Environmental diversity and stable isotope variation in faunas: Implications for human diet reconstruction in Argentine mid-latitude deserts

OTAOLA, CLARA; UGAN, ANDREW; GIL, ADOLFO F.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Elsevier

Año: 2018 vol. 20 p. 57 - 71

2352-409X

This paper presents the results of an isotopic study of δ13C and δ15Nvalues for bone collagen from209 modern samples of native wild fauna in two ecologically distinct areas of Central-western Argentina: the Monte and Patagonian Deserts. The results confirm high intra- andinter-taxonomic variation in both isotopes. Previous studies of camelids, rodents and ostrich eggshells in this region showed a clear relation between animal δ13C and δ15N values, altitude, and the percentage of C3 and C4 plants. This pattern was not fully met among thespeciesconsidered in this paper. No statistical differences were seen between δ13C values fromMonteand Patagonian Deserts, although differences in δ15N were found. On the other hand, when saltmarsh areas were considered separately, differences among δ15N isotopic valuesbecome stronger, pointing to a relation between δ15N isotopic signatures and soil salinity. Archaeological humandietreconstruction based on isotopic data need to pay attention to this significant variationinresources isotopic pattern in order to be used as dietary indicators.