Spatial variation of biologically available strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) in an archipelagic setting: a case study from the Caribbean

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2012.02.002
• Publication Date: 2012-02-10T15:01:20Z
• Authors: Jason E. Laffoon; Gareth R. Davies; Menno L.P. Hoogland; Corinne L. Hofman
• Keywords: Archipelagic state; Isotopes of strontium

This paper presents the results of strontium (Sr) isotope analysis of modern and archaeological animal remains and modern plant samples from the Caribbean region. The goal is to assess if patterns of human mobility can be determined from the archaeological record in an archipelagic setting. The range of variability and spatial distribution of biologically available strontium isotope signatures is reported and data evaluated to determine if sufficient heterogeneity exists to permit the identification of mobility despite the presence of potentially large contributions of marine strontium in island and coastal ecosystems. The (is)landscape is divided into several sub-regions based on the age and lithology of underlying geology and the variability of