References

ESSD

Earth System Science Data

ESSD

Earth Syst. Sci. Data

1866-3516

Copernicus Publications

Göttingen, Germany

10.5194/essd-6-117-2014

The IRHUM (Isotopic Reconstruction of Human Migration) database – bioavailable strontium isotope ratios for geochemical fingerprinting in France

Willmes

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8734-5324

¹ McMorrow

¹ Kinsley

¹ Armstrong

¹ Aubert

⁵ ¹ Eggins

¹ Falguères

² Maureille

³ Moffat

¹ ⁴ Grün

The Australian National University, Research School of Earth Sciences, Canberra 0200, ACT, Australia

Département de Préhistoire, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, UMR7194 du CNRS, Paris, France

University of Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA UMR5199, 33400, Talence, France

Flinders University, Department of Archaeology, Adelaide, 5000, SA, Australia

now at: University of Wollongong, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Archaeological Science, Wollongong 2522, NSW, Australia

25 03 2014

6 1 117 122

2014

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This article is available from https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/6/117/2014/essd-6-117-2014.html

The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/6/117/2014/essd-6-117-2014.pdf

Strontium isotope ratios (<sup>87</sup>Sr / <sup>86</sup>Sr) are a key geochemical tracer used in a wide range of fields including archaeology, ecology, food and forensic sciences. These applications are based on the principle that the Sr isotopic ratios of natural materials reflect the sources of strontium available during their formation. A major constraint for current studies is the lack of robust reference maps to evaluate the source of strontium isotope ratios measured in the samples. Here we provide a new data set of bioavailable Sr isotope ratios for the major geologic units of France, based on plant and soil samples (Pangaea data repository <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.819142"target="_blank">doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.819142</a>). The IRHUM (Isotopic Reconstruction of Human Migration) database is a web platform to access, explore and map our data set. The database provides the spatial context and metadata for each sample, allowing the user to evaluate the suitability of the sample for their specific study. In addition, it allows users to upload and share their own data sets and data products, which will enhance collaboration across the different research fields. This article describes the sampling and analytical methods used to generate the data set and how to use and access the data set through the IRHUM database. Any interpretation of the isotope data set is outside the scope of this publication.

References 1

Bataille, C. P. and Bowen, G. J.: Mapping 87Sr / 86Sr variations in bedrock and water for large scale provenance studies, Chem. Geol., 304–305, 39–52, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.01.028">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.01.028</a>, 2012.

Bataille, C. P., Laffon, J., and Bowen, G. J.: Mapping multiple source effects on the strontium isotopic signatures of ecosystems from the circum-Caribbean region, Ecosphere, 3, 1–24, 2012.

Beard, B. L. and Johnson, C. M.: Strontium isotope composition of skeletal material can determine the birth place and geographic mobility of humans and animals, J. Forensic Sci., 45, 1049–61, 2000.

Bentley, R. A.: Strontium Isotopes from the Earth to the Archaeological Skeleton: A Review, J. Archaeol. Method Th., 13, 135–187, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10816-006-9009-x">https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-006-9009-x</a>, 2006.

Capo, R. C., Stewart, B. W. and Chadwick, O. A.: Strontium isotopes as tracers of ecosystem processes: theory and methods, Geoderma, 82, 197–225, 1998.

Chantraine, J., Chêne, F., Nehlig, P., and Rabu, D.: Carte géologique de la France à 1/1 000 000 6e édition révisée 2003, BRGM, Orléans, 2005.

DIN: ISO 19730 (2009–07) Soil quality – Extraction of trace elements from soil using ammonium nitrate solution (ISO 19730:2008), DIN, 2009.

Evans, J. A., Montgomery, J., Wildman, G. and Boulton, N.: Spatial variations in biosphere 87Sr/86Sr in Britain, J. Geol. Soc. London, 167, 1–4, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1144/0016-76492009-090">https://doi.org/10.1144/0016-76492009-090</a>, 2010.

Faure, G. and Mensing, T. M.: Isotopes: Principles and Applications, 3rd Edn., John Wiley and Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2005.

Frei, K. M. and Frei, R.: The geographic distribution of strontium isotopes in Danish surface waters – A base for provenance studies in archaeology, hydrology and agriculture, Appl. Geochem., 26, 326–340, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2010.12.006">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2010.12.006</a>, 2011.

Frei, R. and Frei, K. M.: The geographic distribution of Sr isotopes from surface waters and soil extracts over the island of Bornholm (Denmark) – a base for provenance studies in archaeology and agriculture, Appl. Geochem., 38, 147–160, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2013.09.007">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2013.09.007</a>, 2013.

Hobson, K. A., Barnett-johnson, R., and Cerling, T.: Using Isoscapes to Track Animal Migration, in Isoscapes, edited by: West, J. B., Bowen, G. J., Dawson, T. E., and Tu, K. P., 273–298, Springer, the Netherlands, 2010.

Hodell, D. A., Rhonda, Q. L., Brenner, M., and Kamenov, G.: Spatial variation of strontium isotopes (87Sr / 86 Sr) in the Maya region: a tool for tracking ancient human migration, J. Archaeol. Sci., 31, 585–601, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2003.10.009">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2003.10.009</a>, 2004.

Kelly, S. and Heaton, K.: Tracing the geographical origin of food: The application of multi-element and analysis, Trends Food Sci. Tech., 16, 555–567, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2005.08.008">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2005.08.008</a>, 2005.

Maurer, A.-F., Galer, S. J. G., Knipper, C., Beierlein, L., Nunn, E. V., Peters, D., Tütken, T., Alt, K. W., and Schöne, B. R.: Bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr in different environmental samples–effects of anthropogenic contamination and implications for isoscapes in past migration studies, Sci. Total Environ., 433, 216–29, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.06.046">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.06.046</a>, 2012.

Moore, L. J., Murphy, T. J., Barnes, I. L., and Paulsen, P. J.: Absolute Isotopic Abundance Ratios and Atomic Weight of a Reference Sample of Strontium, J. Res. Natl. Bur. Stand., 87, 1–8, 1982.

Price, T. D., Burton, J. H., and Bentley, R. A.: The Characterization of Biologically Available Strontium Isotope Ratios for the Study of Prehistoric Migration, Archaeometry, 44, 117–135, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1475-4754.00047">https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-4754.00047</a>, 2002.

Reimann, C., Birke, M., Demetriades, A., Filzmoser, P., and O'Connor, P.: Chemistry of Europe's agricultural soils. Geologisches Jahrbuch (Reihe B), Part A, Schweizerbarth, Stuttgart, 2013.

Shand, P., Darbyshire, D. P. F., Love, A. J., and Edmunds, W. M.: Sr isotopes in natural waters: Applications to source characterisation and water–rock interaction in contrasting landscapes, Appl. Geochem., 24, 574–586, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.12.011">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.12.011</a>, 2009.

Sillen, A., Hall, G., Richardson, S., and Armstrong, R.: 87Sr / 86Sr ratios in modern and fossil food-webs of the Sterkfontein Valley: Implications for early hominid habitat preference, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 62, 2463–2473, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(98)00182-3">https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(98)00182-3</a>, 1998.

Slovak, N. M. and Paytan, A.: Application of Sr Isotopes in Archaeology, in Handbook of Environmental Isotope Geochemistry, edited by: Baskaran, M., p. 951, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2011.

Voerkelius, S., Lorenz, G. D., Rummel, S., Quétel, C. R., Heiss, G., Baxter, M., Brach-Papa, C., Deters-Itzelsberger, P., Hoelzl, S., Hoogewerff, J., Emmanuel, P., Marleen, V. B. and Henriette, U.: Strontium isotopic signatures of natural mineral waters, the reference to a simple geological map and its potential for authentication of food, Food Chem., 118, 933–940, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.04.125">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.04.125</a>, 2010.