Strontium-87/86 ratio
Definition
The ratio of two strontium isotopes in a sample, which mirrors the ratio in local bedrock and water. Because strontium substitutes for calcium in bone and dentine, the ratio measured in ivory reflects the geological substrate where the elephant lived.
Related terms
- Delta-C13 / Delta-N15
- Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in tissue, expressed as deviation from a reference standard (delta notation). They reflect diet composition and...
- Isoscape
- A map of isotope ratio variation across a geographic area, derived from systematic sampling of soil, water, plant, or mineral material; used...
- Population structure
- The non-random distribution of genetic variation across subpopulations caused by limited gene flow between them. Different elephant herds separated by geography or...
- SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism)
- A position in the genome where the nucleotide base differs between individuals. Genome-wide SNP panels are more powerful than STR panels for...
- STRUCTURE / ADMIXTURE
- Software tools that infer population structure by estimating each individual's fractional ancestry (membership coefficient) across K genetic clusters. Used to assign unknown...
Explained in
- Population Genetics, Geographic Provenance, and Stable IsotopesThe ratio of two strontium isotopes in a sample, which mirrors the ratio in local bedrock and water. Because strontium substitutes for calcium in bone and dent...