Stable isotope evidence for increasing dietary breadth in she European mid-Upper Paleolithic

New carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values for human remains dating to t he mid-Upper Paleolithic in Europe indicate significant amounts of aquatic (fish, mollusks, and/or birds) foods in some of their diets. Most of this e vidence points to exploitation of inland freshwater aquatic resources in pa rticular. By contrast, European Neandertal collagen carbon and nitrogen sta ble isotope values do not indicate significant use of inland aquatic foods but instead show that they obtained the majority of their protein from terr estrial herbivores. In agreement with recent zooarcheological analyses, the -isotope results indicate shifts toward a more broad-spectrum subsistence e conomy in inland Europe by the mid-Upper Paleolithic period, probably assoc iated with significant population increases.