Multi-isotope analysis of bone collagen of Late Pleistocene ungulates reveals niche partitioning and behavioural plasticity of reindeer during MIS 3

• Published in: Scientific reports 2023-09, Vol.13 (1), p.15722-15722, Article 15722
• Main Authors: Britton, Kate, Jimenez, Elodie-Laure, Le Corre, Mael, Renou, Sylvain, Rendu, William, Richards, Michael P., Hublin, Jean-Jacques, Soressi, Marie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/181/27; 704/158/2462; 704/158/2466; Buffalo; Collagen; Feeding behavior; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lichens; multidisciplinary; Niche overlap; Niches; Nitrogen; Paleoecology; Plasticity; Pleistocene; Rangifer; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sulfur; Ungulates
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42199-7

Here we present stable carbon, nitrogen and sulfur isotope ratios of collagen extracted from Rangifer , Equus and Bison bone ( n  = 128) from different stratigraphic levels at the chronologically well-constrained Middle and Upper Palaeolithic site of Les Cottés, France. Samples were taken from five phases of site use (US08, US06, US04 [upper and lower], and US02; ~ 45.8–35.3 ka cal BP) to explore the dietary and spatial palaeoecology of these ungulate species during MIS 3, and the contemporary climate. Temporal trends in δ 15 N values of all species broadly align with other climatic indicators at the site and the lowest values in US04 correspond to the Heinrich 4 cooling event, reflecting changes in the composition of soil/plant nitrogen at this time. Rangifer collagen is 13 C-enriched compared to the other species throughout, consistent with lichen consumption. However, this isotopic niche partitioning between Rangifer and Equus / Bison is most extensive during US04, indicating plasticity in reindeer feeding behaviour, and potentially overall increased lichen biomass during this cooler/more arid phase. Rangifer δ 34 S values are consistently lower than Equus and Bison , which could be indicative of their more extensive spatial ranges incorporating greater inland areas. Equus and Bison demonstrate a significant decrease in δ 34 S values through time, which may be linked to contemporary climatic decline.