Isotope biogeochemistry and tooth wear in Mammuthus columbi: Multiproxy analysis and review of its paleodiet reconstruction

Identifier:  imarina:9322138

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9322138

Authors:  Rodriguez-Franco, Susana; Perez-Crespo, Victor Adrian; Rivals, Florent

Abstract:
In recent years, paleodietary and paleoenvironmental studies have made great progress due to new techniques, such as the analysis of dental wear at micro and macro level and the analysis of stable isotopes of different elements in animal tissues. Recently, the combination of these proxies has substantially improved these types of studies, however, these analyses go hand in hand with biology and the animal behavior, so it is essential to understand the species studied previously. This paper describes the analyses commonly used in recent years in the Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) and the relationship that the biology of this species has with the correct application of these analyses. Likewise, the samples and measurements taken from these fossil individuals must be taken with care, since the peculiarities in dental ontogenesis, behavior and metabolism are key to the comprehension of the results obtained.