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Understanding how diversity is partitioned along natural and anthropogenic gradients within ecosystems is important to predict the persistence of species and the ecological functions they provide. Dottybacks (Pseudochromidae) are a diverse group of mesopredators that feed on cryptic macroinvertebrates and newly recruited fishes. This diet behavior may modify the composition and abundance of cryptobenthic fauna within coral reef ecosystems. Understanding how mesopredators partition their diet and the functional role provided by available prey within reefs can assist in understanding the ecological role these predators contribute to coral reef trophodynamics and the effect of their population changes on the reef ecosystem. To assess the diet of three common Pseudochromis species and two distinct color morphs of P. flavivertex in the Red Sea, I used a combination of i) visual stomach content analysis, ii) stomach DNA metabarcoding (18S, COI), and iii) stable isotope analysis (δ15N, δ13C). I evaluated i) dietary niche breadth, ii) variation in diet composition, iii) degree of dietary specialization, and iv) trophic level. These techniques revealed partitioning in the dietary composition and resource use between P. flavivertex, P. fridmani, and P. olivaceus. Although the two technics used for stomach content analysis did not show differences in the dietary composition within color morphs of P. flavivertex, the isotopic signature showed marked differences in the isotopic niche and resource use between morphs. Resource partitioning appears to be driven by variation in resource availability in the fish habitat and by subtle differences in the ecology of these species. These findings provide evidence of species-specific differences in the trophic ecology of pseudochromids in the Red Sea and demonstrate their important role as predators of cryptic invertebrates and small fish, being key components in energy transfer in coral reef ecosystems by acting as a link between cryptofauna and higher trophic levels. This study highlights the importance of combining several approaches (short-term: visual analysis and DNA metabarcoding; and long-term: isotope analysis) when assessing the feeding habits of coral reef fish, as they provide different and complementary information necessary to delimit their niches and understand the role that small mesopredators play in coral reef ecosystems.

The national mammal of the United States, the American Bison (Bison bison) was once nearly extinct. Populations have recovered to the degree that thousands roam the Great Plains today. Due to their large numbers and body size, this species has an oversized impact on the ecological communities where it lives and is considered a keystone herbivore in modern North American grasslands. This study explores the detailed, seasonally resolved, paleoecology of seven bison from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during the Late Holocene through stable isotope analyses and species niche modeling. Isotopic analyses of δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O reveal that bison within high elevations regularly foraged on C3 vegetation while traveling among the valleys and ridges of ecoregions similar to those of modern-day. Species distribution models provide a bimodal niche, with best-suited temperatures of 4-8°C and 16-26°C, and topographic ranges of 250-800m and 2,000-4000m.

Red Alder (Alnus rubra) is a native coastal hardwood in British Columbia and has evolved a symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing actinomycete, Frankia. This research uses δ15N signatures in soils, wood and litter to assess the contribution of nitrogen-fixing Red Alder to the components of stand nitrogen budgets. The stands used in this study are part of the B.C. Ministry of Forests’ long-term Experimental Project 1121.01 which examines the interactions between conifers and Red Alder. Planted in 1994, the Holt Creek site contains stands of Douglas-fir and Red Alder in five proportions (Red Alder: Douglas-fir proportions: 100/0, 50/50, 25/75, 11/89, 0/100). Increment cores from 5 trees per species per plot were taken along with soil and litter samples and analyzed for essential mineral elements and δ15N. I hypothesized that Red Alder would enhance soil nitrogen stocks and elevate δ15N signatures and that these changes would be observable in the δ15N signature of the tree rings of both species. Forest floor soil under Red Alder in the 100/0 plot was enriched in total nitrogen, and δ15N was elevated. This was due to the addition of nitrogen-rich litter, like followed by nitrogen discrimination in the forest floor during the process of nitrate leaching or denitrification. The litter of the two species did not differ in δ15N. The effect of forest floor nitrogen enrichment was visible in the tree rings of Douglas-fir in the 50/50 stand confirming that the effect of fixed-nitrogen can be observed in non-fixing species. Red Alder tree ring δ15N exhibited an unexpected non-linear relationship with time that could be due to reduced nitrogen fixation associated with declining tree vigour or negative feedback from low soil pH. This research provides insight into nitrogen fixation by Red Alder over time and its influence on pure and mixed stand nitrogen budgets. / Graduate / 2023-09-09

<p>Carbon and nitrogen isotope values in sequential segments of human hair keratin provide an archive of temporal fluctuations in isotopic composition close to the time of an individual’s death. By combining stable isotope analysis with a microscopic examination of hair, this thesis explores health status prior to the death of early settlers from St. Thomas’ Anglican Church cemetery in Belleville, Ontario (1821-1874). The purpose of this thesis is to determine if there is a consistent difference in carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures along sequentially segmented hair in individuals who have observable pathological conditions versus individuals who display no osteological evidence of pathology. Elevated nitrogen values can be associated with physiological stressors such as chronic illness, infection, or injury that affect an individual’s metabolic state. Elevated nitrogen values represent a recycling of nitrogen derived from the breakdown of existing proteins in the body and subsequent tissue repair. Results from 10 individuals indicate that δ¹⁵N values increase greater than 1‰ if an individual was suffering from a pathological condition (e.g., periostitis) or decrease by 1‰ if an individual was possibly pregnant, while δ¹³C values remained relatively constant. The variability in nitrogen values over 1‰, coinciding with less change in δ¹³C values, may be indicative of physiological stress. These results suggest that δ¹⁵N values are not only useful for studying diet, but may also be used as indicators of physiological stress.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

Yes / The identification of dairying is essential if we are to understand economies of the past, particularly in northwest Europe, where a high degree of lactose tolerance suggests that fresh milk has long been a significant food product. This paper explores a possible link between economic focus and seasonality of calving. Although cattle (Bos taurus) can breed throughout the year, animals living in temperate regions with minimal or no human management tend to breed seasonally, their breeding behaviour being strongly influenced by the availability of food. In order to achieve a year-round supply of fresh milk in the past, it is likely that multiple-season calving was necessary, which would have required additional husbandry effort. Alternatively, for meat-focussed economies or those based on storable dairy products, a strategy of single-season calving in spring may have been favoured to maximise the utilization of spring and summer vegetation. Cattle birth seasonality is investigated through isotope ratio analysis (δ18O, δ13C) of tooth enamel. Results for cattle from Pool, Orkney dating to the latter part of the first millennium A.D suggest that calving occurred during at least three seasons implying that the continuous provision of fresh milk was of economic importance. / AHRC Studentship