Environmental factors shaping stable isotope signatures of modern red deer (Cervus elaphus) inhabiting various habitats.

Maciej Sykut,Tjibbe Hunink,Sławomira Pawełczyk,Magdalena Niedziałkowska,Boštjan Pokorny,Katarina Flajšman,Tomasz Borowik,Dorothée Drucker

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0255398

Abstract

Stable isotope analyses of bone collagen are often used in palaeoecological studies to reveal environmental conditions in the habitats of different herbivore species. However, such studies require valuable reference data, obtained from analyses of modern individuals, in habitats of well-known conditions. In this article, we present the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of bone collagen from modern red deer (N = 242 individuals) dwelling in various habitats (N = 15 study sites) in Europe. We investigated which of the selected climatic and environmental factors affected the δ13C and δ15N values in bone collagen of the studied specimens. Among all analyzed factors, the percent of forest cover influenced the carbon isotopic composition most significantly, and decreasing forest cover caused an increase in δ13C values. The δ15N was positively related to the proportion of open area and (only in the coastal areas) negatively related to the distance to the seashore. Using rigorous statistical methods and a large number of samples, we confirmed that δ13C and δ15N values can be used as a proxy of past habitats of red deer.

Highlights

The analyses of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in bone collagen of ungulate remains is frequently used in palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic studies [1 and references therein]
The results of our study confirmed that the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions of red deer bone collagen across a wide range of environments are shaped by habitat conditions
We identified forest cover as the factor that best described the isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen in the bone collagen of modern red deer in Europe

Summary

Introduction

The analyses of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in bone collagen of ungulate remains is frequently used in palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic studies [1 and references therein]. Since the turnover rate of bone collagen (i.e., the rate at which the elements the tissue is composed of are replaced during the lifetime) is relatively slow, the isotopic composition of bone collagen reflects time-averaged information from the last few years of the animal’s life [3]. Due to long-term bone collagen preservation, even up to ~3.4 Ma in low temperatures of the permafrost [4], the analyses of stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in bone collagen of ungulates have been applied in palaeoecological studies to reveal their diet, foraging habits, and habitat use [5,6,7].

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion