新疆巴里坤东黑沟遗址出土人骨的碳氮同位素分析

本文以新疆巴里坤东黑沟遗址出土的人骨为研究对象, 测定骨中的碳、氮同位素比值, 揭示该地区古代先民的食谱特征, 探索当时人们的生活与生产方式、经济形态等历史信息。研究结果发现: 人骨样品的δ13C值分布在-18.96‰~-17.74‰范围内, 样品的δ15N值均较高, 分布在12.64‰~14.33‰范围内, 表明新疆巴里坤东黑沟遗址先民的食物结构是肉类食物在日常饮食生活占有相当大的比例。根据考古发掘出土的动植物遗存, 肉类的获取应来源于驯养的牛、羊等或部分狩猎所得的鹿等动物, 植物性食物主要来源于大麦、小麦等C3类作物, 这与其生活的环境和以游牧为主, 农业和狩猎为辅的经济形态密切相关; 男性与女性的食物结构相同。     

姜寨遗址先民食谱分析

尽管通过C、N稳定同位素分析已对陕西临潼姜寨遗址先民的食物结构和粟作农业进行了初步探索,但研究中的一些重要问题,如不同时期先民食物结构的演变,姜寨与半坡、史家先民食物结构间的差异等,依然未能深入讨论。为此,本文对姜寨遗址出土的不同时期(一期、二期)人骨进行了C、N稳定同位素分析,试图揭示先民食物结构的演变历程,探索姜寨与半坡、史家先民食物结构间的差异,并初步探讨产生这种差异的可能原因。人骨的δ13C平均值(-9.7±1.0‰)和δ15 N平均值(8.5±0.5‰),表明粟类食物(包括粟类作物以及依赖于粟类作物的动物等)在姜寨先民食谱中占据主要地位,且动物资源在食物中的比例相对较低。两期先民的δ13C和δ15N值,无显著性差异,表明先民一直从事粟作农业以及家畜的饲养活动。食谱分析并未发现第二期先民食用更多野生动物的证据,这可能与先民样品量相对偏少、二期先民食用的野生动物比例上升较小、动物类食物在先民食谱中所占比例较小等原因有关。对比地理位置毗邻、文化年代相近的姜寨、史家、半坡遗址先民δ13C值,姜寨(-9.7±1.0‰,N=19)与史家(-10.0±0.7‰,N=9)接近,而远高于半坡(-14.8±1.9‰,N=5),表明半坡遗址粟作农业的种植规模要逊于姜寨和史家遗址。我们认为,不同遗址间先民δ13C值的差异,可能受半坡样品量偏少、遗址间小生态环境不同等因素的影响。     

山西乡宁内阳垣遗址先民食物结构分析

本文应用C、N稳定同位素分析方法,对山西乡宁内阳垣遗址先民的食物结构进行了分析,旨在揭示该遗址先民的生活方式及社会经济状况,探索戎狄对该遗址先民的影响。分析表明,该遗址先民的δ13C平均值为-8.27‰,δ15N平均值为9.54‰,由此推测他们主要的经济模式应为畜牧业。考古学证据显示该遗址主体文化为晋,但食物结构分析却反映,先民的经济模式主要为畜牧业,明显受到了游牧民族(戎狄)的影响。样品XNM50具有异常的δ13C值(-15.36‰)和较高的δ15N值(9.88‰),当与其从事狩猎活动有关。δ13C和δ15N的统计分析表明,不同性别的先民在食物结构上无明显差异,而不同规格的墓葬却差异明显。     

陕西凤翔孙家南头秦墓出土人骨中C和N同位素分析

本文对陕西凤翔孙家南头秦墓出土的春秋战国时期人骨中C和N稳定同位素组成进行了测试分析。结果表明: 人骨样品均可用于食谱分析; 由δ13C和δ15N值综合分析可知, 春秋战国时期陕西凤翔地区秦先民是以C4类植物为主食、辅以少量肉食的杂食性食谱; 经济模式可能为农业与畜牧兼营, 以种植黍、粟类等旱地作物的农业形式为主, 并辅以驯养牲畜; 根据墓主与殉人的δ13C和δ15N值对比分析, 推测殉人可能是与墓主饮食方式较为相近的姬妾或仆从之类的人;春 秋中期至战国晚期秦先民的食物结构较为稳定, C4植物比例与δ15N发生变化的原因可能与当时历史的变迁与社会的发展有一定的关系。     

早期鲜卑人和动物骨骼的稳定同位素分析

本文对呼伦贝尔地区扎赉诺尔、团结和东乌珠尔早期鲜卑墓地出土的人和动物骨骼进行了稳定同位素分析,以期揭示早期鲜卑的食物结构和生计方式。C、N稳定同位素分析结果表明,早期鲜卑人的食物来源兼具C_3类和C_4类,其中C_4类食物很可能来自其从事的少量粟作农业。人具有较高的δ~(15)N值,且与动物的δ~(15)N值差异较大,表明人的营养级较高,肉食资源在食物结构中占据较大比重,这可能来自于早期鲜卑人所从事的游牧及狩猎经济的贡献。C、N、S稳定同位素分析结果表明,动物和人的食物来源来自于当地的陆生系统,而个体马(DW M3(1))具有较高的δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N值以及明显不同于其他样品的异常高的δ~(34)S值,说明此个体可能属于来自于其他地质环境的"外来者"。     

小河沿文化先民生活方式初探:以河北姜家梁遗址为例

长期以来,学界普遍认为,小河沿文化先民的粟作农业活动减弱,导致其文化较红山文化出现衰落的迹象。本文对河北阳原县姜家梁遗址(小河沿文化雪山一期类型)出土的人骨进行了C、N稳定同位素分析,发现:先民骨胶原的δ~(13)C均值(-7.0±0.3‰,n=25)和δ~(15)N均值(8.8±0.4‰,n=25),均显示粟类食物(包括粟类作物以及以之为食的动物)在先民食物结构中居重要地位;男、女性的δ~(13)C值也略存差异,表明女性从事更多的采集业。尤为重要的是,与红山文化人骨的同位素数据比较分析显示,以姜家梁遗址为代表的小河沿文化早期,粟作农业依然较为发达。显然,小河沿文化衰落的真正之谜,仍需加以认真探索。     

中原地区几处仰韶文化时期考古遗址的人类食物状况分析

本文应用稳定同位素δ13C、δ15N对中原地区仰韶文化遗址, 即郑州西山、西安鱼化寨和灵宝西坡遗址出土人骨中碳、氮稳定同位素进行分析。结果显示,遗址基本均是以C4类植物为主食。δ15N值显示人们食物中也有一定程度的肉类。同时, 对相关区域的部分动物骨头的碳同位素分析结果表明, 家养动物的食性与人类食物状况具有一定的相关性, 这在C4类植物为人类主食区域中再次得到显示和证明。结合墓葬状况的分析表明, 仰韶时期已经存在社会分层现象, 在人们食物状况上也有体现。     

海洋性聚落先民的食物结构:昙石山遗址新石器时代晚期人骨的碳氮稳定同位素分析

本文对18例昙石山文化墓葬出土人骨进行骨胶原的提取和碳氮稳定同位素测定,并通过污染鉴别,其中的17例为有效数据。有效骨样的δ~(13)C值在-20.9‰~-16.5‰范围,δ~(15)N值在8.5‰~14.4‰范围。就稳定同位素整体分析结果而言,昙石山先民主体所处营养级较高,以广泛的肉食来源和一定量的C_3类植物为生。推测肉食来源中主要有大量的海生类资源,也包含了陆生动物。进一步的分析表明,昙石山先民的食物营养级可能与社会贫富并无关联。单因素方差分析显示,未成年人的食物结构和成人基本相似,但可能更偏向于食用高营养级的食物;两性的食性未表现显著性的差异。作为一个海洋性聚落,昙石山遗址的经济活动应以渔猎采集为主,水稻种植很可能仅为辅助性的经济行为。     

海洋性聚落先民的食物结构:昙石山遗址新石器时代晚期人骨的碳氮稳定同位素分析北大核心CSCDCSSCI

本文对18例昙石山文化墓葬出土人骨进行骨胶原的提取和碳氮稳定同位素测定,并通过污染鉴别,其中的17例为有效数据。有效骨样的δ^(13)C值在-20.9‰^-16.5‰范围,δ^(15)N值在8.5‰~14.4‰范围。就稳定同位素整体分析结果而言,昙石山先民主体所处营养级较高,以广泛的肉食来源和一定量的C_3类植物为生。推测肉食来源中主要有大量的海生类资源,也包含了陆生动物。进一步的分析表明,昙石山先民的食物营养级可能与社会贫富并无关联。单因素方差分析显示,未成年人的食物结构和成人基本相似,但可能更偏向于食用高营养级的食物;两性的食性未表现显著性的差异。作为一个海洋性聚落,昙石山遗址的经济活动应以渔猎采集为主,水稻种植很可能仅为辅助性的经济行为。     

黄陵寨头河与史家河墓地人骨的碳氮稳定同位素

戎人在古代多样性文化历史发展进程中有着不可忽视的作用,由于文献记载的匮乏,对其生活历史信息的认知极少。陕西延安黄陵寨头河与史家河战国时期戎人墓地的考古发掘,为了解古代关中地区戎人的社会生活提供了珍贵的实物资料。本文则以两墓地出土的人骨为研究对象,采用C、N稳定同位素分析方法,讨论先民的饮食结构,探索其经济模式。结果表明：寨头河与史家河墓地先民的食谱相似,食谱中植物性食物主要来自粟、黍等C₄类作物;除史家河墓地两个个体外,其余先民动物蛋白摄入较少,且未因性别不同而产生食谱差异。史家河墓地战国晚期秦人与早中期戎人的饮食结构相似。结合其他考古资料以及文献可知,寨头河与史家河墓地先民吸收关中农业文化后,利用当地良好的自然环境发展农业,形成了以农业种植为主、农牧混合的经济模式。     

内蒙古巴彦淖尔市纳林套海汉墓出土人骨的稳定同位素分析

稳定同位素分析技术近年来发展为复原古代民族食物结构、社会经济模式的有效手段。本文应用该技术对内蒙古自治区纳林套海汉代墓葬出土人骨中的C、N同位素比值进行了测定。结果表明, 纳林套海汉代居民日常饮食结构中保持着非常高的动物性食物摄入, 植物类食物的摄入中以C4类植物为主。结合其他相关研究结果, 我们认为西汉王朝通过实施移民屯垦和属国等政策, 大力推动了河套地区的农业和畜牧业生产, 改变了河套地区原有的经济模式和人们的饮食结构。本文的研究结果可以为复原汉代北部边疆的经济模式研究提供有益的线索和证据。     

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of bone and teeth reflect weaning age at the Medieval Wharram Percy site,Yorkshire, UK

We report on the measurements of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of both bone and teeth from a single site and population (Medieval Wharram Percy), undertaken to explore variations due to weaning in a past population. There have been a number of recent studies of weaning using delta(15)N values of ribs, and we indicate a number of assumptions that must be met before the results of such studies can be correctly interpreted. We found that rib collagen delta(15)N values decrease to adult levels after age 2 years, indicating that weaning occurred at or before this age. Rib collagen delta(13)C values are also more enriched than adult delta(13)C values before age 2 years, and we argue that this is due to the so-called "carnivore" effect in delta(13)C. We measured teeth and rib delta(15)N values from the same individuals and found that for individuals up to age 11 years, tooth dentine delta(15)N is higher than adult rib delta(15)N values, indicating that the dentine was formed during breast-feeding and that there was almost no turnover of dentine since. We observed some decrease in delta(13)C and delta(15)N rib values, compared to adult rib and teeth values, for the few years after weaning that may relate to a theoretically predicted physiological nitrogen imbalance during this period of rapid growth, but this is more likely due to a childhood diet (up to age 9) which was isotopically different from later diet, possibly consisting of a greater proportion of plant foods.     

Isotopic evidence of dietary variations and weaning practices in the Gaya cemetery at Yeanri,Gimhae, South Korea

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses were conducted to investigate dietary variation in human skeletons (n = 109) from the Gaya cemetery at Yeanri located near Gimhae City, South Korea. The cemetery contained three distinct grave types dating to 4th–7th century AD. The main purposes of this research were to reconstruct palaeodiet in the Gaya population and to explore correlations between stable isotope compositions and burial types, inferred age, and sex of these individuals. The isotopic data indicate that the people at Yeanri consumed a predominantly C₃‐based terrestrial diet supplemented with freshwater and/or marine resources. The comparison of isotopic results reveals significant differences in δ¹³C values among three adult burial types (wood‐cist coffin: ?18.5 ± 0.5‰, stone‐cist coffin: ?18.1 ± 0.6‰, mausoleum: ?17.8 ± 0.9‰). Males in wood‐cist and stone‐cist coffins have relatively more elevated mean δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values than females. The isotopic ratios from the two adult age groups (21–40 years and 40–60 years) indicate that there was no significant dietary change in individuals with age. The isotope data from the infants and children suggest the weaning was a gradual process that was completed between 3 and 4 years of age in the Gaya population. This evidence indicates that the dietary variations within the cemetery reflect social status, sex, and childhood consumption patterns. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The isotopic composition and insect content of diet predict tissue isotopic values in a South American passerine assemblage

We analyzed the carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of the muscle, liver, and crop contents (“diet”) of 132 individuals of 16 species of Chilean birds. The nitrogen content of diet was tightly correlated with the fraction of gut contents represented by insects relative to plant material. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of diet, liver, and muscle were all linearly correlated, implying high temporal consistency in the isotopic value of the diet of these birds. However, δ¹⁵N was not significantly related with the percentage of insects in diet. These results cast doubt on the applicability of the use of ¹⁵N enrichment to diagnose trophic level in, at least some, terrestrial ecosystems. However, the residuals of the relationship relating the isotopic value of bird tissues with those of their diet were weakly negatively correlated with insect intake. We hypothesize that this negative correlation stems from the higher quality of protein found in insects relative to that of plant materials. Finally, our data corroborated a perplexing and controversial negative relationship between tissue to diet isotopic discrimination and the isotopic value of diet. We suggest that this relationship is an example of the commonly observed regression to the mean effect that plagues many scientific studies.     

Stable isotope enrichment in laboratory ant colonies: effects of colony age,metamorphosis, diet,and fat storage

Ecologists use stable isotopes to infer diets and trophic levels of animals in food webs, yet some assumptions underlying these inferences have not been thoroughly tested. We used laboratory‐reared colonies of Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Solenopsidini) to test the effects of metamorphosis, diet, and lipid storage on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios. Effects of metamorphosis were examined in ant colonies maintained on a control diet of domestic crickets and sucrose solution. Effects of a diet shift were evaluated by adding a tuna supplement to select colonies. Effects of lipid content on stable isotopes were tested by treating worker ants with polar and non‐polar solvents. δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of larvae, pupae, and workers were measured by mass spectrometry on whole‐animal preparations. We found a significant effect of colony age on δ¹³C, but not δ¹⁵N; larvae, pupae, and workers collected at 75 days were slightly depleted in ¹³C relative to collections at 15 days (Δδ¹³C = ?0.27‰). Metamorphosis had a significant effect on δ¹⁵N, but not δ¹³C; tissues of each successive developmental stage were increasingly enriched in ¹⁵N (pupae, +0.5‰; workers, +1.4‰). Availability of tuna resulted in further shifts of about +0.6‰ in isotope ratios for all developmental stages. Removing fat with organic solvents had no effect on δ¹³C, but treatment with a non‐polar solvent resulted in enriched δ¹⁵N values of +0.37‰. Identifying regular patterns of isotopic enrichment as described here should improve the utility of stable isotopes in diet studies of insects. Our study suggests that researchers using ¹⁵N enrichment to assess trophic levels of an organism at different sites need to take care not to standardize with immature insect herbivores or predators at one site and mature ones at another. Similar problems may also exist when standardizing with holometabolous insects at one site and spiders or hemimetabolous insects at another site.     

An assessment of the reproductive biology of the Marico barb Barbus motebensis from the upper Groot Marico catchment,South Africa

Temporal changes in fatty acid composition and δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C stable isotope values of the phytobenthos growing on artificial clay substrates under natural conditions over a 28-day period at an upstream and a downstream site in the Kowie River near Grahamstown were investigated in 2012. High concentrations of diatom markers 16:1ω7 and 20:5ω3 fatty acids were recorded, especially at the downstream site, reflecting the importance of diatoms in contributing to the phytobenthos communities at that station. After day 7 at the downstream site the average δ¹⁵N value of the phytobenthos was lighter, gradually increasing by ～2‰ and ～5‰ overall to heavier values on day 28. At the upstream site there were no significant changes (<1‰ increase) in δ¹⁵N values of the phytobenthos over time. Stable nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) and carbon (δ¹³C) signatures in the phytobenthos communities were significantly different between sites (one-way ANOVA; p < 0.001). The stable isotope values and fatty acid concentrations of phytobenthos at the downstream site were different to those of the phytobenthos at the upstream site, and they changed concurrently with changes in the phytobenthos community structure. At the downstream site there was a strong correlation of the δ¹⁵N of phytobenthos with nitrates (R = 0.56) and time (weeks; R = 0.81). However, the fatty acids were not specific enough to characterise the composition of phytobenthos communities. Other biomarker methods, such as stable isotopes and microscopic examination of the communities, were found to be useful. The results from this relatively small-scale tile experiment indicate the complexity of changes in fatty acid composition and δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C stable isotope values of a phytobenthos community. Stable isotope and fatty acid composition can be successfully used to map changes in phytobenthos composition and carbon and nitrogen flow patterns along a river continuum.     

Evaluating marine diets through radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis of victims of the AD79 eruption of vesuvius

The stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotope values of bone collagen are frequently used in paleodietary studies to assess the marine contribution to an individual's diet. Surprisingly, the relationship between stable isotope these values characteristics and the percentage of marine foods in diet has never been effectively demonstrated. To clarify this relationship, the stable isotope values and radiocarbon dates of nine humans and one sheep from Herculaneum, all who perished simultaneously during the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius, were determined. Significant differences were found in the radiocarbon dates which are attributable to the incorporation of “old” carbon from the marine reservoir. The magnitude of the observed differences was linearly correlated with both δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values allowing the response of each isotope to increasing marine carbon in collagen to be independently verified. Regression analyses showed that for every 1‰ enrichment in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N, 56 years and 34 years were added to the radiocarbon age, respectively. Predictions of the maximum marine reservoir age differed considerably depending on which stable isotope was considered. This discrepancy is attributed to some degree of macronutrient scrambling whereby nitrogen from marine protein is preferentially incorporated in collagen over marine carbon. It is suggested that the macronutrient scrambling explains the observed relationship between δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N from Roman coastal sites and should be considered when interpreting any diet which is not dominated by protein. Nevertheless, without knowing the degree of macronutrient scrambling in different dietary scenarios, the accuracy of dietary reconstructions is severely compromised. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:345–352, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Stable isotope ratio analysis of breastfeeding and weaning practices of children from medieval Fishergate House York,UK

Rib collagen of 51 juveniles and 11 adult females from the late medieval Fishergate House cemetery site (York, UK) were analyzed using nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratio analysis to determine the weaning age for this population and to reconstruct diet. The juveniles' ages ranged from fetal to 5–6 years, while the females were of reproductive age. Previous researchers suggested that the children from Fishergate House might have been weaned later than the medieval British norm of 2 years, based on a mortality peak at 4–6 years of age. The results show weaning was complete by 2 years of age, agreeing with previous British weaning studies. The adult female δ¹⁵N values have a mean of 11.4‰ ± 1.1‰ and the δ¹³C values have a mean of ?19.4‰ ± 0.4‰. These findings are consistent with previous isotopic studies of female diet in York during this period, though slightly lower. The weaned juvenile nitrogen values were found to be higher than the adult females (12.4‰ ± 1.0‰ for δ¹⁵N and ?19.7‰ ± 0.5‰ for δ¹³C), which might indicate a dependence on higher trophic level proteins such as marine fish or pork. Marine fish is considered a high status food and children are considered low‐status individuals at this time, making this a particularly interesting finding. Weaning does not appear to coincide with peak mortality, suggesting environment factors may be playing a larger role in child mortality at Fishergate House. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:407–416, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.