Das Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels

ist ein Forschungsmuseum der Leibniz Gemeinschaft

Link zur Leibnizgemeinschaft

Forschung › Publikationen › ZFMK-Publikationsverzeichnis › Tracking cats with stable isotopes

Tracking cats with stable isotopes

DruckversionSend by email
Erscheinungsjahr: 
2011
Vollständiger Titel: 
Tracking cats: Problems with placing feline carnivores on δ18O and δD isoscapes.
Org. Einordnung: 
Direktion
Publiziert in: 
PLoS ONE
Publikationstyp: 
Elektronische Publikation
DOI Name: 
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0024601
Bibliographische Angaben: 
Pietsch, S.J., Hobson, K.A., Wassenaar, L.I.W., Tütken, T. (2011) Tracking cats: Problems with placing feline carnivores on δ18O and δD isoscapes. PLoS ONE 6(9): e24601.
Abstract: 

Background

Several felids are endangered and threatened by the illegal wildlife trade. Establishing geographic origin of tissues of endangered species is thus crucial for wildlife crime investigations and effective conservation strategies. As shown in other species, stable isotope analysis of hydrogen and oxygen in hair (δDh, δ18Oh) can be used as a tool for provenance determination. However, reliably predicting the spatial distribution of δDh and δ18Oh requires confirmation from animal tissues of known origin and a detailed understanding of the isotopic routing of dietary nutrients into felid hair.

Methodology/Findings

We used coupled δDh and δ18Oh measurements from the North American bobcat (Lynx rufus) and puma (Puma concolor) with precipitation-based assignment isoscapes to test the feasibility of isotopic geo-location of felidae. Hairs of felid and rabbit museum specimens from 75 sites across the United States and Canada were analyzed. Bobcat and puma lacked a significant correlation between H/O isotopes in hair and local waters, and also exhibited an isotopic decoupling of δ18Oh and δDh. Conversely, strong δD and δ18O coupling was found for key prey, eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus; hair) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; collagen, bone phosphate).

Conclusions/Significance

Puma and bobcat hairs do not adhere to expected pattern of H and O isotopic variation predicted by precipitation isoscapes for North America. Thus, using bulk hair, felids cannot be placed on δ18O and δD isoscapes for use in forensic investigations. The effective application of isotopes to trace the provenance of feline carnivores is likely compromised by major controls of their diet, physiology and metabolism on hair δ18O and δD related to body water budgets. Controlled feeding experiments, combined with single amino acid isotope analysis of diets and hair, are needed to reveal mechanisms and physiological traits explaining why felid hair does not follow isotopic patterns demonstrated in many other taxa.