Stable isotope analysis of modern human hair collected from Asia (China, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan)
Abstract
We report isotopic data (δ2H, δ18O n = 196; δ13C, δ15N n = 142; δ34S n = 85) from human hair and drinking water (δ2H, δ18O n = 67) collected across China, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan. Hair isotope ratios reflected the large environmental isotopic gradients and dietary differences. Geographic information was recorded in H and O and to a lesser extent, S isotopes. H and O data were entered into a recently developed model describing the relationship between the H and O isotope composition of human hair and drinking water in modern USA and pre-globalized populations. This has anthropological and forensic applications including reconstructing environment and diet in modern and ancient human hair. However, it has not been applied to a modern population outside of the USA, where we expect different diet. Relationships between H and O isotope ratios in drinking water and hair of modern human populations in Asia were different to both modern USA and pre-globalized populations. However, the Asian dataset was closer to the modern USA than to pre-globalized populations. Model parameters suggested slightly higher consumption of locally producedfoods in our sampled population than modern USA residents, but lower than pre-globalized populations. The degree of in vivo amino acid synthesis was comparable to both the modern USA and pre-globalized populations. C isotope ratios reflected the predominantly C3-based regional agriculture and C4 consumption in northernChina. C, N, and S isotope ratios supported marine food consumption in some coastal locales. N isotope ratios suggested a relatively low consumption of animal-derived products compared to western populations. Am J Phys Anthropol 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Keywords
hair keratin, stable isotope, asia
Date of this Version
2010
DOI
10.1002/ajpa.21162
Repository Citation
Thompson, A. H.; Chesson, L. A.; Podlesak, D. W.; Bowen, Gabriel J.; Cerling, T. E.; and Ehleringer, J. R., "Stable isotope analysis of modern human hair collected from Asia (China, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan)" (2010). Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Faculty Publications. Paper 86.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21162
Volume
141
Issue
3
Pages
440-451
Link Out to Full Text
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.21162/abstract;jsessionid=206CA912D7967A4DCCDDF451439B951D.d01t04