Isotope diet study of primate tooth enamel from Swartkrans

Aim/Rational:
This project is focused on reconstructing the trophic ecology of hominin and non-hominin primates from Swartkrans Cave in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, with a specific focus on the onset and evolution of animal resource use in early hominins. Here, we request access to destructively sample ca. 5 mg of enamel from primate teeth (hominin and non-hominin) from Swartkrans Members 1-3 (n = 15 hominin, n = 22 non-hominin) for stable isotope analyses of nitrogen (δ15N), carbon (δ13C), and oxygen (δ18O). Proposed specimens for sampling include four non-hominin (Dinopithecus, Papio, Parapapio, Theropithecus) and two hominin primate taxa (Paranthropus robustus, and Homo sp.). Two novel analytical methods including the “oxidation-denitrification method” (nitrogen) and the “cold trap method” (carbon and oxygen), to produce high-precision enamel isotope data with minimal destruction to the specimens. The dataset that we plan to generate with this study will permit us to elucidate dietary niche partitioning between coeval Paranthropus robustus and early Homo in southern Africa and inform us about the evolution and diversification of these early hominin's diets, with a specific emphasis on addressing the question of meat consumption.
Damage/destructive analysis:
A small amount of enamel poweder (ca. 5 mg) will be removed from fractured/broken surfaces of the teeth whenever possible using a dental drill with a diamond tipped bit. Enamel from any part of the tooth can be used, and the least-destructive location will be chosen for each specimen. Proposed sampling locations are indicated in the uploaded images. All sampling will take place on site at DNMNH in South Africa and only enamel powder will be taken to Germany for analysis. Export is necessary as only one lab in the world next to our lab at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany can preform nitrogen isotope analysis of tooth enamel, therefore there is no lab in Africa who conduct these measurements.

Proposed Specimens for sampling:

D. ingens: SK473, SK455, SK470, SK474, SK422, SK545, SK428
Homo sp.: SK15, SK27, SK45, SK847, SK2635
P. robinsoni: SK558, SK560, SK14083, SK408, SK562
P. robustus: SK845/14251, SK1524, SK22, SK57, SK79, SK836, SK855, SK870, SK876, SK14003
P. jonesi: SK573a, SK493, SK414
T. oswaldi: SK569, SK411, SK575a, SK479, SK491, SK2181, SK1607