02237nas a2200301 4500008004100000245018400041210006900225260001600294300001300310490000700323520126200330653001001592653001301602653001901615653002301634653001301657653002401670653001001694653002601704653001701730100001501747700002001762700001901782700002001801700002001821700001701841856007701858 2015 eng d00aExploring the Potential of Laser Ablation Carbon Isotope Analysis for Examining Ecology during the Ontogeny of Middle Pleistocene Hominins from Sima de los Huesos (Northern Spain)0 aExploring the Potential of Laser Ablation Carbon Isotope Analysi cApr-12-2016 ae01428950 v103 a

Laser ablation of tooth enamel was used to analyze stable carbon isotope compositions of teeth of hominins, red deer, and bears from middle Pleistocene sites in the Sierra de Atapuerca in northern Spain, to investigate the possibility that this technique could be used as an additional tool to identify periods of physiological change that are not detectable as changes in tooth morphology. Most of the specimens were found to have minimal intratooth variation in carbon isotopes (< 2.3‰), suggesting isotopically uniform diets through time and revealing no obvious periods of physiological change. However, one of the two sampled hominin teeth displayed a temporal carbon isotope shift (3.2‰) that was significantly greater than observed for co-occurring specimens. The δ13C value of this individual averaged about -16‰early in life, and -13‰later in life. This isotopic change occurred on the canine crown about 4.2 mm from the root, which corresponds to an approximate age of two to four years old in modern humans. Our dataset is perforce small owing to the precious nature of hominid teeth, but it demonstrates the potential utility of the intra-tooth isotope profile method for extracting ontogenetic histories of human ancestors.

10abears10ahominins10aLaser ablation10amiddle Pleistocene10ared deer10aSierra de Atapuerca10aSpain10astable carbon isotope10atooth enamel1 aGarcia, N.1 aFeranec, R., S.1 aPassey, B., H.1 aCerling, T., E.1 aArsuaga, J., L.1 aBondioli, L. uhttp://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.014289502445nas a2200253 4500008004100000245014600041210006900187300001400256490000700270520168600277653000901963653000901972653001201981653001101993653001102004653000902015653001602024100001502040700002002055700002002075700003002095700001802125856004802143 2009 eng d00aIsotopic Analysis of the Ecology of Herbivores and Carnivores from the Middle Pleistocene Deposits of the Sierra de Atapuerca, Northern Spain0 aIsotopic Analysis of the Ecology of Herbivores and Carnivores fr a1142-11510 v363 a

Carbon and oxygen isotope values reveal resource partitioning among the large mammal fauna from three contemporaneous Middle Pleistocene hominid-bearing localities within the Sierra de Atapuerca (northern Spain). Carbon isotope values sampled from the tooth enamel of fauna present during Atapuerca Faunal Unit 6 show that a C3-dominated ecosystem surrounded the area where fossils were preserved during this time. For the herbivores, Fallow deer isotope values are significantly different from Red deer and horses and show that this species did not forage in open environments at this locality. Red deer and horses show similar feeding strategies with less negative carbon values implying use of more open environments for these taxa. For the carnivores, carbon isotope values for Ursus deningeri are significantly different from either lions (Panthera leo) or foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and support the contention that this species is herbivorous. Special metabolic mechanisms involved in hibernation in U. deningeri might also have influenced its isotope values. The carbon isotope values of remaining carnivores were similar and suggest that each was typically a generalist carnivore, eating a wide variety of prey items. While the isotopic results generally correspond to ecology indicated by previous techniques, this study shows that isotope analyses can provide further insights that alternate techniques do not provide. Isotope analyses can help elucidate the ancient ecology of taxa present in the Sierra de Atapuerca during the Middle Pleistocene allowing for an accurate portrayal of the setting in which humans lived.

10aC-1310aDiet10aEcology10aEnamel10aMammal10aO-1810aPleistocene1 aGarcia, N.1 aFeranec, R., S.1 aArsuaga, J., L.1 ade Castro, J., M. Bermude1 aCarbonell, C. uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2008.12.018