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Abstract
This study demonstrates that the nitrogen isotope composition of organic matter preserved in mammalian tooth enamel (δ¹⁵Nenamel) reliably records diet and trophic position, even when bone collagen is completely degraded. Analysis of modern African mammals showed a 3.7‰ increase in δ¹⁵Nenamel between herbivores and carnivores, correlating strongly with δ¹⁵Nbone-collagen values. Late Pleistocene fossil teeth also preserved this dietary and trophic level information, showcasing δ¹⁵Nenamel as a robust geochemical proxy for reconstructing ancient vertebrate food webs.
Publisher
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
Published On
Nov 15, 2023
Authors
Jennifer N. Leichliter, Tina Lüdecke, Alan D. Foreman, Nicolas Bourgon, Nicolas N. Dupre, Hubert Vonhof, Viengeko Souksavatdy, Anne-Marie Bacon, Daniel M. Sigman, Thomas Tütken, Alfredo Martínez-García
Tags
nitrogen isotope
mammalian teeth
diet
trophic level
geochemical proxy
ancient food webs

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