Carbon bone collagen isotope ratios

Keegan, W.F. and DeNiro, M.J. 1988 Stable carbon- and nitrogen- isotope ratios of bone collagen used to study coral-reef and terrestrial components of prehistoric Bahamian diet. American Antiquity 53 320-336. 

Ambrose, S. H. and DeNiro, M. J. (1986). Reconstruction of African human diet using bone collagen carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios. Nature 319 321-324. 

Fig. 6.13 Plot of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in pottery from Mesolithic (Tybrind Vig and Ringkloster) and Neolithic sites (Funnel Beaker). A distinct separation of these two groups is seen reflecting the more terrestrial diet of the Neolithic farmers. This pattern is also seen in the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in human bone collagen from the Mesolithic and Neolithic in this region...

DeNiro, M. and Schoeninger M.J. 1983. Stable carbon and nitrogren isotope ratios of bone collagen variations within individuals, between sexes, and within populations raised on monotonous diets. Journal of Archaeological Science 10 199-204. 

Ambrose, S.H. and Norr, L. 1993 Experimental evidence for the relationship of the carbon isotope ratios ofwhole diet and dietary protein to those ofbone collagen and carbonate. In Lambert, J.B. and Grupe, G., eds.. Prehistoric Human Bone Archaeology at the Molecular Level. Berlin, Springer-Verlag 1-37. 

Lee-Thorp, J.A., Sealy, J.C. and van der Merwe, N.J. 1989 Stable carbon isotope ratio differences between bone collagen and bone apatite, and their relationship to diet. Journal of Archaeological Science 16 585-599. 

Figure 3.3. Average carbon isotopic ratios for human bone collagen samples, corrected for climatic trends. Only countries with more than 10 samples are included. For a description of the climate correction procedure see text.

Walker, PL. and DeNiro, M.J. 1986 Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios in bone collagen as indices of prebistoric dietary dependence on marine and terrestrial resources in Soutbem California. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 71 51-61. 

Table 9.4. C N molar ratios (calculated and measured), total C and N content and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data from bacteria, their growth medium (nutrient broth), and from collagen (infected and non-infected marten bone). The bacteria for inoculation were raised on nutrient broth (nb), with/without additives.

This paper will address three subjects a) carbon isotopic composition of bone carbonate b) the possible role of hpid metabolism in determining frae-tionation between bone carbonate and collagen and its apparent trophic signature and c) concepts of routing of carbon isotopes in the body, especially from protein foods to collagen. The discussion will be limited to carbon isotope ratios C C/ C), although we appreciate that N/ N ratios, which are also very useful in determining trophic levels and somces of protein, present similar biochemical problems. 

---