Stable Isotopes in Ecology and Environmental Science

Robert Michener is the Laboratory Manager of the Boston University Stable Isotope Laboratory and has been running the internationally recognized facility for 18 years. His research interests include aquatic ecology, food web systems, and how stable isotopes can be applied to tracing pollutants, comparing pristine and impacted systems.Kate Lajtha is a Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University and the Editor-in-Chief of Biogeochemistry. She is a terrestrial biogeochemist who studies soil organic matter stabilization and soil solution chemistry.

• Contributors, xAbbreviations, xiiiIntroduction, xvii1 Stable isotope chemistry and measurement: a primer, 1Elizabeth W. SulzmanIntroduction, 1What isotopes are, what makes them distinct, 1Properties of ecologically useful stable isotopes, 11Technological advances and current trends in the ecological use of isotopes, 14Acknowledgments, 18References, 182 Sources of variation in the stable isotopic composition of plants, 22John D. Marshall, J. Renée Brooks, and Kate LajthaIntroduction, 22Carbon isotopes, 22Nitrogen isotopes, 35Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes, 39Conclusions, 49References, 503 Natural 15N- and 13C-abundance as indicators of forest nitrogen status and soil carbon dynamics, 61Charles T. Garten, Jr, Paul J. Hanson, Donald E. Todd, Jr, Bonnie B. Lu, and Deanne J. BriceIntroduction, 61Significance of 15N-abundance to soil carbon sequestration, 63Vertical changes in soil 13C-abundance and soil carbon dynamics, 69Conclusions, 77Acknowledgments, 77References, 774 Soil nitrogen isotope composition, 83R. Dave EvansIntroduction, 83Sources of variation in soil δ15N, 83Patterns of soil nitrogen isotope composition, 91Conclusions, 94References, 955 Isotopic study of the biology of modern and fossil vertebrates, 99Paul L. KochIntroduction, 99Vertebrate tissues in the fossil record, 100Controls on the isotopic composition of vertebrate tissues, 105Preservation of biogenic isotope compositions by vertebrate fossils, 119Paleobiological applications, 123Conclusions, 138A post-script on workshops and literature resources, 138References, 1396 Isotopic tracking of migrant wildlife, 155Keith A. HobsonIntroduction, 155Basic principles, 156Marine systems, 159Terrestrial systems (excluding deuterium), 161Using deuterium patterns in precipitation, 163Conclusions, 169References, 1707 Natural abundance of 15N in marine planktonic ecosystems, 176Joseph P. MontoyaIntroduction, 176Background, 177Isotopic variation in marine nitrogen, 178Source delineation and isotope budgets, 186Animal fractionation and food web processes, 187Isotopic transients in marine systems, 189Compound-specific nitrogen isotope analyses, 191Conclusions, 193Acknowledgment, 194References, 1948 Stable isotope studies in marine chemoautotrophically based ecosystems: An update, 202Cindy Lee Van DoverIntroduction, 202Isotopic tracing of carbon at methane seeps, 209Whale falls, 219Hydrothermal vents, 221Conclusions, 226References, 2309 Stable isotope ratios as tracers in marine food webs: An update, 238Robert H. Michener and Les KaufmanIntroduction, 238Methods of assessing food webs, 238Phytoplankton and particulate organic carbon, 246Phytoplankton and particulate organic nitrogen, 248Marine food webs, 252Stable isotopes in marine conservation biology, 261Conclusions, 269Acknowledgments, 270References, 27010 Stable isotope tracing of temporal and spatial variability in organic matter sources to freshwater ecosystems, 283Jacques C. Finlay and Carol KendallIntroduction, 283Overview of river food webs and stable isotope approaches, 284Stable isotope ratios of organic matter sources in stream ecosystems, 289C, N, and S isotopic variability and its applications in river ecology, 308Conclusions, 323Acknowledgments, 324References, 32411 Stable isotope tracers in watershed hydrology, 334Kevin McGuire and Jeff McDonnellIntroduction, 334Basic concepts in watershed hydrology, 334Why are stable isotopes needed?, 342General concepts in isotope hydrology, 342Applications of isotope hydrology in watershed and ecosystem studies, 356Conclusions, 364Acknowledgments, 365References, 36512 Tracing anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen to ecosystems, 375Carol Kendall, Emily M. Elliott, and Scott D. WankelIntroduction, 375Isotopic compositions of major N sources to ecosystems, 380Processes affecting the isotopic composition of DIN, 393Separating mixing of sources from the effects of cycling, 407Applications to different environmental settings, 413What sources of agricultural and urban sources of nitrate can be distinguished using isotopes?, 422Other tools for tracing anthropogenic contaminants, 427Conclusions, 433References, 43513 Modeling the dynamics of stable-isotope ratios for ecosystem biogeochemistry, 450William S. CurrieIntroduction, 450Designing consistent model–data linkages and comparisons, 454Principles and techniques of stable isotope modeling, 461Conclusions, 474Acknowledgments, 476References, 47614 Compound-specific stable isotope analysis in ecology and paleoecology, 480Richard P. Evershed, Ian D. Bull, Lorna T. Corr, Zoe M. Crossman, Bart E. van Dongen, Claire J. Evans, Susan Jim, Hazel R. Mottram, Anna J. Mukherjee, and Richard D. PancostIntroduction, 480Why use compound-specific stable isotopes?, 481Analytical considerations in compound-specific stable isotope analysis, 482Applications of compound-specific stable isotope approaches in ecology and paleoecology, 498Conclusions, 524References, 526Index, 541