Open AccessDietary homogenization and spatial distributions of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios in human hair in South Korea
Author(s) -
Han-Seul Lee,
Ji-Yu Shim,
Woojin Shin,
Sung Hyun Choi,
Yeon-Sik Bong,
Kwang-Sik Lee
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0256404
Subject(s) - westernization , homogenization (climate) , isotopes of carbon , stable isotope ratio , spatial variability , δ13c , isotope , nitrogen , spatial distribution , geography , biology , physical geography , chemistry , ecology , total organic carbon , mathematics , statistics , biodiversity , modernization theory , remote sensing , economics , economic growth , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Dietary homogenization has progressed worldwide due to westernization and the globalization of food production systems. We investigated dietary heterogeneity in South Korea by examining the spatial distribution of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) isotope ratios using 264 human hair samples. Overall, variation in isotope values was small, indicating low dietary heterogeneity. We detected differences in δ 13 C, δ 15 N, and δ 34 S values between administrative provinces and metropolitan cities; inter-regional differences were typically < 1 ‰. Values of δ 34 S were significantly lower in hair samples from inland regions relative to those from coastal locations, and a similar pattern was observed in δ 15 N values. Understanding geographic variation in δ 34 S and δ 15 N values in human hair is useful for provenancing humans in South Korea.