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Geology; August 2006; v. 34; no. 8; p. 649-652; DOI: 10.1130/G22745.1
© 2006 Geological Society of America
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Reconstructing grassland vegetation and paleotemperatures using carbon isotope ratios of bison tooth enamel

Kathryn A. Hoppe*,1, Adina Paytan1 and Page Chamberlain1

1 Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2115, USA

Carbon isotope ratios ({delta}13C values) of herbivores reflect the {delta}13C values of dietary plants, and the {delta}13C values of grazers (animals that consume >90% grass) reflect the local abundance of C3 versus C4 grasses. Because grassland C3/C4 ratios correlate with climate, the {delta}13C of fossil grazers may serve as a proxy for reconstructing paleoclimates and paleovegetation patterns. However, the accuracy of environmental reconstructions based on herbivore {delta}13C values is often uncertain, because the relationship between the {delta}13C of many animals and the abundance of C4 and C3 grasses has not been precisely quantified. We analyzed the {delta}13C of tooth enamel carbonate from modern bison (Bison bison bison) from nine localities in the United States. The C4 grass biomass at these sites ranged from <1% to ~95% of the total grass biomass. The mean {delta}13C of enamel for each population correlated well with the local abundance of C4 grasses and with variations in mean annual temperatures. The variability of enamel {delta}13C values did not differ among habitats and was not correlated with the abundance of C4 grasses. These results demonstrate that analyses of the {delta}13C values of fossil bison can be used as a quantitative proxy for reconstructing grassland C3/C4 ratios and paleotemperatures, and they will serve as a baseline for interpreting the {delta}13C of fossil bison and other large herbivores in North America.

Key Words: Bison • carbon isotopes • enamel • diet • grasslands






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