Dietary interpretations for extinct megafauna using coprolites, intestinal contents and stable isotopes: Complimentary or contradictory?

Abstract

For many extinct species, direct evidence of diet (e.g. coprolites, gizzard/intestinal contents) is not available, and indirect dietary evidence (e.g. stable isotopes) must be relied upon. The Late Holocene fossil record of New Zealand provides a unique opportunity to contrast palaeodietary reconstructions for the extinct moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) using stable isotopes and coprolite/gizzard contents. Palaeodietary reconstructions from isotopes are found to contradict those based on direct dietary evidence. We discuss reasons for this and advocate, where possible, for the use of multiple lines of evidence in reconstructing the diets of extinct species.