[Paper] Stable Isotope Variation in East and Southeast Asian Marine Ecosystems and its Relevance for Archaeological Analysis

via Environmental Archaeology, 23 May 2024: Study by Boulanger et al. uses stable isotope analysis of modern fish bones and tooth enamel to understand ancient human adaptations to marine environments in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The research confirms δ13C as a reliable indicator of marine consumption and highlights δ15N’s potential to differentiate fish feeding behaviors.

This paper delves into the utilisation of stable isotope analysis as a tool for understanding ancient human adaptations to diverse marine environments, with a specific geographical focus on Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It analyzes stable isotope data from modern fish bones and tooth enamel, focusing on δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ¹⁸O values. The data confirm the reliability of δ¹³C as a proxy for marine consumption in archaeological contexts and emphasises the potential of combining δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N measurements to reconstruct marine food consumption and trophic level. This, in turn, helps us gain insights into ancient marine consumption and ecosystems in Southeast Asia. While distinctions between marine niches are not clear, δ¹⁵N shows potential for distinguishing feeding behaviours among fish species. The data also suggests geographical and ecological variations in stable isotope values, highlighting the need for locally-based baseline datasets in archaeological studies of marine subsistence strategies.

Source: Stable Isotope Variation in East and Southeast Asian Marine Ecosystems and its Relevance for Archaeological Analysis: Environmental Archaeology: Vol 0, No 0