ISOTOPE ANALYSIS FOR MIGRATION ECOLOGY


Stable Isotope Analysis of Animal Tissue

The stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and hydrogen, which occur naturally in animal tissues, are available for use as intrinsic markers in tracking nutritional origin and migration. Stable isotope analysis has been successfully applied in tracking the migration or movement of insects, birds, terrestrial and marine mammals. The approach is based upon the fact that animals, which migrate or roam, carry with them isotopic signatures, which can be related back to local food webs and geographic locations. The period in the life of the animal to which the isotope signatures relate is dependent upon the turnover rate of the tissue studied. The isotope signatures of feather, hair and nail reflect the diet at the time they were synthesized. Where as muscle tissue reflects the dietary intake over previous weeks and bone collagen the diet over the lifetime of the animal.

Animal Tissue Carbon-13 and Nitrogen-15 Analysis
(Catalogue No.: ED01)

See Example Laboratory Report

Additional Isotope Analyses
Deuterium (Catalogue No.: EH01)
Sulfur-34 (Catalogue No.: ES01)

We require a minimum of 2.5 mg of tissue (feather, fur, hair, horn, hoof, nail, muscle or bone collagen) to be supplied for carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 analysis. For additional isotope analysis of deuterium or sulfur-34 we typically require a further 5 mg of tissue per isotope. We will provide you with a laboratory report and results table containing carbon-13, nitrogen-15, percent carbon and percent nitrogen data within 21 days of receiving samples. Please allow 10 to 14 days per additional isotope.

For further information on our isotope analyses for animal ecology please Email us or use our quote form.