Tooth enamel stable isotope analysis

Tykot, R.H., van der Merwe, N.J. and Hammond, N. 1996 Stable isotope analysis of bone collagen, bone apatite, and tooth enamel in the reconstruction of human diet. A case study from Cuello, Belize. In Orna, M.V., ed., Archaeological Chemistry Organic, Inorganic, and Biochemical Analysis. ACS Symposium Series 625, Washington, DC, American Chemical Society 355-365. 

Empirical and experimental data have indicated that different bone tissues reflect different components of the diet (27-22). In general, bone collagen is produced primarily from the protein portion of the diet, while bone apatite and tooth enamel are produced from a mixture of dietary protein, carbohydrates and fats. Stable isotope analysis of both bone collagen and apatite thus permits quantitative estimates of several dietary components. Both bone collagen and apatite are constantly being resorbed and replenished, so that their isotopic composition reflects dietary averages over at least the last several years of an individual s life. The apatite in tooth enamel, however, is not turned over, and represents diet at the time of tooth formation, often from a pre-weaning age. 

Cerling, T. and Sharp, Z. 1996 Stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of fossil tooth enamel... 

Besides the lapse-rate based methodologies, other methods have also been applied to estimate paleoelevation for Florissant. Another approach based on paleobotany has used enthalpy (Forest et al. 1995 Wolfe et al 1998), based on principles of atmospheric energy conservation, and results from this method have produced high elevation estimates (2900-3800 m) comparable to those of the local and regional lapse rate methods. Analysis of stable isotopes from mammalian tooth enamel provides preliminary results that indicate low relief and low elevation (Barton and Fricke 2006). 

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