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Geographical variability in northern European sheep wool isotopic composition (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 2 H values)
Author(s) -
Holstein Isabella C.C.,
Makarewicz Cheryl A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.7578
Subject(s) - wool , δ13c , chemistry , isotopes of nitrogen , precipitation , isotope analysis , vegetation (pathology) , δ18o , pasture , stable isotope ratio , composition (language) , isotopes of carbon , physical geography , nitrogen , environmental chemistry , ecology , total organic carbon , forestry , geography , biology , linguistics , philosophy , medicine , physics , archaeology , organic chemistry , pathology , quantum mechanics , meteorology
Rationale Light stable isotopic analysis of herbivore proteinaceous tissues (hair, muscle, milk) is critical for authenticating the point of origin of finished agricultural or industrial products in both ancient and modern economies. This study examined the distribution of light stable isotopes in herbivores in northern Europe (Iceland to Finland), which is expected to depend on regional‐level environmental inputs (precipitation, temperature) and local variables (vegetation type, fodder type, soil type). Methods Sheep wool was obtained from animals managed using traditional methods and located across a gradient of northern European environments. Defatted whole‐year samples were analysed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for carbon (δ 13 C values), nitrogen (δ 15 N values) and un‐exchangeable hydrogen (δ 2 H values) isotopic composition. Results Wool δ 13 C, δ 15 N and δ 2 H values showed the same correlations to local mean annual precipitation and temperature as were expected for graze plants. Wool δ 2 H values were correlated with local modelled meteoric water δ 2 H values, mediated by plant solid tissue and leaf water fractionations. Cluster analysis distinguished wool from Sweden and the Baltic region from more western material. Local variation in vegetation or soil type did not disrupt dependence on climatic variables but did affect geospatial discrimination. Conclusions Wool isotopic composition in northern Europe is controlled by the effects of local precipitation and temperature on graze plant inputs, and is only weakly affected by pasture type. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.