Variation in carbon isotope values among chimpanzee foods at Ngogo, Kibale National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

A comparative analysis of carbon isotope (δ13C) values in chimpanzee food resources from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda, reveals significant isotopic variability driven by plant part, canopy position, and taxon. The study found that while mean δ13C values for plants are similar across both sites, ground-level resources at Ngogo exhibit markedly lower δ13C values (-30.7‰) compared to Bwindi (-28.6‰), leading to more pronounced isotopic differences between canopy and ground resources (4.2 vs. 2.2‰). These findings underscore the influence of environmental factors on isotopic signatures, cautioning against direct comparisons of primate diets across geographically or temporally separated populations without localized isotope data.

Carlson, B. A., & Crowley, B. E. (2016). Variation in carbon isotope values among chimpanzee foods at Ngogo, Kibale National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. American Journal of Primatology, 78(10), 1031–1040. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22540