Isotopic nitrogen in fecal fiber as an indicator of winter diet in caribou and muskoxen
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Abstract
METHODS: We compared two techniques (detergent and detergent-free) to isolate fractions of plant fibers in the forages of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus); estimated the discrimination factors between the δ15N values of fecal fiber residues and of the diets of captive animals; and used the more effective isotopic tracer of dietary δ15N values to examine the relationships between the δ15N values of fecal residues and diet composition in several populations of wild caribou and muskoxen throughout North America in winter.
RESULTS: The detergent-based approach contaminated the fractions of plant fibers in forages and feces with 14N, whereas the detergent-free method was a good proxy to estimate δ15N values of plant fibers (r2= 0.92) and provided a better estimate of the fecal-fiber to diet discrimination factor for both species (caribou = 3.6‰; muskoxen = 2.8‰). In wild populations, the δ15N values of fecal fibers reflected diet composition in muskoxen (adjusted R2= 0.43) but not caribou (adjusted R2= 0.06).
CONCLUSIONS: Contamination from detergent residues prohibited the use of detergent extraction in isolating forage 15N from endogenous 15N in the feces of herbivores. Although δ15N values in fecal fibers can be used to track dietary δ15N values in wild herbivores, discrimination between fecal extracts and diet may vary with the contribution of endogenous nitrogen (N), and, therefore, residual endogenous 15N in feces may limit dietary reconstructions from fecal δ15N values for some large herbivores.
Study Area
Publication type | Article |
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Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Title | Isotopic nitrogen in fecal fiber as an indicator of winter diet in caribou and muskoxen |
Series title | Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry |
DOI | 10.1002/rcm.6825 |
Volume | 28 |
Issue | 6 |
Year Published | 2014 |
Language | English |
Publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
Publisher location | New York, NY |
Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center |
Description | 10 p. |
Larger Work Type | Article |
Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
Larger Work Title | Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry |
First page | 625 |
Last page | 634 |
Country | Canada;Greenland;United States |
State | Alaska |
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