Influences on the stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in gerbillid rodent teeth in semi-arid and arid environments: Implications for past climate and environmental reconstruction

Unravelling the oxygen isotope signal (δ18O) of rodent teeth from northeastern Iberia, and implications for past climate reconstructions

“…The gestation period of the wood mouse extends over 20e30 days, and weaning takes place between 13 and 21 days after birth, when the development of the incisors starts (Sa 'nchez-Gonza 'lez et al, 2016;Palomo et al, 2007). Thus, the d 18 O p recovered from a murid lower incisor contains integrated oxygen isotope information from the last two months of the individual's life and avoids any weaning effect as recorded in rooted adult molars (Gehler et al, 2012(Gehler et al, , 2011Jeffrey et al, 2015;Royer et al, 2013a). Indeed, pellets from Moia t', Prades and Serinya t' were recovered between the end of August and the beginning of (Fig.…”

“…Advances in chemical techniques and analytical methodologies now offer an opportunity to perform geochemical analyses on small-mammal teeth, which are particularly relevant in documenting highresolution climatic changes at a regional or a local scale (e.g. Barham et al, 2017;Freudenthal et al, 2014;García-Alix, 2015;Grimes et al, 2003;He 'ran et al, 2010;Jeffrey et al, 2015;Leichliter et al, 2017;Lindars et al, 2001;Navarro et al, 2004). Unfortunately, interpreting the oxygen isotope composition of small-mammal skeletal apatite is not straightforward, and several questions concerning its application to the fossil record have recently been raised (Barham et al, 2017;Jeffrey et al, 2015;Peneycad et al, 2019;Royer et al, 2014Royer et al, , 2013aRoyer et al, , 2013b.…”

Combined palaeoecological methods using small-mammal assemblages to decipher environmental context of a long-term Neanderthal settlement in northeastern Iberia

“…Previous works on small mammals highlighted a complex relationship between d 18 O and moisture, which may have potential influence in the palaeoclimatic interpretation. In northwestern Africa, the d 18 O of gerbil tooth apatite is strongly correlated with mean annual precipitation (MAP) below 600 mm (Jeffrey et al, 2015); whereas in the MIS3 site of Les Pradelles (Western France), d 18 Op enrichments are related to aridity events (Royer et al, 2014).…”

“…The BM method yields the highest air temperatures (MATAs from -0.5 o C to -2.1 o C), whereas MER estimations provide the 18 poral factors can influence oxygen isotope compositions as well as lowest temperatures (MATAs from -2.6 to -5.1 o C). The d O proxy unknown diagenetic processes (Barham et al, 2017;Gehler et al, 2012;Jeffrey et al, 2015;Peneycad et al, 2019;Royer et al, 2014), these isotopic patterns suggest that only moderate variability is recorded on sampled remains and that rodent accumulation most likely occurred in similar conditions. The most parsimonious hypothesis is that analyzed rodent remains were introduced into the site during a preferential period of the year.…”

“…Some good testimonies of the continental domain are the small mammals collected in archaeological sites, which are strongly dependent of its environment, and can improve our knowledge of inland environments at local and regional scales (e.g., Chaline, 1972;Cuenca-Besco 's et al, 2011;Lo 'pez-García, 2011;Royer et al, 2016). Furthermore, geochemical approaches based on stable oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate (d 18 Op) obtained from vertebrate teeth have been recently developed for rodent remains, which allow some climatic parameters to be quantified (García-Alix, 2015;Jeffrey et al, 2015;Longinelli and Nuti, 1973;Navarro et al, 2004;Royer et al, 2013a). Combining palaeoecological data inferred from small-mammal assemblage methods with geochemical approaches offers the opportunity to reconstruct both environmental and climatic conditions (Royer et al, 2013b;Fern' andez-García et al, 2019).…”