University of Canterbury Home
    • Admin
    UC Research Repository
    UC Library
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    1. UC Home
    2. Library
    3. UC Research Repository
    4. Faculty of Science | Te Kaupeka Pūtaiao
    5. Science: Journal Articles
    6. View Item
    1. UC Home
    2.  > 
    3. Library
    4.  > 
    5. UC Research Repository
    6.  > 
    7. Faculty of Science | Te Kaupeka Pūtaiao
    8.  > 
    9. Science: Journal Articles
    10.  > 
    11. View Item

    Simple ways to calculate stable isotope discrimination factors and convert between tissue types (2015)

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    12655149_Greer et al. In Press.pdf (770.5Kb)
    Type of Content
    Journal Article
    UC Permalink
    http://hdl.handle.net/10092/11980
    
    Publisher's DOI/URI
    https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12421
    
    Publisher
    University of Canterbury. Biological Sciences
    University of Canterbury. Geological Sciences
    Collections
    • Science: Journal Articles [1117]
    Authors
    Greer, A.L.
    Horton, T.W.
    Nelson, X.J.
    show all
    Abstract

    Traditional methods to determine stable isotope discrimination factors (Δ) between an animal’s diet and tissue(s) are costly and time-consuming. Consequently, data are only available for relatively few species and are completely absent from some orders, including parrots (Order: psittaciformes). We present simple and cost-effective methodologies for establishing discrimination factors and converting between tissue types. We investigated Δ13Cdiet-feather and Δ15Ndiet-feather values for the kea parrot Nestor notabilis by comparing the isotope values from feathers of a population held under their regular conditions at a local zoo, with the δ13C and δ15N values from their weekly diet of >30 food items. We mathematically controlled for dietary elemental concentration, and the potential impacts of metabolic routing, the exclusive consumption of preferred foods, and the large-scale consumption of self-sourced plants and invertebrates; resulting in Δ13Cdiet-feather = 4.00‰ ± 0.03 and Δ15Ndiet-feather = 3.10‰ ± 0.20. We also determined regression equations for predicting feather δ13C and δ15N values from whole blood values by sampling simultaneously grown feathers and blood from wild kea nestlings. These are the first feather-blood discrimination equations determined for terrestrial birds in the wild. Our δ13C feather-blood discrimination equation was similar to an equation developed for use across marine birds; however, the δ15N feather-blood discrimination equation for marine birds consistently underestimated kea feather δ15N values. These methodologies, while developed for use in birds, can easily be applied to other animal classes given the appropriate selection of tissues.

    Citation
    Greer, A.L., Horton, T.W., Nelson, X.J. (2015) Simple ways to calculate stable isotope discrimination factors and convert between tissue types. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 6(11), pp. 1341?1348.
    This citation is automatically generated and may be unreliable. Use as a guide only.
    Keywords
    Psittaciformes; metabolic routing; concentration dependence; methodology; isotopic ratios; mixing models; cross-tissue comparisons; preservation artifacts; 70% ethanol
    ANZSRC Fields of Research
    31 - Biological sciences::3109 - Zoology::310902 - Animal cell and molecular biology
    31 - Biological sciences::3109 - Zoology::310914 - Vertebrate biology
    Rights
    https://hdl.handle.net/10092/17651

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Comprehensive evidence for subspecies designations in Cook’s petrel (Pterodroma cookii) with implications for conservation management. 

      Steeves T; Rayner M; van Loenen A; Shepherd L; Cubrinovska I; Tennyson A; Bunce M; Scofield, R P (2020)
      Cook’s petrel (Pterodroma cookii) is an endemic New Zealand seabird that has experienced a large range decline since the arrival of humans and now only breeds on two offshore islands (Little Barrier Island/Te Hauturu-o-Toi ...
    • Audiogram of the kea parrot, Nestor notabilis 

      Schwing R; Nelson XJ; Parsons S (Acoustical Society of America (ASA), 2016)
      © 2016 Acoustical Society of America. Vocal communication requires the sender to produce a sound, which transmits through the environment and is perceived by the receiver. Perception is dependent on the quality of the ...
    • Wandering whitebait: determining the natal sources of inanga using otolith microchemistry 

      Hickford, M.J.H.; Schiel, D.R. (University of Canterbury. Biological Sciences, 2014)
    Advanced Search

    Browse

    All of the RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThesis DisciplineThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThesis Discipline

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics
    • SUBMISSIONS
    • Research Outputs
    • UC Theses
    • CONTACTS
    • Send Feedback
    • +64 3 369 3853
    • ucresearchrepository@canterbury.ac.nz
    • ABOUT
    • UC Research Repository Guide
    • Copyright and Disclaimer
    • SUBMISSIONS
    • Research Outputs
    • UC Theses
    • CONTACTS
    • Send Feedback
    • +64 3 369 3853
    • ucresearchrepository@canterbury.ac.nz
    • ABOUT
    • UC Research Repository Guide
    • Copyright and Disclaimer