Mechanistic model predicts tissue–environment relationships and trophic shifts in animal hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios

Statistical regression relationships between the hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) isotope ratios (δ2H and δ18O, respectively) of animal organic tissues and those of environmental water have been widely used to reconstruct animal movements, paleoenvironments, and diet and trophic relationships. In natural populations, however, tissue–environment isotopic relationships are highly variable among animal types and geographic regions. No systematic...