Isotopic analyses of predatory pelagic fishes show significant environmental change in Lake Ontario following European settlement

Summary

Isotopic analyses of archaeological faunal remains can add significant temporal depth to modern and historical baseline data, which play an important role in understanding present and future environmental change. In this paper, we use stable nitrogen isotope analyses of archaeological

(A.D. 1000-1900) bone collagen of pelagic predators, such as lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and whitefishes (Coregonus sp.), as a proxy measure for environmental changes in Lake Ontario over time. Results show a significant enrichment in heavy 15N in the freshwater nitrogen cycle of Lake Ontario during the nineteenth century, likely linked to human-induced changes in the lake’s nutrient and trophic structures. These findings provide a new baseline for modern ecological restoration work and give fresh insights into the broader environmental context for the impact of European settlement on the Great Lakes region.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Methodological Advances in Isotopic Zooarchaeology

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 14744