Understanding the composition of paleodiets is crucially important for the archaeological investigation of lifeways and subsistence practices within ancient societies. Among the numerous research methods capable of investigating various elements of paleodiets, the use of stable isotope analysis has become increasingly popular. Advantages of this research technique include its ability to recogni...

Ontogenetic niche shifts occur across diverse taxonomic groups, and can have critical implications for population dynamics, community structure, and ecosystem function. In this study, we provide a hypothesis-testing framework combining univariate and multivariate analyses to examine ontogenetic niche shifts using stable isotope ratios. This framework is based on three distinct ontogenetic niche...

We use chronologies of stable isotopes measured from elephant (Loxodonta africana) hair to determine migration patterns and seasonal diet changes in elephants in and near Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya. Stable carbon isotopes record diet changes, principally enabling differentiation between browse and tropical grasses, which use the C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways, respectively; s...

Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen are increasingly used in marine ecosystems, for ecological and environmental studies. Here, we examine some applications of stable isotopes as ecological integrators or tracers in seagrass ecosystem studies. We focus on both the use of natural isotope abundance as food web integrators or environmental tracers and on the use of stable isotopes as experiment...

Stable isotope analysis has increasingly been used to answer ecological questions. However, despite their potential, stable isotopes have rarely been used to assist with managing invasions. Here we discuss some of the principles behind the use of stable isotope analyses. We also review how stable isotopes can aid our understanding of the threats posed by invasive species, and the mechanisms by ...

Introduction Direct measurement of de novo lipogenesis has not previously been possible in humans. We measured de novo hepatic lipogenesis in normal men by means of stable isotopes and by combining the acetylated-xenobiotic probe technique with mass isotopomer analysis of secreted very low density lipoproteinfatty acids (VLDL-FA). Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was administered with ['3Clacetate during...

We tested the competing hypotheses that (1) nitrogen discrimination in mammals and birds increases with dietary nitrogen concentration or decreasing C:N ratios and, therefore, discrimination will increase with trophic level as carnivores ingest more protein than herbivores and omnivores or (2) nitrogen discrimination increases as dietary protein quality decreases and, therefore, discrimination ...

Foraminiferal stable isotopes and assemblages from Franz Victoria and St. Anna troughs provide a valuable record of freshwater and Atlantic Water flows to the northern Barents and Kara seas from deglaciation to present. The dO and dC of planktonic Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (s) and benthic Elphidium excavatum were up to 1.4% lower than present at ca 13, 11.5, and 10 Cka (global sea-level corre...

Plant metabolic activity in arid and semi-arid environments is largely tied to episodic precipitation events or ‘‘pulses’’. The ability of plants to take up and utilize rain pulses during the growing season in these water-limited ecosystems is determined in part by pulse timing, intensity and amount, and by hydrological properties of the soil that translate precipitation into plant-available so...