202(BS-02-4) Stable isotope paleoecology of large herbivores from Nakali, Kenya

Carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) stable isotope ratios from fossil tooth enamel record dietary and environmental information. We present fossil enamel δ13C and δ18O data from 113 individuals representing 8 mammalian families collected from the Nakali Formation (9.9 Ma). The δ13C data indicate the majority of the fauna had C3-dominated diets, however some taxa had mixed C3/C4 diets and three equids had C4-dominated diets. The δ18O data can be used to evaluate aridity. Our δ18O data indicate the site was relatively mesic compared to modern ecosystems in and around the Suguta Valley.