Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) enamel phosphate δ¹⁸O values reflect climate seasonality: Implications for paleoclimate reconstruction.

ABSTRACT: Stable oxygen isotope (δ¹⁸O) compositions from vertebrate tooth enamel are widely used as biogeochemical proxies for paleoclimate. However, the utility of enamel oxygen isotope values for environmental reconstruction varies among species. Herein, we evaluate the use of stable oxygen isotope compositions from pronghorn (Antilocapra americana Gray, 1866) enamel for reconstructing paleoclimate seasonality, an elusive but important parameter for understanding past ecosystems. We serially sampled the lower third molars of recent adult pronghorn from Wyoming for δ¹⁸O in phosphate (δ¹⁸O_PO4) and compared patterns to interpolated and measured yearly variation in environmental waters as well as from sagebrush leaves, lakes, and rivers (δ¹⁸

SUBMITTER: Fraser D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8668790 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature