Nitrogen and carbon isotope fractionation between mothers, neonates, and nursing offspring (original) (raw)

Abstract

Stable isotope signatures of lactating females and their nursing offspring were measured on 11 species, including herbivores, carnivores, hibernators, and non-hibernators. We hypothesized that: (1) nursing offspring would have stable isotope signatures that were a trophic level higher than their mothers, and (2) this pattern would be species-independent. The plasma of adult females had a δ15N enrichment over their diets of 4.1±0.7‰, but offspring plasma had a mean δ15N enrichment over maternal plasma of 0.9±0.8‰ and no C enrichment (0.0±0.6‰). The trophic level enrichment did not occur between mother and offspring because milk was depleted in both δ15N (1.0±0.5‰) and δ13C (2.1±0.9‰) relative to maternal plasma. Milk to offspring plasma enrichment was relatively small (δ15N enrichment of 1.9±0.7‰ and δ13C enrichment of 1.9±0.8‰) compared to the trophic level enrichment between the adults and their diets. While some species did have significant differences between the isotope signatures of mother and offspring, the differences were not related to whether they were hibernators or non-hibernators, carnivores or herbivores. Investigators wanting to use stable isotopes to quantify weaning or other lactation processes or diets of predators when both adults and nursing offspring are consumed must first establish the parameters that apply to a particular species/environment/diet combination.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

• Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
• Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
• Cancel anytime View plans

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Natural Resource Sciences and School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, 99164-4236, Pullman, WA, USA
   Charles T. Robbins
2. School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, 99164-4236, Pullman, WA, USA
   Stacy G. Jenkins & Steven T. Partridge
3. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Moose Research Center, 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite B, 99669, Soldotna, AK, USA
   Thomas R. Stephenson
4. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 333 Raspberry Road, 99518, Anchorage, AK, USA
   Sean D. Farley

Authors

1. Stacy G. Jenkins
2. Steven T. Partridge
3. Thomas R. Stephenson
4. Sean D. Farley
5. Charles T. Robbins

Additional information

Electronic Publication

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jenkins, S.G., Partridge, S.T., Stephenson, T.R. et al. Nitrogen and carbon isotope fractionation between mothers, neonates, and nursing offspring.Oecologia 129, 336–341 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004420100755

Download citation

• Received: 28 November 2000
• Accepted: 01 June 2001
• Published: 01 November 2001
• Issue date: November 2001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004420100755

Keywords