Abstract
ABSTRACTSulphur-isotope determinations are becoming increasingly useful for palaeodietary reconstruction, but knowledge of isotopic discrimination between diet and various tissues remains inadequate. In this study, we explore the sensitivity of δ34Stissue values to changes in δ34Sdiet values, sulphur isotopic discrimination between diet and consumer, and the potential impact of terrestrial vs. marine protein consumption on these discrimination offsets. We present new δ34S values of bone collagen, muscle, liver, hair, milk and faeces from ten mature sows, ten piglets and fifteen adolescent pigs from a controlled feeding study. The δ34Stissue values were found to co-vary with the δ34Sdiet values, the δ34Stissue – δ34Sdiet isotopic offsets (Δ34Stissue-diet) are small but consistent, and dietary protein source does not systematically alter the Δ34Stissue-diet isotopic discrimination. The outcomes of this study are of particular relevance to questions that are difficult to resolve using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes alone, and will also be useful in regions where terrestrial, freshwater, and marine resources could have all potentially contributed to human diet.
Highlights
In the last decade, improvements in isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and associated sample introduction instrumentation have enabled high throughput analysis of biological tissues for their sulphur isotopic compositions (δ34S)
All isotopic compositions and offsets are reported as mean ± standard deviation [range] unless otherwise stated
The δ34Sdiet values for the 100% terrestrial and 100% marine diets are somewhat lower than pure soy (+10.86 ± 0.4 ‰) and fishmeal (+20.74 ± 0.75 ‰), suggesting sulphur contributions from a secondary source in the diet or from the methionine supplement, the latter constitutes a comparatively small feed component it does have a δ34S value less than that of the soy or fish meal (≤0.2% by weight; δ34S=2.2 ‰)
Summary
Improvements in isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and associated sample introduction instrumentation have enabled high throughput analysis of biological tissues for their sulphur isotopic compositions (δ34S) This technological improvement has resulted in an increase in the use of sulphur stable isotope analyses for palaeodietary reconstruction, migration, and ecological research. With the increasing use of sulphur isotopic analysis for palaeodiet reconstruction in complex ecosystems, further research using a larger sample sizes, a more appropriate animal model, and multiple consumer tissues and excreta is needed. This will enable a more complete understanding of sulphur incorporation into different tissues in the body
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