Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.

Bone collagen of terrestrial and marine animals (n = 218) recovered from Ottoman period contexts at Aqaba Castle, Jordan (16th-19th centuries CE), were analyzed for δ13C, δ15N, and δ2H isotope ratios. While δ13C and δ15N values showed considerable overlap among species in the hyperarid environment,...

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Main Authors: Gene T Shev, Bea De Cupere, Anastasia Brozou, Benjamin T Fuller, Marcello A Mannino, Joris Peters, Wim Van Neer, Steven Bouillon, Claudio Ottoni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328991
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author Gene T Shev
Bea De Cupere
Anastasia Brozou
Benjamin T Fuller
Marcello A Mannino
Joris Peters
Wim Van Neer
Steven Bouillon
Claudio Ottoni
author_facet Gene T Shev
Bea De Cupere
Anastasia Brozou
Benjamin T Fuller
Marcello A Mannino
Joris Peters
Wim Van Neer
Steven Bouillon
Claudio Ottoni
author_sort Gene T Shev
collection DOAJ
description Bone collagen of terrestrial and marine animals (n = 218) recovered from Ottoman period contexts at Aqaba Castle, Jordan (16th-19th centuries CE), were analyzed for δ13C, δ15N, and δ2H isotope ratios. While δ13C and δ15N values showed considerable overlap among species in the hyperarid environment, δ2H values exhibited less overlap, enhancing stable isotopic niche differentiation. In domesticates, δ2H values show trophic enrichments of +18.4‰ from herbivores to omnivores (dogs), and +26‰ to cats which had the highest δ2H values. Fish δ2H values show a positive relationship with increasing trophic level but also moderately correlate with body size (r = 0.61, R2 = 0.37). The offset between collagen δ2H and rainfall (δ2Hmw) values is smaller for camels (-1.4‰), sheep (-4.5‰), and goats (+6.8%), than for chickens (-18.5‰) and cattle (-27.0‰) due to more frequent consumption of 2H-depleted groundwater by the latter species, because of their higher water requirements. Similarities between local precipitation and bone collagen δ2H values for most terrestrial herbivores suggest the utility of δ2H values for geographic provenancing. This is explored by overlapping gazelle and chukar collagen δ2H values over a regional δ2Hmw isoscape, tentatively suggesting these species inhabited the water-stressed highland environments surrounding Aqaba Castle. This study demonstrates the advantages of incorporating bone collagen δ2H values alongside δ13C and δ15N values as a useful environmental proxy, enhancing interpretations of animal dietary behaviour, trophic levels, water sources, and wild animal home ranges.
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spelling doaj-art-6fad1e2cd63a4f1fb62a6a82d1e3beb22025-08-20T03:39:14ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01208e032899110.1371/journal.pone.0328991Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.Gene T ShevBea De CupereAnastasia BrozouBenjamin T FullerMarcello A ManninoJoris PetersWim Van NeerSteven BouillonClaudio OttoniBone collagen of terrestrial and marine animals (n = 218) recovered from Ottoman period contexts at Aqaba Castle, Jordan (16th-19th centuries CE), were analyzed for δ13C, δ15N, and δ2H isotope ratios. While δ13C and δ15N values showed considerable overlap among species in the hyperarid environment, δ2H values exhibited less overlap, enhancing stable isotopic niche differentiation. In domesticates, δ2H values show trophic enrichments of +18.4‰ from herbivores to omnivores (dogs), and +26‰ to cats which had the highest δ2H values. Fish δ2H values show a positive relationship with increasing trophic level but also moderately correlate with body size (r = 0.61, R2 = 0.37). The offset between collagen δ2H and rainfall (δ2Hmw) values is smaller for camels (-1.4‰), sheep (-4.5‰), and goats (+6.8%), than for chickens (-18.5‰) and cattle (-27.0‰) due to more frequent consumption of 2H-depleted groundwater by the latter species, because of their higher water requirements. Similarities between local precipitation and bone collagen δ2H values for most terrestrial herbivores suggest the utility of δ2H values for geographic provenancing. This is explored by overlapping gazelle and chukar collagen δ2H values over a regional δ2Hmw isoscape, tentatively suggesting these species inhabited the water-stressed highland environments surrounding Aqaba Castle. This study demonstrates the advantages of incorporating bone collagen δ2H values alongside δ13C and δ15N values as a useful environmental proxy, enhancing interpretations of animal dietary behaviour, trophic levels, water sources, and wild animal home ranges.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328991
spellingShingle Gene T Shev
Bea De Cupere
Anastasia Brozou
Benjamin T Fuller
Marcello A Mannino
Joris Peters
Wim Van Neer
Steven Bouillon
Claudio Ottoni
Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.
PLoS ONE
title Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.
title_full Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.
title_fullStr Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.
title_full_unstemmed Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.
title_short Non-exchangeable hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary, isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at Aqaba Castle, Jordan.
title_sort non exchangeable hydrogen δ2h stable isotope ratios in fauna provide enhanced dietary isotopic niche and home range reconstruction at aqaba castle jordan
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328991
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