Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6349552 | Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | 2015 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
Stable isotope compositions of fossil bat guano have recently been developed as a proxy for reconstructing terrestrial paleoenvironments. However, our understanding of exactly how accurately these isotope compositions reflect seasonal variations remains limited. Here, we present a study of modern guano of phytophagous bats collected monthly over a one-year period at two roosting sites in Guadeloupe. The aim is to assess the degree to which seasonal climate and environmental variations are reflected in carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions from bat guano, as well as to evaluate the potential use of guano from phytophagous bats as a paleoenvironmental record. Our results show that stable isotope compositions vary locally, suggesting that guano of phytophagous bats accurately records local environmental conditions. Additionally, stable isotope compositions reflect seasonal variations influencing bat diet that lead to modifications of up to 2â° of the carbon isotope compositions from feces. However, these variations are not correlated solely with climate variables as there is no straightforward relationship between climate, vegetation and bat diet over a one-year period. Moreover, these seasonal variations drive one of the bat colonies to occasionally consume insects, which can be traced as a seasonal shift in %N (up to 4.5%) and carbon isotope compositions (up to 5.6â°). Seasonal changes in isotope compositions are still lower than expected variations from fossil feces, confirming the potential use of feces from phytophagous bats as a reliable paleoenvironmental proxy.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Earth-Surface Processes
Authors
Aurélien Royer, Alain Queffelec, Karine Charlier, Elysandre Puech, Bruno Malaizé, Arnaud Lenoble,