Sven Brömme

Stable isotopes are key to decipher information about past times that are otherwise inaccessible to us today. Past research already accomplished a profound understanding of climate factors that influence the fractionation of these isotopes in various materials. I hold firsthand experience in reconstructing climate from various archives like stalagmites, tree rings and seashells. As a new tool, mineral-bound nitrogen isotopes in modern and fossil tooth enamel, reflects diet of animals, including trophic information. The main goal of my PhD will be the better understanding of intra- and inter tooth variability as well as weaning effects in modern and fossil tooth enamel. My research includes fieldwork in Gorongosa Nationalpark (Mozambique) and stable isotope analysis of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. Modern tooth enamel samples are complemented by vegetation and soil samples from selected locations to achieve a better understanding of the influences of diet to tooth enamel.