Effects of skeletal element identity, delipidation and demineralization on the analysis of stable isotope ratios of C and N in fish bone

• Published in: Journal of fish biology Vol. 92; no. 2; pp. 420 - 437
• Main Authors: Bas, M., Cardona, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2018; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: acidification; Biological evolution; Bones; Collagen; Demineralization; Demineralizing; Eleginops maclovinus; Fish; Isotope ratios; Nitrogen isotopes; Odontesthes nigricans; Proteins; Ratios; Species; Sprattus fuegensis; Stable isotopes; Tissues; Vertebrae; zooarchaeology; Odontesthes nigricans; zooarchaeology; acidification; Sprattus fuegensis; Eleginops maclovinus
• ISSN: 0022-1112; 1095-8649
• DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13521

Stable isotope ratios of C and N in the bone tissue of three different skeletal elements (angular, cleithrum and vertebra) of three fish species from different evolutionary lineages (Clupeiformes, Atheriniformes and Notothenioidei) were determined before (δ13Cbulk and δ15Nbulk) and after demineralization and delipidation (δ13Cdml and δ15Ndml). One of the species had cellular bone and the other two had acellular bone. Results revealed that δ15N and δ13C values from different skeletal elements were interchangeable in species with acellular bone, but caution was needed in species with cellular bone, as δ15N values varied among skeletal elements. Furthermore, δ15Nbulk values were significantly lower than δ15Ndml values in the three species, thus suggesting that they are not comparable. This difference is probably because δ15Nbulk refers to total bone protein and δ15Ndml to collagen only.