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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Stable isotope ecology of the common hippopotamus
Journal of Zoology, Volume 276, No. 2, Year 2008
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Description
The diet of African hippopotamids can be documented through stable carbon isotope ratios (13C/12C) analyses of enamel and other tissues. The common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius is widely assumed to be a pure grazer; however, the 13C/12C ratios of modern H. amphibius show a higher fraction of dietary C3 biomass than estimated from traditional observations. Isotope profiles of modern hair and modern tooth enamel confirm that H. amphibius has a variable diet in both the short- (seasonal) and long- (sub-decadal) time scales. Isotopic analyses of extant mammals from the same parks as the analyzed hippos provide comparative examples for diets of C3-browsers and C4-grazers. Oxygen isotope ratios (18O/16O) show that the hippo is consistently the most 18O-depleted mammal in any one ecosystem; this directly reflects its semi-aquatic habitat. © 2008 The Authors.
Authors & Co-Authors
Cerling, Thure E.
United States, Salt Lake City
The University of Utah
Harris, John M.
United States, Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Museum
Hart, John A.
Congo, Brazzaville
Wildlife Conservation Society
Kaleme, Prince K.
Unknown Affiliation
Klingel, Hans
Germany, Braunschweig
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Leakey, Meave G.
Kenya, Nairobi
National Museums of Kenya
Levin, Naomi E.
United States, Salt Lake City
The University of Utah
Lewison, Rebecca L.
United States, San Diego
San Diego State University
Passey, Benjamin H.
United States, Salt Lake City
The University of Utah
Statistics
Citations: 123
Authors: 9
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/j.1469-7998.2008.00450.x
ISSN:
09528369
e-ISSN:
14697998
Research Areas
Environmental