Stable isotopes investigations of Late Glacial and Early Holocene brown bear finds from caves in the Alpine region
All Titles
- Stable isotopes investigations of Late Glacial and Early Holocene brown bear finds from caves in the Alpine region
Dublin Core
Title
Stable isotopes investigations of Late Glacial and Early Holocene brown bear finds from caves in the Alpine region
Subject
S5-2 & S6-3, General session, poster
Description
Abstract:
Bones of brown bears from caves in the Alpine region in Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland were examined and dated in the last years. The finds originate from the transition from the Bölling/Alleröd to the Early Holocene.
In total we analyzed 15 samples from bones and teeth of directly radiocarbon dated brown bears from the alpine region for isotopic analyses. All collagen considered here exhibit carbon and nitrogen content similar to that of collagen extracted from fresh bones, and most of the bones and teeth contained almost the same quantity of collagen than fresh bone (around 25% weight). Atomic C/N ratios range from 3.1 to 3.4, well within the acceptable range (2.9-3.6). The 13C values are rather high during the Late Glacial then a clear decrease is observed at the beginning of the Holocene. This trend coincides with the development of dense forests at low altitudes and the shift of timberline towards higher altitudes. The d15N values are relatively low in Bölling-Alleröd, then quite high during the Younger Dryas, and they decrease again during the Boreal and more recent periods.
For the first time a more precise picture of the former habitat of the brown bears from the time span Late Glacial to Early Holocene in the Alpine region could be reconstructed with the described investigation.
Authors:
DÖPPES Doris1, ROSENDAHL Wilfried1, PACHER Martina2, & BOCHERENS Hervé3
Affiliations
1 Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, Germany, doris.doeppes@mannheim.de & wilfried.rosendahl@mannheim.de
2 Austrian Academy of Science, Biologische Station Lunz am See and University of Vienna, Austria, martina.pacher@univie.ac.at
3Department of Biogeology, University of Tübingen, Germany, herve.bocherens@uni-tuebingen.de
Bones of brown bears from caves in the Alpine region in Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland were examined and dated in the last years. The finds originate from the transition from the Bölling/Alleröd to the Early Holocene.
In total we analyzed 15 samples from bones and teeth of directly radiocarbon dated brown bears from the alpine region for isotopic analyses. All collagen considered here exhibit carbon and nitrogen content similar to that of collagen extracted from fresh bones, and most of the bones and teeth contained almost the same quantity of collagen than fresh bone (around 25% weight). Atomic C/N ratios range from 3.1 to 3.4, well within the acceptable range (2.9-3.6). The 13C values are rather high during the Late Glacial then a clear decrease is observed at the beginning of the Holocene. This trend coincides with the development of dense forests at low altitudes and the shift of timberline towards higher altitudes. The d15N values are relatively low in Bölling-Alleröd, then quite high during the Younger Dryas, and they decrease again during the Boreal and more recent periods.
For the first time a more precise picture of the former habitat of the brown bears from the time span Late Glacial to Early Holocene in the Alpine region could be reconstructed with the described investigation.
Authors:
DÖPPES Doris1, ROSENDAHL Wilfried1, PACHER Martina2, & BOCHERENS Hervé3
Affiliations
1 Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, Germany, doris.doeppes@mannheim.de & wilfried.rosendahl@mannheim.de
2 Austrian Academy of Science, Biologische Station Lunz am See and University of Vienna, Austria, martina.pacher@univie.ac.at
3Department of Biogeology, University of Tübingen, Germany, herve.bocherens@uni-tuebingen.de
Creator
DÖPPES Doris
ROSENDAHL Wilfried
PACHER Martina
BOCHERENS Hervé
Date
August 2010
Contribution Form
Online Submission
No
Files
Citation
DÖPPES Doris
, ROSENDAHL Wilfried, PACHER Martina
and BOCHERENS Hervé. "Stable isotopes investigations of Late Glacial and Early Holocene brown bear finds from caves in the Alpine region," in BoneCommons, Item #1676, http://www.alexandriaarchive.org/bonecommons/items/show/1676 (accessed February 7, 2012).
, ROSENDAHL Wilfried, PACHER Martina
and BOCHERENS Hervé. "Stable isotopes investigations of Late Glacial and Early Holocene brown bear finds from caves in the Alpine region," in BoneCommons, Item #1676, http://www.alexandriaarchive.org/bonecommons/items/show/1676 (accessed February 7, 2012).
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