotope analysis of proboscidean remains (collagen in bone/dentin/cementum and structural carbonate in enamel bioapatite) for genus-level identification of isolated specimens, assessment of geographic origins, and testing for nutritional stress. Mammoths (Mammuthus sp.) tended to have higher δ15Ncol and lower δ13Ccol than mastodons (Mammut americanum), but differences were not significant in every location. Determining the genus of isolated specimens may be possible for locations and time periods with good isotopic baselines, but environmental changes can confound interpretations. For example, an Alberta proboscidean with a δ15Ncol of +1.4‰ (characteristic of mastodons) ultimately proved to be a mammoth. Its surprisingly low nitrogen isotope composition is attributable to the recently deglaciated environment it inhabited. We provided a baseline for isotopic assessment of geographic origins of isolated proboscideans in Western Canada. Bioapatite δ13Csc and δ18Osc can be used to distinguish specimens from Alberta, Klondike, Old Crow, Herschel Island, and further south (e.g., Arizona, Great Lakes). Finally, we found that an Alberta mammoth with morphological evidence of nutritional stress experienced a change in diet, environment, or physiology prior to death, but its isotopic compositions did not suggest a link to hypothesized starvation (catabolism of proteins or reliance on lipids). Article in Journal/Newspaper Herschel Island The University of Western Ontario: Scholarship@Western Canada Herschel Island ENVELOPE(-139.089,-139.089,69.583,69.583) Journal of Quaternary Science 31 2 126 142 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Western Ontario: Scholarship@Western |
op_collection_id |
ftunivwestonta |
language |
unknown |
topic |
isotopes mammoth mastodon collagen carbonate Earth Sciences Geochemistry Paleontology |
spellingShingle |
isotopes mammoth mastodon collagen carbonate Earth Sciences Geochemistry Paleontology Metcalfe, Jessica Z Longstaffe, Fred Jass, Christopher N Zazula, Grant D Keddie, Grant Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis |
topic_facet |
isotopes mammoth mastodon collagen carbonate Earth Sciences Geochemistry Paleontology |
description |
We investigated the application of stable isotope analysis of proboscidean remains (collagen in bone/dentin/cementum and structural carbonate in enamel bioapatite) for genus-level identification of isolated specimens, assessment of geographic origins, and testing for nutritional stress. Mammoths (Mammuthus sp.) tended to have higher δ15Ncol and lower δ13Ccol than mastodons (Mammut americanum), but differences were not significant in every location. Determining the genus of isolated specimens may be possible for locations and time periods with good isotopic baselines, but environmental changes can confound interpretations. For example, an Alberta proboscidean with a δ15Ncol of +1.4‰ (characteristic of mastodons) ultimately proved to be a mammoth. Its surprisingly low nitrogen isotope composition is attributable to the recently deglaciated environment it inhabited. We provided a baseline for isotopic assessment of geographic origins of isolated proboscideans in Western Canada. Bioapatite δ13Csc and δ18Osc can be used to distinguish specimens from Alberta, Klondike, Old Crow, Herschel Island, and further south (e.g., Arizona, Great Lakes). Finally, we found that an Alberta mammoth with morphological evidence of nutritional stress experienced a change in diet, environment, or physiology prior to death, but its isotopic compositions did not suggest a link to hypothesized starvation (catabolism of proteins or reliance on lipids). |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Metcalfe, Jessica Z Longstaffe, Fred Jass, Christopher N Zazula, Grant D Keddie, Grant |
author_facet |
Metcalfe, Jessica Z Longstaffe, Fred Jass, Christopher N Zazula, Grant D Keddie, Grant |
author_sort |
Metcalfe, Jessica Z |
title |
Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis |
title_short |
Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis |
title_full |
Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis |
title_fullStr |
Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from Western Canada investigated using stable isotope analysis |
title_sort |
taxonomy, location of origin, and health status of proboscideans from western canada investigated using stable isotope analysis |
publisher |
Scholarship@Western |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/earthpub/8 https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2849 https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/context/earthpub/article/1009/viewcontent/Metcalfe_et_al.__2016_.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-139.089,-139.089,69.583,69.583) |
geographic |
Canada Herschel Island |
geographic_facet |
Canada Herschel Island |
genre |
Herschel Island |
genre_facet |
Herschel Island |
op_source |
Earth Sciences Publications |
op_relation |
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/earthpub/8 doi:10.1002/jqs.2849 https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/context/earthpub/article/1009/viewcontent/Metcalfe_et_al.__2016_.pdf |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2849 |
container_title |
Journal of Quaternary Science |
container_volume |
31 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
126 |
op_container_end_page |
142 |
_version_ |
1778526395804155904 |