Isotope Composition (isotope + composition)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Life Sciences

Kinds of Isotope Composition

  • carbon isotope composition
  • nitrogen isotope composition
  • oxygen isotope composition
  • stable isotope composition


  • Selected Abstracts


    Sulfur Isotope Study of Precambrian Basement and Mesozoic Intrusive Rocks in the Southwestern Part of Ryeongnam Massif, Korea

    RESOURCE GEOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
    Chung-Han Yoon
    Abstract. Isotope composition of whole rock sulfur has been measured on 14 schists, 10 gneisses, 7 gabbroids, 7 granitoids and 2 sedimentary rocks, with of 9 sulfide (pyrite) sulfurs in gabbros and granitoids, from the southwestern part of the Ryeongnam Massif, Korea. The ,34S values of schists range from -4.6 to +6.1 % (average +0.9 %), those of gneisses from -4.0 to +0.8 % (-1.9%), those of gabbroids from -2.3 to +3.7 % (+1.0 %), and those of granitoids from -5.9 to +3.2 % (-1.9 %). The ,34S values of pyrite separated from gabbros and granitoids show rather heavier values ranging from +3.1 to +9.4 % with an average of+5.8%. Though the ,34S values of whole rock sulfur give wide range of -5.9 to +6.1 %, the average of about -0.5 % is close to the mantle value. The granitoids sampled at the central parts of intrusive bodies or at the contacts with other plutonic rocks tend to show positive values, while those sampled near the boundary with basement rocks such as granitic gneiss and por-phyroblastic gneiss show negative values. Though the reason of this tendency is not clear at present, the ,34S values of some granitoids in this area seem to represent possible influence by the assimilation of country rocks, particularly of gneisses. Average isotopic compositions of ore sulfur from individual metal deposits in the studied area are summarized to have a range of+1.0 to +7.8 % with an average value of+3.2 %. The values are consistent with the previous finding that the ore sulfur isotopic values of the Ryeongnam Massif are the lowest among the four tectonic belts in Korea; Gyeonggi Massif, Ogcheon Belt, Ryeongnam Massif, and Gyeongsang Basin. This feature may reflect the isotopic compositions of plutonic rocks and basements in this area, which are characterized by relatively low values around zero permil. [source]


    Carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of bulk soils, particle-size fractions and organic material after treatment with hydrofluoric acid

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2005
    M. W. I. Schmidt
    Summary Soils and sediments contain only small amounts of organic matter, and large concentrations of paramagnetic metals can give poor solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of organic matter. Pretreatment of samples with hydrofluoric acid (HF) dissolves significant proportions of the mineral matrix and extracts paramagnetic elements. We investigated the effects of 10% HF treatment on the stable isotope content of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) of organic matter from soils, composts and shales. Additionally we inferred molecular and isotopic characteristics of lost materials from calculations of isotope mass balances. Treatment with HF enriched C and N in mineral samples substantially (factors 2.5,42.4), except for Podzol B horizons (1.1,1.7) and organic material (1.0,1.3). After treatment most of the C (59.7,91.7%) and N (53.7,86.6%) was recovered, although changing C/N ratios often indicated a preferential loss of N-rich material. Isotope ratios of C and N in the remaining material became more negative when net alterations exceeded 0.3,. The isotope ratios of the lost material contained more 13C (1,2,) and 15N (1,4,) than the initial organic matter. Acid hydrolysis typically removes proteins, amino acids and polysaccharides, all of which are enriched in 13C, and in the case of proteins and amino acids, enriched in 15N as well. We conclude that HF treatment released fresh, soluble, probably microbial, biomass in addition to carbohydrates. Net changes of the bulk chemical composition of organic matter were small for most soils, size fractions and plant material, but not for samples containing little organic matter, or those rich in easily soluble organic matter associated with iron oxides, such as Podzol B horizons. [source]


    Do cyanobacteria dominate in eutrophic lakes because they fix atmospheric nitrogen?

    FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004
    L. R. Ferber
    Summary 1. The sources of nitrogen for phytoplankton were determined for a bloom-prone lake as a means of assessing the hypothesis that cyanobacteria dominate in eutrophic lakes because of their ability to fix nitrogen when the nitrogen : phosphorous (N : P) supply ratio is low and nitrogen a limiting resource. 2. Nitrogen fixation rates, estimated through acetylene reduction with 15N calibration, were compared with 15N-tracer estimates of ammonium and nitrate uptake monthly during the ice-free season of 1999. In addition, the natural N stable isotope composition of phytoplankton, nitrate and ammonium were measured biweekly and the contribution of N2 to the phytoplankton signature estimated with a mixing model. 3. Although cyanobacteria made up 81,98% of phytoplankton biomass during summer and autumn, both assays suggested minimal N acquisition through fixation (<9% for the in-situ incubations; <2% for stable isotope analysis). Phytoplankton acquired N primarily as ammonium (82,98%), and secondarily as nitrate (15,18% in spring and autumn, but <5% in summer). Heterocyst densities of <3 per 100 fixer cells confirmed low reliance on fixation. 4. The lake showed symptoms of both light and nitrogen limitation. Cyanobacteria may have dominated by monopolizing benthic sources of ammonium, or by forming surface scums that shaded other algae. [source]


    Speleothem preservation and diagenesis in South African hominin sites implications for paleoenvironments and geochronology

    GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009
    Philip J. Hopley
    Plio-Pleistocene speleothems from australopithecine-bearing caves of South Africa have the potential to yield paleoenvironmental and geochronological information using isotope geochemistry. Prior to such studies it is important to assess the preservation of geochemical signals within the calcitic and aragonitic speleothems, given the tendency of aragonitic speleothems to recrystallize to calcite. This study documents the geochemical suitability of speleothems from the principal hominin-bearing deposits of South Africa. We use petrography, together with stable isotope and trace element analysis, to identify the occurrence of primary aragonite, primary calcite, and secondary calcite. This study highlights the presence of diagenetic alteration at many of the sites, often observed as interbedded primary and secondary fabrics. Trace element and stable isotopic values distinguish primary calcite from secondary calcite and offer insights into geochemical aspects of the past cave environment. ,13C values of the primary and secondary calcites range from +6 to ,9, and ,18O values range from ,4 to ,6,. The data are thus typical of meteoric calcites with highly variable ,13C and relatively invariant ,18O. High carbon isotope values in these deposits are associated with the effects of recrystallization and rapid outgassing of CO2 during precipitation. Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios differ between primary and secondary calcite speleothems, aiding their identification. Carbon and oxygen isotope values in primary calcite reflect the proportion of C3 and C4 vegetation in the local environment and the oxygen isotope composition of rainfall. Primary calcite speleothems preserve the pristine geochemical signals vital for ongoing paleoenvironmental and geochronological research. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]


    An actualistic perspective into Archean worlds , (cyano-)bacterially induced sedimentary structures in the siliciclastic Nhlazatse Section, 2.9 Ga Pongola Supergroup, South Africa

    GEOBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
    N. NOFFKE
    ABSTRACT Extensive microbial mats colonize sandy tidal flats that form along the coasts of today's Earth. The microbenthos (mainly cyanobacteria) respond to the prevailing physical sediment dynamics by biostabilization, baffling and trapping, as well as binding. This biotic,physical interaction gives rise to characteristic microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) that differ greatly from both purely physical structures and from stromatolites. Actualistic studies of the MISS on modern tidal flats have been shown to be the key for understanding equivalent fossil structures that occur in tidal and shelf sandstones of all Earth ages. However, until now the fossil record of Archean MISS has been poor, and relatively few specimens have been found. This paper describes a study location that displays a unique assemblage with a multitude of exceptionally preserved MISS in the 2.9-Ga-old Pongola Supergroup, South Africa. The ,Nhlazatse Section' includes structures such as ,erosional remnants and pockets', ,multidirected ripple marks', ,polygonal oscillation cracks', and ,gas domes'. Optical and geochemical analyses support the biogenicity of microscopic textures such as filamentous laminae or ,orientated grains'. Textures resembling filaments are lined by iron oxide and hydroxides, as well as clay minerals. They contain organic matter, whose isotope composition is consistent with carbon of biological origin. The ancient tidal flats of the Nhlazatse Section record four microbial mat facies that occur in modern tidal settings as well. We distinguish endobenthic and epibenthic microbial mats, including planar, tufted, and spongy subtypes. Each microbial mat facies is characterized by a distinct set of MISS, and relates to a typical tidal zone. The microbial mat structures are preserved in situ, and are consistent with similar features constructed today by benthic cyanobacteria. However, other mat-constructing microorganisms also could have formed the structures in the Archean tidal flats. [source]


    Biogeochemistry of a gypsum-encrusted microbial ecosystem

    GEOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2004
    D. E. CANFIELD
    ABSTRACT Gypsum crusts containing multicolored stratified microbial populations grow in the evaporation ponds of a commercial saltern in Eilat, Israel. These crusts contain two prominent cyanobacterial layers, a bright purple layer of anoxygenic phototrophs, and a lower black layer with active sulphate reduction. We explored the diel dynamics of oxygen and sulphide within the crust using specially constructed microelectrodes, and further explored the crust biogeochemistry by measuring rates of sulphate reduction, stable sulphur isotope composition, and oxygen exchange rates across the crust,brine interface. We explored crusts from ponds with two different salinities, and found that the crust in the highest salinity was the less active. Overall, these crusts exhibited much lower rates of oxygen production than typical organic-rich microbial mats. However, this was mainly due to much lower cell densities within the crusts. Surprisingly, on a per cell-volume basis, rates of photosynthesis were similar to organic-rich microbial mats. Due to relatively low rates of oxygen production and deep photic zones extending from 1.5 to 3 cm depth, a large percentage of the oxygen produced during the day accumulated into the crusts. Indeed, only between 16% to 34% of the O2 produced in the crust escaped, and the remainder was internally recycled, used mainly in O2 respiration. We view these crusts as potential homologs to ancient salt-encrusted microbial ecosystems, and we compared them to the 3.45 billion-year-old quartz barite deposits from North Pole, Australia, which originally precipitated gypsum. [source]


    Strong seasonal disequilibrium measured between the oxygen isotope signals of leaf and soil CO2 exchange

    GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2010
    LISA WINGATE
    Abstract The oxygen isotope composition (,18O) of atmospheric CO2 is among a very limited number of tools available to constrain estimates of the biospheric gross CO2 fluxes, photosynthesis and respiration at large scales. However, the accuracy of the partitioning strongly depends on the extent of isotopic disequilibrium between the signals carried by these two gross fluxes. Chamber-based field measurements of total CO2 and CO18O fluxes from foliage and soil can help evaluate and refine our models of isotopic fractionation by plants and soils and validate the extent and pattern of isotopic disequilibrium within terrestrial ecosystems. Owing to sampling limitations in the past, such measurements have been very rare and covered only a few days. In this study, we coupled automated branch and soil chambers with tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy techniques to continuously capture the ,18O signals of foliage and soil CO2 exchange in a Pinus pinaster Aït forest in France. Over the growing season, we observed a seasonally persistent isotopic disequilibrium between the ,18O signatures of net CO2 fluxes from leaves and soils, except during rain events when the isotopic imbalance became temporarily weaker. Variations in the ,18O of CO2 exchanged between leaves, soil and the atmosphere were well explained by theory describing changes in the oxygen isotope composition of ecosystem water pools in response to changes in leaf transpiration and soil evaporation. [source]


    Modified passive capillary samplers for collecting samples of snowmelt infiltration for stable isotope analysis in remote, seasonally inaccessible watersheds 2: field evaluation

    HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 7 2010
    Marty D. Frisbee
    Abstract Twelve modified passive capillary samplers (M-PCAPS) were installed in remote locations within a large, alpine watershed located in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado to collect samples of infiltration during the snowmelt and summer rainfall seasons. These samples were collected in order to provide better constraints on the isotopic composition of soil-water endmembers in the watershed. The seasonally integrated stable isotope composition (,18O and ,2H) of soil-meltwater collected with M-PCAPS installed at shallow soil depths < 10 cm was similar to the seasonally integrated isotopic composition of bulk snow taken at the soil surface. However, meltwater which infiltrated to depths > 20 cm evolved along an isotopic enrichment line similar to the trendline described by the evolution of fresh snow to surface runoff from snowmelt in the watershed. Coincident changes in geochemistry were also observed at depth suggesting that the isotopic and geochemical composition of deep infiltration may be very different from that obtained by surface and/or shallow-subsurface measurements. The M-PCAPS design was also used to estimate downward fluxes of meltwater during the snowmelt season. Shallow and deep infiltration averaged 8·4 and 4·7 cm of event water or 54 and 33% of the measured snow water equivalent (SWE), respectively. Finally, dominant shallow-subsurface runoff processes occurring during snowmelt could be identified using geochemical data obtained with the M-PCAPS design. One soil regime was dominated by a combination of slow matrix flow in the shallow soil profile and fast preferential flow at depth through a layer of platy, volcanic rocks. The other soil regime lacked the rock layer and was dominated by slow matrix flow. Based on these results, the M-PCAPS design appears to be a useful, robust methodology to quantify soil-water fluxes during the snowmelt season and to sample the stable isotopic and geochemical composition of soil-meltwater endmembers in remote watersheds. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    The River Arno catchment, northern Tuscany: chemistry of waters and sediments from the River Elsa and River Era sub-basins, and sulphur and oxygen isotopes of aqueous sulphate

    HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 1 2007
    Gianni Cortecci
    Abstract Within the hydrologic balance of the River Arno catchment (northern Tuscany), the Rivers Elsa and Era are important tributaries entering the main river from the left bank in the lower part of the watershed. Waters and bed sediments were sampled in June 2000 during low discharges in the Rivers Elsa and Era, as well as in major tributary streams. Water samples were analysed for major chemistry and sulphur isotope composition of sulphate, and sediment samples were analysed for major composition and selected trace elements of environmental concern (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni). The main results for the waters are: (1) Na and Cl in solution show consistent downstream positive trends in the main rivers, thus supporting progressive contributions of anthropogenic salts; the highest concentration values are observed in tributaries; (2) as shown by sulphur isotopes, sulphate in solution is mainly controlled by dissolution of evaporites (Elsa basin) or oxidation of reduced organic/biogenic sulphur (Era basin), with anthropogenic contributions in most streams not higher than 10% in both the basins. A ,34S signature in the range ,2 to +3, is estimated for pollutant sulphate in the basins studied. The main results for the sediments are: (1) major chemistry is essentially controlled by the lithotypes drained by the waters; (2) pollution by heavy metals does not reach high levels; (3) compared with local fine-grained rocks, copper is more frequently anomalous, whereas lead and zinc show only occasional anomalies; (4) local high concentrations of chromium and nickel can be attributed to upstream occurrences of ophiolites. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Isotopic evidence for endogenous protein contributions to greylag goose Anser anser flight feathers

    JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
    Anthony D. Fox
    Feather stable isotope composition may not reflect local isoscapes in which they were grown if supplemented with protein of endogenous origin. Thus, feather isotope analysis, combined with knowledge of local isoscapes can be used to infer endogenous nutrient composition to feathers in cases where birds travel to moult. We investigated this possibility in a study of flightless moulting greylag geese Anser anser on the Danish island of Saltholm, which are known to mobilise endogenous protein stores (acquired at previous terrestrial staging locations in Sweden) to reconstitute muscle blocks and organs whilst feeding on a saltmarsh (i.e. marine-influenced) diet with contrasting stable isotope ratios. We used stable isotope (,13C, ,15N) measurements to test the prediction that new-grown flight feathers would have stable isotope values intermediate between those derived from a purely terrestrial C3 diet and one composed purely of saltmarsh plants. Feather ,13C and ,15N values were intermediate between those expected for feather material derived from local saltmarsh (i.e. exogenous) food items and Swedish terrestrial (endogenous muscle) sources, suggesting a mixing of endogenous and exogenous sources. These results confirm that moult migrant Anatidae exploit body stores to meet specific protein needs during the flightless period of remige regrowth and caution against the use of feather stable isotope ratios as direct indicators of the isotopic environment in which they were regrown, where endogenous contributions may occur. [source]


    Differences in stable isotope composition within and among zooplanktivorous Utaka cichlid populations from Lake Malawi

    AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
    Dieter Anseeuw
    Abstract Stable isotope analysis was used to determine whether five sympatric zooplanktivorous cichlids of the Utaka assemblage from Lake Malawi vary in isotopic signature as an indication of possible differences in food resource composition. The isotopic composition of the Utaka in combination with literature data about diet composition suggests that these species exploit a narrow range of zooplanktonic prey types. At five sampling locations, significant differences in ,13C and ,15N were detected among species but a consistent pattern across locations was absent. Significant intraspecific differences between locations were found. These differences were relatively low in view of the large geographic distances between the populations and there was no consistent spatial pattern among the species. The observed differences may be indicative of local variations in diet composition, which may help in reducing niche overlap among these zooplanktivores. Résumé Nous avons utilisé une analyse des isotopes stables pour déterminer si cinq cichlides sympatriques zooplanctivores appartenant à l'assemblage Utaka du lac Malawi ont une signature isotopique différente, ce qui serait une indication de différences possibles dans la composition de leurs ressources alimentaires. La composition isotopique d'Utaka, combinée aux données publiées au sujet de la composition du régime alimentaire, suggère que ces espèces exploitent une gamme réduite de types de proies zooplanctoniques. À cinq endroits échantillonnés, on a détecté des différences significatives de ,13C et ,15N parmi les espèces, mais il n'y avait pas de schéma cohérent parmi tous les sites. On a découvert des différences intraspécifiques significatives entre les sites. Ces différences étaient relativement faibles compte tenu des grandes distances entre les populations et il n'y avait pas de schéma spatial cohérent parmi les espèces. Les différences observées peuvent indiquer des variations locales de la composition du régime alimentaire, ce qui pourrait aider à réduire le recouvrement des niches chez ces zooplanctivores. [source]


    Seasonal diet changes of the forest hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni Thomas) based on the carbon isotopic composition of hair

    AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2004
    Thure E. Cerling
    Abstract The stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of forest hog hair is used to estimate seasonal diet changes in forest hogs from Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda. This detailed record of diet shows that the forest hogs on Mweya Peninsula consume up to 20% grass at the beginning of the rainy season, and very little grass during the rest of the year. Correlation of isotope patterns between individuals from the same sounder show that a single animal records the group behaviour. Résumé La composition stable des isotopes de carbone et d'azote dans les poils d'hylochère est utilisée pour estimer les changements saisonniers de l'alimentation des hylochères du Parc National Queen Elizabeth, en Ouganda. Ce rapport détaillé du régime alimentaire montre que les hylochères de la péninsule de Mweya consomment jusqu'à 20% d'herbe au début de la saison des pluies, et très peu d'herbe le reste de l'année. La corrélation des patterns d'isotopes entre individus d'une même compagnie montre qu'un seul animal suffit pour rapporter le comportement de tout le groupe. [source]


    Winners and losers in herbaceous plant communities: insights from foliar carbon isotope composition in monocultures and mixtures

    JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2005
    A. JUMPPONEN
    Summary 1We established monocultures and 16 unique mixed communities of 12 native grasses, legumes and non-N2 -fixing forbs. We identified species having a greater or lesser yield in the mixed communities than expected from monoculture data as winners and losers, respectively. To test our hypothesis that performance of the subordinate species (losers) is mainly controlled by light availability, whereas the dominant species (winners) are sensitive to the availability of below-ground resources, we traced the effects of number of species, light transmission in the community and foliar N concentration on plant photosynthesis through leaf C isotope composition (,13C). 2Phalaris arundinacea and Phleum pratense, the two tallest grass species, yielded more in mixtures than expected, as, initially, did Dactylis glomerata. Festuca ovina, the smallest grass, and Ranunculus acris, a forb, had smaller yield in mixtures than expected. For most species, observed mixture yields did not deviate significantly from those expected. 3Decreases in transmitted light decreased ,13C in D. glomerata, Lotus corniculatus and Rumex acetosa. The ,13C of Trifolium pratense and L. corniculatus was affected by increasing number of species in the plant community even after accounting for the transmitted light. In P. arundinacea, ,13C increased with increasing foliar %N, as expected for the tallest, dominant species. 4Species showing a positive, significant relationship between ,13C and transmitted light were relatively low growing and unable to establish dominance in multispecies communities due to shading by larger dominants. 5We conclude that above-ground competition is crucial in determining C isotope composition among the subordinate species, whereas the dominant species are more strongly affected by below-ground resources. Different factors thus dictate the physiological performance of species according to the size-distribution hierarchy in the community. [source]


    Variability in the carbon isotope signature of Prochilodus lineatus (Prochilodontidae, Characiformes) a bottom-feeding fish of the Neotropical region

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007
    C. A. Lopes
    The spatial and seasonal variability of stable carbon isotopes in detritivorous Prochilodus lineatus, primary producers and particulate organic carbon (POC) were examined to promote a better understanding of the trophic dynamics of food webs in Neotropical ecosystems. Spatial variability in carbon isotope composition in the species showed a decreasing gradient in the Upper Paraná River system, from the Paraná River and Itaipu Reservoir subsystems to the Baía and Ivinheima subsystems. Fish ,13C followed the isotopic trend of POC along the Paraná River and Baía subsystem. Seasonal differences were not observed in fish. The analysis of percentile contribution of C3 and C4 sources in the species diet revealed the predominance of C3 plants (phytoplanktonic and periphytic algae and riparian vegetation) in most of the analysed subsystems and seasons. Nevertheless, the considerable participation of riparian vegetation was verified, especially in the Ivinheima subsystem in the dry season. C4 macrophytes presented a maximum contribution along the Upper Paraná River. These results demonstrate the existence of specific variability for the consumer and their food sources in different environments of the same ecosystem. [source]


    Estimating the timing of growth rings in Atlantic cod otoliths using stable oxygen isotopes

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006
    H. Høie
    A technique involving micro-scale sampling of otolith carbonate and analyses of stable oxygen isotope composition was used to relate the zone appearance of the otolith to the seasonal temperature cycle. Otolith opacity could then be related to the timing of zone formation. Otoliths from two groups of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua held under known temperature conditions over a period of 4 and 6 years were examined. The otolith translucency followed the same pattern as the estimated temperature (from otolith ,18O values) in the yearly increments three and four, meaning that the translucent zones were deposited at the seasonal highest temperature in late summer and early autumn. The relative light intensities of otolith yearly increments five and six of older fish (deposited in the same years), however, were not significantly correlated to the estimated temperatures since increased otolith translucency also occurred at low temperatures. This might have been caused by stress in connection with gonad development or starvation during the spawning period. The results showed that this method of coupling otolith opacity and stable oxygen isotope composition can be used to estimate the timing of zone formations in otoliths. [source]


    STRONTIUM ISOTOPE DATING OF SPICULITIC PERMIAN STRATA FROM SPITSBERGEN OUTCROPS AND BARENTS SEA WELL-CORES

    JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
    S.N. Ehrenberg
    Eight samples of brachiopod shell material have been analyzed for their strontium isotope composition in order to more accurately date Lower to Upper Permian siliceous biogenic strata of Spitsbergen (Kapp Starostin Formation) and the southern Barents Sea (Røye Formation). The results are interpreted as showing a mid-Artinskian age for the basal Vøringen Member of the Kapp Starostin Formation and a range of late Artinskian to Roadian for the overlying part of this unit. The upper part of the Røye Formation yields ages in the range Roadian to Wuchiapingian. These results are consistent with available biostratigraphic data and confirm the potential of strontium isotope stratigraphy for developing a more accurate chronology of the widespread spiculite deposits that characterize the northern margin of Pangea in late-Early Permian to Late Permian time and which constitute a potential target for petroleum exploration. [source]


    Compound-specific stable-isotope (,13C) analysis in soil science

    JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2005
    Bruno Glaser
    Abstract This review provides current state of the art of compound-specific stable-isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (,13C) and gives an overview on innovative applications in soil science. After a short introduction on the background of stable C isotopes and their ecological significance, different techniques for compound-specific stable-isotope analysis are compared. Analogous to the ,13C analysis in bulk samples, by means of elemental analyzer,isotope-ratio mass spectrometry, physical fractions such as particle-size fractions, soil microbial biomass, and water-soluble organic C can be analyzed. The main focus of this review is, however, to discuss the isotope composition of chemical fractions (so-called molecular markers) indicating plant- (pentoses, long-chain n-alkanes, lignin phenols) and microbial-derived residues (phospholipid fatty acids, hexoses, amino sugars, and short-chain n-alkanes) as well as other interesting soil constituents such as "black carbon" and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. For this purpose, innovative techniques such as pyrolysis,gas chromatography,combustion,isotope-ratio mass spectrometry, gas chromatography,combustion,isotope-ratio mass spectrometry, or liquid chromatography,combustion,isotope-ratio mass spectrometry were compared. These techniques can be used in general for two purposes, (1) to quantify sequestration and turnover of specific organic compounds in the environment and (2) to trace the origin of organic substances. Turnover times of physical (sand < silt < clay) and chemical fractions (lignin < phospholipid fatty acids < amino sugars , sugars) are generally shorter compared to bulk soil and increase in the order given in brackets. Tracing the origin of organic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is difficult when more than two sources are involved and isotope difference of different sources is small. Therefore, this application is preferentially used when natural (e.g., C3-to-C4 plant conversion) or artificial (positive or negative) 13C labeling is used. Substanzspezifische Stabilisotopenanalyse (,13C) in der Bodenforschung Dieser Artikel fasst den Stand der Forschung bezüglich der substanzspezifischen Stabilisotopenanalyse (,13C) zusammen. Innovative Anwendungen und ein Ausblick für künftige Forschungsaktivitäten werden anhand von Fallbeispielen gegeben. Zunächst wird die ökologische Bedeutung von stabilen C-Isotopen kurz erläutert. Daran schließt sich ein methodischer Teil an, in welchem die verschiedenen Techniken gegenüber gestellt werden. Analog zu ,13C-Messungen der Feinerde mittels Elementaranalysator-Isotopenverhältnis-Massenspektrometrie können physikalisch isolierte Fraktionen (z.,B. Korngrößenfraktionen, mikrobielle Biomasse, DOC) analysiert werden. Der Schwerpunkt dieses Übersichtsartikels liegt jedoch in der Diskussion der C-Isotopensignatur chemischer Fraktionen (sog. Biomarker), welche Rückschlüsse auf Herkunft und Dynamik pflanzlicher (Pentosen, langkettige n-Alkane, Ligninphenole) und mikrobieller Rückstände (Phospholipidfettsäuren, Hexosen, Aminozucker und kurzkettige n-Alkane) sowie anderer interessanter Substanzen im Boden erlaubt wie z.,B. ,Black Carbon" und polyzyklische aromatische Kohlenwasserstoffe. Zu diesem Zweck kommen innovative Techniken zum Einsatz wie z.,B. Pyrolyse-Gaschromatographie-Isotopenverhältnismassenspektrometrie, Gaschromatographie-Verbrennungs-Isotopenverhältnismassenspektrometrie und Flüssigkeitschromatographie-Oxidations-Isotopenverhältnismassenspektrometrie. Innovative ökologische Anwendungen werden erläutert, welche sich prinzipiell in zwei Kategorien einteilen lassen: (1) Quantifizierung der Sequestrierung und des Umsatzes dieser Verbindungen in der Umwelt; (2) Untersuchung der Herkunft spezifischer organischer Substanzen. Umsatzzeiten physikalischer (Sand < Schluff < Ton) und chemischer Fraktionen (Lignin < Phospholipidfettsäuren < Aminozucker , Zucker) sind generall kleiner als jene der gesamten organischen Substanz in der Feinerde und nehmen in der in Klammern angegebenen Reihenfolge zu. Die Untersuchung der Herkunft organischer Substanzen (z.,B. polyzyklischer aromatischer Kohlenwasserstoffe) ist problematisch, weil die Unterschiede der Isotopensignatur verschiedener Quellen gering sind und meist mehr als zwei Quellen zur Isotopensignatur des untersuchten Biomarkers beitragen. Deswegen sollte die Untersuchung der Herkunft organischer Substanzen auf Tracer-Experimente beschränkt werden, wie z.,B. nach natürlicher (C3-C4-Pflanzenwechsel) bzw. künstlicher (13C-An- oder -Abreicherung) Markierung. [source]


    Combined oxygen and silicon isotope analysis of biogenic silica,

    JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 4 2008
    Melanie J. Leng
    Abstract There is increasing interest in the use of biogenic silica O and Si isotope ratios to understand climate and environmental processes. Virtually all of the fairly substantial body of literature deals with either oxygen or silicon. This is partly because measurement of oxygen isotope composition is done using either vacuum dehydration, isotope exchange or stepped fluorination techniques, while increasingly researchers are turning to multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) for Si isotope analysis, even though Si isotope analysis can be done using fluorination methods used for the oxygen isotope measurements. Here we describe a procedure for simultaneous determination of isotopic abundances of oxygen and silicon from the same aliquot of biogenic silica. Pure silica is dissociated into O and Si compounds using a fluorination technique, in which reaction with bromine pentafluoride (BrF5) produces oxygen (O2, subsequently converted to CO2), silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) and other fluorine by-products (e.g. BrF3). These compounds are cryogenically separated using cold traps. Yields for oxygen and silicon recovery are 70,80% for biogenic silica depending on the nature of the hydrous layer and 97,99% for pure quartz. Reproducibility of the oxygen isotopic composition is ca. 0.3, and silicon between 0.06,0.12,. © Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) copyright 2008. Reproduced with the permission of NERC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Holocene climate change in the eastern Mediterranean region: a comparison of stable isotope and pollen data from Lake Gölhisar, southwest Turkey,

    JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 4 2007
    Warren J. Eastwood
    Abstract Stable isotope and pollen data from Gölhisar Gölü, a small intramontane lake located in southwest Turkey, provide complementary records of Holocene climate change. Modern oxygen and hydrogen isotope water data are used as a means of comparing present-day isotope composition of the lake water to the past oxygen isotope composition of the lake water as calculated from 18O/16O ratios in calcite precipitated in the summer months. Despite the lake system being chemically dilute, the modern isotope data clearly establish that the lake water is evaporated in relation to its spring input, suggesting that the palaeo data can be interpreted primarily in terms of changing precipitation/evaporation ratios. ,18O and ,13C values from authigenic calcite through the Holocene show predominantly negative values indicating climatic conditions wetter than today. Particularly notable are low (depleted) isotope values during the earliest Holocene (ca. 10,600,8800 cal. yr. BP), a period for which pollen data imply drier conditions than at present. This divergence between pollen-inferred and stable isotope palaeoclimate data is found in other east Mediterranean lake sediment records, and suggests that vegetation may have taken several millennia to reach climatic equilibrium at the start of the Holocene. Isotopic fluctuations during the early-to-mid Holocene (8800,5100 cal. yr. BP) suggest oscillations between aridity and humidity. Higher ,18O and ,13C values for the second half of the Holocene indicate generally drier conditions than during the period before ca.5100 cal. yr BP although there is some evidence for increased humidity coinciding with pollen evidence for increasing human impact and intensification of agriculture, notably during the so-called Bey,ehir Occupation Phase (Classical and early Byzantine periods). The modern trend towards aridity started about 1300 yr ago. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Carbon isotope composition of fossil leaves , revealing ecophysiological responses to past environmental change

    NEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 2 2002
    Wolfram M. Kürschner
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Seasonal variation in terrestrial resource subsidies influences trophic niche width and overlap in two aquatic snake species: a stable isotope approach

    OIKOS, Issue 7 2010
    John D. Willson
    Quantifying diet is essential for understanding the functional role of species with regard to energy processing, transfer, and storage within ecosystems. Recently, variance structure in the stable isotope composition of consumer tissues has been touted as a robust tool for quantifying trophic niche width, a task that has previously proven difficult due to bias in direct dietary analyses and difficulties in integrating diet composition over time. We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses to examine trophic niche width of two sympatric aquatic snakes, banded watersnakes Nerodia fasciata and black swamp snakes Seminatrix pygaea inhabiting an isolated wetland where seasonal migrations of amphibian prey cause dramatic shifts in resource availability. Specifically, we characterized snake and prey isotope compositions through time, space, and ontogeny and examined isotope values in relation to prey availability and snake diets assessed by gut content analysis. We determined that prey cluster into functional groups based on similarity of isotopic composition and seasonal availability. Isotope variance structure indicated that the trophic niche width of the banded watersnake was broader (more generalist) than that of the black swamp snake. Banded watersnakes also exhibited seasonal variation in isotope composition, suggesting seasonal diet shifts that track amphibian prey availability. Conversely, black swamp snakes exhibited little seasonal variation but displayed strong ontogenetic shifts in carbon and nitrogen isotope composition that closely paralleled ontogenetic shifts in their primary prey, paedomorphic mole salamanders Ambystoma talpoideum. Although niche dimensions are often treated as static, our results demonstrate that seasonal shifts in niche dimensions can lead to changes in niche overlap between sympatric species. Such short-term fluctuations in niche overlap can influence competitive interactions and consequently the composition and dynamics of communities and ecosystems. [source]


    On the 13C/12C isotopic signal of day and night respiration at the mesocosm level

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 6 2010
    GUILLAUME TCHERKEZ
    ABSTRACT While there is currently intense effort to examine the 13C signal of CO2 evolved in the dark, less is known on the isotope composition of day-respired CO2. This lack of knowledge stems from technical difficulties to measure the pure respiratory isotopic signal: day respiration is mixed up with photorespiration, and there is no obvious way to separate photosynthetic fractionation (pure ci/ca effect) from respiratory effect (production of CO2 with a different ,13C value from that of net-fixed CO2) at the ecosystem level. Here, we took advantage of new simple equations, and applied them to sunflower canopies grown under low and high [CO2]. We show that whole mesocosm-respired CO2 is slightly 13C depleted in the light at the mesocosm level (by 0.2,0.8,), while it is slightly 13C enriched in darkness (by 1.5,3.2,). The turnover of the respiratory carbon pool after labelling appears similar in the light and in the dark, and accordingly, a hierarchical clustering analysis shows a close correlation between the 13C abundance in day- and night-evolved CO2. We conclude that the carbon source for respiration is similar in the dark and in the light, but the metabolic pathways associated with CO2 production may change, thereby explaining the different 12C/13C respiratory fractionations in the light and in the dark. [source]


    Sex-specific responses of Populus cathayana to drought and elevated temperatures

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 6 2008
    XIAO XU
    ABSTRACT Dioecious plant species represent an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. Yet, little is known about sex-specific responses to drought and elevated temperatures. Populus cathayana Rehd, which is a dioecious, deciduous tree species, widely distributed in the northern, central and southwestern regions of China, was employed as a model species in our study. In closed-top chamber experiments, sex-specific morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of P. cathayana to drought and different elevated temperatures were investigated. Compared with the controls, drought significantly decreased the growth and the net photosynthesis rate (A), and increased the intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), carbon isotope composition (,13C), and the malondialdehyde (MDA) and abscisic acid (ABA) contents in droughted plants. In contrast, elevated temperatures significantly promoted the growth and the A, but decreased the WUEi, ,13C, MDA and ABA contents in well-watered individuals. When compared with males, elevated temperatures induced well-watered females to express a greater increase in the height growth (HG), basal diameter (BD), leaf area (LA), total number of leaves (TNL), dry matter accumulation (DMA) and specific leaf area (SLA), and a lower decrease in the A value, transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), MDA and ABA contents, while elevated temperatures induced drought-stressed females to exhibit lower values of HG, BD, LA, TNL, DMA, A, E, gs and the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and higher levels of SLA, WUEi, ,13C, MDA and ABA contents. Our results indicated that the female individuals of P. cathayana are more responsive and suffer from greater negative effects than do males when grown under environments with increased drought stress and elevated temperature. [source]


    Assessing environmental and physiological controls over water relations in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand through analyses of stable isotope composition of water and organic matter

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 1 2007
    ELKE BRANDES
    ABSTRACT This study investigated the influence of meteorological, pedospheric and physiological factors on the water relations of Scots pine, as characterized by the origin of water taken up, by xylem transport as well as by carbon isotope discrimination (,13C) and oxygen isotope enrichment (,18O) of newly assimilated organic matter. For more than 1 year, we quantified ,2H and ,18O of potential water sources and xylem water as well as ,13C and ,18O in twig and trunk phloem organic matter biweekly, and related these values to continuously measured or modelled meteorological parameters, soil water content, stand transpiration (ST) and canopy stomatal conductance (Gs). During the growing season, ,18O and ,2H of xylem water were generally in a range comparable to soil water from a depth of 2,20 cm. Long residence time of water in the tracheids uncoupled the isotopic signals of xylem and soil water in winter. ,18O but not ,13C in phloem organic matter was directly indicative of recent environmental conditions during the whole year. ,18O could be described applying a model that included 18O fractionation associated with water exchange between leaf and atmosphere, and with the production of organic matter as well as the influence of transpiration. Phloem ,13C was assumed to be concertedly influenced by Gs and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) (as a proxy for photosynthetic capacity). We conclude that isotope signatures can be used as effective tools (1) to characterize the seasonal dynamics in source and xylem water, and (2) to assess environmental effects on transpiration and Gs of Scots pine, thus helping to understand and predict potential impacts of climate change on trees and forest ecosystems. [source]


    Genetic parameters and QTL analysis of ,13C and ring width in maritime pine

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 8 2002
    O. Brendel
    Abstract Classical quantitative genetics and quantitative trait dissection analysis (QTL) approaches were used in order to investigate the genetic determinism of wood cellulose carbon isotope composition (,13C, a time integrated estimate of water use efficiency) and of diameter growth and their relationship on adult trees (15 years) of a forest tree species (maritime pine). A half diallel experimental set-up was used to (1) estimate heritabilities for ,13C and ring width and (2) to decompose the phenotypic ,13C/growth correlation into its genetic and environmental components. Considerable variation was found for ,13C (range of over 3,) and for ring width (range of over 5 mm) and significant heritabilities (narrow sense 0·17/0·19 for ,13C and ring width, respectively, 100% additivity). The significant phenotypic correlation between ,13C and ring width was not determined by the genetic component, but was attributable to environmental components. Using a genetic linkage map of a full-sib family, four significant and four suggestive QTLs were detected for ,13C, the first for ,13C in a forest tree species, as far as known to the authors. Two significant and four suggestive QTLs were found for ring width. No co-location of QTLs was found between ,13C and growth. [source]


    Use of decreasing foliar carbon isotope discrimination during water limitation as a carbon tracer to study whole plant carbon allocation

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 5 2002
    S. K. Arndt
    Abstract Foliar carbon isotope discrimination (,) of C3 plants decreases in water-deficit situations as discrimination by the photosynthetic primary carboxylation reaction decreases. This diminished , in leaves under water deficit can be used as a tracer to study whole plant carbon allocation patterns. Carbon isotope composition (,13C value) of leaf hot water extracts or leaf tissue sap represents a short-term integral of leaf carbon isotope discrimination and thus represents the ,13C value of source carbon that may be distributed within a plant in water-deficit situations. By plotting the ,13C values of source carbon against the ,13C values of sink tissues, such as roots or stems, it is possible to assess carbon allocation to and incorporation into sink organs in relation to already present biomass. This natural abundance labelling method has been tested in three independent experiments, a one-year field study with the fruit tree species Ziziphus mauritiana and peach (Prunus persica), a medium-term drought stress experiment with Ziziphus rotundifolia trees in the glasshouse, and a short-term drought stress experiment with soybean (Glycine max). The data show that the natural abundance labelling method can be applied to qualitatively assess carbon allocation in drought-stressed plants. Although it is not possible to estimate exact fluxes of assimilated carbon during water deficit the method represents an easy to use tool to study integrated plant adaptations to drought stress. In addition, it is a less laborious method that can be applied in field studies as well as in controlled experiments, with plants from any developmental stage. [source]


    Natural 15N abundance of epiphytes depends on the position within the forest canopy: source signals and isotope fractionation

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 4 2002
    R. Wania
    Abstract The natural 15N abundance (,15N) of epiphytes and its N sources were studied in the canopy of a lowland rainforest in Costa Rica. Vascular and non-vascular epiphytes and canopy soils were collected from four canopy zones and analysed for N contents and ,15N signals. In addition, the N concentrations and ,15N signatures of bulk precipitation, throughfall and stemflow were measured during the wet and the dry season. The ,15N values of epiphyte leaves decreased significantly from the lower zones (means of ,3·9 and ,4·3,) to the upper zones (means of ,5·4 and ,6·1,) of the canopy. In contrast, ,15N signatures of canopy soils (average ,0·3,) differed little between the zones. Bulk deposition was enriched in 15N (+4·3,) compared to all other potential N sources and was higher than throughfall and stemflow (+0·5 to ,1·3,). ,15N values of atmospheric deposition were inversely related to those of the epiphyte leaves, whereas N isotopic composition of canopy soils did not vary significantly. Consequently, it is concluded that the variations in foliar N isotope composition of epiphytes were not simply caused by utilization of isotopically different N sources, but by different 15N discrimination during N acquisition. [source]


    Spatial distribution of leaf water-use efficiency and carbon isotope discrimination within an isolated tree crown

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 10 2001
    X. Le Roux
    Abstract The spatial variations in the stable carbon isotope composition (,13C) of air and leaves (total matter and soluble sugars) were quantified within the crown of a well-watered, 20-year-old walnut tree growing in a low-density orchard. The observed leaf carbon isotope discrimination (,) was compared with that computed by a three-dimensional model simulating the intracanopy distribution of irradiance, transpiration and photosynthesis (previously parameterized and tested for the same tree canopy) coupled to a biophysically based model of carbon isotope discrimination. The importance of discrimination associated with CO2 gradients encountered from the substomatal sites to the carboxylation sites was evaluated. We also assessed by simulation the effect of current irradiance on leaf gas exchange and the effect of long-term acclimation of photosynthetic capacity and stomatal and internal conductances to light regime on intracanopy gradients in ,. The main conclusions of this study are: (i) leaf , can exhibit important variations (5 and 8, in total leaf material and soluble sugars, respectively) along light gradients within the foliage of an isolated tree; (ii) internal conductance must be taken into account to adequately predict leaf ,, and (iii) the spatial variations in , and water-use efficiency resulted from the short-term response of leaf gas exchange to variations in local irradiance and, to a much lesser extent, from the long-term acclimation of leaf characteristics to the local light regime. [source]


    Carbon isotope discrimination and wood anatomy variations in mixed stands of Quercus robur and Quercus petraea

    PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 8 2001
    S. Ponton
    Abstract The two most common oak species in western Europe, Quercus robur and Quercus petraea, display different ecological behaviours, particularly with respect to their responses to drought. The ecophysiological basis of this niche difference is not understood well. Here we test the hypothesis that these two species present distinct water use efficiencies (WUEs), using the carbon isotope discrimination approach. Leaves and 13 dated ring sequences were sampled in 10 pairs of adult trees growing side by side. Carbon isotope composition was measured on cellulose extracts. In addition, relationships between carbon isotope discrimination and wood anatomy were assessed at the tree level. Quercus robur displayed a 1·0, larger isotopic discrimination than Q. petraea, and therefore a lower intrinsic WUE (,13%). This interspecific difference of isotopic discrimination was quite stable with time and independent of tree radial growth and climate fluctuations. A strong positive correlation was observed between average tree values of earlywood vessel surface area and 13C isotopic discrimination. This correlation was even higher with 13C of the 1976 dry year (r = 0·86). These observations led to the hypothesis that hydraulic properties of xylem could exert a constraint on leaf gas exchange, resulting in a larger WUE for individuals with smaller vessel cross-section area. [source]


    Stable isotope analysis of modern human hair collected from Asia (China, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan)

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
    A.H. Thompson
    Abstract We report isotopic data (,2H, ,18O n = 196; ,13C, ,15N n = 142; ,34S n = 85) from human hair and drinking water (,2H, ,18O n = 67) collected across China, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan. Hair isotope ratios reflected the large environmental isotopic gradients and dietary differences. Geographic information was recorded in H and O and to a lesser extent, S isotopes. H and O data were entered into a recently developed model describing the relationship between the H and O isotope composition of human hair and drinking water in modern USA and pre-globalized populations. This has anthropological and forensic applications including reconstructing environment and diet in modern and ancient human hair. However, it has not been applied to a modern population outside of the USA, where we expect different diet. Relationships between H and O isotope ratios in drinking water and hair of modern human populations in Asia were different to both modern USA and pre-globalized populations. However, the Asian dataset was closer to the modern USA than to pre-globalized populations. Model parameters suggested slightly higher consumption of locally producedfoods in our sampled population than modern USA residents, but lower than pre-globalized populations. The degree of in vivo amino acid synthesis was comparable to both the modern USA and pre-globalized populations. C isotope ratios reflected the predominantly C3 -based regional agriculture and C4 consumption in northernChina. C, N, and S isotope ratios supported marine food consumption in some coastal locales. N isotope ratios suggested a relatively low consumption of animal-derived products compared to western populations. Am J Phys Anthropol 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]