Publication detail

Bear diet, seasonality and migration based on chemical multielemental teeth analysis

Miriam Nývltová Fišáková, Michaela Galiová, Jozef Kaiser, Francisco J. Fortes, Karel Novotný, Radomír Malina, Lubomír Prokeš, Aleš Hrdlička, Tomáš Vaculovič, Javier J. Laserna

Czech title

Strava, sezonalita a migrace fosilního medvěda hnědého na základě multiprvkové analýzy

English title

Bear diet, seasonality and migration based on chemical multielemental teeth analysis

Type

journal article - other

Language

en

Original abstract

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were utilized for microspatial analyses of a fossil bear (Ursus arctos) tooth dentine. The distribution of selected trace elements (Sr, Ba, Fe) was measured on a 26 mm x 15 mm large and 3 mm thick transversal cross section of canine tooth. The Na and Mg content together with the distribution of matrix elements (Ca, P) was also monitored within this area. It is shown that LIBS, similarly to LA-ICP-MS can be successfully utilized for fast, spatially-resolved analysis of fossil teeth samples. Rate of Sr and Ca, Sr and Ba tracers were recognized and it is possible to say, that these elements are changing its concentration in according to the seasonal increments of dentine. The concentration is lower in winter, when the bear is in his hibernation, contrary to summer, which is affluent for its substances. Secondly, concentration of Sr shows us a seasonal migration between the place of hibernating and territory where bear searched for feed. From measurement of concentrations it is possible to claim, that the bear was hunted in his season of searching for feed, when he was ensuring his fat reserve for winter. From archaeological point of view, on the base of these measurements it was possible to reconstruct the ethology of the fossil brown bear, i.e. the nutrition, health and migration.

Czech abstract

LIBS a LA-ICP-MS byly využity pro mikroskopickou distribuci prvků v dentinu a cementu špičáku fosilního medvěda hnědého (Ursus arctos). Distribuce vybraných stopových prvků (Sr, Ba, Fe) byly naměřeny na výbrusu kořene medvědího špičáku o velikosti 26 x 15 mm a 3 mm šířky. Byly sledována distribuce sodíku (Na), hořčíku (Mg) spolu s rozložením matričních prvků vápníku a fosforu (Ca a P). Ukázalo se, že pomocí LIBS a stejně tak i s LA-ICP-MS lze rychle analyzovat distribuci prvků ve fosilním zubu. Poměry stroncia a vápníku (Sr/Ca) a stroncia a baria (Sr/Ba) byly změřreny a zjištěny změny obsahu v souvislosti se sezónními přírůstky dentinu. Obsah je nízký v zimě, kdy medvěd je v zimním spánku, oproti letním přírůstkům, kde koncentrace stoupá díky bohaté potravní nabídce během vegetačního období. Obsah stroncia (Sr) nám vypovídá také o sezónních migracích studovaného zvířete mezi místem jeho zimního spánku a oblastí, kde si hledal potravu. Z analýz přírůstku cementu na kořeni špičáku a z koncentrací zkoumaných prvků lze říct, že zvíře uhynulo na rozhraní léta a podzimu, kdy medvěd hledal potravu pro vytvoření zásob na zimu. Zmíněné metody ukazují využití pro archeologii, paleontologii a paleoekologii, které umožňují zrekonstruovat etologii fosilního medvěda hnědého včetně výživy, zdraví a migrace.

English abstract

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were utilized for microspatial analyses of a fossil bear (Ursus arctos) tooth dentine. The distribution of selected trace elements (Sr, Ba, Fe) was measured on a 26 mm x 15 mm large and 3 mm thick transversal cross section of canine tooth. The Na and Mg content together with the distribution of matrix elements (Ca, P) was also monitored within this area. It is shown that LIBS, similarly to LA-ICP-MS can be successfully utilized for fast, spatially-resolved analysis of fossil teeth samples. Rate of Sr and Ca, Sr and Ba tracers were recognized and it is possible to say, that these elements are changing its concentration in according to the seasonal increments of dentine. The concentration is lower in winter, when the bear is in his hibernation, contrary to summer, which is affluent for its substances. Secondly, concentration of Sr shows us a seasonal migration between the place of hibernating and territory where bear searched for feed. From measurement of concentrations it is possible to claim, that the bear was hunted in his season of searching for feed, when he was ensuring his fat reserve for winter. From archaeological point of view, on the base of these measurements it was possible to reconstruct the ethology of the fossil brown bear, i.e. the nutrition, health and migration.

Keywords in English

Mammalia, Upper Palaeolithic, Migration, Diet, Seasonality, Multielemental analysis, LIBS, LA-ICP-MS

RIV year

2009

Released

01.11.2009

ISSN

1211-7250

Journal

PŘEHLED VÝZKUMŮ

Volume

50

Number

1-2

Pages from–to

28–35

Pages count

8

BIBTEX


@article{BUT48943,
  author="Jozef {Kaiser} and Michaela {Vašinová Galiová} and Radomír {Malina},
  title="Bear diet, seasonality and migration based on chemical multielemental teeth analysis",
  journal="PŘEHLED VÝZKUMŮ",
  year="2009",
  volume="50",
  number="1-2",
  month="November",
  pages="28--35",
  issn="1211-7250"
}