期刊
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
卷 117, 期 9, 页码 4675-4681出版社
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911744117
关键词
zinc; stable isotopes; diagenesis; trophic ecology; diet
资金
- (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig)
- Max Planck Society
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [378496604]
- European Research Council under the European Union [681450, 803676]
- University of Strasbourg
- Unite Propre de Recherche (UPR) [2147]
- CNRS Dynamique de l'evolution humaine, France
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Department of National Heritage, Ministry of Information and Culture in Vientiane
- European Research Council (ERC) [803676, 681450] Funding Source: European Research Council (ERC)
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of collagen from bone and dentin have frequently been used for dietary reconstruction, but this method is limited by protein preservation. Isotopes of the trace element zinc (Zn) in bioapatite constitute a promising proxy to infer dietary information from extant and extinct vertebrates. The Zn-66/Zn-64 ratio (expressed as delta Zn-66 value) shows an enrichment of the heavy isotope in mammals along each trophic step. However, preservation of diet-related delta Zn-66 values in fossil teeth has not been assessed yet. Here, we analyzed enamel of fossil teeth from the Late Pleistocene (38.4-13.5 ka) mammalian assemblage of the Tam Hay Marklot (THM) cave in northeastern Laos, to reconstruct the food web and assess the preservation of original delta Zn-66 values. Distinct enamel delta Zn-66 values of the fossil taxa (delta Zn-66(carnivore) < delta Zn-66(omnivore) < delta Zn-66(herbivore)) according to their expected feeding habits were observed, with a trophic carnivore-herbivore spacing of +0.60% and omnivores having intermediate values. Zn and trace element concentration profiles similar to those of modern teeth also indicate minimal impact of diagenesis on the enamel. While further work is needed to explore preservation for settings with different taphonomic conditions, the diet-related delta Zn-66 values in fossil enamel from THM cave suggest an excellent long-term preservation potential, even under tropical conditions that are well known to be adverse for collagen preservation. Zinc isotopes could thus provide a new tool to assess the diet of fossil hominins and associated fauna, as well as trophic relationships in past food webs.
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