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BMC ecology2011; 11; 15; doi: 10.1186/1472-6785-11-15

Ancient feeding ecology inferred from stable isotopic evidence from fossil horses in South America over the past 3 Ma.

Abstract: Stable isotope ratios (13C/12C and 18O/16O) in fossil teeth and bone provide key archives for understanding the ecology of extinct horses during the Plio-Pleistocene in South America; however, what happened in areas of sympatry between Equus (Amerhippus) and Hippidion is less understood. Results: Here, we use stable carbon and oxygen isotopes preserved in 67 fossil tooth and bone samples for seven species of horses from 25 different localities to document the magnitude of the dietary shifts of horses and ancient floral change during the Plio-Pleistocene. Dietary reconstructions inferred from stable isotopes of both genera of horses present in South America document dietary separation and environmental changes in ancient ecosystems, including C3/C4 transitions. Stable isotope data demonstrate changes in C4 grass consumption, inter-species dietary partitioning and variation in isotopic niche breadth of mixed feeders with latitudinal gradient. Conclusions: The data for Hippidion indicate a preference varying from C3 plants to mixed C3-C4 plants in their diet. Equus (Amerhippus) shows three different patterns of dietary partitioning Equus (A.) neogeus from the province of Buenos Aires indicate a preference for C3 plants in the diet. Equus (A.) andium from Ecuador and Equus (A.) insulatus from Bolivia show a preference for to a diet of mixed C3-C4 plants, while Equus (A.) santaeelenae from La Carolina (sea level of Ecuador) and Brazil are mostly C4 feeders. These results confirm that ancient feeding ecology cannot always be inferred from dental morphology. While the carbon isotope composition of horses skeletal material decreased as latitude increased, we found evidence of boundary between a mixed C3/C4 diet signal and a pure C4 signal around 32° S and a change from a mixed diet signal to an exclusively C3 signal around 35°S.We found that the horses living at high altitudes and at low to middle latitude still have a C4 component in their diet, except the specimens from 4000 m, which have a pure C3 diet. The change in altitudinal vegetation gradients during the Pleistocene is one of several possibilities to explain the C4 dietary component in horses living at high altitudes. Other alternative explanations imply that the horses fed partially at lower altitudes.
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Publication Date: 2011-06-14 PubMed ID: 21672241PubMed Central: PMC3129290DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-11-15Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research is about determining the dietary habits and ecological changes of extinct South American horses from the Plio-Pleistocene period using stable isotopes found in fossil teeth and bone. Results showed shifts in dietary habits, varied consumption of C3 and C4 grass, and differences in dietary patterns among species depending on location and altitude.

Study Methodology and Sample Data

  • The researchers analyzed stable carbon and oxygen isotopes located in 67 fossil tooth and bone samples from seven horse species. These samples were extracted from 25 different locations.
  • This helped document the dietary changes of Plio-Pleistocene South American horses and the corresponding shift in the type of local flora over time.
  • Isotope data was used to determine the degree of C3 versus C4 grass consumption by the extinct horses, shedding light on varying dietary patterns, environmental changes, and their interplay with the equine species.

Dietary Findings and Variation Among Species

  • The stable isotope data revealed a dietary separation between the two genera of horses present in South America – Equus (Amerhippus) and Hippidion – during the Plio-Pleistocene period.
  • Data showed that Hippidion horses varied their diet from C3 plants to a mix of C3-C4 plants while different strains of Equus (Amerhippus) exhibited varied dietary patterns.
  • Equus (A.) neogeus from Buenos Aires showed a preference for C3 plants, while Equus (A.) andium from Ecuador and Equus (A.) insulatus from Bolivia had a mixed C3-C4 plant diet. Equus (A.) santaeelenae found at sea level in Ecuador and Brazil were mostly C4 feeders.

Implications of Latitude and Altitude on Dietary Habits

  • The study found that the carbon isotope composition in horse skeletal materials decreased as latitude increased. There was an identifiable switch from a mixed C3/C4 plant diet to an exclusively C4 plant diet around 32° S, and then another shift to purely C3 feeds around 35° S.
  • Horses living at high altitudes and at low to middle latitudes maintained a C4 component in their diets, except for specimens found at 4000m altitude, which were exclusively C3 feeders.
  • One possible explanation for this could be changes in altitudinal vegetation gradients during the Pleistocene. Alternatively, the horses might have partially fed at lower altitudes.

Conclusions

  • The research demonstrates that widely accepted assumptions about ancient feeding ecology based on dental morphology may not always be accurate due to the variation in dietary patterns discovered through the analysis of stable isotopes in fossils.
  • The study’s results underline the complex interactions between the dietary habits of extinct species and their environment, suggesting that these factors could significantly influence the preferential diets and nutrition of these ancient creatures.

Cite This Article

APA
Prado JL, Sánchez B, Alberdi MT. (2011). Ancient feeding ecology inferred from stable isotopic evidence from fossil horses in South America over the past 3 Ma. BMC Ecol, 11, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-11-15

Publication

BMC ecology
ISSN: 1472-6785
NlmUniqueID: 101088674
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 11
Pages: 15

Researcher Affiliations

Prado, José L
  • INCUAPA, Universidad Nacional del Centro. Del Valle 5737, B7400JWI Olavarría, Argentina.
Sánchez, Begoña
    Alberdi, María T

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Biodiversity
      • Bone and Bones / chemistry
      • Bone and Bones / metabolism
      • Carbon Isotopes / analysis
      • Diet
      • Feeding Behavior
      • Fossils
      • Horses / metabolism
      • Oxygen Isotopes / analysis
      • Paleontology / methods
      • Poaceae
      • Radiometric Dating / methods
      • South America
      • Tooth / chemistry
      • Tooth / metabolism

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      Citations

      This article has been cited 1 times.
      1. Naundrup PJ, Svenning JC. A Geographic Assessment of the Global Scope for Rewilding with Wild-Living Horses (Equus ferus). PLoS One 2015;10(7):e0132359.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132359pubmed: 26177104google scholar: lookup
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