Hi Jacqui & all
A quick search on the Cambridge Life Sciences abstracts database threw
up these. The first one has a deer sourcing case study. The latter
ones are not exactly what you're after, but might be of some help.
Title Strontium isotope composition of skeletal material can determine
the birth place and geographic mobility of humans and animals.
Author Beard, B L; Johnson, C M
Affiliation University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Geology
and Geophysics 53706, USA. [log in to unmask]
Source Journal of forensic sciences, 2000 Sep, 45(5):1049-61
Abstract The Sr isotope composition measured in skeletal elements
(e.g., bone, teeth, or antlers) can be used to infer the geographic
region that an animal or human inhabited, because different regions tend
to have distinct Sr isotope compositions, and natural variations in the
relative abundance of Sr isotopes are not changed as Sr is processed
through the food chain. Therefore, an organism that ingests Sr from one
region can have a Sr isotope composition that is different than that of
an organism that ingests Sr from another region. The Sr isotope
composition of skeletal elements is a reflection of the
concentration-weighted average of dietary Sr that was ingested while
that skeletal element was produced. Because different skeletal elements
grow and exchange Sr at different stages during the life times of
organisms, Sr isotope analysis of different skeletal elements can be
used to infer changes in geographic location at different stages in an
organism's life. The Sr isotope composition measured in human teeth will
reflect the average Sr isotope composition that was ingested as a child,
due to the immobile nature of Sr and Ca in teeth after formation,
whereas the Sr isotope composition of bone will reflect the average
isotopic composition over the last ten years of life, due to continuous
biological processing of Sr and Ca in bone. Inferring the average
isotopic composition of dietary Sr is best done by analyzing skeletal
fragments from control groups, which might be animals that have the same
feeding habits as the animal in question, or, in the case of humans,
analysis of close family relatives. In cases where it is not possible to
construct a Sr isotope database from control groups, it becomes
necessary to estimate the isotopic composition of dietary Sr based on
geologic principles. We present three case studies from our research
that illustrate a range of approaches: (1) results from a criminal case
where a deer was illegally harvested and the location of the deer was
important to establish, (2) a pilot study of commingled human remains
from a burial in Vietnam, associated with the Vietnam Conflict, and (3)
a study of 13th and 14th century migration of peo ple from an
archeological site in the Southwest United States.
Title A review of tissue reference values used to assess the trace
element status of farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus).
Author Wilson, P R; Grace, N D
Affiliation Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences,
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
[log in to unmask]
Source N Z Vet J, 2001 Aug, 49(4):126-32
Abstract AIMS: This paper reviews the principles for the establishment
of biochemical reference criteria for assessing the trace element status
of farmed livestock and summarises data for copper, selenium, vitamin
B12 and iodine for farmed red deer. COPPER: Enzootic ataxia and
osteochondrosis occur when liver copper concentrations are below 60
micromol/kg fresh tissue, and serum copper concentrations are below 3-4
micromol/l. Growth responses to copper supplementation have been
equivocal when blood copper concentrations were 3-4 micromol/l, but were
significant when mean blood copper concentrations were 0.9-4.0
micromol/l. No antler growth or bodyweight response to copper
supplementation was observed when blood ferroxidase levels averaged
10-23 IU/l (equivalent to serum copper concentrations of 6-13
micromol/l) and liver copper concentrations averaged 98 mumol/kg fresh
tissue. These data suggest that 'deficient', 'marginal' and 'adequate'
ranges for serum copper concentrations should be 5, 5-8, and 8
micromol/l, respectively, and those for liver copper concentrations
should be 60, 60-100, and 100 micromol/kg, respectively. SELENIUM: White
muscle disease has been reported in young deer with blood and liver
selenium concentrations of 84-140 nmol/l and 240-500 nmol/kg fresh
tissue, respectively. No growth-rate response to selenium
supplementation occurred in rising 1-year-old deer when blood selenium
concentrations were less than 130 nmol/l, the range in which a
growth-rate response would be expected in sheep. VITAMIN B12: Vitamin
B12 concentrations in deer are frequently below 185 pmol/l without
clinical or subclinical effects. No growth response was observed in
young deer with vitamin B12 concentrations as low as 75-83 pmol/l. A
growth response to cobalt/vitamin B12 supplementation occurs in lambs
with serum vitamin B12 concentrations 336 pmol/l. CONCLUSIONS: Data that
can be used to establish reference ranges for assessing trace element
status in deer are limited. More robust reference values for farmed red
deer need to be established through further studies relating biochemical
data to health and performance.
Title Species and Ecosystem Level Bioindicators of Airborne Pollution:
An Analysis of Two Major Studies.
Author Grodzinski, W; Yorks, TP
Affiliation Nat. Resource Ecol. Lab., Colorado State Univ., Fort
Collins, CO 80523, USA
Source Water, Air, & Soil Pollution [WATER AIR SOIL POLLUT.]. Vol.
16, no. 1, pp. 33-53. 1981.
Abstract Longterm research projects in the Niepolomice Forest in
southern Poland and the Colstrip area in southeast Montana, U.S.A., were
analyzed for both organismic and system level indicators and monitors
for SO, trace elements, and fluoride pollution originating in nearby
coal-fired industrial processes. Species of lichens exhibited changes in
morphology and survival and pine species exhibited pollutant
accumulation in needles at both sites. Declines in Scotch pine growth in
Poland of up to 20% were compared with declines in western wheatgrass
rhizone biomass in Montana to illustrate system wide effects on primary
productivity. Directly observable declines in decomposition rate were
noted for both sites at higher pollution levels and tied to system wide
occurrences of nutrient deficiency and toxicant buildup in soil pools.
Pollutant increases in deer antler composition, changes in grasshopper
dietary patterns, and lichen density and health were postulated to have
system level implications as well.
Bored at work? Who, me?
Cheers
Amanda
-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jacqui Mulville
Sent: 08 September 2006 09:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Antler - where does it come from?
Dear all,
Does anyone know of any work on sourcing red deer antler? Or the
relationship between antler and bone in terms of isotopic
signals.....strontium would probably suffer from diagenesis, but has any
work on carbon, nitrogen or oxygen, lead or other trace elements been
undertaken? Or would that be a can of worms?
Just wondering how to find out how far antler has travelled to sites in
order to reconstruct the environment and biology of red deer. Does
antler show any geographical variation in isotopic signal? Or do we
need experimental work to find out?
Any/all ideas welcome.
jacqui
Jacqui Mulville,
Senior Lecturer in Bioarchaeology,
Examinations Officer
School of History and Archaeology
Cardiff University
Humanities Building
Colum Drive
Cardiff
CF10 3EU
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/hisar/people/archaeology/jm1/
Tel: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4247
Fax: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4929
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