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Stable isotopes in elephant hair document migration patterns and diet changes
Open accessAbstract
We use chronologies of stable isotopes measured from elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) hair to determine migration patterns and seasonal diet changes in elephants in and near Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya. Stable carbon isotopes record diet changes, principally enabling differentiation between browse and tropical grasses, which use the C 3 and C 4 photosynthetic pathways, respectively; stable nitrogen isotopes record regional patterns related to aridity, offering insight into localized ranging behavior. Isotopically identified range shifts were corroborated by global positioning system radio tracking data of the studied individuals. Comparison of the stable isotope record in the hair of one migrant individual with that of a resident population shows important differences in feeding and ranging behavior over time. Our analysis indicates that differences are the result of excursions into mesic environments coupled with intermittent crop raiding by the migrant individual. Variation in diet, quantified by using stable isotopes, can offer insight into diet-related wildlife behavior.
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Cited by
Hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in human hair are related to geography
Ehleringer, J. R., Bowen, G. J., Chesson, L. A., West, A. G., Podlesak, D. W., & Cerling, T. E. (2008) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0712228105 · Cited by 384
Self-citationIsotope ratio mass spectrometry
Muccio, Z., & Jackson, G. P. (2009) · The Analyst · doi:10.1039/b808232d · Cited by 313
Elephant seasonal vegetation preferences across dry and wet savannas
Loarie, S. R., van Aarde, R. J., & Pimm, S. L. (2009) · Biological Conservation · doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2009.08.021 · Cited by 158
Tsalyuk, M., Kilian, W., Reineking, B., & Getz, W. M. (2019) · Ecological Monographs · doi:10.1002/ecm.1348 · Cited by 98
Metadata
- Authors
- Cerling, T. E., Wittemyer, G., Rasmussen, H. B., Vollrath, F., Cerling, C. E., Robinson, T. J., & Douglas-Hamilton, I.
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2006-01-03
- Volume
- 103
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 371-373
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- OpenAlex
- W2001569615
- Cited by
- 241
- References
- 0
- FWCI
- 15.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
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- Cerling, T. E., Wittemyer, G., Rasmussen, H. B., Vollrath, F., Cerling, C. E., Robinson, T. J., & Douglas-Hamilton, I. (2006). Stable isotopes in elephant hair document migration patterns and diet changes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0509606102
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