Assessing the use of stable isotope values from deer antlers as proxies for seasonal environmental variation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21263688 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Julien Royer (Iowa State University), A D Somerville (0000-0003-4839-2739, Iowa State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 2 |
| Publication date | 2023-11-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2813-432X • E-ISSN: 2813-432X |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fearc.2023.1221143 |
| OpenAlex | W4389092419 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 69 |
Introduction We assess the feasibility of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) antlers to serve as archives of information on paleoseasonality by analyzing stable isotope values from four modern white-tailed deer collected in central Iowa, USA. Because antlers develop from early spring to early fall, they may serve as an archive for intra-annual seasonal variations and provide snapshots of past climatic and environmental conditions. Methods Intra-antler samples were collected from the proximal end to distal end along the main beam of each antler and analyzed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values from collagen (δ 13 C col , δ 15 N col ) and carbon and oxygen stable isotope values in bioapatite (δ 13 C apa , δ 18 O apa ). Stable isotope data were then correlated with local climate data (precipitation and temperature) from the months leading up to the date of death of each deer and with the 50-year averages of the region. Results No consistent seasonal patterning was observed between local climate data and isotopic variables across the antlers. δ 13 C apa values from each antler, however, do show a trend of being negatively correlated with precipitation variables and mean temperature. Discussion The results of this exploratory study suggest that individual deer feeding behaviors, mobility, and habitat preferences make it difficult to infer seasonal environmental conditions from antler stable isotope values. We suggest, however, that intra-antler stable isotope data may be useful for wildlife management and conservation studies
Antler · Biology · Climate change · Geography · Isotope analysis · Isotopes of carbon · Meteorology · Odocoileus · Physical geography · Precipitation · Stable isotope ratio · Total organic carbon · δ13C · δ15N · Environmental Science · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Marine animal studies overview · Wildlife Ecology and Conservation · Ecology
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2024 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |