A feather‐precipitation hydrogen isoscape model for New Zealand: implications for eco‐forensics

Abstract

H p ) isoscape. We used feathers from two non-migratory bird species that are widely distributed around New Zealand, Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) and California Quail (Callipepla californica). Feathers were sampled from archived birds that were collected between 1880 and 2006 obtained from three New Zealand museum collections located at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Forensic isotopic assays of feather from known locations were compared with the precipitation isoscape model with the aim of establishing a relationship which could be applied to link feathers from unprovenanced historical Māori cloaks held in museums to their region of manufacture (and potentially an associated tribe or iwi ) in New Zealand. In order to test this approach, we assessed the modelled d 2 H p values within the distribution area of each tribe. Distribution areas of tribes were isotopically different and in the future, this tool will help to link to feathers from historical artefacts, reconnecting them to their tribal origin.

A δ2H Isoscape of blackberry as an example application for determining the geographic origins of plant materials in New Zealand

“…The regression model reported by Rogers et al [14] was shown to be significant with r 2 = 0.86 and model parameter estimates were significant at p < α = 0.01. The determined precipitation isoscape was then linked to δ 2 H values measured from historic feathers from known locations by simple linear regression (r 2 = 0.48) and utilised to investigate the potential geographic origins of feathers from historic Maori cloaks [14].…”

“…The data obtained through the CDRP project have since been utilised to determine local precipitation isoscapes across New Zealand. Rogers et al [14] reported an initial mean annual precipitation δ 2 H isoscape which was calculated using a multiple linear regression (MLR) approach based on elevation, mean annual temperature, and mean annual precipitation. The regression model reported by Rogers et al [14] was shown to be significant with r 2 = 0.86 and model parameter estimates were significant at p < α = 0.01.…”

“…Rogers et al [14] reported an initial mean annual precipitation δ 2 H isoscape which was calculated using a multiple linear regression (MLR) approach based on elevation, mean annual temperature, and mean annual precipitation. The regression model reported by Rogers et al [14] was shown to be significant with r 2 = 0.86 and model parameter estimates were significant at p < α = 0.01. The determined precipitation isoscape was then linked to δ 2 H values measured from historic feathers from known locations by simple linear regression (r 2 = 0.48) and utilised to investigate the potential geographic origins of feathers from historic Maori cloaks [14].…”

“…While models based on precipitation δ 2 H values were determined by Hurley et al [30,32] and utilised to indicate the origins of marijuana leaf in the conterminous United States. New Zealand specific examples include the previously mentioned application to bird feathers from historical Maori cloaks [14] and to milk and milk powders [13]; the δ 2 H values in beer and cider samples from New Zealand have been found to reflect the source water of precipitation and irrigation [33,34]. In studies by Holder et al [35,36], the δ 2 H values of insect tissues were applied successfully to find information regarding their origin in New Zealand.…”

Recent occurrences of wild-origin wolves (<em>Canis</em> spp.) in Canada south of the St. Lawrence River revealed by stable isotope and genetic analysis

“…Although potential regional isotopic variation could introduce uncertainty, we believe it should be negligible given that eastern Canada and new england are geographically proximate and that Kays and Feranec (2011) found relatively good separation in isotopic values between wild and captive canid diets. We categorized new Brunswick and Quebec wolves as "wild" or "captive" using an assignment test based on likelihood analysis (Rogers et al 2012). From each measured wolf δ 13 C value, we depicted the likely origin of individuals and summarized the likelihood of origin for each wolf based on the average probability across our replicate samples.…”