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Lockheart, Matthew James. "Isotope compositions and distributions of individual compounds as indicators for environmental conditions : comparisons between contemporary and Clarkia fossil leaves." Thesis, University of Bristol, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.389098.
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Vaiglova, Petra. "Neolithic agricultural management in the Eastern Mediterranean : new insight from a multi-isotope approach." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2016. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c8824136-da35-43b2-a700-f458d0cc2fdf.
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The work presented in this dissertation explores the nature of agro-pastoral strategies developed by Neolithic farmers as a way to understand how early food production was inter-twined with environmental and socio-economic opportunities and constraints. Towards this end, a multi-isotope approach is used to address questions of scale and intensity of crop cultivation and animal management at the archaeological sites of Kouphovouno, southern Greece, Makriyalos, northern Greece, and Çatalhöyük, south-central Turkey. Measurements of stable carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and strontium isotope values of carbonized plant remains, human and animal bone collagen and animal tooth enamel are used to examine the similarities and differences in the types of treatments that individual species of plants and animals received during the agricultural cycle at the distinct locations. The results show that farmers at the three sites developed variable methods for exploiting the arable and pastoral landscape and catering to their economic and culinary needs. The discussion considers the implications of these findings to our understanding of the complexity and adaptability of early farming systems.
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Huset, Regina Anne. "Methyl halides : concentrations, fluxes and stable carbon isotope ratios measured in the atmosphere, coastal waters, and soils /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/11576.
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Hörner, Gerald, Steffen Lau, and Hans-Gerd Löhmannsröben. "NIR-diode laser spectroscopy for isotope-selective sensing of soil-respired carbon dioxide." Universität Potsdam, 2004. http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2006/1014/.
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The performance of a home-built tunable diode laser (TDL) spectrometer has been optimized regarding multi-line detection of carbon dioxide in natural gases. In the regime of the (3001)III ← (000) band of 12CO2 around 1.6 μm, the dominating isotope species 12CO2, 13CO2, and 12C18O16O were detected simultaneously. In contrast to most established techniques, selective measurements are performed without any sample preparation. This is possible since the CO2 detection is free of interference from water, ubiquitous in natural gases. Detection limits in the range of a few ppmv were obtained for each species utilizing wavelength modulation (WM) spectroscopy with balanced detection in a long-path absorption cell set-up. Linear calibration plots cover a dynamic range of four orders of magnitude, allowing for quantitative CO2 detection in various samples, like soil and breath gas. High isotopic resolution enables the excellent selectivity, sensitivity, and stability of the chosen analytical concept. The obtained isotopic resolution of typically ± 1.0 ‰ and ± 1.5 ‰ (for 3 vol. % and 0.7 vol. % of CO2, respectively) offers a promising analytical tool for isotope-ratio determination of carbon dioxide in soil gas. Preliminary experiments on soil respiration for the first time combine the on-line quantification of the overall carbon dioxide content with an optode sensor and isotopic determination (TDL system) of natural gas species.
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An, Yan. "The Potential of Bulk and Amino-Acid Specific Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry of Human Hair in Forensic and Clinical Applications." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1363701887.
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Trudell, Steven A. "Patterns of nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios in macrofungi, plants, and soils from two old-growth conifer forests, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/5572.
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Blaszczyck, D., Julia Beaumont, A. Krzyszowski, D. Poliński, and A. Drozd-Lipińska. "Social status and diet. Reconstruction of diet of individuals buried in some early medieval chamber graves from Poland by carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis." Science Direct, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/18572.
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YesThe study presents results of the investigations of diet based on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of the bone collagen of individuals buried in medieval elite chamber graves from the territory of the state of the first Piasts, Poland (the second half of the 10th and the first half of the 11th century). The aim of the research was to determine the diet of individuals buried in such funerary structures, to compare this with commoners buried in ordinary graves, and investigate any sex-related patterns. Rib bone samples were taken from individuals buried in chamber graves at Bodzia, Dziekanowice, Pień and Sowinki. Results indicate that the elite male diet was based on C3 plants with possible contribution of some C4 plants (millet) and substantial consumption of animal proteins including fish. The bone collagen δ13C and δ15N of male chamber burials suggested consumption of higher trophic level foodstuffs (meat and fish) whilst the female diet, and that of the juveniles, was similar to the commoners in the rest of the population.
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Gagen, M. H. "The response of pine trees to climate in the southern French Alps and the palaeoclimatic potential of stable carbon isotope ratios from treerings." Thesis, Swansea University, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.637018.
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This thesis is grounded in Quaternary and global change science and considers the application of proxy analogues to reconstruct past climate. Latewood width, wood density and latewood holo cellulose δ13C series were compiled from treeline pine trees from the southern French Alps, with the aim of comparing and contrasting the types of climate information preserved in the three proxies and assessing the potential of δ13C for palaeoclimate reconstruction. Two main research questions were identified. First, what climate parameters might be reconstructed from the annual δ13C series? Second, how useful is the δ13C calibration for reconstructing palaeoclimate compared to ringwidth and density series? The calibration stage formed the bulk of the analysis. It was revealed that δ13C ratios are strongly controlled by growth season moisture stress, in a relationship that appears to have a high degree of temporal stability. The potential exists, therefore, for extracting a strong moisture-stress signal form long δ13C series from this region. It is argued that, lower frequency signal strength is often dramatically reduced or lost when short ringwidth and density series are standardised to remove growth trends. This thesis presents evidence to suggest that sub- to decadal frequency climate signals can be retained in δ13C series. It is concluded that there is great potential for reconstructing palaeoclimate with δ13C treering series. δ13C ratios are fixed by a simple biological process that is well understood, and are not greatly affected by site and stand characteristics, making the series far less 'noisy' than equivalent growth proxy data.
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Johnson, Laurie. "Assessing the effect of feather wear on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios, and the use of stable isotopes to determine predator diets in the Namibian Islands marine protected area." Master's thesis, Faculty of Science, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31248.
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The stable isotope (SI) approach is widely used in ecological research to tackle problems such as delineating food web structure or tracing the migratory origins of various organisms. This thesis first tested the widely accepted assumption that SI ratios are fixed in an inert tissue, and then used the SI approach to infer the food web structure, from a marine top predator point of view, of a profoundly impacted marine ecosystem off southern Namibia. In bird research, it is assumed that SI ratios are fixed in feathers once they have completed their growth during moult. This assumption is crucial in determining where birds moult, and has been used to infer changes in the environment over time, as well as changes in the trophic levels of individuals. Recent comparisons of feathers collected from several penguin species during their annual moult have shown systematic differences between newly moulted and old feather SI ratios. I thus tested whether a change in SI ratios occurs as feathers age by comparing the carbon and nitrogen SI ratios of black and white feathers collected from captive, individually known African (Spheniscus demersus) and northern rockhopper (Eudyptes moseleyi) penguins at three occasions over a year. I found a clear trend for the rockhopper penguin feathers with new and old black feathers differing in their δ13C and δ15N values; this trend was not as clear for the African penguins. I then tested factors related to feather wear as a possible mechanism for differences in SI ratios between new and old feathers; these factors were feather reflectance and microstructure. In both penguin species, old black feathers reflected more light, and had a larger proportion of their barbs without barbules near their tips compared to new feathers. Feather wear may result in melanin leakage, which may explain the observed trends in the SI ratios between new and old pigmented penguin feathers. Differences in SI values were observed between species and may be a result of facility at which the penguins were housed, where one facility was exposed to more sunlight than the other, rather than the differences being a result of species. Although the differences observed were subtle, the state of feather wear (i.e. timing of feather collection within the moult cycle) should be considered in order to make accurate ecological inferences based on their SI ratios. Further research is needed to fully understand the phenomenon and to test whether the same process affects pigmented feathers of flying birds. I then used SI ratios to update our knowledge of resource partitioning among a marine top predator community in southern Africa, and to infer the marine food web structure in a Marine Protected Area off the southern Namibian coast. The Namibian Islands Marine Protected Area supports the most important breeding population of bank cormorants (Phalacrocorax neglectus; Endangered), and historically was important for two other Endangered seabirds: African penguins and Cape gannets (Morus capensis). Non-threatened marine top predators studied in the system were: greater crested terns (Thalasseus bergii) and Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus). In the last 50 years, shelf waters off southern Namibia have been overfished, resulting in an altered marine ecosystem; shoaling fish have been replaced by less nutrient-rich species such as hake (Merluccius spp.), jellyfish, and salps. Previous studies of the region’s food webs were based on traditional dietary analyses such as stomach content and scat analysis which provide short-term diet information. Here, I measured carbon and nitrogen SI ratios in several tissues of the marine top predators, and those of their potential prey species, to infer the marine food web for this region, and to complement short-term data obtained from traditional dietary analyses. Among the predator guild, Cape gannets had the lowest δ13C and δ15N values, indicating that they fed the farthest offshore and at the lowest trophic level both during the breeding season (from whole blood) and moulting period (from feathers). As expected, bank cormorant δ13C values indicated that they fed more benthically than the other predators, and Cape fur seals fed at the highest trophic level. African penguin tissue SI ratios were intermediate between those of Cape gannets and Cape fur seals. Greater crested terns exhibited the highest δ13C values, suggesting that they fed closest to shore. Bayesian mixing models used with species-specific discrimination factors (when available) revealed some resource partitioning among the marine top predators in this region but many made use of similar resources; sardine (Sardinops sagax), squid (Loligo reynaudii), and rock lobster (Jasus lalandii). This work highlights the most likely prey items used by marine top predators outside of the breeding period, and provides new insights into the food web of this region. Prior to the start of industrial fishing, marine top predators in this region mainly ate sardine and anchovy. Despite the collapse of these species’ populations in the 1970s, marine top predators currently still make use of these prey resources, which concurs with the results found from stomach content and scat analyses. In this thesis, I have shown experimentally that SI ratios vary slightly as feathers age in penguins. I have also used the SI technique in an ecological context to add to the knowledge on the diet of marine top predators of an overfished ecosystem. Overall I have shown how the SI approach can add to our understanding of trophic ecology, and also how the method is dependent on accurate SI inputs in order to make accurate dietary inferences.
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Xia, Yang. "Impact of varying NH₄⁺˸NO₃⁻ ratios in nutrient solution on C-isotope composition of leaf- and root-respired CO₂ and putative respiratory substrates in C₃ plants." Thesis, Université Paris-Saclay (ComUE), 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019SACLS222.
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La composition isotopique (¹³C/¹²C) du CO₂ respiré par les feuilles et les racines dans l'obscurité et celle des substrats respiratoires putatifs, y compris les sucres solubles et les acides organiques (malate et citrate), l'activité de la PEPc ainsi que les échanges gazeux des feuilles ont été déterminés sur le haricot (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) et l’épinards (Spinacia oleracea L.) cultivés dans du sable avec différents rapports NH₄⁺: NO₃⁻ dans N fourni. Le CO₂ respiré par les feuilles était enrichi en ¹³C sous NO₃⁻ s’appauvrissant progressivement avec l’augmentation de la fraction de NH₄⁺ dans le N fourni, tandis que la composition isotopique du CO₂ issu de la respiration des racines restait inchangée quel que soit le rapport NH₄⁺: NO₃⁻. Nous avons suggéré qu'une plus grande quantité de pools enrichis en ¹³C fixés par la PEPc via la voie anaplérotique contribuait à la respiration foliaire sous NO₃⁻. Cependant, un effet similaire dans les racines attendu sous NH₄⁺ a été masqué en raison d'une refixation (par la PEPc) du CO₂ respiré (appauvrie en ¹³C). De manière inattendue, les modifications de la composition isotopique du C des métabolites individuels, leurs quantités, ainsi que l'activité de l’enzyme PEPc, présentaient des profils différents entre les deux espèces étudiées. Des expériences de double marquage (¹³C et ¹⁵N) sont nécessaires pour mieux comprendre l’impact de la plasticité métabolique du TCA sur l’écart isotopique entre le malate et le citrate et sur la composition isotopique du CO₂ respiré chez différentes espèces sous différentes formes d’azoteC-isotope composition of leaf- and root-respired CO₂ in the dark and that of putative respiratory substrates including soluble sugars and organic acids (malate and citrate), PEPc activity, as well as leaf gas exchanges were determined on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) plants grown in sand with varying ratios of NH₄⁺: NO₃⁻ in supplied N. Leaf-respired CO₂ was ¹³C enriched under NO₃⁻ nutrition and became progressively ¹³C depleted with increasing amount of NH₄⁺ in supplied N, while C-isotope composition of root-respired CO₂ remained unchanged across N-type gradient. We suggested that a higher amount of ¹³C enriched C-pools fixed by PEPc through anaplerotic pathway contributed to respired CO₂ in leaves under NO₃⁻ nutrition. However, a similar effect in roots expected under NH4+ nutrition was masked because of a rather ¹³C depleted C source (respired CO₂) refixation by PEPc. Unexpectedly, the changes in C-isotope composition of individual metabolites and their amounts as well as PEPc activity exhibited different patterns between the two species. Double labelling experiments (¹³C and ¹⁵N) are needed for better understanding the impact of metabolic plasticity of TCA on isotopic gap between malate and citrate and on C-isotope composition of respired CO₂ in different species under varying N-type nutrition
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Sholto-Douglas, A. D. "The use of stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen to elucidate pelagic marine foodwebs of the Benguela and Agulhas Bank regions of South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17370.
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Bibliography: pages 75-84.Isotope assessments of foodweb relationships amongst pelagic organisms may be influenced by their lipid content, since lipids are more depleted in ¹³C than other biochemical compounds. This is particularly important for plankton which show a greater decrease in δ¹³C caused by the failure to remove lipids during sample preparation, than the muscle tissue of pelagic fish species. Lipid removal is important for those fish species whose lipid content and magnitude of diet-consumer fractionation are simultaneously related to their size. The period required for pelagic fish to isotopically reflect a new diet is slow, of the order of months and years, and may depend on the diet and the magnitude of isotopic change displayed. It is likely that this rate decreases as the fish approach isotopic equilibrium with the new food source.
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Beukes, Brandon. "Examining intra- and interspecific variability in the diet and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of kingklip and monkfish caught off the West and South coasts of South Africa." University of Western Cape, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/8234.
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Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv and Cons Biol)Kingklip (Genypterus capensis) and monkfish (Lophius vomerinus) and are ecologically and economically important demersal fish species that are found along both the eastern and western parts of southern Africa’s coastline. Despite their commercial value, limited information exists focusing on the trophic ecology of these two species. This is the first study to make use of both stomach content analysis and stable isotope analysis to directly compare and examine the trophic ecology of G. capensis and L. vomerinus off the West and South coast of South Africa.
2022
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Parkins, Colleen Ann. "Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in the shallow-water cape hake, merluccius capensis (castelnau) as indicators of trophic position and diet on the west and south coasts of South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6156.
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Bibliography: leaves 44-53.13C/12C and 15N/14N were used to indicate the trophic levels of the shallow-water Cape hake, Merluccius capensis (Castelnau) at three sites on the west coast of South Africa, and five sites on the south coast. Gut content analyses show only the very recent diet of hake, therefore stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were used to show the longer-term diet, integrated over the turnover time of the muscle tissue and bone collagen analysed. 13C/12C is 1-2%₀ higher in the tissues of a consumer than its diet (DeNiro and Epstein 1978), the difference in 15N/14N between a consumer and its food being 3-4%₀ (DeNiro and Epstein 1981). Both 13C/12C and 15N/14N indicate trophic enrichment between hake muscle tissue and bone collagen, and the gut contents and prey, and show that small and large hake feed at different trophic levels, large hake tissues being slightly heavier in 13C than small hake tissues, and containing 2-4%₀ more 15N than muscle tissue and bone collagen, and the gut contents and prey, and show that small and large hake feed at different trophic levels, large hake tissues being slightly heavier in 13C than small hake tissues, and containing 2-4%₀ and more 15N than muscle tissue and bone collagen of small hake.
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Traffichini, Andrea M. "Reconstruction of Northeastern Pacific Ocean Holocene Production Using Marine Mammal Archaeofauna." Thesis, NSUWorks, 2019. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd/513.
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Changes in marine production play a key role in determining the trophic structure of the northeastern Pacific Ocean. This is a region of great environmental fluctuations due to modern, historical, and paleo-environmental variability recorded throughout the Holocene. These fluctuations are recorded in the bone collagen of the marine mammals that reside in these waters. Marine mammal remains from four previously excavated archaeological deposits on Unalaska Island, Alaska are used as a proxy for marine production changes throughout the Holocene (4,500 BP to 350 BP). Historic and modern samples from museum collections, subsistence harvests, and previously published data provide a distinct contrast to prehistoric marine mammals. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) derived from marine mammal bone collagen correlate to changes in marine production and food web length. The 13C and 15N of prehistoric marine mammal taxa covary through the Holocene, indicating no trophic level change with fluctuations in 13C. Changes in δ13C and δ15N of marine mammals are correlated to periods of environmental fluctuations within the Holocene. Cooler climatic periods (transitional interval, beginning of the Neoglacial Interval, and Little Ice Age) show enrichedδ13C, reflecting primary production increase, compared to warmer climate periods (end of the Neoglacial Interval into the Medieval Climatic Anomaly). Unidentified cetacean bones are isotopically distinguishable into orders Mysticeti (baleen) and Odontoceti (toothed) due to different feeding ecologies. The δ13C depletion in modern pinnipeds compared to prehistoric is likely caused by the effect of increased anthropogenic atmospheric CO2 and resulting decrease in primary production.
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Howcroft, Rachel. "Weaned Upon A Time : Studies of the Infant Diet in Prehistory." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för arkeologi och antikens kultur, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-88237.
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This thesis is concerned with how prehistoric infants were fed in different physical and cultural environments, and in particular what impact the economic, social, and epidemiological changes associated with the development of agriculture had on infant feeding practices. In order to examine these effects, stable isotope ratio analysis has been used to assess the duration of breastfeeding and weaning in a variety of prehistoric contexts. The first study is of Pitted Ware Culture hunter-gatherers at the site of Ajvide on Gotland, Sweden. Breastfeeding usually continued for at least two years, but there was some variation in supplementary foods, which is attributed to seasonal variations in resource availability. The second study analysed a number of Neolithic and early Bronze Age sites from south-east Poland. Breastfeeding duration varied both within and between sites and ranged from six months to five years. The third study found that the infant feeding practices of two Iron Age populations on Öland, Sweden, were very varied, and infants may have been fed differently depending on their social status. The fourth study is of the childhood diet in the Únětice Culture of south-west Poland. Individual diets changed little during the lifetime, suggesting that eventual adult identity was determined early in life. A small number of infants in the study were found to have breastfed for differing lengths of time. The final paper considers the health consequences of introducing animal milks into the infant diet in a prehistoric context, and finds that their availability is unlikely to have made it possible to safely wean infants earlier. Comparison of the results from the four stable isotope studies to those of other published studies reveals that the modal age at the end of weaning was slightly lower in agricultural communities than hunter-gatherer communities, but the range of ages was similar. Weaning prior to the age of eighteen months was rare before the post-medieval period. It is argued that the gradual reduction in breastfeeding duration since the Neolithic, and the replacement of breastmilk with animal milk products, means that on the whole the development of agriculture probably served to increase infant morbidity and mortality.At the time of doctoral defense the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Manuscript; Paper 4: Accepted; Paper 5: Forthcoming 2014
Lactase Persistence and the early Cultural History of Europe (LeCHE)
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Fomes, Charles William. "Development of novel oxidation catalysts for carbon isotope ratio analysis." Thesis, Open University, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.343742.
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Kim, Moon Koo. "Stable carbon isotope ratio of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment: validation of isolation and stable carbon isotope analysis methods." Diss., Texas A&M University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/1099.
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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous, toxic contaminants that are released to the environment from various petrogenic and pyrogenic sources. In an effort to more clearly identify and trace sources of PAHs in the environment, purification and compound specific isotope analysis methods were developed to accurately measure the stable carbon isotope ratio of individual PAHs. Development of the method included improving accuracy and precision of the isotopic measurement by producing highly pure extracts using various chromatographic techniques. The method was refined by improving compound separations using purification techniques and high resolution chromatographic columns. The purification method consists of alumina/silica gel column chromatography, gel permeation chromatography and thin layer chromatography. The mean recovery of PAHs after the purification procedure was approximately 80 %. Sample purities after purification were verified by GC/FID and full scan mass spectrometry. To better resolve peaks and provide more accurate stable carbon isotope measurements, various gas chromatographic conditions were evaluated. The precision of the method ranged between 0.08 and 0.43 . The analytical protocols were evaluated to confirm compositional and stable isotopic integrity during purification and stable isotopic analysis. To confirm the utility of the purification and isotope analysis methods, various environmental samples from marine, land and lacustrine environments were analyzed. The isolates were analyzed for the composition and the stable carbon isotope ratios of PAHs. The stable carbon isotope ratio was measured by GC/IRMS and the results, along with quantitative compound compositions, were used to characterize and identify the contaminant sources. The sources of the PAHs in the study areas were differentiated by PAH molecular ratios and confirmed by stable carbon isotope ratios. This study confirms that compound specific isotope analysis of pollutants by GC/IRMS can be used to identify PAH sources in environmental samples. The study also confirms that the purification and stable carbon isotope analysis methods that were developed can be used to accurately measure the stable carbon isotope ratios of PAHs in environmental samples for the purpose of source identification. GC/IRMS measurement of stable isotopic compositions can be an effective fingerprinting method when used in conjunction with traditional molecular composition methods.
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Carr, R. H. "High sensitivity stable carbon isotope ratio mass spectrometry : instrument development application." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1985. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.303835.
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Middleton, Gideon Paul Grevatt. "Variations in the carbon isotope ratio of phytoplankton and dissolved inorganic carbon in the marine environment." Thesis, Bangor University, 1997. https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/variations-in-the-carbon-isotope-ratio-of-phytoplankton-and-dissolved-inorganic-carbon-in-the-marine-environment(b0e1349d-7de6-46f5-ab2a-cc4b939b8b0c).html.
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The two main aims of this study were; (i) to determine the equilibrium fractionation effects of the stable isotopes of carbon between dissolved molecular CO2 (C02(aq) ) and bicarbonate (HC03-) (Eb/a ) and HC03 - and carbonate (CO/-) (Eclb ) in sea water, and (ii) to investigate the relationship between the isotopic composition of phytoplankton (013CpOC) and their photosynthetic source of inorganic carbon. To determine Eb/a and Eclb in sea water (S = -34) experiments were conducted at different pHs and two temperatures (SOC and 20°C). The measured values of Eb/a (SOC = 11.67 ± 0.34 %0 and 20°C = 9.48 ± 0.26 %0) agreed well with previous estimates derived in distilled water indicating Ebla is not modified by the ionic effects of sea water. The values of Ec/b determined during the same experiments were significantly larger than previous estimates (SOC = -8.1 ± 2.2 %0 and 20°C = -14.2 ± 2.4 %0). This may indicate that the measurement made during this study are in error. It is suggested that the error is either due to the relative imprecision associated with the determination of the isotopic composition of the total dissolved inorganic carbon pool or due to incomplete isotopic equilibrium within the experimental system. The relationship between changes in the o13Croc and the dissolved inorganic carbon pool was investigated during temporal studies of phytoplankton blooms in a mesocosm and the Menai Strait, North Wales. During the mesocosm experiment the isotopic enrichment between the phytoplankton and CO2(aq) (EPOC/a ) decreased from -- -10 %0 to - +0 %0 during the course of the bloom. The observed changes in 013CpOC are generally consistent with previously published empirical models which assume CO2(aq) is the exclusive source of photosynthetic inorganic carbon. This agreement, and the application of physiological models appeared to confirm that CO2(aq) is the most likely source of photosynthetic inorganic carbon. The o13Croc results obtained during two consecutive phytoplankton blooms in the Menai Strait, North Wales, were corrected for the presence of refractory organic matter to obtain the isotopic signal associated with the phytoplankton, 013Cp. It was apparent that the relationship between 013Cp and [C02(aq)] differed between the two blooms. During the first bloom ( diatomaceous), the observed relationship between 013Cp and [C02(aq)] was consistent with the uptake of CO2(aq). However, the 013Cp signal during the second bloom, dominated by Phaeocystis, was independent of the [C02(aq)J and therefore it was concluded that HC03- is the most likely source of inorganic carbon.
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Kannath, Arun. "Precision measurement of carbon isotope ratio in exhaled breath for the detection of Helicobacter pylori." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2009. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/68791/.
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The utility of breath trace compounds as bio-markers for various physiological conditions has long been exploited for the diagnosis of various diseases. Urea breath tests have been adopted as the gold standard for the detection of Helicobacter pylori which is a primary cause for acute gastritis and peptic ulcers. In these tests, small changes in the ratio of stable CO2 isotopomers, 13CO2 and 12CO2, present in exhaled breath are measured precisely and this is conventionally done by using an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer. However, the huge cost and complexity involved in operating these instruments has restricted their widespread use. A viable and low cost alternative is offered by instruments employing non-dispersive infrared absorption techniques. The feasibility of such an instrument has been explored in this work. The instrument presented here is a two channel isotope ratiometer that performs whole band integrated absorption measurements. Detection is based on a novel feedback mech- anism whereby an imbalance in the channel absorptions causes the pathlength along one of the channels to be altered in order to bring the system back to balance. This change in ratio of pathlengths is directly related to the change in the 13CO2/12CO2 concentration. Signffcant amount of work has already been done to investigate the effects of interferences from coincident absorption bands and other spectral effects that can lead to spurious results. A comprehensive description of the overall system design, development and performance evaluation of the first prototype instrument has been presented here. This involved significant computer modeling and simulations and the results were verified experimentally. These results provided sufficient evidence to suggest the feasibility of such an instrument as a diagnostic tool. It was also concluded that some design improvements were required to circumvent issues related to pathlength variation and a list of recommendations has been provided for this purpose. On the basis of the results obtained as part of this research endeavour, it was concluded that the non-dispersive instrument design presented here can form the basis for a low cost commercial alternative for performing carbon isotope ratio breath tests.
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Muccio, Zeland. "Isotope ratio mass spectrometry a rapidly developing tool for forensic samples /." Ohio : Ohio University, 2010. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?ohiou1263488205.
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SILVA, GILSON CRUZ DA. "SOURCE APPOINTMENT OF FOSSIL FUELS AND BIOFUELS USING CARBON, HYDROGEN AND OXIGEN ISOTOPIC RATIOS." PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO, 2015. http://www.maxwell.vrac.puc-rio.br/Busca_etds.php?strSecao=resultado&nrSeq=29646@1.
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PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIROCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR
PROGRAMA DE SUPORTE À PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO DE INSTS. DE ENSINO
A frota veicular brasileira utiliza largamente combustíveis fósseis, como a gasolina, e biocombustíveis, como o bioetanol, este último utilizado in natura, na forma hidratada, ou como aditivo para a gasolina, na forma anidra. Em caso de vazamento destes combustíveis leves para o meio ambiente, a correlação entre contaminantes e fontes suspeitas aplicando técnicas tradicionais, como a Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada à Espectrometria de Massas (GC-MS - Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry) é extremamente difícil, pois gasolinas não possuem biomarcadores e apresentam distribuições de hidrocarbonetos semelhantes, enquanto a diferenciação inequívoca do etanol é inviável. Uma alternativa analítica recente é a Análise de Isótopos Estáveis de Compostos Específicos (CSIA - Compound-specific stable isotope analysis) por meio de Espectrometria de Massas de Razão Isotópica em Fluxo Contínuo (CF-IRMS - Continuous Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry). Neste trabalho, uma metodologia de análise isotópica aplicável à gasolina foi implementada utilizando também a extração em Headspace (HS-CF-IRMS). A introdução de amostras por Micro Extração em Fase Sólida (SPME - Solid Phase Micro Extraction), como alternativa ao Headspace, também foi avaliada, apresentando, no entanto, problemas técnicos que restringiram seu uso apenas aos padrões de BTEX, inviabilizando sua aplicação em amostras de gasolina nas condições testadas. Foram analisadas as razões isotópicas de hidrogênio (delta elevado a 2 H) de tolueno, etilbenzeno e xilenos de 38 amostras de gasolina coletadas em 12 refinarias brasileiras ao longo de várias campanhas de amostragem, visando avaliar a existência de assinaturas isotópicas específicas para cada refinaria pesquisada. Os resultados foram avaliados estatisticamente utilizando Análise de Variância (ANOVA), na qual foram encontrados grupos de dados estatisticamente homogêneos. A representação e análise gráfica tridimensional destes grupos de dados permitiu identificar seis refinarias com razões isotópicas específicas, assim como dois conjuntos de refinarias agrupadas por similaridade de assinaturas isotópicas na maioria dos gráficos estudados. No entanto, devido a valores discrepantes entre campanhas distintas para algumas refinarias, os resultados preliminares obtidos neste estudo são válidos somente para as campanhas não excluídas no tratamento estatístico, não podendo, portanto, ser entendidos como uma regra geral. Com relação ao etanol, marcadores isotópicos foram utilizados e testados como ferramenta para identificação de sua origem geográfica. Neste caso, foram avaliadas as razões isotópicas de carbono (delta elevado a 13 C) e hidrogênio (elevado a 2 H) do biocombustível produzido em quatro usinas localizadas em áreas de cultivo dos estados do Amazonas (Norte), Mato Grosso (Centro-Oeste), São Paulo (Sudeste) e Rio Grande do Sul (Sul), bem como os valores de delta13C da cana-de-açúcar coletada nos respectivos canaviais. A técnica empregada foi CF-IRMS. Também foram determinados os perfis isotópicos de oxigênio (delta elevado a 18 O) e hidrogênio em água da planta, do solo de cultivo, da precipitação pluviométrica e de corpos d água associados aos canaviais das respectivas usinas, através da técnica de Espectroscopia de Infravermelho de Razão Isotópica (IRIS – Isotope Ratio Infrared Spectroscopy). O etanol apresentou variações sazonais de delta2H similares às observadas para a água da planta, ressaltando a influência do ciclo hidrológico na sua razão isotópica. Foi constatado que a influência substancial e complexa do ciclo hidrológico sobre delta elevado a 2 H, aliada à pequena variação de delta elevado a 13 C, dificulta o uso destes isótopos como marcadores de origem do etanol.
Brazilian vehicle fleet makes wide use of fossil fuels and biofuels such as gasoline and bioethanol, the latter used neat, hydrated, or as gasoline additive, anhydrous. In case of leakage of such light fuels to the environment, correlation between contaminants and suspicious sources applying traditional techniques such as Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is extremely difficult, since gasoline does not have biomarkers and presents similar hydrocarbons distributions, while unambiguous differentiation of ethanol is unfeasible. A recent analytical alternative is the Compound-Specific Stable Isotope Analysis (CSIA) by Continuous Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (CF-IRMS). In this work, a methodology for isotopic analysis suitable to gasoline was implemented using also headspace extraction (HS-CF-IRMS). Sample introduction using Solid Phase Micro-Extraction (SPME) as an alternative to Headspace was also evaluated, presenting, however, technical problems which restricted its use only to BTEX standards, preventing its application in gasoline samples under the tested conditions. Analyses of hydrogen isotopic ratios (delta 2 H) for toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes present in the composition of 38 gasoline samples collected in 12 Brazilian refineries were performed along several sampling campaigns, aiming at the assessment of the existence of specific isotopic signatures for each refinery studed. Results obtained were statistically evaluated using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), yielding statistically homogeneous groups of data. Graphical representation analysis in 3D of these data sets allowed the identification of six refineries with specific isotopic ratios, as well as two sets grouped by similarity of their isotopic ratios in most of the studied plots. However, due to inconsistent values between different campaigns for some refineries, the preliminary results obtained in this study are valid only for the campaigns not excluded in the statistical treatment, therefore they cannot be understood as a general rule. Regarding to ethanol, isotopic markers were used and tested as a tool for identification of its geographical origin. In this case carbon and hydrogen isotopic ratios (delta 13 C and delta 2 H) were evaluated in the biofuel produced in four sugarcane mills located in crop areas from the states of Amazonas (North), Mato Grosso (Center-West), São Paulo (Southeast) and Rio Grande do Sul (South), as well as delta 13 C values in plants collected in respective sugarcane fields. The technique used was CF-IRMS. Also, oxygen (delta 18 O) and hydrogen isotopic patterns were determined in plant-water, soil-water, rainwater, and water from reservoirs and some rivers associated to each sugarcane mill, through Isotope Ratio Infrared Spectroscopy (IRIS). Ethanol showed similar seasonal variation of delta 2 H as those observed for plant-water, highlighting the influence of hydrological cycle on the isotopic fingerprint of the alcohol. It was found that the substantial and complex influence of the hydrological cycle on delta 2 H and the small variations on delta 13 C constrain the use of isotopes as tracers for ethanol origin.
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Milam, Stefanie Nicole. "Following Carbon's Evolutionary Path: From Nucleosynthesis to the Solar System." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/194067.
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Studies of carbon's evolutionary path have been conducted via millimeter and submillimeter observations of circumstellar envelopes (CSEs), planetary nebulae (PNe), molecular clouds and comets. The 12C/13C isotope ratio was measured in Galactic molecular clouds using the CN isotopologs. A gradient of 12CN/13CN was determined to be 12C/13C = 6.01 DGC +12.28, where DGC is distance from the Galactic center. The results of CN are in agreement with those of CO and H2CO indicating a true ratio not influenced by fractionation effects or isotope-selective photodissociation. The 12C/13C isotope ratios in the envelopes of various types of stars were also measured from both CO and CN isotopologs. Such objects as carbon and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, supergiants, planetary nebulae, and S-type stars were observed. Results from this study indicate 12C/13C values for supergiants ~ 10 and AGB stars 12C/13C ~ 20- 76. Theory would suggest a lower ratio for objects undergoing third dredge-up, though this is seemingly not the case. Multiple carbon-bearing species including CO, HCN, HNC, CN, CS, and HCO+ have also been observed towards the oxygen-rich supergiant, VY CMa. This object has recently revealed a unique chemistry where carbon is not solely contained in CO, and may play a more important role in the chemical network of oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes. Additionally, observations of species with carbon- carbon bonds, such as CCH and c-C3H2, have been conducted towards evolved planetary nebulae, such as the Helix and Ring nebulae. There is a close agreement in the inventories of species found in PNe and diffuse clouds, suggesting a potential molecular precursor to the interstellar medium. Observations of carbon-bearing species (H2CO and CO) in comets C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp), C/2001 Q4 (NEAT), and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) have been conducted. Formaldehyde is known to have an extended distribution in these objects, likely arising from silicate-organic grains. Evidence of cometary fragmentation was also obtained for H2CO in comet T7 LINEAR as well as for HNC and HCO+ in Hale-Bopp. Such events could contribute to planetary distribution of organics.
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Favaro, Yvette Leeann. "Molecular characterization and carbon isotope ratio analysis of marine hydrocarbons in sediments from Trinity Bay, Newfoundland." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ34180.pdf.
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Juranek, Lauren Wray. "Assessment of Pacific Ocean carbon production and export using measurements of dissolved oxygen isotopes and oxygen/argon gas ratios /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/11055.
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Hörner, Gerald, Steffen Lau, Zoltan Kantor, and Hans-Gerd Löhmannsröben. "Isotope selective analysis of CO2 with tunable diode laser (TDL) spectroscopy in the NIR." Universität Potsdam, 2004. http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2006/1016/.
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The performance of a home-built tunable diode laser (TDL) spectrometer, aimed at multi-line detection of carbon dioxide, has been evaluated and optimized. In the regime of the (3001)III / (000) band of 12CO2 around 1.6 μm, the dominating isotope species 12CO2, 13CO2, and 12C18O16O were detected simultaneously without interference by water vapor. Detection limits in the range of few ppmv were obtained for each species utilizing wavelength modulation (WM) spectroscopy with balanced detection in a long-path absorption cell set-up. High sensitivity in conjunction with high precision —typically ±1‰ and ±6‰ for 3% and 0.7% of CO2, respectively— renders this experimental approach a promising analytical concept for isotope-ratio determination of carbon dioxide in soil and breath gas. For a moderate 12CO2 line, the pressure dependence of the line profile was characterized in detail, to account for pressure effects on sensitive measurements.
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Sun, Chenggong. "Source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment using gas chromatography : stable carbon isotope ratio mass spectrometry." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.248363.
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Anderson, Kelly C. "Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of subfossil rats from Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia)." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2011. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/4837.
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This research study investigated the level of bone collagen preservation of rat femora from Liang Bua cave on the island of Flores, Indonesia, as well as conducted carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic analyses on well preserved samples. Although Flores is located in a hot intermediate tropical zone and the burial environment of the bone samples within the cave is considered less than optimal for collagen preservation, significant preservation of the bone collagen was found. Collagen yields, C:N ratio and carbon and nitrogen concentrations were investigated. However, this research study argues that carbon and nitrogen concentrations are an appropriate means to determine preservation on its own. According to the carbon and nitrogen concentration data 32 samples were considered well preserved. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic analyses were conducted on the 32 preserved samples. According to the carbon data a significant shift in the [delta][super13]C values from a C[sub3] signature to a C[sub4] signature occurred prior to 2,750 years ago. This shift is indicative of the introduction of a non-endemic C[sub4] plant, which is believed to be either foxtail millet or sugarcane. Since this shift occurs abruptly it indicates that the introduction of agriculture to Flores occurred at one time and has continued to present day.ID: 030423461; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (M.A.)--University of Central Florida, 2011.; Includes bibliographical references.
M.A.
Masters
Anthropology
Sciences
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NAKAMURA, Toshio, Hiroki KONDO, 俊夫 中村, and 宏樹 近藤. "加速器質量分析計を用いた鉄製遺物の14C年代測定に関する基礎研究." 名古屋大学年代測定資料研究センター, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2237/18163.
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Pietraszek-Mattner, Sarah R. "Characterizing progression of aerobic degradation of Paleozoic petroleums in Indiana soils using molecular ratios and carbon isotopic signatures." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2004. http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/3162258.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Geological Sciences, 2004.Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Dec. 1, 2008). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-01, Section: B, page: 0166. Chair: Lisa M. Pratt.
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Ohta, Tomoko, Toshio Nakamura, 友子 太田, and 俊夫 中村. "グラファイト生成と炭素同位体比変動 : 鉄触媒とサルフィックス処理の効果." 名古屋大学年代測定資料研究センター, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2237/16536.
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Upsdell, Brynn. "The carbon and nitrogen composition of suspended particulate matter in Lake Erie, selected tributaries, and its outflow." Thesis, University of Waterloo, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/1219.
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Since their introduction to Lake Erie, dreissenid mussels may have reengineered the cycling of nutrients in the lake so that the nearshore benthic community intercepts, retains, and recycles greater quantities of nutrients. This study traces particulate matter on a basin scale by characterizing the chemical composition (POC and PN concentrations, POC/PN mass ratios, δ13C and δ15N) of suspended particulate matter in Lake Erie, three tributary inflows, and the lake outflow between May and October, 2002. The data are used to 1) determine the relative contributions of allochthonous and autochthonous sources to suspended particulate matter, 2) identify possible sources of suspended particulate matter, and 3) compare suspended particulate matter in the eastern basin of Lake Erie with that in the central and western basins. Mean POC concentrations range from 175 to 4494 µg/L and mean PN concentrations range from 33 to 812 µg/L in this system. Mean POC/PN mass ratios are similar across all sampling locations, ranging between 4. 5 and 6. 9, and indicate that suspended particulate matter at these sites is mainly derived from autochthonous sources, particularly plankton. The ranges of δ13C (-34 to -22 ?) and δ15N (1 to 12 ?) identify terrestrial plants and soil matter, aquatic macrophytes, phytoplankton, and sewage as possible sources of suspended particulate matter at all sites. Plankton is probably the dominant source of suspended particulate matter at each site, with smaller contributions from allochthonous and other autochthonous sources. Significant differences in the concentration and isotope data between inflow and lake or outflow sites indicate that tributary inflows may receive greater contributions from terrestrial plants and soils and aquatic macrophytes than the lake and outflow. δ15N signatures also identify animal manure as a possible source of suspended particulate matter at the inflows. PN concentrations and δ15N signatures suggest that the shallowest nearshore sites close to Peacock Point in the eastern basin receive PN from a source that is not present at the other eastern basin sites or at the sites in the central and western basins. This source may be related to dreissenid mussels at these nearshore sites recycling nitrogen back into the water column.
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Lloyd, Davidson A. "Effects of rhizosphere priming and microbial functions on soil carbon turnover." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2015. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/9278.
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A major uncertainty in soil carbon studies is how inputs of fresh plant-derived carbon affect the turnover of existing soil organic matter (SOM) by so-called priming effects. Priming may occur directly as a result of nutrient mining by existing microbial communities, or indirectly via microbial population adjustments. Soil type and conditions may also influence the intensity and direction of priming effects. However the mechanisms are poorly understood. The objectives of this study were (1) to investigate how additions of labile C4 substrate affected SOM turnover in two contrasting unplanted C3 soils (clayey fertile from Temple Balsall, Warwickshire (TB) and sandy acid from Shuttleworth, Bedfordshire (SH) using13 C isotope shifts; (2) to investigate the influence of rhizodeposition from plant roots on SOM turnover in the same two soils planted with a C4 grass; (3) to assess an automated field system for measuring soil temperature, moisture and photosynthesis sensitivities of SOM turnover in the same two soils over diurnal to seasonal time scales. I used a combination of laboratory incubation, glasshouse and field experiments. In the soil incubation experiment, I made daily applications of either a maize root extract or sucrose to soil microcosms at rates simulating grassland rhizodeposition, and followed soil respiration (Rs) and its δ13 C over 19 days. I inferred the extent of priming from the δ13 C of Rs and the δ13 C of substrate and soil end-members. There were positive priming effects in both soils in response to the two substrates. In the SH soil there were no differences in priming effects between the substrates. However in the TB soil, sucrose produced greater priming effects than maize root extract, and priming effects with sucrose increased over time whereas with maize root extract declined after the first week. I explain these effects in terms of the greater fertility of the TB soil and resulting greater microbial nitrogen mineralization induced by priming. Because the maize root extract contained some nitrogen, over time microbial nitrogen requirements were satisfied without priming whereas with sucrose the nitrogen demand increased over time. In the glasshouse experiment, I planted C4 Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) in pots with the same two soils. The extent of rhizodeposition by the plants was altered by intermittently clipping the grass in half the pots (there were also unplanted controls) and priming effects were inferred from the δ13 C of Rs and the δ13 C of plant and soil end-members. Unclipped plants in both soils generated positive priming effects, while clipping reduced priming in TB soil and produced negligible PEs in SH soil. Microbial nutrient mining of SOM again explained the observed PEs in this experiment. Photosynthesis was a major driver of priming effects in the planted systems. In the third experiment, I found that the tested automated chamber system provided reliable measurements of Rs and net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and it was possible to draw relations for the dependency of Rs and NEE on key environmental drivers. Collectively, the results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of priming effects and highlight possibilities for further research. The methods developed here will allow high temporal and spatial resolution measurements of Rs and NEE under field conditions, using stable isotope methods to separate fluxes into plant- and soil-derived components. Keywords: Soil respiration, soil moisture, soil temperature, Isotope ratio, maize root, flux chamber, climate change, organic matter, rhizodeposition.
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Roden, John S., James A. Johnstone, and Todd E. Dawson. "Regional And Watershed-Scale Coherence In The Stable-Oxygen and Carbon Isotope Ratio Time Series in Tree Rings Of Coast Redwood (Sequoia Sempervirens)." Tree-Ring Society, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/622643.
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Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) ecosystems are strongly influenced by the presence of
summer marine fog, and variation in fog frequency is closely linked to climate variation in the NE Pacific region. Because oxygen isotope composition (𝛿¹⁸O) of organic matter records distinct water sources (e.g. summertime fog vs. winter precipitation) and carbon isotopes (𝛿¹³C) are typically sensitive to humidity and water status, it then follows that inter-annual variation in tree-ring isotope ratios, which are coherent across multiple sites, should preserve a potentially powerful proxy for climate reconstruction. Here we present an analysis of a 50-year time series for both 𝛿¹⁸O and 𝛿¹³C values from subdivided tree rings obtained from multiple redwood trees at multiple sites. Within-site and between site correlations were highly significant (p < 0.01) for the 𝛿¹⁸O time series indicating a regionally coherent common forcing of 𝛿¹⁸O fractionation. Within-site and between-site correlation coefficients were lower for the 𝛿¹³C than for the 𝛿¹⁸O time series although most were still significant (at least to p < 0.05). The hypothesized reason for the differences in the correlation is that carbon isotope discrimination is more sensitive to microenvironmental and tree-level physiological variation than is 𝛿¹⁸O fractionation. Stable-isotope variation in tree-ring cellulose was similar between slope, gully and riparian micro-habitats within a single watershed, implying that minor topographic variation when sampling should not be a major concern. These results indicate that stable-isotope time series from
redwood tree rings are strongly influenced by regional climate drivers and potentially valuable proxies for Pacific coastal climate variability.
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Mablouké, Cécile. "Étude des ratios isotopiques du carbone et de l'azote de la matière organique particulaire et des muscles de poissons d'intérêt commercial d'écosystèmes côtiers tropicaux du sud-ouest de l'océan Indien : contribution à l'étude de leur fonctionnement." Thesis, La Réunion, 2013. http://www.theses.fr/2013LARE0017/document.
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L'objectif de cette thèse est l'étude du régime alimentaire de poissons côtiers commerciaux et la compréhension de l'utilité des isotopes stables du carbone (δ13C) et de l'azote (δ15N) dans l'étude des niches trophiques et de l'occupation des habitats côtiers par les poissons dans le sud-ouest de l'océan Indien. Dans la Baie de La Possession, les espèces représentatives des récifs artificiels immergés en 2003 (Luljanus kasmira, Priacanthus hamrur et Selar crumenophthalmus) ingèrent surtout des proies pélagiques et partitionnent leurs niches trophiques afin de limiter la compétition. Les valeurs de δ15N sont positivement corrélées avec la taille des poissons, traduisant une contribution croissante des larves de poissons au régime alimentaire. Les isotopes stables de la matière organique particulaire (MOP) ont été analysés à microéchelle (< 10 km) dans la Baie de La Possession, à mésoéchelle (10aines de km) autour de La Réunion et, pour les muscles de poissons à macroéchelle (l00aines de km) le long,du plateau .des Mascareignes.et du cana1 du Mozambique. À microéchelle, le δ15N de la MOP ne varie pas; à mésoechelle, Il existe un enrichissement significatif en 15N dans le sud-ouest de l'île; à macroéchelle, les muscles des poissons s'enrichissent progressivement en 15N vers le nord. À microéchelle, la MOP est enrichie en 13C à faible profondeur; à mésoéchelle, les stations de l'est sont enrichies en 13C ; à macroéchelle, aucune tendance n'est observée. Ainsi, l'utilité des isotopes stables du carbone pour l'étude de l'utilisation des habitats côtiers est limitée à méso- et macroéchelle et les isotopes stables de l'azote constituent un outil plus pertinent à macroéchelleThe aim of this thesis was to study the feeding habits of coastal fish species of commercial interest andto use stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to investigate the trophic niches of fish and their use of coastal habitats in the south-west Indian Ocean. In the Bay of La Possession, the species among the most abundant around the artificial reefs immersed in 2003 (Luljanus kasmira, Priacanthus hamrur and Selar crumenophthalmus) feed essentially on pelagic prey and partition their trophic niche to limit interspecific competition. There was also a positive correlation between fish size and muscle δ15N values due to fish larvae contributing more to the diet of fish with age. The stable isotopie composition of the particulate organic matter (POM) was measured at the microscale (< 10 km) in the Bay of La Possession, the mesoscale (10's of km) around Reunion Island and, for the fish muscles, at the macroscale 100’s of km) along the Mascarene plateau and the Mozambique channel. At microscale, POM δ15N values do not show any spatial variability; at mesoscale, POM is 15N-enriched in the south-west of Reunion Island; at macroscale, fish muscles are gradually 15N-enriched towards the north. At microscale, POM shows a 13C-enrichment on the shallowest station; at mesoscale, stations on the east coast of the island are 13C-enriched compared to the west; at macroscale, POMδ13C values are not significantly correlated with latitude. Thus, the stable isotopes of carbon do not seem to be appropriate for the study of fish coastal habitat use at the meso- and macroscale, and the stable isotopes of nitrogen represent a better indicator of fish habitat use at the macroscale
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Aboglila, Salem Abdulghni-O. "Organic and isotopic geochemistry of source-rocks and crude oils from the East Sirte Basin (Libya)." Thesis, Curtin University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2118.
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The Sirte Basin is a major oil producing area in Libya, but the understanding of the processes that have led to the petroleum accumulation is still limited. Exploration studies of this area have shown that the oils are mixtures of several charges and may be from different source rocks. The main aims of this thesis are to improve our understanding of the petroleum accumulation history in the East Sirte Basin.Biomarker ratios, together with stable carbon (δ[superscript]1[superscript]3C) and hydrogen (δD) isotopic compositions of individual hydrocarbons have been applied to 24 crude oils from the East Sirte Basin to delineate their sources and respective thermal maturities. The crude oil samples are divided into two main families (A and B) based on differences in source inputs and thermal maturity. Using source-specific biomarker parameters based on pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph), hopane/sterane ratios, dibenzothiophene (DBT) / phenanthrene (P), Pr/n-C[subscript]1[subscript]7, Ph/n-C[subscript]l[subscript]8 and the distribution of tricyclic and tetracyclic terpanes, family B oils are ascribed a marine source rock deposited under sub-oxic conditions, whereas family A oils have a more terrestrial source affinity. This source classification is supported by the stable carbon isotopic compositions (δ[superscript]1[superscript]3C) of the n-alkanes. Family A oils were found to be more mature based on differences between the stable hydrogen isotopic compositions (δD) of Pr and Ph and the n-alkanes, as well as the δ[superscript]1[superscript]3C values of n-alkanes.Within a complex geological setting several potential source rocks have been recognised, ranging in age from Precambrian to Eocene. Biomarker ratios, together with δ[superscript]1[superscript]3C and δD of individual hydrocarbons have been applied to 21 source rock extracts from the East Sirte Basin to establish their respective thermal maturity and palaeoenvironmental conditions of deposition. Rock Eval pyrolysis data obtained from the source rocks of the Sirte, Tagrifet, Rakb, Rachmat, Bahi and Nubian Formations show that the organic matter (OM) is mainly dominated by a Type II/III kerogen. Vitrinite reflectance (% R[subscript]o range: 0.46 – 1.38) data support variations in thermal maturity and indicate mature to post mature rocks of Sirte and Rachmat Formations and early to mid stage maturities for the rest of the formations. The Sirte Formation in the studied area was found to be relatively more thermally mature than the Tagrifet, Rakb, Rachmat, Bahi, and Nubian Formations, reflected by δD of Pr and Ph (less depleted in D).Various unusual steroid biomarkers in the oils and East Sirte source-rocks were identified by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC- metastable reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry. These included 24-norcholestanes, dinosteranes, 4α-methyl-24-ethylcholestanes and triaromatic steroids. Diatoms, dinoflagellates and/or their direct ancestors are the proposed sources of these components. These biomarker parameters have been used to establish a Mesozoic oil-source correlation of the East Sirte Basin. This is consistent with the presence of dinoflagellate cysts in the Nubian Formation of Lower Cretaceous age.
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Köten, Muharrem [Verfasser]. "An improved efficiency model for ACE-SWICS : determination of the carbon isotopic ratio 13C, 12C in the solar wind from ACE-SWICS measurements / Muharrem Köten." Kiel : Universitätsbibliothek Kiel, 2009. http://d-nb.info/1019812788/34.
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Alves, Marina Cabral. "Composição e acumulação da matéria orgânica (C, N, ligninas) nos sedimentos do sistema lagunar Mundaú – Manguaba, AL – Brasil." Niterói, 2017. https://app.uff.br/riuff/handle/1/3053.
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Universidade Federal Fluminense. Instituto de Química. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências- Geoquímica, Niterói, RJ
O Complexo Estuarino-Lagunar Mundaú-Manguaba (CELMM), situado no litoral nordeste do Brasil, vem sofrendo um processo contínuo de degradação ambiental, relacionado principalmente aos efluentes da agroindústria canavieira e ao crescimento urbano desordenado. Traçadores geoquímicos têm sido uma eficiente ferramenta na determinação da origem da matéria orgânica em sedimentos, se alóctone ou autóctone, podendo ser utilizados para identificar possíveis fontes de poluição produzidas por atividades antrópicas, bem como mudanças naturais no ambiente. Nesse contexto, esse trabalho teve como objetivo identificar a origem, transformação e acumulação recente da matéria orgânica nos sedimentos do CELMM. Para tal, cinco testemunhos, dois representando cada laguna, e um fluvial (Rio Mundaú), foram analisados quanto à distribuição vertical dos teores de argila, silte e areia, de carbono orgânico, da razão C/N, do 13C e de ligninas. A distribuição dos parâmetros analisados mostrou que a matéria orgânica sedimentar das lagunas tem origem predominantemente da sua própria produção primária fitoplanctônica. No entanto, a presença de ligninas, mesmo em baixas concentrações, indica a presença de material vegetal alóctone. No Rio Mundaú verificou-se a presença de material proveniente de angiospermas lenhosas, enquanto nas lagunas há grande mistura de angiospermas lenhosas e não lenhosas, sem um padrão claro de distribuição ao longo dos perfis. As razões (Ad/Al)v demonstraram que as ligninas encontradas possuem certo grau de degradação, contribuindo para uma possível redução na concentração total das mesmas, além de alterações nas razões S/V e C/V. A aplicação do índice LPVI (Lignin-Phenol Vegetation Index) para os lignino-fenóis permitiu obter maior clareza a cerca da evolução das fontes de material terrestre para o sistema, de forma que ficou evidente a transição de angiospermas lenhosas, vegetação anteriormente natural na bacia de drenagem, para angiospermas não lenhosas, a partir da expansão da atividade canavieira na região. Além disso, os resultados de acumulação de matéria orgânica nos sedimentos das lagunas demonstram um aumento de produtividade nas camadas mais recentes, como provável conseqüência dos efeitos da expansão agrícola e urbana no CELMM.
The Mundaú-Manguaba Estuarine-Lagoon System (MMELS), located in northeastern Brazil, has been undergoing a continuous process of environmental degradation, mainly related to the input of effluents from the sugar-cane industry and uncontrolled demographic expansion. Geochemical tracers have been an effective tool in determining allochthonous and autochtonous sources of organic matter in sediments. They have been applied to identify possible sources of pollution produced by human activities and natural changes in the environment. In this context, this study aimed to identify the origin, transformations and recent accumulation of organic matter in the sediments of MMELS. Five short cores, two representing each lagoon and one the fluvial end-member (Mundaú River), were analyzed for the vertical distribution of clay, silt and sand, organic carbon, the C/N ratio, 13C and lignins. The parameters showed that the sedimentary organic matter in the lagoons originated largely from its own phytoplanktonic primary production. However, the presence of lignin, albeit at low concentrations, indicated the presence of allochthonous plant material. In Mundaú River the presence of material derived from woody angiosperms was evident, while the lagoons exhibited a mixture of woody and non-woody materials, without a clear distributional pattern along the vertical profiles. The (Ad/Al)v ratios showed that the lignins were subject to a certain degree of degradation, contributing to a possible reduction in their total concentration and changes in the lignin-phenol S/V and C/V ratios. The application of the LPVI index (Lignin-Phenol Vegetation Index) for lignin-phenols allowed for a better understanding on the evolution of terrestrial material sources to the system, with a clear transition from woody angiosperms, representing the original vegetation in the drainage basin, to non-woody angiosperms, corroborating the expansion of sugar cane cultivation in the region. In addition, the results of organic matter accumulation in the lagoon’s sediments showed an increase of primary productivity in the more recent layers at the top of the cores, likely reflecting the effects of agricultural and urban expansion in MMELS
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Whittaker, Thomas Edward. "High-Resolution Speleothem-Based Palaeoclimate Records From New Zealand Reveal Robust Teleconnection To North Atlantic During MIS 1-4." The University of Waikato, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10289/2575.
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Growth rates, δ18O and δ13C of five stalagmites from the west coasts of North and South Islands, New Zealand, provide records of millennial-scale climate variability over the last ~75 kyr. Thirty-five uranium-series ages were used to provide the chronology. δ18O of stalagmite calcite was influenced by changes in moisture source region, temperature and both δ18O and δ13C primarily display a negative relationship with rainfall. To assist interpretation of climatic signals δ18O profiles were adjusted for the ice-volume effect. Changes in these proxies reflect changes in the strength of the circumpolar westerly circulation and the frequency of southwesterly flow across New Zealand. MIS 4 was a period of wet and cool climate lasting from 67.7 to 61.3 kyr B.P., expressed in the stalagmites by an interval of strongly negative isotope ratios and increased growth rate. This contrasts with less negative δ18O and δ13C, and slow growth, interpreted as dry and cold climate, during much of MIS 2. This difference between MIS 2 and MIS 4 provides an explanation for why glacial moraines in the Southern Alps of MIS 4 age lie beyond those deposited during the last glacial maximum (MIS 2). Heinrich events, with the exception of H0 (the Younger Dryas), are interpreted from high-resolution South Island stalagmite HW05-3, from Hollywood Cave, West Coast, as times of wetter and cooler climate. Minima in δ18O and δ13C (wet periods) occurred at 67.7-61.0, 56-55, 50.5-47.5, 40-39, 30.5-29, 25.5-24.3 and 16.1-15. kyr B.P. matching Heinrich events H6-H1 (including H5a) respectively. This demonstrates a robust teleconnection between events in the North Atlantic and New Zealand climate. Minima in δ18O also occurred at similar times in less well-dated North Island stalagmite RK05-3 from Ruakuri Cave, Waitomo. Speleothems from low-latitudes have revealed that Heinrich events forced southerly displacement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This caused steepening of the temperature gradient across mid-southern latitudes, increased westerly circulation and resulted in wet conditions on the west coast of both islands. Immediately following H1 in the HW05-3 stable isotope profiles is another excursion to more negative isotopic values, suggesting wet and cold climate, lasting from 14.6 to 13.0 kyr B.P. Such a climate on the West Coast at this time has been previously suggested from glacier advance (e.g. Waiho Loop moraine) and decreased abundance of tall trees on the landscape. This event occurred too early to be a response to H0, but is synchronous with a return to cool climate in Antarctica. Thus West Coast climate appears to have been sensitive to changes in Antarctica as well as the North Atlantic. Isotopic minima (wet and cool climate) in South Island stalagmite GT05-5, which formed during the Holocene, first occurred 4.6 kyr B.P. This began a series of four oscillations in isotope ratios, the last terminating when the stalagmite was collected (2006). Onset of these oscillations is associated with initiation of ice advance in the Southern Alps, and beginning of the Neoglacial. The last oscillation displays enriched isotope ratios lasting from 1.2 to 0.8 kyr B.P. succeeded by depleted ratios lasting until 0.15 kyr B.P., mirroring the Medieval Climate Optimum and Little Ice Age, respectively, of European palaeoclimate records.
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Campos, Marília de Carvalho. "Variabilidade milenar da Corrente do Brasil e do clima da América do Sul durante o último período glacial." Universidade de São Paulo, 2016. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/100/100136/tde-27072016-113954/.
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A Corrente do Brasil (CB) representa o ramo sul da bifurcação da Corrente Sul Equatorial que interage com a margem continental sudeste do Brasil. A temperatura da superfície do mar na região da CB exerce um importante papel no controle da intensidade e posição da Zona de Convergência do Atlântico Sul, um dos principais componentes do Sistema de Monção da América do Sul (SMAS). Tal sistema atmosférico é responsável pela precipitação de verão em grande parte do continente sul-americano, sendo, portanto, uma feição natural de grande importância para o contexto político-econômico nacional e internacional. Além disto, a CB é marcantemente influenciada pela Atlantic Meridional Overturnig Circulation (AMOC), cujas oscilações pretéritas foram responsáveis por mudanças abruptas no clima global. Atualmente, os poucos registros paleoceanográficos disponíveis no sudoeste do Atlântico Sul não permitem uma reconstituição detalhada das mudanças ocorridas na CB durante o último período glacial. Esta Dissertação de Mestrado visou reconstituir a variabilidade da CB ao redor de 32°S durante os eventos Heinrich Stadial (HS) 3 e 2, bem como seus impactos no clima da porção sudeste da América do Sul. Para tanto, foi investigado um testemunho sedimentar marinho coletado na margem continental sul do Brasil sob a influência da CB. Para este testemunho foram produzidos modelo de idades baseado em datações 14C, análises de isótopos estáveis de carbono e oxigênio, bem como análises de Mg/Ca, ambas em testas de foraminíferos planctônicos e análises de fluorescência de raios-X em amostras de sedimento total. Os resultados mostram que durante os eventos HS (notadamente durante o HS2) ocorreu marcante aumento na taxa de sedimentação bem como nas razões ln(Ti/Ca) e ln(Fe/Ca), e diminuição na composição dos isótopos estáveis de carbono bem como na temperatura e salinidade da superfície do mar. Tais alterações foram relacionadas à desintensificação da AMOC, à intensificação da ressurgência do Oceano Austral e ao fortalecimento do SMAS. A ocorrência de uma estrutura em w nos registros dos HSs apresentados aqui, bem como em registros do Atlântico Norte e da América do Sul, sugere que esta estrutura é uma característica do HS2, e possivelmente também do HS3The Brazil Current (BC) represents the southern branch of the bifurcation of the South Equatorial Current that interacts with the southeastern Brazilian continental margin. Sea surface temperature at BC region plays an important role in controlling the intensity and position of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone, which represents one of the main componets of the South American Monsoon System (SAMS). This atmospheric system is responsible for summer precipitation in a large sector of South America, and, therefore, it is a natural feature of great importance for the national and international political-economic context. Moreover, the BC is markedly influenced by the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) whose past oscillations generated marked global abrupt climatic changes. Presently, the few paleoceanographic records available from the western South Atlantic do not allow a detailed reconstruction of the changes that happened in the BC during the last glacial cycle. This MSc. dissertation aimed at reconstructing the variability of the BC around 32°S during the events Heinrich Stadial (HS) 3 and 2, as well as its impacts on the climate of southeastern South America. Therefore, we investigated one marine sediment core collected in the southern Brazilian continental margin, under the influence of the BC. For this core we produced an age model based on 14C ages, downcore records of carbon and oxygen stable isotopes and Mg/Ca, both in tests of planktonic foraminifera, and X-ray fluorescence in bulk sediment samples. During HSs (notably during HS2), the records show marked increases in sedimentation rate as well as in ln(Ti/Ca) and ln(Fe/Ca), and decrease in the stable carbon isotopic composition as well as sea surface temperature and salinity. Such changes were releted to the weakening of the AMOC, the intensification of the Southern Ocean upwelling, and the strengthening of the SAMS. The occurrence a w-structure in our HS records as well as in North Atlantic and South American records, suggest that such structure is a pervasive feature of HS2, and possibly also HS3
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Partin, Judson Wiley. "Stalagmite reconstructions of western tropical pacific climate from the last glacial maximum to present." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/22556.
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The West Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP) plays an important role in the global heat budget and global hydrologic cycle, so knowledge about its past variability would improve our understanding of global climate. Variations in WPWP precipitation are most notable during El Niño-Southern Oscillation events, when climate changes in the tropical Pacific impact rainfall not only in the WPWP, but around the globe. The stalagmite records presented in this dissertation provide centennial-to-millennial-scale constraints of WPWP precipitation during three distinct climatic periods: the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the last deglaciation, and the Holocene. In Chapter 2, the methodologies associated with the generation of U/Th-based absolute ages for the stalagmites are presented. In the final age models for the stalagmites, dates younger than 11,000 years have absolute errors of ±400 years or less, and dates older than 11,000 years have a relative error of ±2%. Stalagmite-specific 230Th/232Th ratios, calculated using isochrons, are used to correct for the presence of unsupported 230Th in a stalagmite at the time of formation. Hiatuses in the record are identified using a combination of optical properties, high 232Th concentrations, and extrapolation from adjacent U/Th dates. In Chapter 3, stalagmite oxygen isotopic composition (d18O) records from N. Borneo are presented which reveal millennial-scale rainfall changes that occurred in response to changes in global climate boundary conditions, radiative forcing, and abrupt climate changes. The stalagmite d18O records detect little change in inferred precipitation between the LGM and the present, although significant uncertainties are associated with the impact of the Sunda Shelf on rainfall d18O during the LGM. A millennial-scale drying in N. Borneo, inferred from an increase in stalagmite d18O, peaks at ~16.5ka coeval with timing of Heinrich event 1, possibly related to a southward movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). An inferred precipitation maximum (stalagmite d18O minimum) during the mid-Holocene in N. Borneo supports La Niña-like conditions and/or a southward migration of the ITCZ over the course of the Holocene as likely mechanisms for the observed millennial-scale trends. In Chapter 4, stalagmite Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and d13C records reflect hydrologic changes in the overlying karst system that are linked to a combination of rainfall variability and cave micro-environmental effects. Dripwater and stalagmite geochemistry suggest that prior calcite precipitation is a mechanism which alters dripwater geochemistry in slow, stalagmite-forming drips in N. Borneo. Stalagmite Mg/Ca ratios and d13C records suggest that the LGM climate in N. Borneo was drier and that ecosystem carbon cycling may have responded to the drier conditions. Large amplitude decadal- to centennial-scale variability in stalagmite Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and d13C during the deglaciation may be linked to deglacial abrupt climate change events.
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Frainer, André. "Ecosystem functioning in streams : Disentangling the roles of biodiversity, stoichiometry, and anthropogenic drivers." Doctoral thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för ekologi, miljö och geovetenskap, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-82914.
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What will happen to ecosystems if species continue to go extinct at the high rates seen today? Although ecosystems are often threatened by a myriad of physical or chemical stressors, recent evidence has suggested that the loss of species may have impacts on the functions and services of ecosystems that equal or exceed other major environmental disturbances. The underlying causes that link species diversity to ecosystem functioning include species niche complementarity, facilitative interactions, or selection effects, which cause process rates to be enhanced in more diverse communities. Interference competition, antagonistic interactions, or negative selection effects may otherwise reduce the efficiency or resource processing in diverse communities. While several of these mechanisms have been investigated in controlled experiments, there is an urgent need to understand how species diversity affects ecosystem functioning in nature, where variability of both biotic and abiotic factors is usually high. Species functional traits provide an important conceptual link between the effects of disturbances on community composition and diversity, and their ultimate outcomes for ecosystem functioning. Within this framework, I investigated relationships between the decomposition of leaf litter, a fundamental ecosystem process in stream ecosystems, and the composition and diversity of functional traits within the detritivore feeding guild. These include traits related to species habitat and resource preferences, phenology, and size. I focused on disentangling the biotic and abiotic drivers, including functional diversity, regulating ecosystem functioning in streams in a series of field experiments that captured real-world environmental gradients. Leaf decomposition rates were assessed using litter-bags of 0.5 and 10 mm opening size which allow the quantification of microbial and invertebrate + microbial contributions, respectively, to litter decomposition. I also used PVC chambers where leaf litter and a fixed number of invertebrate detritivores were enclosed in the field for a set time-period. The chemical characterisation of stream detritivores and leaf litter, by means of their nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon concentration, was used to investigate how stoichiometric imbalance between detritivores and leaf litter may affect consumer growth and resource consumption. I found that the diversity and composition of functional traits within the stream detritivore feeding guild sometimes had effects on ecosystem functioning as strong as those of other major biotic factors (e.g. detritivore density and biomass), and abiotic factors (e.g. habitat complexity and agricultural stressors). However, the occurrence of diversity-functioning relationships was patchy in space and time, highlighting ongoing challenges in predicting the role of diversity a priori. The stoichiometric imbalance between consumers and resource was also identified as an important driver of functioning, affecting consumer growth rates, but not leaf decomposition rates. Overall, these results shed light on the understanding of species functional diversity effect on ecosystems, and indicate that the shifts in the functional diversity and composition of consumer guilds can have important outcomes for the functioning of stream ecosystems.
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Thompson, Alexandra E. "Stable carbon isotope ratios of nonmethane hydrocarbons and halocarbons in the atmosphere." 2003. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ82831.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Chemistry.Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 276-287). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ82831.
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Veefkind, Ruben Jelmar. "Carbon isotope ratios and composition of fatty acids: tags and trophic markers in pelagic organisms." Thesis, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/8043.
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Understanding the movement and feeding habits of marine animals is crucial when
managing their populations. The molecular, and stable carbon isotope composition of
fatty acids from an organism provides time-integrated information on its dietary intake.
Hence, when spatial differences in the quality of seston exist it should be able to trace
these differences up into higher trophic level organisms. The presented study evaluates
the applicability of 13C/12C ratios of individual fatty acids, as natural tags and dietary
markers in marine pelagic organisms. In addition, the use of 13C/12C ratios of bulk
sample, as well as fatty acid composition data in examining the movement, and diet of
animals are further explored.
Samples of particulate organic matter, zooplankton, larval fish and juvenile salmon collected during three cruises off the west coast of Vancouver Island were analyzed. The
fatty acid composition, stable carbon isotope ratio of either bulk sample, or individual
fatty acids could typically distinguish samples collected in continental shelf waters from
off-shelf samples. The differences in fatty acid composition between the adjoining food
webs seem to be mainly caused by the different contribution of diatom-derived material
to the base of the food web. The higher 13C/12C ratios found in the diatom-richer seston in
shelf waters were not simply caused by the higher contribution of diatoms. Instead, stable
carbon isotope data on individual fatty acids indicate that growth conditions favouring
diatom growth caused 13C-enrichment in algae other than diatoms as well.
The relative abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3), were found to increase with trophic level. Whereas the abundance of saturated, and monounsaturated fatty acids was higher in organisms from lower trophic levels. This suggests that the fatty acid composition may be a useful trophic level indicator. However, literature data indicate that these trends observed in seston. zooplankton, larval fish and juvenile salmon, do not hold for larger organisms and adult life stages.Graduate
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Beaumont, Julia, J. Bekvalac, Sam Harris, and Catherine M. Batt. "Identifying cohorts using isotope mass spectrometry: the potential of temporal resolution and dietary profiles." 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/18340.
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YesArchaeological skeletal material from most sites represents a cross-sectional, opportunistic sample of the burials. These are influenced by the proportion and area of the site which is excavated, the taphonomic conditions and survival of tissues. This may not be representative of the population, and in an attritional cemetery may represent a long period of use, during which humans will have differing life-courses. Here we describe a commingled skeletal assemblage, the only human remains recovered from the historically significant medieval site of St Stephen’s Chapel, Palace of Westminster, London. Using carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope ratios of bulk bone collagen and incremental dentine to investigate dietary life histories from 5 individuals, we combine the evidence with radiocarbon dating to assign them to two different temporal cohorts.
The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 15 Feb 2023.
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Craig-Atkins, E., Jacqueline R. Towers, and Julia Beaumont. "The role of infant life histories in the construction of identities in death: An incremental isotope study of dietary and physiological status among children afforded differential burial." 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/16540.
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YesObjectives Isotope ratio analyses of dentine collagen were used to characterize short-term changes in physiological status (both dietary status and biological stress) across the life course of children afforded special funerary treatment. Materials and Methods Temporal sequences of δ15N and δ13C isotope profiles for incrementally-forming dentine collagen were obtained from deciduous teeth of 86 children from four early-medieval English cemeteries. Thirty-one were interred in child-specific burial clusters, and the remainder alongside adults in other areas of the cemetery. Isotope profiles were categorized into four distinct patterns of dietary and health status between the final prenatal months and death. Results Isotope profiles from individuals from the burial clusters were significantly less likely to reflect weaning curves, suggesting distinctive breastfeeding and weaning experiences. This relationship was not simply a factor of differential age at death between cohorts. There was no association of burial location with stage of weaning at death, nor with isotopic evidence of physiological stress at the end of life. Discussion This study is the first to identify a relationship between the extent of breastfeeding and the provision of child-specific funerary rites. Limited breastfeeding may indicate the mother had died during or soon after birth, or that either mother or child was unable to feed due to illness. Children who were not breastfed will have experienced a significantly higher risk of malnutrition, undernutrition and infection. These sickly and perhaps motherless children received care to nourish them during early life, and were similarly provided with special treatment in death.
University of Sheffield Early Career Researcher Scheme by a grant awarded to ECA in 2014-15.
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Beaumont, Julia, and Janet Montgomery. "Oral Histories: a simple method of assigning chronological age to isotopic values from human dentine collagen." 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/7172.
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YesBackground: stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in bone and dentine collagen have been used for over 30 years to estimate palaeodiet, subsistence strategy, breastfeeding duration and migration within burial populations. Recent developments in dentine microsampling allow improved temporal resolution for dietary patterns. Aim: We propose a simple method which could be applied to human teeth to estimate chronological age represented by dentine microsamples in the direction of tooth growth, allowing comparison of dietary patterns between individuals and populations. The method is tested using profiles from permanent and deciduous teeth of two individuals. Subjects and methods: using a diagrammatic representation of dentine development by approximate age for each human tooth (based on the Queen Mary University of London Atlas) (AlQahtani et al., 2010), we estimate the age represented by each dentine section. Two case studies are shown: comparison of M1 and M2 from a 19th century individual from London, England, and identification of an unknown tooth from an Iron Age female adult from Scotland. Results and conclusions: The isotopic profiles demonstrate that variations in consecutively-forming teeth can be aligned using this method to extend the dietary history of an individual, or identify an unknown tooth by matching the profiles.
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Beaumont, Julia, Janet Montgomery, Jo Buckberry, and Mandy Jay. "Infant mortality and isotopic complexity: new approaches to stress, maternal health and weaning." 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/7140.
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Objectives
Studies of the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of modern tissues with a fast turnover, such as hair and fingernails, have established the relationship between these values in mothers and their infants during breastfeeding and weaning. Using collagen from high-resolution dentine sections of teeth which form in the perinatal period we investigate the relationship between diet and physiology in this pivotal stage of life.
Materials and Methods
Childhood dentine collagen δ13C and δ15N profiles were produced from horizontal sections of permanent and deciduous teeth following the direction of development. These were from two 19th-century sites (n = 24) and a small number (n = 5) of prehistoric samples from Great Britain and Ireland.
Results
These high-resolution data exhibit marked differences between those who survived childhood and those who did not, the former varying little and the latter fluctuating widely.
Discussion
Breastfeeding and weaning behavior have a significant impact on the morbidity and mortality of infants and the adults they become. In the absence of documentary evidence, archaeological studies of bone collagen of adults and juveniles have been used to infer the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding. These interpretations rely on certain assumptions about the relationship between isotope ratios in the bone collagen of the adult females and the infants who have died. The data from this study suggest a more complex situation than previously proposed and the potential for a new approach to the study of maternal and infant health in past populations.
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Bunney, E. "Leaf wax n-alkane variation in Dodonaea viscosa along an environmental gradient." Thesis, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/117963.
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This item is only available electronically.The variation in distribution and abundance of leaf wax n-alkanes has been proposed as a proxy for palaeoclimate. Understanding environmental controls on the variation in distribution and abundance of leaf wax n-alkanes is therefore necessary to determine if this is a robust tool for extracting climatic information from palaeo archives. Results of previous work to create a modern baseline for this proxy have, in some cases, been confounded by differences in species or plant type between sites or along gradients. This study investigates leaf wax n-alkane variation within a species of Australian shrub, Dodonaea viscosa, which inhabits a wide range of climatic conditions. Leaf wax n-alkane data from 43 individuals of D. viscosa were analysed from a climatic gradient ranging from central Australia to Kangaroo Island, with a mean annual temperature range of 13.9—22.7 °C and precipitation range of 164—808 mm/yr. Concentration of n-alkanes increase with increasing temperature along the gradient. Annual mean aridity index has the strongest relationship with the average chain length (ACL) of leaf wax n-alkanes and suggests that water availability is a strong driver of variation in ACL. In addition to n-alkane data, carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) and specific leaf area (SLA) data were measured to determine if this species shows predictable responses to these established and climatically sensitive leaf traits. Predicted responses in δ13C and SLA are observed in this species. Only weak effects of subspecies on leaf trait relationships with climate are found in this study. Scanning electron microscopy was used to qualitatively assess differences in leaf wax microstructure with climate and produced inconclusive results. Distributions of leaf wax n-alkanes have great potential as a proxy for palaeoclimate. Results presented here support the use of n-alkane ACL variation to detect aridity rather than temperature.
Thesis (B.Sc.(Hons)) -- University of Adelaide, School of Physical Sciences, 2015
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Crowe, Douglas Edward. "Geochemistry of volcanogenic massive sulfide and high-grade Au granite-hosted ore deposits, southern Alaska ; and, Development and application of laser microprobe techniques for analysis of sulfur, carbon and oxygen isotope ratios." 1990. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/23277076.html.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1990.Typescript. Four plates on folded leaves in pocket. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.