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Hydrogen isotope ratios in animal body protein reflect trophic level

  1. JENNIFER BIRCHALL1,
  2. TAMSIN C. O'CONNELL1,2,
  3. TIM H. E. HEATON3,
  4. ROBERT E. M. HEDGES1,*

Article first published online: 1 SEP 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2005.00979.x

Issue

Journal of Animal Ecology

Journal of Animal Ecology

Volume 74, Issue 5, pages 877–881, September 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

BIRCHALL, J., O'CONNELL, T. C., HEATON, T. H. E. and HEDGES, R. E. M. (2005), Hydrogen isotope ratios in animal body protein reflect trophic level. Journal of Animal Ecology, 74: 877–881. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2005.00979.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Research Laboratory for Archaeology, University of Oxford, 6 Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3QJ, UK;

  2. 2

    McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, UK; and

  3. 3

    NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK

* Robert E. M. Hedges, Research Laboratory for Archaeology, University of Oxford, 6 Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3QJ, UK. E-mail: robert.hedges@rlaha.ox.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 1 SEP 2005
  2. Article first published online: 1 SEP 2005
  3. Received 6 September 2004;revised versionaccepted 21 February 2005

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Keywords:

  • collagen;
  • diet;
  • food-web;
  • hydrogen;
  • nitrogen

Summary

  • 1
    Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in consumer tissues are known to correlate with diet isotope composition, and nitrogen isotope ratios are observed to increase with increasing trophic level.
  • 2
    We analysed nitrogen and hydrogen isotope ratios of collagen from 19 species of British fish, birds and mammals to investigate how δD also correlated with trophic level and with feeding environment (terrestrial or aquatic).
  • 3
    A strong relationship between trophic level and δD was discovered for both terrestrial and aquatic consumers.
  • 4
    The correlation between trophic level and δ15N was apparent for terrestrial consumers, but less so for aquatic consumers.
  • 5
    No differentiation was found between δD of aquatic and terrestrial consumers at the same trophic level.
  • 6
    This observation should provide an additional tool in the study of current and ancient animal and human food web ecology.
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