title: Spatial distributions of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur isotope ratios in human hair across the central United States.
abstract: We present data on the carbon (δ(13)C), nitrogen (δ(15)N) and sulfur (δ(34)S) isotope ratios of human hair collected in the central portions of the USA. These elements are incorporated into hair from the diet and thus provide a record of dietary inputs that may also document geospatial patterns. We detected regional differences in hair δ(34)S values across the USA, with the lowest values in the northern Great Plains and increasing values towards the east, west and south. In contrast, no statistically significant patterns were detected in the spatial variation of human hair δ(13)C and δ(15)N values. Using δ(34)S values and a Geographic Information System approach, we created a map ('sulfur isoscape'). The accuracy of the map was tested using hair samples not included in its generation. We conclude that sulfur isotope analysis may represent a new tool to investigate the movements and/or region-of-origin of humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. valenzuela@biology.utah.edu
authors.forename: Luciano O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
authors.forename: Lesley A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Chesson
authors.forename: Shannon P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: O'Grady
authors.forename: Thure E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Cerling
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ehleringer
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D003710:Demography; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D015206:Southwestern United States; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013460:Sulfur Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D013460:Sulfur Isotopes