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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Stable isotope characterization of mammalian predator-prey relationships in a South African savanna
European Journal of Wildlife Research, Volume 53, No. 3, Year 2007
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Description
This paper characterizes predator-prey interactions amongst African mammals from C4 savanna environments using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope proxies for diet. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope data from hair and faeces of large African mammal carnivores, and herbivores as potential prey, are presented for a diverse range of taxa. Carbon-isotope data imply that most carnivores from the "lowveld" savanna of South Africa form part of C4 grass-based food webs. Nitrogen isotope data show clear differences between trophic levels, although it appears that the magnitude of these differences varies between predators feeding on invertebrates and vertebrates, respectively. Whilst the number of carnivore samples for which data are available is relatively few, and data for prey are restricted mainly to large ungulate herbivores, results clearly demonstrate the potential for future applications of this technique to predator-prey food webs in African savannas. In tandem with traditional approaches, stable isotopes can help elucidate patterns of predator impacts on prey populations, domestic livestock, and resolving similar food webs in palaeoenvironmental contexts. © 2006 Springer-Verlag.
Authors & Co-Authors
Codron, Daryl M.
Unknown Affiliation
Codron, Jacqueline
Unknown Affiliation
Lee-Thorp, Julia A.
Unknown Affiliation
Sponheimer, Matt
Unknown Affiliation
De Ruiter, Darryl J.
Unknown Affiliation
Brink, James S.
Unknown Affiliation
Statistics
Citations: 92
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 7
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1007/s10344-006-0075-x
ISSN:
16124642
Research Areas
Environmental
Food Security
Study Locations
South Africa