The relationship between the phosphate and structural carbonate fractionation of fallow deer bioapatite in tooth enamel

The 10,000-year biocultural history of fallow deer and its implications for conservation policy

Over the last 10,000 y, humans have manipulated fallow deer populations with varying outcomes. Persian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica) are now endangered. European fallow deer (Dama dama) are globally widespread and are simultaneously considered wild, domestic, endangered, invasive and are even the national animal of Barbuda and Antigua. Despite their close association with people, there is no consensus regarding their natural ranges or the timing and circumstances of their human-mediated translocations and extirpations. Our mitochondrial analyses of modern and archaeological specimens revealed two distinct clades of European fallow deer present in Anatolia and the Balkans. Zooarchaeological evidence suggests these regions were their sole glacial refugia. By combining biomolecular analyses with archaeological and textual evidence, we chart the declining distribution of Persian fallow deer and demonstrate that humans repeatedly translocated European fallow deer, sourced from the most geographically distant populations. Deer taken to Neolithic Chios and Rhodes derived not from nearby Anatolia, but from the Balkans. Though fallow deer were translocated throughout the Mediterranean as part of their association with the Greco-Roman goddesses Artemis and Diana, deer taken to Roman Mallorca were not locally available Dama dama, but Dama mesopotamica. Romans also initially introduced fallow deer to Northern Europe but the species became extinct and was reintroduced in the medieval period, this time from Anatolia. European colonial powers then transported deer populations across the globe. The biocultural histories of fallow deer challenge preconceptions about the divisions between wild and domestic species and provide information that should underpin modern management strategies.

Stable isotope relationships between apatite phosphate (δ18 O), structural carbonate (δ18 O, δ13 C), and collagen (δ2 H, δ13 C, δ15 N, δ34 S) in modern human dentine

RATIONALE

The use of multi-isotopic analysis (δ² H, δ¹³ C, δ¹⁵ N, δ¹⁸ O, and δ³⁴ S values) of modern human body tissues for provenancing of unknown individuals in forensics is increasing. Tooth dentine develops during childhood and adolescence, therefore providing geographical information from that period of life. Tooth apatite δ¹⁸ O values are commonly used for the reconstruction of drinking water values, and H-C-N-S isotope ratios in collagen supply additional information about the composition of diet. We tested if dentine collagen δ² H values provide similar information to apatite δ¹⁸ O values with a proof-of-concept study.

METHODS

Tooth samples were taken from modern-day individuals born in different regions of the world. Apatite and collagen were prepared from dentine. Stable isotope analyses were performed on apatite phosphate oxygen (δ¹⁸ O_phos ); oxygen and carbon of the structural carbonate (δ¹⁸ O_carb , δ¹³ C_carb ); and hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur of the collagen (δ² H_coll, δ¹³ C_coll , δ¹⁵ N, δ³⁴ S).

RESULTS

δ¹⁸ O_phos , δ¹⁸ O_carb , and δ² H_coll values are highly correlated in modern human dentine. There are significant relationships of δ¹⁸ O values in the apatite fraction and δ² H values in the collagen fraction with local δ¹⁸ O and δ² H precipitation values, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients indicate no direct relationship between δ¹⁵ N values and the isotope ratios of any other element. Weak relationships exist between collagen δ³⁴ S values and δ¹⁸ O_carb or δ¹⁸ O_phos values.

CONCLUSIONS

The highly significant correlation of δ¹⁸ O_phos , δ¹⁸ O_carb , and δ² H_coll values in the modern human dentine implies that measurement of δ² H values in collagen or δ¹⁸ O values in bioapatite will provide reliable information about the climate at the person's whereabouts.