The application of stable isotope analyses allows a diachronic characterisation of species habitat and feeding behaviour, information of utmost importance for zooarchaeological research. In South America, the former distribution of the guanaco ( Lama guanicoe) encompassed a much larger territory than the current one. Within the Argentinean Great Chaco, only a small native population persists in Northwestern Córdoba province, Central Argentina, where it was once widely distributed. In this paper, we present the first set of dentin and collagen δ13C and δ15N values for this relict population ( N = 18) along with archaeological data of guanaco specimens ( N = 19) dated to the Middle and Late Holocene from the nearby Ongamira valley. Neither deciduous and permanent teeth nor males and females show marked differences within the modern samples. Both modern and archaeological guanaco δ13C values indicate a mixed diet of C3 and, to a lesser extent, C4 plants. Conversely, the δ15N values exhibit distinct signals between the Arid and the Mountain Chaco subregions. The diet breadth of the archaeological guanacos suggests the use of transitional or ecotonal environments, also reflected in the size of their isotopic niche as opposed to modern guanacos. Regarding the timing of the species retraction in the region, there is no evidence of a shift in its habitat during the period between ~4700 and 190014C years BP. We suggest their retraction probably occurred later than previously proposed in regional zooarchaeological models.

中文翻译：

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通过骨和牙本质胶原蛋白的稳定同位素分析（δ13C、δ15N）评估来自阿根廷科尔多瓦大查科的现代和考古原驼的饮食对古环境和动物考古学研究的意义

稳定同位素分析的应用可以对物种栖息地和摄食行为进行历时表征，这些信息对于动物考古学研究至关重要。在南美洲，原驼（Lama guanicoe）以前的分布范围比现在的分布范围大得多。在阿根廷大查科地区，阿根廷中部科尔多瓦省西北部仅存有一小部分原住民，该地区曾经广泛分布。在本文中，我们提出了第一组牙本质和胶原蛋白 δ13C 和 δ15该遗迹种群的 N 值 (N = 18) 以及来自附近 Ongamira 山谷的全新世中后期的原驼标本考古数据 (N = 19)。在现代样本中，乳牙和恒牙以及男性和女性都没有显示出显着差异。现代和考古原驼 δ13C值表示混合饮食中的C3并且，在较小程度上，C4植物。相反，δ15N 值在干旱和查科山次区域之间表现出明显的信号。考古中原驼的饮食范围表明其使用了过渡或生态环境，这也反映在其与现代原驼不同的同位素生态位的大小上。关于该地区物种消失的时间，没有证据表明其栖息地在 4700 年至 1900 年期间发生了变化14C年BP。我们认为它们的撤回可能发生得比之前在区域动物考古模型中提出的要晚。