Stable isotope time-series in mammalian teeth: In situ I'18O from the innermost enamel layer

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in mammalian tooth enamel are commonly used to understand the diets and environments of modern and fossil animals. Isotope variation during the period of enamel formation can be recovered by intra-tooth microsampling along the direction of growth. However, con...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geochimica et cosmochimica acta 2014-01, Vol.124, p.223-236
Main Authors: Blumenthal, Scott, Cerling, Thure, Chritz, Kendra, Bromage, Timothy, Kozdon, Reinhard, Valley, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Enamels
Isotopes
Laser ablation
Mineralization
Scanning electron microscopy
Secondary ion mass spectrometry
Teeth
Tooth enamels
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Summary:Stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in mammalian tooth enamel are commonly used to understand the diets and environments of modern and fossil animals. Isotope variation during the period of enamel formation can be recovered by intra-tooth microsampling along the direction of growth. However, conventional sampling of the enamel surface provides highly time-averaged records in part due to amelogenesis. We use backscattered electron imaging in the scanning electron microscope (BSE-SEM) to evaluate enamel mineralization in developing teeth from one rodent and two ungulates. Gray levels from BSE-SEM images suggest that the innermost enamel layer,
ISSN:0016-7037
DOI:10.1016/j.gca.2013.09.032