Abstract
Studies of avian migration increasingly use stable isotope analysis to provide vital trophic and spatial markers. However, when interpreting differences in stable isotope values of feathers, many studies are forced to make assumptions about the timing of moult. A fundamental question remains about the consistency of these values within and between feathers from the same individual. In this study, we examine variation in carbon and nitrogen isotopes by sub-sampling feathers collected from the wings of adults of two small congeneric petrel species, the broad-billed Pachyptila vittata and Antarctic prion P. desolata. Broad-billed prion feather vane material was enriched in 15N compared to feather rachis material, but there was no detectable difference in δ13C. Comparison of multiple samples taken from Antarctic prion feathers indicated subtle difference in isotopes; rachis material was enriched in 13C compared to vane material, and there were differences along the length of the feather, with samples from the middle and tip of the feather depleted in 15N compared to those from the base. While the greatest proportion of model variance was explained by differences between feathers and individuals, the magnitude of these within-feathe...Continue Reading
References
Mar 21, 1987·Lancet·M E Furness
Dec 4, 1998·Science·P P MarraR T Holmes
Jan 17, 2003·Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ·Stuart BearhopRobert W Furness
Mar 26, 2003·The American Naturalist·Daniel I BolnickMatthew L Forister
Jul 25, 2006·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Leonard I Wassenaar, Keith A Hobson
Dec 7, 2006·Biology Letters·Y CherelRona McGill
Mar 28, 2008·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Yuan-Mou ChangBeverly L Roeder
Nov 1, 2008·Oecologia·Justine SearsDiane M O'Brien
Feb 6, 2009·Oecologia·Raül RamosXavier Ruiz
Apr 21, 2009·Oecologia·Richard A PhillipsDeborah A Dawson
Jun 17, 2009·PLoS Biology·Sievert RohwerMichelle M Copple
Oct 2, 2009·Biology Letters·Y CherelC Guinet
Mar 3, 2010·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Andreas MichalikPetra Quillfeldt
May 21, 2010·Frontiers in Zoology·Petra QuillfeldtRobert W Furness
Nov 13, 2010·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Audrey JaegerYves Cherel
Sep 29, 2011·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Micha Horacek
Nov 6, 2012·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Matthieu AuthierChristophe Guinet
Jul 31, 2013·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Glenn T CrossinTony D Williams
Aug 1, 1999·Oecologia·Keith A Hobson
Citations
May 20, 2018·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Raquel García-VernetAlex Aguilar
Aug 9, 2020·Conservation Physiology·Nico LübckerP J Nico de Bruyn
Dec 7, 2016·PeerJ·Eric G Johnson, Mary Katherine Swenarton