Stable Isotope Analysis in Primatology: A Critical Review

Stable isotope analysis has become an important tool in ecology over the last 25 years. A wealth of ecological information is stored in animal tissues in the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of several elements, particularly carbon and nitrogen, because these isotopes navigate through ecol...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of primatology 2012-11, Vol.74 (11), p.969-989
Main Authors: SANDBERG, PAUL A., LOUDON, JAMES E., SPONHEIMER, MATT
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Animals
Carbon emissions
Carbon Isotopes
Chemicals
Data collection
Diet
dietary ecology
Ecology
Ecosystem
Isotope Labeling
Nitrogen Isotopes
Primates
Primatology
stable isotopes
δ13C
δ15N
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Summary:Stable isotope analysis has become an important tool in ecology over the last 25 years. A wealth of ecological information is stored in animal tissues in the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of several elements, particularly carbon and nitrogen, because these isotopes navigate through ecological processes in predictable ways. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes have been measured in most primate taxonomic groups and have yielded information about dietary content, dietary variability, and habitat use. Stable isotopes have recently proven useful for addressing more fine‐grained questions about niche dynamics and anthropogenic effects on feeding ecology. Here, we discuss stable carbon and nitrogen isotope systematics and critically review the published stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data for modern primates with a focus on the problems and prospects for future stable isotope applications in primatology. Am. J. Primatol. 74:969‐989, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN:0275-2565
1098-2345
DOI:10.1002/ajp.22053