Stable isotope analysis of well-preserved 120,000-year-old herbivore bone collagen from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Germany reveals niche separation between bovids and equids
Stable isotope analysis of well-preserved 120,000-year-old herbivore bone collagen from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Germany reveals niche separation between bovids and equids
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DOI：
10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.03.028
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发表时间：
2012-05-15
影响因子：
3
通讯作者：
Richards, Michael P.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Britton, Kate;Gaudzinski-Windheuser, Sabine;Richards, Michael P.
从Neumark-Nord 2考古遗址，德国，草食动物骨胶原稳定的碳（δ C-13）和氮（δ N-15）同位素比值进行了分析，以调查在这个早期末次间冰期（Eemian）浅水湖网站的喂养生态。在42个动物样本中，23个产生了胶原蛋白，这表明这个年龄的材料保存得很好。结果表明，δ N-15和δ C-13值存在明显的种间差异，特别是在马科动物（马科动物）和牛科动物（Dos/野牛）之间，平均差异为，与马科动物相比，牛科动物中测得的δ N-15为+2ppm。这些差异的潜在原因进行了探讨，包括生理学，草食动物摄食生态学，昆虫地理学和当地环境中的资源分配。这些数据与以前发表的考古数据，现代实验和生态数据进行比较，表明这些种间差异是不一致的，因此不太可能仅仅是生理学或习惯性饲料偏好的产物。从这项研究的数据进行比较，当地的植被（从花粉配置文件重建），并建议，这些趋势可能是生态位分区的结果在浅水湖网站，反映了当地的多样性，在植被区。更新世草食动物群落之间的资源分配在Neumark北2和其他地方的证据进行了讨论。这项研究代表了这个年龄段的胶原蛋白的最大的数据集之一，并探讨了我们对晚更新世食草动物生态学，当地食草动物群落行为和古人类饮食研究的理解。(C)2012 Elsevier B.V.保留所有权利。
Herbivores from the Neumark-Nord 2 archaeological site, Germany, were analysed for bone collagen stable carbon (delta C-13) and nitrogen (delta N-15) isotope ratios in order to investigate feeding ecology at this early Last Interglacial (Eemian) shallow-lake site. Of 42 faunal samples selected, 23 yielded collagen, demonstrating remarkable preservation for material of this age. The results indicate clear inter-specific differences in delta N-15 and delta C-13 values, notably between equids (Equus) and bovids (Dos/Bison), with mean difference, Delta N-15 of +2 parts per thousand measured in the bovids compared to the equids. The potential reasons for these differences are explored, including physiology, herbivore feeding ecology, biogeography and resource partitioning within the local environment. The data are compared to previously published archaeological data, and modern experimental and ecological data, suggesting that these inter-specific differences are not consistent and therefore unlikely to be solely the product of physiology or habitual forage preference. Data from this study are compared to the local vegetation (as reconstructed from pollen profiles), and it is suggested that these trends are likely the result of niche partitioning at the shallow lake site, reflecting the local diversity in vegetational zones. The evidence for resource partitioning amongst Pleistocene herbivore communities at Neumark-Nord 2 and elsewhere is discussed. This study represents one of the largest data sets for collagen of this age, and the implications for our understanding of Late Pleistocene herbivore ecology, local herbivore community behaviour and hominin palaeodietary studies are explored. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.