Past aquatic environments in the Levant inferred from stable isotope compositions of carbonate and phosphate in fish teeth

PloS One
Guy Sisma-VenturaAndreas Pack

Abstract

Here we explore the carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of the co-existing carbonate and phosphate fractions of fish tooth enameloid as a tool to reconstruct past aquatic fish environments and harvesting grounds. The enameloid oxygen isotope compositions of the phosphate fraction (δ18OPO4) vary by as much as ~4‰ for migratory marine fish such as gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), predominantly reflecting the different saline habitats it occupies during its life cycle. The offset in enameloid Δ18OCO3-PO4 values of modern marine Sparidae and freshwater Cyprinidae from the Southeast Mediterranean region vary between 8.1 and 11.0‰, similar to values reported for modern sharks. The mean δ13C of modern adult S. aurata and Cyprinus carpio teeth of 0.1±0.4‰ and -6.1±0.7‰, respectively, mainly reflect the difference in δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of the ambient water and dietary carbon sources. The enameloid Δ18OCO3-PO4 and δ13C values of ancient S. aurata (Holocene) and fossil Luciobarbus sp. (Cyprinidae; mid Pleistocene) teeth agree well with those of modern specimens, implying little diagenetic alteration of these tooth samples. Paired δ18OPO4-δ13C data from ancient S. aurata teeth indicate that hypersaline water bodi...Continue Reading

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