A model predicting hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of mammalian hair at the landscape scale
Abstract
A model has been developed to predict hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of keratin in hair of mammalian herbivores and omnivores, incorporating the influences of drinking water and dietary input. The isotopic composition of carbohydrates in food sources and the water in blood and tissues are predicted as intermediate components linking drinking water and dietary sources (environment) with hair (environmental recorder). This model is scaled to landscape and regional levels using geographic information system map predictions of the hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of drinking waters and anticipated hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of carbohydrate food sources. The model was tested using isotope ratios of human hair (an omnivore) from across the USA. We discuss the application of this model as a tool for providing spatially integrated information about the quality of primary productivity relevant to mammalian herbivores over time, through the effects of varying primary productivity on protein nitrogen balance of the herbivore.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006AGUFM.B12A..07E
- Keywords:
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- 0412 Biogeochemical kinetics and reaction modeling (0414;
- 0793;
- 1615;
- 4805;
- 0424 Biosignatures and proxies