This thesis explores the life history of six isolated skulls interred in Mound 3 of the Elizabeth site, a Middle Woodland site in the lower Illinois valley. This study employs analyses of osteological features, stable and radiogenic isotopes, and biodistance for a cross-section of the Mound 3 population (n=15), including the isolated crania. Isotopic results reveal significant variation in lead isotope ratios in enamel, and interpretively meaningful variation in strontium values. However, bone carbonate oxygen values are not significantly different. Carbon isotope values from bone carbonate revealed only sex-based dietary differences. Biodistance data indicate relatively genetic homogeneity at the site, although significant variation was present in two of the isolated crania. Ultimately, data indicate that two of the six isolated skulls likely originated from elsewhere in the valley, but that the population likely resided in the Elizabeth site vicinity in the decade preceding death, and were not outsiders.

abstract: Niche variation among sexes and life stages within a population has been documented in many species, yet few studies have investigated niche variation within demographic groups or across ecological contexts. We examined the extent to which pregnant California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) at each of three breeding colonies target alternative prey resources and habitats. The three colonies are distributed across distinct regions of the Gulf of California, Mexico and have divergent population dynamics. We compared the nature of niche variation among colonies and investigated the fitness consequences of different foraging strategies within each colony. We analyzed the δ13C and δ15N values from fur collected from 206 suckling pups to characterize relative maternal foraging locations (δ13C) and trophic levels (δ15N) during the metabolically demanding late stages of gestation and lactation that occur simultaneously in California sea lions. The δ13C and δ15N values were regressed against pup body condition index values to compare the relative individual-level fitness benefits of different maternal foraging strategies. We found that the nature and extent of niche variation differed among colonies. Niche variation was most pronounced at the two largest colonies that appear to experience the highest levels of intraspecific competition and the variation was consistent with habitat features. One colony (Granito) displayed two distinct foraging groups with indistinguishable median pup body condition values, whereas the second (San Jorge) exhibited continuous niche variation and pup body condition varied in relation to maternal foraging location and trophic level, suggesting disparities among alternative foraging strategies. For the smallest colony (Los Islotes), females occupy similar niches with a few outliers. Body condition values of pups at this colony were most variable, but did not vary with maternal foraging strategy. Our results provide evidence for intrapopulation niche variation among demographically similar individuals during a period of high metabolic stress and reproductive importance. This work suggests possible fitness benefits conferred by alternative foraging strategies, and calls into question the common assumption that members of a population are ecologically equivalent. Future research aimed at understanding animal foraging strategies should consider the nature and extent of niche variation in the context of local ecological conditions. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Biology 2013

A escassez de trabalhos acerca dos impactos causados por mosaicos agrícolas sobre a biodiversidade dificulta a criação de estratégias de conservação, havendo necessidade de informações acerca da ecologia e comportamento de espécies da fauna. Nesse contexto o presente estudo objetivou: 1) determinar a composição e estrutura de assembleias de mamíferos de médio e grande em uma paisagem agrícola de Mata Atlântica; 2) avaliar o padrão de alimentação da onça-parda (Puma concolor) por meio da análise de isótopos estáveis (SIA) em dois mosaicos agrícolas; 3) analisar por meio da diversidade funcional (FD) assembleias de mamíferos em remanescentes florestais distribuídos nas principais regiões biogeográficas da Mata Atlântica, e identificar limiares ecológicos para a conservação. Para o inventário, foram selecionados oito remanescentes florestais na Região Metropolitana de Campinas (RMC), São Paulo. Os dados foram coletados por busca ativa (visualizações e vestígios), resultando no registro de 34 espécies de mamíferos, sendo 27 de médio e grande porte, quatro de pequeno porte, e três exóticas. Sete espécies se encontram ameaçadas de extinção, com registros inéditos de Myrmecophaga tridactyla e Lycalopex gymnocercus. A riqueza e a composição de espécies registradas apontaram a RMC como importante para a conservação da mastofauna. Foram analisados isotopicamente (carbono e nitrogênio) pelos de onças-pardas, obtidos a partir de amostras fecais coletadas por busca ativa em remanescentes florestais inseridos em paisagens agrícolas no interior do estado de São Paulo. Houve maior consumo de presas C3 (~47% dos indivíduos) na área com maior proporção de vegetação nativa, e maior consumo de presas C4 (~40% dos indivíduos) para a área onde é predominante a matriz agrícola. Foi constatado o consumo de presas com dieta baseada em itens alimentares dos remanescentes e da matriz agrícola, sugerindo alta plasticidade comportamental das onças-pardas e de suas presas ocupando áreas fortemente impactadas pelo homem. A ferramenta isotópica apresentou informações pioneiras sobre ecologia trófica, podendo contribuir na elaboração estratégias de conservação em áreas antropizadas. Para a análise da FD e identificação dos limiares foi utilizado um banco de dados composto por 49 assembleias de mamíferos, criado a partir de dados primários e secundários de inventários, sendo selecionadas 38 características das espécies para o cálculo. A existência de limiares foi verificada utilizando a função \"segmented\", disponível no programa R. A FD apresentou-se diferente para assembleias com o mesma riqueza de espécies, indicando que filtros ambientais podem influenciar nos valores. O incremento gradual na FD devido ao aumento da área dos remanescentes mostrou uma relação positiva, possivelmente ligada a maior complexidade e heterogeneidade de áreas maiores. Foram identificados dois limiares (52 e 1244 ha), criando três situações funcionalmente distintas, tanto críticas quanto mais estáveis, permitindo definir e propor formas de ação específicas. Assembleias presentes entre os limiares apresentaram incremento funcional significativo entre FD e o aumento da área dos remanescentes, e ações visando à restauração e melhorias na configuração da paisagem devem ser incentivadas. Conclui-se, portanto, que tanto a SIA quanto a FD, podem ser consideradas importantes ferramentas para delinear estratégias e ações em prol da conservação da mastofauna. / The scarcity of studies regarding the impacts of agricultural mosaics on biodiversity hinders the creation of conservation strategies and a need for information concerning the ecology and behavior of wildlife species. In this context, the present study aimed to: 1) determine the composition and structure of mammal assemblages of medium and large sized in an agricultural landscape at Atlantic Forest; 2) evaluate the puma (Puma concolor) feeding pattern through analysis of stable isotopes (SIA) in two agricultural mosaics; 3) analyze mammal assemblages by functional diversity (FD) in forest remnants distributed in major biogeographic regions of the Atlantic Forest, and identify ecological thresholds for conservation. For mammal\'s inventory, eight forest remnants were selected in Campinas Metropolitan Region (RMC), São Paulo state. Data were collected through active search (visualizations and tracks), resulting in the record of 34 mammal species, 27 medium and large size, four of small size, and three exotic. Seven species are threatened with extinction, with novel records of Myrmecophaga tridactyla and Lycalopex gymnocercus for this region. The species richness and composition pointed RMC as an important area for mammal\'s conservation. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were analyzed in pumas hair, obtained from fecal samples collected by active search in forest remnants embedded in agricultural landscapes in São Paulo state. There was a higher consumption of C3 prey (~ 47% of individuals) in the area with the highest proportion of forest coverage, and greater consumption of C4 prey (~ 40% of individuals) where the agricultural matrix was predominant. Was observed the consumption of prey with diet based on food items from both forest remnants and agricultural matrix, suggesting high behavioral plasticity of puma\'s and their prey\'s occupying areas heavily impacted by man. Stable isotopes contributed with pioneer information on trophic ecology, aiming the development of new conservation strategies in anthropogenic areas. A database consisting of 49 mammal\'s assemblages, created from primary and secondary data of inventories, was used for FD analysis and threshold\'s identification. 38 specie\'s traits were selected for FD calculation. The thresholds existence was verified using the \"segmented\" function, available on R program. FD was different between mammal assemblages with the same species richness, indicating that environmental filters may affect its values. The gradual increment in FD, due to the increase in forest remnants area, presented a positive relationship, possibly linked to the increased complexity and heterogeneity of large areas. Two thresholds (52 and 1244 ha) were identified, creating three functionally distinct situations, both critical as more stable, allowing to define and propose for each one specific ways of action. Mammal\'s assemblages found between the thresholds showed significant functional increment considering the relationship between FD and forest remnants area, and actions aiming biological restoration and improvements in the landscape configuration should be encouraged. It was concluded, therefore, that both SIA as the FD can be considered important tools to outline strategies and actions for mammal\'s conservation.

No description available.

The preservation of freshwater aquifers is one important task of managing natural resources today. Intrusion of saltwater from the sea into the groundwater might occur in coastal-near areas and can affect the freshwater quality negatively. One such risk area is the Adriatic coast line of Albania, a country predominantly rich in freshwater resources due to the numerous rivers flowing from the mountains in the east towards the sea. The coastal areas are mainly used for agricultural activities were groundwater is an important resource for irrigation purposes. This study was therefore partly conducted in Albania where samples of groundwater and river waters were collected from the river deltas of Drin and Vjosa in order to investigate the origin of the salt and to assess the bioavailable metal concentrations of nickel and zinc. Both on-site tests and off-site tests, in laboratories, were conducted. In the laboratory, the samples were analysed for oxygen and deuterium isotope data. The results were used to assess the origin of the oxygen content as the method of investigating the origin of the salt uses the oxygen isotope as a tracer. Anion and cation concentrations were analysed as well as the concentrations of metals. These were used as input data to Visual Minteq, a model used to calculate the metal speciation of waters, and a Biotic Ligand Model used to calculate the bioavailable concentrations and the HC5 concentrations. The isotope analysis yielded results similar to previous studies conducted in the nearby area indicating that the salt does not have oceanic origin but meteorological. The bioavailable concentrations were in most sample sites lower than the calculated HC5 concentrations indicating that there is a sufficient buffering system present even though there are several mining activities upstream of the sample sites that could have affected the water quality. This study concludes that the origin of salt is of meteoric origin and not from seawater intrusion. The bioavailable concentrations do not pose a threat as the concentrations are under the HC5 concentrations for all sites but one. In order to deepen the understanding and knowledge of the water qualities in these areas, future studies should focus on a continuous measuring period lasting for example over the whole year minimizing any seasonal variations of the sampled data. Other methods such as geophysical measures could also contribute to a wider analysis of the groundwater condition. / Grundvatten är en av de viktigaste naturresurserna vilket innebär att för att säkerställa en långvarig försörjning krävs en god förvaltning av befintliga akvifärer. I kustnära områden kan intrång av saltvatten från havet till grundvattnet påverka sötvattenkvaliteten negativt. Ett sådant riskområde är den Adriatiska kustlinjen i Albanien, ett land som är övervägande rikt på sötvattenresurser tack vare de många floder som rinner från bergen i öst mot havet i väst. Kustområdena används huvudsakligen för jordbruksverksamhet, där grundvatten är en viktig resurs vid bevattning. Denna studie genomfördes därför delvis i Albanien där prov av grundvatten och flodvatten hämtades från Drins och Vjosas floddeltan för att undersöka saltets ursprung och för att bedöma de biotillgängliga metalkoncentrationerna av nickel och zink. Vattenprover togs på ett urval av platser och testades direkt för omgivningsberoende parametrar samt analyserades vidare i laboratorier. I laboratoriet analyserades proverna med avseende på fördelning av syre- och deuteriumisotoper. Resultaten användes för att bedöma syreinnehållets ursprung, eftersom metoden för att undersöka saltets ursprung använder syreisotopen som spårämne. Anjon- och katjonkoncentrationer analyserades såväl som koncentrationerna av metaller. Dessa användes som inmatningsdata till Visual Minteq, en modell som används för att beräkna metallsammansättningen i vatten och en Biotic ligand model som användes för att beräkna de biotillgängliga koncentrationerna samt HC5-koncentrationerna. Isotopanalysen gav resultat som liknar tidigare studier utförda i det närliggande området vilket indikerar att saltet inte har oceaniskt ursprung utan meteorologiskt. De biotillgängliga koncentrationerna av nickel och zink var i de flesta fall lägre än de beräknade HC5-koncentrationerna, vilket indikerar att det finns ett buffertsystem, trots att gruvaktiviteter uppströms provplatserna skulle kunna ha påverkat vattenkvaliteten negativt.   Studien slutsats är att saltet i grundvattnet och flodvattnet är av meteoriskt ursprung och inte ett resultat av saltvatteninträngning från det Adriatiska havet. De biotillgängliga halterna av nickel och zink understiger HC5 halterna i samtliga fall utom ett.   För att fördjupa förståelsen och kunskapen om vattenkvaliteten i dessa områden bör framtida studier fokusera på en kontinuerlig mätperiod som till exempel sträcker sig över hela året vilket skulle minimera eventuella säsongsvariationer av insamlad data. Andra metoder så som geofysiska mätningar kan också bidra till en bredare analys av tillståndet i grundvattnet.

Between 2005 and 2009, archaeologists excavated more than 100 skeletons from the medieval (1240s AD) Hungarian site of Solt-Tételhegy. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses were conducted on dental enamel and dentin from 24 individuals to examine their childhood diet. Although previous stable isotopic research has described the diet of medieval European peoples, this is the first such study on a medieval Hungarian population. The enamel ?13C values range from -14.4‰ to -8.6‰, with a mean of -11.1‰, while the dentin ?13C values range from -19.4‰ to -14.9‰, with an average of -17.4‰. These data indicate that C3 plants were the main plant type consumed by the majority of this population, with the exception of a few individuals, who appear to have included C4 plants in their diet. These results are to be expected, given the dominance of C3 over C4 plants in medieval Central Europe. Thus, based on historical and isotopic evidence, the outliers may have spent their childhoods elsewhere and later migrated into the Solt-Tételhegy area. The ?15N values range from 9.5‰ to 11.6‰, with a mean of 10.6‰, indicating that animal protein was prevalent in the diets of the sample population. Despite clear signs of status differences indicated by burial location, stable nitrogen values also point to relatively egalitarian access to animal protein amongst the individuals. The enamel ?18Op values range from 23.6‰ to 27.2‰, with an average of 25.1‰, suggesting that multiple migrations occurred into the study site. The results of this study show that the dietary and mobility information gleaned from stable isotope analysis can be used to interpret the lifeways of archaeological peoples. ?

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No / Gas chromatography (GC), GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-combustion-isotope ratio MS (GC-C-IRMS) analyses of absorbed and surface lipid residues preserved in potsherds were used to explore the extent of pig product processing exploitation in the later British Neolithic Grooved Ware tradition. Assessments were made regarding whether porcine lipids were associated with specific Grooved Ware traits, i.e. decoration, substyle, geographical area and type of site. Two hundred and twenty-two Grooved Ware potsherds were analysed, 70% of which contained lipid concentrations considered significant (>5 μg g−1). All the lipid residues were dominated by animal fats, although plant and beeswax were also detected in a small number of extracts. δ13C values of the major fatty acid components of degraded animal fats (C16:0 and C18:0) were determined for 126 extracts and used to assign ruminant or porcine origins to the residues; 16% of these were found to have a predominantly porcine isotope signature. Statistical associations with pig exploitation were shown to exist with substyle, geographical area and site type, whereas, no relationship was seen between decoration and the type of commodity processed. Intact triacylglycerols were preserved in 19% of the sherds; half of these had distributions consistent with the identifications based on δ13C values, the remainder differed either due to the presence of mixed commodities or because lower molecular weight homologues had been lost due to degradation. In addition to the detection of pig exploitation, results from lipid residue analysis showed a good correlation with faunal assemblages, suggesting that stable isotope analysis may be used as a proxy for animal exploitation at sites where bones have not survived.