Stable Isotope Analysis for Archaeology, Ecology and Hydrology
This community applies stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry to reconstruct past environments, trace the geographical origin of materials and organisms, and understand biological processes in humans, animals, and plants.
The work centers on measuring ratios of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and strontium isotopes in bone, teeth, water, and plant tissues. Recurring applications include determining the geographical origin of humans and animals, analyzing dietary strategies in archaeological populations, and tracing water sources in hydrological systems. The research frequently involves mass spectrometry techniques and isotope fractionation modeling. Specific strands include Iron Age and Bronze Age human mobility, silver carp ecology, and the use of strontium isotopes to map provenance. The community also addresses life history traits and fatty acid profiles in ecological contexts, often focusing on regions such as South Africa and China.
The largest share of the community's output is found in strontium research, accounting for 5.1% of all strontium research, with 2,997 papers here. Carbon research contributes the highest paper count within this group, with 4,708 papers, representing 0.6% of all carbon research.
The community comprises 27,287 papers, publishing most frequently in the Journal of Archaeological Science, Marine Ecology Progress Series, and Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry.
Recent work includes analyzing oxygen isotopes in phosphate compounds using mass spectrometry, compiling global bioavailable strontium isotope data, and studying human bone collagen turnover. Other recent studies examine the ages of humid phases in southern African arid areas and the adaptive increase of amylase gene copy number in Indigenous Andeans.