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Tarrant D, Richards MP. Modern plants and sulfur isoscapes - A review, discussion, and construction of a pilot δ 34S isoscape for mobility and provenance studies. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2024; 38:e9908. [PMID: 39223916 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 08/03/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Sulfur isotopes are increasingly used as mobility indicators in humans and animals in biology, archaeology, and forensics. However, there has been a lack of modern sulfur isotope baseline "isoscape" studies using modern plants and animals, largely due to the possibility of contamination of the S isotope values by modern pollution. METHODS We collected plants from across a 900-km east-west transect of British Columbia Canada and measured their sulfur isotope values. We then used a random forest model to determine which variables best explained the isotope data patterning and produced a sulfur isoscape for the southern region of British Columbia. RESULTS We see clear patterning in the plant sulfur isotope values that relate to geographical location and rainfall. Our model also shows that for this study area, it is unlikely that there is a significant influence of anthropogenic pollution on plant δ34S values. We also discuss the use of plants as a substrate for sulfur isoscapes and possible explanations for the often-observed difference between plant and animal δ34S values from the same region, related to differing sources of sulfur in plants compared to amino acids in human and animal tissues. CONCLUSIONS We found that for areas of the world where sulfur pollution is likely less widespread, it is possible to produce a modern plant S isoscape that should be an accurate baseline for mobility studies. Using random forest modelling, we have produced a baseline sulfur isoscape map of southern British Columbia that can be used for ecology, forensic and archaeological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damon Tarrant
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael P Richards
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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2
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Ueda M, Bell LS. Paired stable carbon and oxygen isotope analyses of human enamel for forensic human geolocation: An exploratory study. J Forensic Sci 2023; 68:382-398. [PMID: 36734276 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Stable carbon isotope analysis has proven utility for reconstructing dietary information in humans in past populations. The usefulness of stable carbon for forensic geolocation has been little investigated, largely because of the globalization of the human diet seemingly rendering it inconsequential. This study queried this assumption at a country-wide level on a known sample group. Stable carbon isotope values were obtained from human enamel with known biographical and geographical information to determine whether stable carbon, when paired with stable oxygen isotope values, could differentiate Canadians from non-Canadians. Samples originating outside of Canada were separated into three regions, and a linear discriminant analysis was used to generate discriminant functions that best separate the regions according to the stable carbon and oxygen isotope values. The results revealed two functions, where the first function explained 92.1% and the second 7.9% of the variance. Although some overlap in stable carbon and oxygen values was observed for individuals from both the United States and Canada, differences were observed between those from Canada and other geographical regions. This study demonstrated that pairing the dietary isotope carbon with the geolocator stable oxygen isotope, produced an interesting separation geographically, one that might well be helpful when attempting a geolocation query on unknown human remains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momoko Ueda
- School of Criminology, Centre for Forensic Research, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lynne S Bell
- School of Criminology, Centre for Forensic Research, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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3
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Rodiouchkina K, Rodushkin I, Goderis S, Vanhaecke F. A comprehensive evaluation of sulfur isotopic analysis (δ 34S and δ 33S) using multi-collector ICP-MS with characterization of reference materials of geological and biological origin. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1240:340744. [PMID: 36641153 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.340744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Sulfur isotope ratios are often used as biogeochemical tracers to gain understanding of abiotic and biological processes involved in the sulfur cycle in both modern and ancient environments. There is however a lack of matrix-matched well-characterized isotopic reference materials that are essential for controlling the accuracy and precision. This study therefore focused on expanding and complementing the currently available sulfur isotope ratio data by providing the bulk sulfur isotopic composition, as determined using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), for a comprehensive set of commercially and/or readily available biological and geological reference materials. A total 7 isotopic reference materials and 41 elemental reference materials were studied. These reference materials include standards of terrestrial and marine animal origin, terrestrial plant origin, human origin, and geological origin. Different sample preparation protocols, including digestion and subsequent chromatographic isolation of S, were evaluated and the optimum approach selected for each matrix type. For achieving enhanced robustness, the sample preparation and sulfur isotope ratio measurements were done at two different laboratories for selected reference materials, while at one of the laboratories the measurements were additionally performed using two different MC-ICP-MS instruments. Determined δ34SVCDT and δ33SVCDT values compared well between the different laboratories, as well as between the different generation MC-ICP-MS instruments, and for standards that were previously characterized, our data are similar to literature values. The δ34SVCDT ranges determined for the different categories of the reference materials - terrestrial animal origin: +2 to +9‰, marine animal origin: +15 to +20‰, human origin: +6 to +10‰, terrestrial plant origin: -20 to +7‰, and geological origin: -12 to +21‰ - fit the expected values based on previous studies of similar types of matrices well. No significant mass-independent fractionation is observed when considering the expanded uncertainties for Δ33SV-CDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Rodiouchkina
- Ghent University, Department of Chemistry, Atomic and Mass Spectrometry (A&MS) Research Group, Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281 - S12, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Chemistry; Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) Research Group, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ilia Rodushkin
- ALS Scandinavia AB, ALS Laboratory Group, Aurorum 10, S-977 75, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Steven Goderis
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Chemistry; Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) Research Group, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Vanhaecke
- Ghent University, Department of Chemistry, Atomic and Mass Spectrometry (A&MS) Research Group, Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281 - S12, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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Lehn C, Hameder A, Graw M. Holiday trip to Norway - a stable isotope project on hair strands of individuals of a travel group from Bavaria. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:251-258. [PMID: 35665854 PMCID: PMC9816270 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02839-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Hair strands were taken from individuals of a travel group from Bavaria that stayed on the Lofoten Islands/Norway for 3 weeks. By means of serial stable isotope analyses of carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and hydrogen along the hair strands, food-specific changes during travel could be detected. The higher consumption of marine fish led to significant changes of the stable isotope values of nitrogen, sulphur and hydrogen. The highest differences for the values were found in the most proximal part of hair strands which were taken shortly after the trip. The basic values for the isotope distribution of the elements in the hair also indicate specific diets of some individuals that could be confirmed upon request.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Lehn
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany.
| | - Annika Hameder
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Graw
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany
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Bataille CP, Ammer STM, Bhuiyan S, Chartrand MMG, St-Jean G, Bowen GJ. Multi-isotopes in human hair: A tool to initiate cross-border collaboration in international cold-cases. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275902. [PMID: 36288264 PMCID: PMC9603990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Unidentified human remains have historically been investigated nationally by law enforcement authorities. However, this approach is outdated in a globalized world with rapid transportation means, where humans easily move long distances across borders. Cross-border cooperation in solving cold-cases is rare due to political, administrative or technical challenges. It is fundamental to develop new tools to provide rapid and cost-effective leads for international cooperation. In this work, we demonstrate that isotopic measurements are effective screening tools to help identify cold-cases with potential international ramifications. We first complete existing databases of hydrogen and sulfur isotopes in human hair from residents across North America by compiling or analyzing hair from Canada, the United States (US) and Mexico. Using these databases, we develop maps predicting isotope variations in human hair across North America. We demonstrate that both δ2H and δ34S values of human hair are highly predictable and display strong spatial patterns. Multi-isotope analysis combined with dual δ2H and δ34S geographic probability maps provide evidence for international travel in two case studies. In the first, we demonstrate that multi-isotope analysis in bulk hair of deceased border crossers found in the US, close to the Mexico-US border, help trace their last place of residence or travel back to specific regions of Mexico. These findings were validated by the subsequent identification of these individuals through the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner in Tucson, Arizona. In the second case study, we demonstrate that sequential multi-isotope analysis along the hair strands of an unidentified individual found in Canada provides detailed insights into the international mobility of this individual during the last year of life. In both cases, isotope data provide strong leads towards international travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément P. Bataille
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Saskia T. M. Ammer
- Geology & Geochemistry Cluster, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Centre (CLHC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Shelina Bhuiyan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Gilles St-Jean
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gabriel J. Bowen
- Department of Geology & Geophysics and Global Change & Sustainability Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
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Rodiouchkina K, Rodushkin I, Goderis S, Vanhaecke F. Longitudinal isotope ratio variations in human hair and nails. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:152059. [PMID: 34863743 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Due to the straightforward and non-invasive sampling, ease of transport and long-term storage and access to time-resolved information, determination of element concentrations and isotope ratios in hair and nails finds increasing use. Multi-isotopic information preserved in keratinous tissues allows one to reveal dietary, physiological and environmental influences, but progress in this area is still limited by complicated and time-consuming analytical procedures and challenges in accuracy assessment. In this study, longitudinal distributions of δ34S, 87Sr/86Sr, 207,208Pb/206Pb, δ66Zn, δ56Fe, δ65Cu, δ26Mg, and δ114Cd were obtained for hair and nails collected from nine subjects with different age, biological sex, diet and/or place of residence. For S and Zn, the distribution along hair strands revealed a trend towards a heavier isotopic signature from the proximal to the distal end, with a maximum difference within the hair of a single subject of 1.2‰ (Δ34S) and 0.4‰ (Δ66Zn). For Fe, Cu, Mg and Cd, a shift towards either a lighter (Cu) or heavier (Fe, Mg and Cd) isotopic composition is accompanied by increasing concentration towards the distal hair end, indicating possible isotope fractionation during deposition or external contamination with a different isotopic composition. Pb and Sr isotope ratios are relatively stable throughout the hair strands despite notable concentration increases towards the distal end, likely reflecting external contamination. The isotopic composition of Sr points to tap water as a probable main source, explaining the relative stability of the ratio for individuals from the same geographical location. For Pb, isotopic compositions suggest tap water and/or indoor dust as possible sources. Similar δ34S, 87Sr/86Sr, 207,208Pb/206Pb, δ66Zn, δ56Fe, and δ65Cu observed for hair, fingernails and toenails sampled from the same individual suggest that keratinous tissues are conservative receivers of internal and external inputs and can be used complementary. Seasonal variation in δ34S, 207,208Pb/206Pb, and δ65Cu was observed for fingernails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Rodiouchkina
- Ghent University, Department of Chemistry, Atomic and Mass Spectrometry (A&MS) research group, Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281 - S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ilia Rodushkin
- ALS Scandinavia AB, ALS Laboratory Group, Aurorum 10, S-977 75 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Steven Goderis
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Chemistry, Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) research group, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Vanhaecke
- Ghent University, Department of Chemistry, Atomic and Mass Spectrometry (A&MS) research group, Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281 - S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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Crowley BE, Bataille CP, Haak BA, Sommer KM. Identifying nesting grounds for juvenile migratory birds with dual isotope: an initial test using North American raptors. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E. Crowley
- Department of Geology University of Cincinnati 500 Geology Physics Building, 345 Clifton Court Cincinnati Ohio 45221 USA
- Department of Anthropology University of Cincinnati 481 Braunstein Hall Cincinnati Ohio 45221 USA
| | - Clément P. Bataille
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Advanced Research Complex University of Ottawa 25 Templeton Street University Ottawa Ontario K1N 6N5 Canada
- Department of Biology University of Ottawa Gendron Hall, 30 Marie Curie Ottawa Ontario K1N 6N5 Canada
| | - Bruce A. Haak
- Independent Researcher 2522 Park Lane Eagle Idaho 83616 USA
| | - Kaitlin M. Sommer
- Department of Geology University of Cincinnati 500 Geology Physics Building, 345 Clifton Court Cincinnati Ohio 45221 USA
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8
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Lee HS, Shim JY, Shin WJ, Choi SH, Bong YS, Lee KS. Dietary homogenization and spatial distributions of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios in human hair in South Korea. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256404. [PMID: 34415968 PMCID: PMC8378694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary homogenization has progressed worldwide due to westernization and the globalization of food production systems. We investigated dietary heterogeneity in South Korea by examining the spatial distribution of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) isotope ratios using 264 human hair samples. Overall, variation in isotope values was small, indicating low dietary heterogeneity. We detected differences in δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S values between administrative provinces and metropolitan cities; inter-regional differences were typically < 1 ‰. Values of δ34S were significantly lower in hair samples from inland regions relative to those from coastal locations, and a similar pattern was observed in δ15N values. Understanding geographic variation in δ34S and δ15N values in human hair is useful for provenancing humans in South Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Seul Lee
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Yu Shim
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Jin Shin
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hyun Choi
- Center for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Sik Bong
- Center for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Sik Lee
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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9
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Bataille CP, Jaouen K, Milano S, Trost M, Steinbrenner S, Crubézy É, Colleter R. Triple sulfur-oxygen-strontium isotopes probabilistic geographic assignment of archaeological remains using a novel sulfur isoscape of western Europe. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250383. [PMID: 33951062 PMCID: PMC8099095 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfur isotope composition of organic tissues is a commonly used tool for gathering information about provenance and diet in archaeology and paleoecology. However, the lack of maps predicting sulfur isotope variations on the landscape limits the possibility to use this isotopic system in quantitative geographic assignments. We compiled a database of 2,680 sulfur isotope analyses in the collagen of archaeological human and animal teeth from 221 individual locations across Western Europe. We used this isotopic compilation and remote sensing data to apply a multivariate machine-learning regression, and to predict sulfur isotope variations across Western Europe. The resulting model shows that sulfur isotope patterns are highly predictable, with 65% of sulfur isotope variations explained using only 4 variables representing marine sulfate deposition and local geological conditions. We used this novel sulfur isoscape and existing strontium and oxygen isoscapes of Western Europe to apply triple isotopes continuous-surface probabilistic geographic assignments to assess the origin of a series of teeth from local animals and humans from Brittany. We accurately and precisely constrained the origin of these individuals to limited regions of Brittany. This approach is broadly transferable to studies in archaeology and paleoecology as illustrated in a companion paper (Colleter et al. 2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément P. Bataille
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Klervia Jaouen
- CNRS, GET UMR 5563, Toulouse, France
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefania Milano
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manuel Trost
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven Steinbrenner
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Éric Crubézy
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Rozenn Colleter
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
- INRAP (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives), Cesson-Sévigné, France
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Fauberteau AE, Chartrand MM, Hu L, St-Jean G, Bataille CP. Investigating a cold case using high-resolution multi-isotope profiles in human hair. Forensic Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2020.100300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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11
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Magozzi S, Bataille CP, Hobson KA, Wunder MB, Howa JD, Contina A, Vander Zanden HB, Bowen GJ. Calibration chain transformation improves the comparability of organic hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope data. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Magozzi
- Department of Geology and Geophysics University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnFano Marine Centre Fano (PU) Italy
| | - Clement P. Bataille
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Ottawa Ottawa ON Canada
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Department of Biology and Environment and Climate Change Canada Western University London ON Canada
| | - Michael B. Wunder
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Colorado Denver Denver CO USA
| | - John D. Howa
- Howa Analysis and Consulting LLC Salt Lake City UT USA
| | - Andrea Contina
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Colorado Denver Denver CO USA
| | | | - Gabriel J. Bowen
- Department of Geology and Geophysics University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA
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Hu L, Chartrand MMG, St-Jean G, Lopes M, Bataille CP. Assessing the Reliability of Mobility Interpretation From a Multi-Isotope Hair Profile on a Traveling Individual. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.568943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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