Investigating relationships among strontium, barium, and seasonality in wild baboons

Maya Bharatiya; Christine Austin; Manish Arora; Janaína N. Ávila; Esme K. Beamish; Wendy Dirks; Daniel R. Green; Nicole D. Leonard; W. Scott McGraw; Larissa Swedell; Ian S. Williams; Jian xin Zhao; Tanya M. Smith

doi:10.1111/arcm.70022

Investigating relationships among strontium, barium, and seasonality in wild baboons

Maya Bharatiya
, Christine Austin
, Manish Arora
, Janaína N. Ávila
, Esme K. Beamish
, Wendy Dirks
, Daniel R. Green
, Nicole D. Leonard
, W. Scott McGraw
, Larissa Swedell
, Ian S. Williams
, Jian xin Zhao
, Tanya M. Smith

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Geochemical profiles of Australopithecus africanus and baboon teeth show fluctuating trace elements, possibly reflecting seasonal diets. Here we use laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometric measurements of calcium-normalized strontium and barium ratios (Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca) and ion microprobe analyses of oxygen isotopes (δ¹⁸O) to contrast elemental changes with seasonal rainfall in wild baboons. We employ 16 teeth from 11 South African, Ethiopian, and Ugandan individuals. Changes in Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios are not consistently linked to wet or dry seasons. Additional studies are needed to identify sources of Sr and Ba, and what such patterns can tell us about seasonal behaviour.

Original language	English
Journal	Archaeometry
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.70022
State	Accepted/In press - 2025

Keywords

human evolution
oxygen isotopes
primate physiology
teeth
trace elements

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10.1111/arcm.70022

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title = "Investigating relationships among strontium, barium, and seasonality in wild baboons",

abstract = "Geochemical profiles of Australopithecus africanus and baboon teeth show fluctuating trace elements, possibly reflecting seasonal diets. Here we use laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometric measurements of calcium-normalized strontium and barium ratios (Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca) and ion microprobe analyses of oxygen isotopes (δ18O) to contrast elemental changes with seasonal rainfall in wild baboons. We employ 16 teeth from 11 South African, Ethiopian, and Ugandan individuals. Changes in Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios are not consistently linked to wet or dry seasons. Additional studies are needed to identify sources of Sr and Ba, and what such patterns can tell us about seasonal behaviour.",

keywords = "human evolution, oxygen isotopes, primate physiology, teeth, trace elements",

author = "Maya Bharatiya and Christine Austin and Manish Arora and {\'A}vila, \{Jana{\'i}na N.\} and Beamish, \{Esme K.\} and Wendy Dirks and Green, \{Daniel R.\} and Leonard, \{Nicole D.\} and McGraw, \{W. Scott\} and Larissa Swedell and Williams, \{Ian S.\} and Zhao, \{Jian xin\} and Smith, \{Tanya M.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Archaeometry published by John Wiley \& Sons Ltd on behalf of University of Oxford.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1111/arcm.70022",

language = "English",

journal = "Archaeometry",

issn = "0003-813X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigating relationships among strontium, barium, and seasonality in wild baboons

AU - Bharatiya, Maya

AU - Austin, Christine

AU - Arora, Manish

AU - Ávila, Janaína N.

AU - Beamish, Esme K.

AU - Dirks, Wendy

AU - Green, Daniel R.

AU - Leonard, Nicole D.

AU - McGraw, W. Scott

AU - Swedell, Larissa

AU - Williams, Ian S.

AU - Zhao, Jian xin

AU - Smith, Tanya M.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Geochemical profiles of Australopithecus africanus and baboon teeth show fluctuating trace elements, possibly reflecting seasonal diets. Here we use laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometric measurements of calcium-normalized strontium and barium ratios (Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca) and ion microprobe analyses of oxygen isotopes (δ18O) to contrast elemental changes with seasonal rainfall in wild baboons. We employ 16 teeth from 11 South African, Ethiopian, and Ugandan individuals. Changes in Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios are not consistently linked to wet or dry seasons. Additional studies are needed to identify sources of Sr and Ba, and what such patterns can tell us about seasonal behaviour.

AB - Geochemical profiles of Australopithecus africanus and baboon teeth show fluctuating trace elements, possibly reflecting seasonal diets. Here we use laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometric measurements of calcium-normalized strontium and barium ratios (Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca) and ion microprobe analyses of oxygen isotopes (δ18O) to contrast elemental changes with seasonal rainfall in wild baboons. We employ 16 teeth from 11 South African, Ethiopian, and Ugandan individuals. Changes in Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios are not consistently linked to wet or dry seasons. Additional studies are needed to identify sources of Sr and Ba, and what such patterns can tell us about seasonal behaviour.

KW - human evolution

KW - oxygen isotopes

KW - primate physiology

KW - teeth

KW - trace elements

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105012637260

U2 - 10.1111/arcm.70022

DO - 10.1111/arcm.70022

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105012637260

SN - 0003-813X

JO - Archaeometry

JF - Archaeometry

ER -

Investigating relationships among strontium, barium, and seasonality in wild baboons

Abstract

Keywords

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