Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius

L. G. van der Sluis; H. I. Hollund; M. Buckley; P. G B De Louw; K. F. Rijsdijk; H. Kars

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003

Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius

L. G. van der Sluis, H. I. Hollund, M. Buckley, P. G B De Louw, K. F. Rijsdijk, H. Kars

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

© 2014 Elsevier B.V.Taphonomic research of bones can provide additional insight into a site's formation and development, the burial environment and ongoing post-mortem processes. A total of 30 tortoise (Cylindraspis) femur bone samples from the Mare aux Songes site (Mauritius) were studied histologically, assessing parameters such as presence and type of microbial alteration, inclusions, staining/infiltrations, the degree of microcracking and birefringence. The absence of microbial attack in the 4200year old Mare aux Songes bones suggests the animals rapidly entered the soil whole-bodied and were sealed anoxically, although they suffered from biological and chemical degradation (i.e. pyrite formation/oxidation, mineral dissolution and staining) related to changes in the site's hydrology. Additionally, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were analysed to obtain information on the animals' feeding behaviour. The results show narrowly distributed δ13C ratios, indicating a terrestrial C3 plant-based diet, combined with a wide range in δ15N ratios. This is most likely related to the tortoises' drought-adaptive ability to change their metabolic processes, which can affect the δ15N ratios. Furthermore, ZooMS collagen fingerprinting analysis successfully identified two tortoise species (C. triserrata and C. inepta) in the bone assemblage, which, when combined with stable isotope data, revealed significantly different δ15N ratios between the two tortoise species. As climatic changes around this period resulted in increased aridity in the Mascarene Islands, this could explain the extremely elevated δ15N ratio in our dataset. The endemic fauna was able to endure the climatic changes 4200years ago, although human arrival in the 17th century changed the original habitat to such an extent that it resulted in the extinction of several species. Fortunately we are still able to study these extinct tortoises due to the beneficial conditions of their burial environment, resulting in excellent bone preservation.

Original language	English
Journal	Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003
Publication status	Published - 15 Feb 2014

Keywords

Cylindraspis
Diagenesis
Stable isotopes
Taphonomy
ZooMS

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00310182/319

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ICAL: Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life
Garwood, R. (PI), Wogelius, R. (PI), Sansom, R. (PI), Buckley, M. (PI), Chamberlain, A. (CoI), Manning, P. (PI), Egerton, V. (CoI), Sellers, W. (PI), Nudds, J. (CoI), Bulot, L. G. (CoI), Brocklehurst, R. (PGR student), Brassey, C. A. (PI), Keating, J. (CoI), La Porta, A. (CoI), Brocklehurst, R. (PGR student), Callender-Crowe, L. (PGR student), Wallace, E. (PGR student), Chester, J. (PGR student), Davenport, J. (PGR student), Tuley, K. (PGR student), Lomax, D. (Researcher), Reeves, J. (PGR student), Smart, C. (PGR student), Ferro, C. (PGR student), Karoullas, C. (PGR student), Heath, J. (PGR student), Dickson, A. (PGR student), Austin Sydes, L. (PGR student), McLean, C. (PGR student), Harvey, V. (PGR student), Jones, K. (PI), Peacock, C. (PGR student), Gordon, P. (PGR student), Oldfield, E.-M. (PGR student), Webb, E. (PGR student), Roberts, F. (PGR student), Savage, H. (PGR student), Chester, J. (PGR student), Jepson, J. (Researcher), Keating, J. (Researcher) & Schwab, J. (Researcher)
Project: Research

Biological Mass Spectrometry (BioMS) Facility
Knight, D. (Core Facility Lead), Warwood, S. (Senior Technical Specialist), Selley, J. (Technical Specialist), Taylor, G. (Technical Specialist), Fullwood, P. (Technical Specialist), Keevill, E.-J. (Senior Technician) & Allsey, J. (Technician)
FBMH Platform Sciences, Enabling Technologies & Infrastructure
Facility/equipment: Facility

Cite this

van der Sluis, L. G., Hollund, H. I., Buckley, M., De Louw, P. G. B., Rijsdijk, K. F., & Kars, H. (2014). Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003

@article{290d815a4dfd43a385714cdd32e8dee5,

title = "Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius",

abstract = "{\textcopyright} 2014 Elsevier B.V.Taphonomic research of bones can provide additional insight into a site's formation and development, the burial environment and ongoing post-mortem processes. A total of 30 tortoise (Cylindraspis) femur bone samples from the Mare aux Songes site (Mauritius) were studied histologically, assessing parameters such as presence and type of microbial alteration, inclusions, staining/infiltrations, the degree of microcracking and birefringence. The absence of microbial attack in the 4200year old Mare aux Songes bones suggests the animals rapidly entered the soil whole-bodied and were sealed anoxically, although they suffered from biological and chemical degradation (i.e. pyrite formation/oxidation, mineral dissolution and staining) related to changes in the site's hydrology. Additionally, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were analysed to obtain information on the animals' feeding behaviour. The results show narrowly distributed δ13C ratios, indicating a terrestrial C3 plant-based diet, combined with a wide range in δ15N ratios. This is most likely related to the tortoises' drought-adaptive ability to change their metabolic processes, which can affect the δ15N ratios. Furthermore, ZooMS collagen fingerprinting analysis successfully identified two tortoise species (C. triserrata and C. inepta) in the bone assemblage, which, when combined with stable isotope data, revealed significantly different δ15N ratios between the two tortoise species. As climatic changes around this period resulted in increased aridity in the Mascarene Islands, this could explain the extremely elevated δ15N ratio in our dataset. The endemic fauna was able to endure the climatic changes 4200years ago, although human arrival in the 17th century changed the original habitat to such an extent that it resulted in the extinction of several species. Fortunately we are still able to study these extinct tortoises due to the beneficial conditions of their burial environment, resulting in excellent bone preservation.",

keywords = "Cylindraspis, Diagenesis, Stable isotopes, Taphonomy, ZooMS",

author = "\{van der Sluis\}, \{L. G.\} and Hollund, \{H. I.\} and M. Buckley and \{De Louw\}, \{P. G B\} and Rijsdijk, \{K. F.\} and H. Kars",

year = "2014",

month = feb,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003",

language = "English",

journal = "Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology",

issn = "0031-0182",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

van der Sluis, LG, Hollund, HI, Buckley, M, De Louw, PGB, Rijsdijk, KF & Kars, H 2014, 'Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius', Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003

Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius. / van der Sluis, L. G.; Hollund, H. I.; Buckley, M. et al.
In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 15.02.2014.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius

AU - van der Sluis, L. G.

AU - Hollund, H. I.

AU - Buckley, M.

AU - De Louw, P. G B

AU - Rijsdijk, K. F.

AU - Kars, H.

PY - 2014/2/15

Y1 - 2014/2/15

N2 - © 2014 Elsevier B.V.Taphonomic research of bones can provide additional insight into a site's formation and development, the burial environment and ongoing post-mortem processes. A total of 30 tortoise (Cylindraspis) femur bone samples from the Mare aux Songes site (Mauritius) were studied histologically, assessing parameters such as presence and type of microbial alteration, inclusions, staining/infiltrations, the degree of microcracking and birefringence. The absence of microbial attack in the 4200year old Mare aux Songes bones suggests the animals rapidly entered the soil whole-bodied and were sealed anoxically, although they suffered from biological and chemical degradation (i.e. pyrite formation/oxidation, mineral dissolution and staining) related to changes in the site's hydrology. Additionally, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were analysed to obtain information on the animals' feeding behaviour. The results show narrowly distributed δ13C ratios, indicating a terrestrial C3 plant-based diet, combined with a wide range in δ15N ratios. This is most likely related to the tortoises' drought-adaptive ability to change their metabolic processes, which can affect the δ15N ratios. Furthermore, ZooMS collagen fingerprinting analysis successfully identified two tortoise species (C. triserrata and C. inepta) in the bone assemblage, which, when combined with stable isotope data, revealed significantly different δ15N ratios between the two tortoise species. As climatic changes around this period resulted in increased aridity in the Mascarene Islands, this could explain the extremely elevated δ15N ratio in our dataset. The endemic fauna was able to endure the climatic changes 4200years ago, although human arrival in the 17th century changed the original habitat to such an extent that it resulted in the extinction of several species. Fortunately we are still able to study these extinct tortoises due to the beneficial conditions of their burial environment, resulting in excellent bone preservation.

AB - © 2014 Elsevier B.V.Taphonomic research of bones can provide additional insight into a site's formation and development, the burial environment and ongoing post-mortem processes. A total of 30 tortoise (Cylindraspis) femur bone samples from the Mare aux Songes site (Mauritius) were studied histologically, assessing parameters such as presence and type of microbial alteration, inclusions, staining/infiltrations, the degree of microcracking and birefringence. The absence of microbial attack in the 4200year old Mare aux Songes bones suggests the animals rapidly entered the soil whole-bodied and were sealed anoxically, although they suffered from biological and chemical degradation (i.e. pyrite formation/oxidation, mineral dissolution and staining) related to changes in the site's hydrology. Additionally, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were analysed to obtain information on the animals' feeding behaviour. The results show narrowly distributed δ13C ratios, indicating a terrestrial C3 plant-based diet, combined with a wide range in δ15N ratios. This is most likely related to the tortoises' drought-adaptive ability to change their metabolic processes, which can affect the δ15N ratios. Furthermore, ZooMS collagen fingerprinting analysis successfully identified two tortoise species (C. triserrata and C. inepta) in the bone assemblage, which, when combined with stable isotope data, revealed significantly different δ15N ratios between the two tortoise species. As climatic changes around this period resulted in increased aridity in the Mascarene Islands, this could explain the extremely elevated δ15N ratio in our dataset. The endemic fauna was able to endure the climatic changes 4200years ago, although human arrival in the 17th century changed the original habitat to such an extent that it resulted in the extinction of several species. Fortunately we are still able to study these extinct tortoises due to the beneficial conditions of their burial environment, resulting in excellent bone preservation.

KW - Cylindraspis

KW - Diagenesis

KW - Stable isotopes

KW - Taphonomy

KW - ZooMS

U2 - 10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003

DO - 10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003

M3 - Article

SN - 0031-0182

JO - Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

JF - Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

ER -

van der Sluis LG, Hollund HI, Buckley M, De Louw PGB, Rijsdijk KF, Kars H. Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 2014 Feb 15. doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.06.003

Combining histology, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting to investigate the taphonomic history and dietary behaviour of extinct giant tortoises from the Mare aux Songes deposit on Mauritius

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

ICAL: Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life

Equipment

Biological Mass Spectrometry (BioMS) Facility

Cite this