Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Nitrogen stable isotopes'
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1
Nilsson, Lino. "Nitrogen transformations at the Kiruna mine : The use of stable nitrogen isotopes to trace nitrogen-transforming processes." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Luft-, vatten och landskapslära, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-209419.
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Release of different nitrogen compounds can cause eutrophication in lakes and rivers whichcan lead to oxygen-free environments in bottom water and in the sediment and can in turnlead to fish-deaths. Ammonium can be toxic to biota and nitrate can in high concentrationeven be toxic to humans. WHO has released a limit for nitrate concentration in drinking waterof 10mg/l. The LKAB mine in Kiruna is the largest underground iron mine in the world and isprospecting, mining and refining iron ore, with an annual production of around 28 milliontons. Release of different nitrogen compounds as a result of the explosives used during themining operations has been a known problem for some time; however the processes affectingnitrogen during the water transport have never been fully investigated. The main objective of this MSc thesis is to determine if changes in nitrogen and oxygenisotope composition can be used as a tracer for nitrogen transformation processes in the minewater at LKABs underground mine in Kiruna. Water samples were collected at key points in the water transport system and were analyzedfor isotopic composition. Isotopic and chemical data revealed two different sources of nitrateand ammonium, undetonated explosives and leachate from waste rocks. Three differentnitrogen changing processes affecting concentration of nitrate and ammonium were found:ammonium volatilization, nitrification and sorption. It was not possible to quantify theseprocesses individually. No processes which decrease the nitrate concentration were found.
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Curtis-Summers, Shirley. "Stable Isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen and Diet." Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/17856.
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Sweeting, Christopher J. "Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes as descriptors of fish trophodynamics." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.405361.
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Lee, Vanessa Eileen. "Characterising dissolved nitrate in precipitation using stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopes /." Internet access available to MUN users only, 2005. http://collections.mun.ca/u?/theses,18576.
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Webb, Sarah Christine. "Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in insects : the influence of diet." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.389063.
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Southworth, R. E. "The behaviour of the stable isotopes of nitrogen during diamond formation." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2016. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1478224/.
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The study of mantle diamonds offers the possibility to investigate the geodynamic carbon cycle with an unrivalled spatial and temporal scope. Impurities in diamond, of which nitrogen is the most common, provide a window into the cycling of mantle volatiles. The isotopic compositions of carbon and nitrogen for crustal and mantle derived samples are, on average, distinct, making the carbon and nitrogen isotopic systems potentially useful indicators of interactions between crustal and mantle volatiles. For peridotitic diamonds in particular there is a very large range in δ 15N (−40 to +15 ‰) with only a small range in δ 13C (−5 ± 3 ‰). These variations in diamonds can be attributed to multistage growth from isotopically distinct reservoirs or to fractionation processes operating during single growth steps, or perhaps both. In this thesis, data from mixed-habit diamonds shows that large kinetic fractionations are unlikely to occur in nature. Data from sub-lithospheric diamonds from Juina, and diamondites from Orapa show evidence of recycling of crustal fluids as well as evidence of the involvement of primordial nitrogen during diamond formation. These data lead to the creation of a preliminary model for the deep nitrogen cycle.
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Trandel, Marlee Anne. "Nitrogen and Carbon Stable Isotopes in Organically and Conventionally Grown Tomatoes." OpenSIUC, 2016. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/2013.
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Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) require high amounts of nitrogen to maximize fruit production. The type of nitrogen and timing of fertilizer applications are important in tomato production systems to reduce nitrogen losses while optimizing yields. A two-year greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of organic and inorganic fertilization treatments on nitrogen and carbon isotopic compositions of tomato plant leaves and fruit at immature and mature stages of plant growth. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios together will also help to better depict trends that develop from conventional versus organically grown tomatoes and their resulting water use efficiency (WUE). ‘Better Bush’ tomatoes were grown in 8 L plastic pots filled with 1:1:1 steamed-sterilized sand:silt loam soil:peat mix. Eight fertility treatments were evaluated: no fertility, synthetic Miracle Grow® (MG), organic bonemeal and bloodmeal (BB), BB with liquid Earthjuice (BBL), BB with 25% vermicompost (VC), BBL with 25% VC, MG with 25% VC, and no fertility with 25% VC. The results indicated that for both growth stages, δ15NAir differed (P ≤ 0.05) between fertility treatments, while no major differences were observed for δ13CVPDB (P > 0.05), although conventionally fertilized tomatoes with MG and MG with 25% VC tended to have lower δ13CVPDB values suggesting a greater transpirational water loss through open stomata. The organic treatments with VC had higher δ15NAir values than the conventional or no added fertility treatments for all five leaflets from three different branches, fruit skins from the first two fruit clusters, fruit juices from the first two clusters and soil samples. Generally, the 15N/14N stable isotope values of tomato foliage and fruit are distinctly different between organic and conventional fertilizers, which could provide a powerful forensic tool in fingerprinting tomatoes grown by organic farming methods. Therefore, nitrogen isotopes can distinguish among different fertility treatments and also help to label the VC applications, which are thought to provide better fertility management due to less soil leaching and volatilization.
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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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Wilson, J. M. "Natural abundance of '1'5N in soils : temporal and spatial variation in organic and inorganic N pools." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.265428.
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Nair, Richard Kiran Francis. "Using stable isotopes to investigate interactions between the forest carbon and nitrogen cycles." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/10573.
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Nitrogen (N) fertilization due to atmospheric deposition (NDEP ) may explain some of the net carbon (C) sink (0.6-0.7 Pg y-1) in temperate forests, but estimates of the additional C uptake due to atmospheric N additions (∆C/∆N) can vary by over an order of magnitude (5 to 200 ∆C/∆N). High estimates from several recent studies [e.g. Magnani (2007), Nature 447 848-850], deriving ∆C/∆N from regional correlations between NDEP and measures of C uptake (such as eddy covariance -derived net ecosystem production, or forest inventory data) contradict estimates from other studies, particularly those involving 15N tracer applications added as fertilizer to the forest floor. A strong ∆C/∆N effect requires nitrogen to be efficiently acquired by trees and allocated to high C:N, long-lived woody tissues, but these isotope experiments typically report relatively little (~ 20 %) of 15N added is found above-ground, with less than 5 % of the total 15N applied found in wood. Consequently the high correlation-derived ∆C/∆N estimates are often attributed to co-variation with other factors across the range of sites investigated. However, 15N-fertilization treatments often impose considerably higher total N loads than ambient NDEP , while almost all exclusively only apply mineral 15N treatments to the soil, often in a limited number of treatment events over relatively short periods of time. Excessive N deposition loads can induce negative physiological effects and limit the resulting ∆C/∆N observed, and applying treatments to the soil ignores canopy nitrogen uptake, which has been demonstrated in numerous studies. As canopies can directly take up nitrogen, the chronic, (relatively) low levels of ambient NDEP inputs from pollution may be acquired without some of the effects of heavy N loads, with trees obtaining this N before it reaches the soil, allowing canopies to substitute for, or supplement, edaphic N nutrition. The strength of this effect depends on how much N uptake can occur across the canopy under field conditions, and if this extra N supplies growth in woody tissues such as the stem, as well as the canopy. Similarly, such mineral fertilizer isotope trace experiments are also unable to trace N in the decomposing litter and humus layers of the soil, which even under heavy NDEP loading contribute most of the N utilised for forest growth. Recent literature suggests that some organic (early decomposition) forms of N may be taken up by roots. If this litter N is not retained or distributed in the same way as mineral fertilizers, its contribution to plant nutrition and ∆C/∆N may need to be reassessed under nitrogen deposition. We tested some of these assumptions in the nursery and the field. In order to facilitate litter 15N tracing, we conducted an experiment injecting large trees with 15N-NH4NO3 to create 15N-labelled litter, tracing the applied isotope into a full harvest of the canopy. Such labelled litter substitute was used to replace the litter layer in a Sitka Spruce plantation (Picea sitchensis L. (Bong.)), where the fate of this 15N from litter decomposition in the soil system was compared against the fate of 15N in deposition. Similarly, in potted Sitka Spruce saplings, we used combination treatments of 15N-labelled litter, soil-targeted 15N-deposition, and canopy targeted 15N-deposition, investigating 15N return in different age classes of above and below ground biomass. We found that i) 15N recovery in canopies (needles and branches) in our injected trees was almost all of the injected 15N five months after injection, ii) canopy application of NDEP led to 60 % 15N return in above-ground parts of saplings compared to 21 % in soil applications and iii) a litter-derived 15N source was retained 55 % more in topsoil, and 36 % more in roots, than a similar deposition 15N source applied as mineral fertilizer. We discuss the implications of such findings in the context of 15N return in different plant organs and ecosystem pools, seasonal variation in N content, and overall inferences of a forest ∆C/∆N effect. Our results suggest that the total ∆C/∆N effect driven by a high N sequestration from canopy uptake in wood is ~ 114:1, more than double that of 15N tracer experiments but not as high as upper estimates from correlative studies, and that litter-derived organic N is better retained in trees and soils in excess of similar amounts of mineral 15N from deposition. Existing forest 15N-fertilization experiments could under-estimate the overall ∆C/∆N effect of atmospheric N deposition.
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Strange, Malinda Range. "The effect of pathology on the stable isotopes of carbon & nitrogen." Diss., Online access via UMI:, 2006.
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HARRISON, Sofie, and sofieh@student ecu edu au. "The influence of seabird-derived nutrients on island ecosystems in the oligotrophic marine waters of south-western Australia." Edith Cowan University. Computing, Health And Science: School Of Natural Sciences, 2006. http://adt.ecu.edu.au/adt-public/adt-ECU2007.0010.html.
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Nutrient inputs from productive marine environments have been shown to directly and indirectly subsidise primary producers and consumers in terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. Polis and Hurd 1995; 1996; Anderson and Polis 1998; 1999). But does this theory hold true on islands surrounded by oligotrophic waters, which account for a significant proportion of the marine environment? The aim of the present study was to examine the applicability of the spatial subsidisation hypotheses proposed by Polis and his co-authors to an oligotrophic system in south-western region of Western Australia. These aims were achieved by comparing soil and plant nutrients, and the nitrogen stable isotope signatures of soil, plants, detritus and invertebrates in areas with (islands) and without (mainland sites) inputs from seabirds. In addition, the responses of plant nutrients and vegetation assemblages to guano additions were examined in a controlled field experiment.
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Bostic, Joshua Neilson. "Stable Isotope Variability in the American Food Supply: Implications for Dietary Reconstruction Applications." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/73870.
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Stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) in human tissues, which reflect the stable isotope composition of the diet, offer numerous applications in the field of nutrition. One of the biggest contributors to uncertainty in stable isotope dietary reconstruction applications is potential variability in the isotopic composition of foods. No prior studies have evaluated the existing food carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data in an effort to determine broad-scale patterns and characterize the degree of variability of stable isotopes within the American diet.
The purpose of this investigation was to improve our understanding of the isotopic composition of the modern American food supply by 1.) Determining geographically representative means and inter-sample variability of animal foods 2.) Assessing the impact of cooking on food stable isotope composition.To define the range of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of animal proteins within the American food supply, we analyzed nationally-collected milk, fish, and shellfish samples from the USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and compared these to previously published data from the international literature. USDA milk samples were characterized by low overall variability, although regional variations in δ¹³C values were present. In contrast, seafood samples exhibited high overall variability but were consistent throughout the domestic and international samples. No variations in δ¹³C or δ¹⁵N values were detected throughout the baking or fermentation process in yeast buns or cookies.
The representative values determined in this study can be used as a foundation for interpreting the stable isotope composition of the American diet.Master of Science
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Cabana, Gilbert. "A comparative study of food-web processes in aquatic systems using stable isotopes." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape16/PQDD_0026/NQ29900.pdf.
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Assis, Cecília Kruszynski de. "Diet and ecosystem services of insectivorous bats assessed with stable isotopes." Universidade de São Paulo, 2016. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/64/64135/tde-07032019-103440/.
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Ecosystem services are natural environmental functions and ecological process that humans benefit from. In the present study, it was highlighted one of the services provided by bats: agricultural pest control. In Brazil, studies with insectivorous bats as potential pest suppressors are still scarce, despite the country being one of the biggest agricultural producers in the world and concentrating a high diversity of those animals. The use of heterogeneous landscapes, formed by native vegetation and crop fields, optimize the investment applied in this search. For that, it was described, for the first time, the bat assemblage in heterogeneous landscape in Piracicaba, at the campus \"Luiz de Queiroz\" that comprehends urbanized and agricultural areas, which provides many food resources for bats. Further, it was tested if there is difference in isotopic values (?13C and ?15N) between bat species related to diet, spatial foraging behavior, sex or taxonomic classification and which specie is a better pest suppressor. Bats were captured by mist nets and stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen (?13C e ?15N, respectively) were used to access its food source. Through the analysis of ?13C and ?15N of insects, we determined the proportion of plants with photosynthetic cycles of C3 and C4 in bats\' diet and its trophic level. It was captured 90 bats of 11 species, three families and four dietary categories, corresponding to 66% of the total local richness estimated. From those, five are insectivorous species. Molossus molossus were the most abundant specie, followed by Artibeus lituratus and Glossophaga soricina. Carbon values showed that insectivores, frugivores and nectarivores consume insects, including pests, in different proportions per specie and diet group. Besides, ?15N values showed that bat trophic level were very similar, so bats are more generalist than usually assumed. This study points a need to quantify this important ecosystem service provided by bats that can reduce diseases and crop damagesServiços ecossistêmicos são funções dos ambientes naturais e dos processos ecológicos dos quais humanos se beneficiam. Esses benefícios podem ser acessados por uma perspectiva econômica e ecológica. No presente estudo, nós destacamos um dos serviços ambientais fornecidos por morcegos: controle de pragas agrícolas. No Brasil, os estudos com morcegos insetívoros como potenciais supressores de pragas ainda são escassos, apesar de o país ser um dos maiores produtores agrícolas do mundo e abrigar uma alta diversidade desses animais. O uso de paisagens heterogêneas, formadas por vegetação nativa e lavouras agrícolas, otimiza o investimento aplicado nessa busca. Para tanto, descrevemos, pela primeira vez, a assembleia de morcegos em um ambiente heterogêneo de Piracicaba, o campus \"Luiz de Queiroz\", que possui desde áreas urbanizadas a agrícolas, disponibilizando diversos recursos alimentares para os morcegos. Ademais, testamos se há diferenças nos valores isotópicos (?13C e ?15N) entre as espécies de morcegos em relação à dieta, comportamento espacial de forrageamento, sexo ou classificação taxonômica para identificar quais grupos são os melhores supressores de pragas agrícolas. Utilizamos redes de neblina para a captura dos morcegos e análises de isótopos estáveis de carbono e nitrogênio (?13C e ?15N, respectivamente) para acessar sua fonte de dieta. Por meio das análises, determinamos a proporção de plantas com ciclos fotossintéticos do tipo C3 e C4 na dieta dos morcegos, bem como seu nível trófico. Capturamos 90 morcegos de 11 espécies, três famílias e quatro classes de dieta, correspondendo a 66% da riqueza estimada para o local. Destas, cinco são espécies classificadas insetívoras. Molossus molossus foi a espécie mais abundante, seguida por Artibeus lituratus e Glossophaga soricina. Valores de ?13C mostraram que insetívoros, frugívoros e nectarívoros consomem insetos, inclusive pragas, em diferentes proporções por espécie e grupo de dieta. O grupo mais efetivo no controle de pragas agrícolas foi M. molossus, seguido por A. planirostris. Os valores de ?15N mostraram que o nível trófico dos diferentes grupos alimentares de morcegos foi similar, de modo que eles são mais generalistas que previsto na literatura. Nosso estudo aponta a necessidade de quantificação desse importante serviço ecossistêmico promovido por morcegos, que podem reduzir doenças e prejuízos nas lavouras, além de combater vetores de doenças
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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.
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Anthropology
Sciences
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Addison, Sarah Louise. "15N stable isotope probing of pulp and paper wastewaters." The University of Waikato, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10289/2399.
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Stable isotope probing (SIP) is an established technique that can be applied to identify the metabolically active micro-organisms within a microbial population. The SIP method utilises an isotopically-labelled substrate and PCR techniques to discern the members of a microbial community that incorporate the isotope into their DNA or RNA. The current literature gap around using 15N isotopes with RNA-SIP offers real potential and advantages for targeting and identifying active members from mixed communities involved in global biogeochemical nitrogen cycling. This study specifically investigated whether nitrogen based compounds can be used as substrates in RNA-SIP methodologies and whether they can in turn be used to probe mixed community environments known to be actively fixing nitrogen. The nitrogen-limited systems targeted represented an ideal opportunity to assess the suitability of 15N-RNA-SIP approaches due to their known high nitrogen fixation rates. Identifying these nitrogen-fixing bacteria could provide a better representation analysis of the community, leading to an improved prediction on how to manage and optimise the treatment performance of target waste systems and to exploit the unique bioconversion properties of these types of organisms. Initially, the project undertook methodological proof of concept by using a soluble nitrogen source, 15NH4Cl, to label the RNA of Novosphingobium nitrogenifigens and a mixed microbial community. Successful separation of the 14N- (control) and 15N-RNA was achieved for both pure and mixed communities using isopycnic caesium trifluoroacetate (CsTFA) gradients in an ultracentrifuge. The usefulness of this technique to identify active diazotrophs in real environmental samples was tested using a nitrogen-fixing community from a pulp and paper wastewater treatment system. After growing the mixed culture with 15N2 as the sole nitrogen source, the labelled RNA was extracted and fractionated using isopycnic centrifugation in CsTFA gradients. The community composition of the active nitrogen-fixing community in the 15N2 enriched fraction was analysed by establishing a 16S rRNA gene clone library containing over 200 members. These were analysed by comparison with published sequences and by phylogenetic analysis. It was found that the more isotopic label substrate incorporated, the further the buoyant density (BD) separation between 15N- and 14N-RNA. Novosphingobium nitrogenifigens gave an average BD shift of 0.03 + 0.004 g ml-1 (95.0 atom % 15N) with 15NH4Cl. For mixed communities the average BD shift was 0.02 + 0.004 g ml-1 (80.0 atom % 15N) with 15NH4Cl and 0.013 + 0.002 g ml-1 (32.6 atom % 15N) when using 15N2. Clone library analysis of 16S rRNA genes present in the enriched 15N-RNA fraction of the mixed community was shown to consist of a diverse population of bacteria as indicated by a Shannon Weaver index value of gt;2.8. Three dominant genera (Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Bacillus) were identified by comparison with published sequences and phylogenetic analysis. Many other groups not known as archetypal nitrogen-fixing bacteria were also identified, demonstrating that 15N2-RNA-SIP provides a useful tool for the identification of important and previously unknown contributors to nitrogen fixation in a range of environments. Overall, this project has established that nitrogen based RNA-SIP is a powerful tool that can be used successfully and reproducibly with both pure and complex mixed microbial communities to study active diazotrophs in environmental samples.
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Sernagiotto, Erica Regina [UNESP]. "Rastreabilidade da farinha de vísceras de aves em codornas submetidas a longo período de criação utilizando a técnica dos isótopos estáveis 'delta' 'intpot. 13 c' e 'delta' 'intpot. 15 N'." Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/95279.
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Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a capacidade da técnica dos isótopos estáveis em rastrear a farinha de vísceras de aves (FVA), na alimentação de codornas de corte criadas por longo período, após a substituição da dieta com 8% de FVA por dieta vegetal. Foram utilizadas 320 codornas, distribuídas aleatoriamente em oito tratamentos: dieta vegetal (T1) e sete tratamentos com inclusão de 8% de FVA na dieta, um mantendo a dieta até o final do período experimental (T2), e nos demais a dieta foi substituída aos 42; 56; 70; 84; 98; 112 dias; respectivamente, por dieta vegetal. Para coleta das amostras de músculo peitoral foram sacrificadas ao acaso, quatro aves (n = 4) por tratamento, a cada 14 dias, sendo que no T1 e T2 tiveram início aos 42 dias e nos demais a partir da troca das dietas. Os resultados isotópicos obtidos foram submetidos à análise multivariada de variância (MANOVA) com auxílio do procedimento GLM do programa estatístico SAS. Os tratamentos diferiram do vegetal quando as aves foram sacrificadas duas semanas após a troca da dieta; após esse período os tratamentos experimentais tiveram comportamento semelhante ao vegetal, exceto o T3, que se mostrou semelhante ao T1 no abate 14 dias após a troca da dieta; e do T2 que em todos os períodos de comparação diferiu do T1. Conclui-se que a aplicação da técnica dos isótopos estáveis de carbono e nitrogênio na rastreabilidade da FVA, na alimentação de codornas de corte criadas por longo período é possível nas aves abatidas 14 dias após a troca de dieta, com exceção das aves sacrificadas aos 56 dias de idade.
The present work aimed to evaluate the capability of the stable isotope technique to trace poultry visceral meal (PVM) in the diet of meat quails raised for a long period after substitution of an 8% PVM diet for a vegetable diet. Three hundred and twenty poultries (320) were randomly distributed into eight treatments: vegetable diet (T1) and seven treatments containing 8% PVM in the diet: in one treatment, the same diet was kept until the end of the experimental period (T2), and in the remaining treatments, the diet was substituted at 42, 56, 70, 84, 98, and 112 days, respectively, for a vegetable diet. To collect chest muscle samples, four poultries (n = 4) per treatment were randomly sacrificed at every 14 days, starting at 42 days in T1 and T2 and from diet substitution in the remaining treatments. The obtained isotopic results were subjected to multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) using the GLM procedure of SAS statistical software. Treatments differed from the vegetable diet when poultries were sacrificed at two weeks following the diet substitution; after such period, the behavior of experimental treatments was similar to that of the vegetable diet, except for T3, which was similar to T1 at slaughtering at 14 days after the diet substitution, and T2 which, in all comparison periods, differed from T1. In conclusion, the technique of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen can be used to trace PVM in the diet of meat quails slaughtered at 14 days after diet substitution, except for poultries sacrificed at 56 days.
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Dean, Susan. "Tracking sea lice : Lepeophtheirus salmonis, between host fish populations using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/31433.
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This study was undertaken to assess the use of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope
analyses as methods to identify source host fish populations of sea lice, Lepeophtheirus
salmonis. The delta carbon signatures of parasitic copepodid sea lice used to infect
cultured Atlantic salmon in the laboratory were found to be statistically indistinguishable
from the delta carbon signatures of blood (ANOVA, p = 1.000) and mucus (ANOVA, p =
0.430) sampled from the wild pink salmon population from which the sea lice originated.
As a result, delta carbon signatures show potential as tools to track the movement of sea
lice between fish populations. In contrast, delta nitrogen analysis did not show such
promise as the natal host fish, wild pink salmon, and novel host fish, cultured Atlantic
salmon, between which sea lice were transferred during the study, did not display distinct
isotope signatures and thus could not be differentiated. This study found that when
applying stable isotope analysis as a method to studying the dispersal of sea lice (1) the
blood and mucus of potential source host fish populations should be sampled when
assessing their possible relationship to sampled sea lice, (2) sea lice in no later than the
parasitic copepodid stage should be analysed, (3) sea lice should be given time to clear
their guts of any host materials before analysis takes place, (4) sea lice sampled from the
gills should not be not grouped with sea lice sampled from the body surface or fins, and
(5) replication unit for sampled parasitic copepodids should be set at the individual and
not host fish level. The application of stable carbon isotopes to tracking the movement of
sea lice between host fish is a promising method for directly identifying sources of sea
lice epizootics and of quantifying the exchange of sea lice between host fish populations.Land and Food Systems, Faculty of
Graduate
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Afat, Abobaker Ali. "Reconstructing the Paleodiet of the Punic inhabitants at the site of Kerkouane (Tunisia)." Master's thesis, Universidade de Évora, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/31707.
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The proposed project intends to investigate the dietary system of the Punic population at Kerkouane, Tunisia. The cutting-edge approach of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes analysis of human bones will allow us to assess the subsistence pattern of the past population. Subjected samples are obtained from the burials found at the necropolis of Arg El-Ghazouani; as the site is situated in the Northeast, the coastal rim of Tunisia will tend to show the consumption of mosaic of food resources of marine and terrestrial origin. It will be crucial to understand the dietary preferences of local habitats among these resources. Combining proxy data (δ13C and δ15N) will throw light on the answers to the abovementioned questions. The δ13C and δ15N stable isotopes reported in this study for humans remain (=25) from the necropolis of Arg El-Ghazouani. The results suggest that the diet of the individuals of Arg El-Ghazouani was based on C3 terrestrial plants, with no significant indication of C4 plants consumption. In addition, to a variety of domestic animals like sheep, goats, and cattle. Although the δ15N indicates a higher variability among the N values, it is still impossible to display a high consumption. It could be a contribution of marine resources in the individual's Arg El- Ghazouani. However, there were no significant diet differences among Arg El-Ghazouani concerning age, sex, and funerary features. The isotopic data of Kerkouane compared to the ancient roman site of Leptiminus, located on the Mediterranean coast of Lamta town, Tunisia. In this thesis study, there was a significant dietary difference observed in the inhabitants of Tunisia during the past time.
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McCall, Ashley E. "The Relationship of Stable Isotopes to Late Woodland and Fort Ancient Agriculture, Mobility, and Paleopathologies at the Turpin Site." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1367924972.
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Minick, Kevan J. "Belowground Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in a Loblolly Pine Forest Managed for Bioenergy Production." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50587.
Full textAbstract:
Concern over rising atmospheric CO2 due to fossil fuel combustion has intensified research into carbon-neutral energy and fuel production. Therefore, bioenergy production has expanded during the last decade, increasing demand for forest-based bioenergy feedstocks. Millions of acres of privately and industrially owned pine plantations exist across the southeastern US, representing a vast area of land that could be utilized to produce bioenergy without significant land-use change or diversion of agricultural resources from food production. Furthermore, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations offer the unique opportunity to utilize space between rows of planted trees to grow an herbaceous bioenergy crop, such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). This novel forest management regime has the potential to provide positive environmental and economic services, but hinges in part on impacts to soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling, availability of belowground resources, and potential negative impacts of competition between pine and switchgrass on plant productivity. Three specific objectives were addressed in this study: 1) compare different bioenergy management regimes in regards to temporal dynamics of N cycling and availability following forest establishment (see Chapter 2); 2) determine the impact of loblolly pine and switchgrass intercropping on microbial N cycling processes (see Chapter 3); and 3) evaluate chemical and physical mechanisms of soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization and test their sensitivity to pine-switchgrass intercropping (see Chapter 4).
The study site was located in the Lower Coastal Plain physiographic province in Lenoir County, North Carolina, USA (35-12'59'' N; 077-26'13'' W). Soils were mapped as Pantego (fine‐loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Umbric Paleaquults) or Rains (fine‐loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Paleaquults) soil series, both of which are very poorly drained. However, previous site management in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s included installation of ditches to lower the water table and reduce saturation at the soil surface. Additionally, bedding of soil in rows was used to raise root systems of planted loblolly pine seedlings above the water table, increase soil aeration, and reduce competition. Space between bedded rows of pine trees was referred to as the interbed.
Results from Chapter 2 showed that switchgrass significantly reduced interbed soil NH4 + and NO3 - concentrations by 39% and 60%, respectively, over the course of the timeframe (30 months) of this study. Surprisingly, in beds of the pine-switchgrass treatment significant increases in NO3 - concentration were measured from July - December 2011.
From Chapter 3, gross N mineralization rates ranged from 0.18 - 4.7 µg N g -1 soil d-1 , while gross nitrification rates ranged from 0.02 - 0.47 µg N g-1 soil d-1 . At the 0-5 cm depth in switchgrass interbeds, gross N mineralization was reduced from April to November potentially reflecting microbial C limitations due to reduced soil C concentrations. At the 0-5 cm depth in beds of the pine-switchgrass treatment, gross N mineralization rates were elevated by 1.29 µg N iii g -1 soil d-1 in November and 1.02 µg N g-1 soil d-1 in February on average corresponding to a 305% and 193% increase, respectively.
From Chapter 4, total C content in beds and interbeds ranged from 15 to 88 Mg C ha-1 and was reduced by 27% in beds of the pine-switchgrass treatment. Average C concentration for aggregate fractions was significantly lower in beds of the pine-switchgrass treatment at 0-5, 15- 30, and 30-45 cm depths, amounting to ~23%, ~28%, and ~34% reduction, respectively. Values of δ 13C for the >2000 µm aggregate size fraction at the 0-5 cm depth were diluted, corresponding to estimates of 13 - 25% of the >2000 µm C pool comprised of new pine-derived C. For SOM fractionated by density, elevated C concentrations were found in the occluded light fractions in both beds and interbeds of the pine-switchgrass treatment. Enriched δ13C in occluded light fractions led to estimates of 2.5 - 12.5% of this C fraction comprised of new switchgrass-derived C. In the free light fraction, new pine-derived C accounted for 15% and 9% of C at the 5-15 and 15-30 cm depth, respectively.
Three overarching conclusions were generated from my research: 1) switchgrass grown between loblolly pine trees effectively utilized excess soil NH4 + and NO3 - when N availability was high following harvesting of a mature plantation proceeded by establishment of a second rotation of loblolly pine (see Chapter 2); 2) gross N mineralization rates were reduced under switchgrass during the growing season when soil C availability was low, but were elevated under switchgrass and adjacent loblolly pines when switchgrass was dormant and C availability was likely higher (see Chapter 3); and 3) SOM stabilized by physical or chemical mechanisms responded differently to pine-switchgrass intercropping, with losses in aggregate-stabilized C and gains in occluded, mineral-stabilized C. Furthermore, losses of aggregate C was associated with a significant reduction in total soil C in beds of the pine-switchgrass treatment. Results from 13C mass balance suggested incorporation of switchgrass-derived C into occluded light fractions of beds and interbeds. Finally, incorporation of new pine-derived C into the >2000 µm aggregate size fraction and free light fraction indicate pine inputs of particulate organic matter into these SOM fractions in beds of the pine-switchgrass treatment (see Chapter 4). I hypothesize that loblolly pines have increased root growth in beds in response to competition with switchgrass for N in the interbed, thereby alleviating seasonal microbial C limitations and stimulating microbial N cycling processes and increasing plant-available N.
Overall, this research suggests that soil C and N cycling in pine plantations is altered by intercropping of pine and switchgrass. Through a mechanistic understanding of how C and N are cycled in forests and the impact of various forest management regimes on soil C and N cycling, effective management strategies can be implemented to utilize forests for intensive biomass production while limiting loss of soil C and N, and in some cases even enhancing soil C and N retention. Future research initiatives should seek to unravel the complex belowground interactions between roots of different plant species and soil microbial communities competing for limiting resources. Understanding how these interactions drive soil C storage, N cycling and availability, and forest productivity will ultimately improve resource utilization in these managed ecosystems as well as our basic understanding of how natural and managed ecosystems function.Ph. D.
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Chen, Ruirui. "A study on apparent added nitrogen interactions and priming effects of soil organic matter using stable isotopes /." Kiel : Inst. für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde, 2009. http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/F?func=service&doc_library=BVB01&doc_number=018975471&line_number=0001&func_code=DB_RECORDS&service_type=MEDIA.
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Morin, Samuel. "Analyse de la composition isotopique de l'ion nitrate dans la basse atmosphère polaire et marine." Phd thesis, Université Paris-Est, 2008. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00326229.
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Les oxydes d'azote atmosphériques (NOx=NO+NO2) sont des composés clefs en chimie de l'environnement, jouant un rôle central pour la capacité oxydante de l'atmosphère et le cycle de l'azote. La composition isotopique du nitrate atmosphérique (NO?3 particulaire et HNO3 gazeux), constituant leur puits ultime, renseigne sur leur bilan chimique. Le rapport 15N/14N donne une indication de leurs sources, alors que l'anomalie isotopique en oxygène (?17O=d17O-0.52×d18O) révèle la nature de leurs mécanismes d'oxydation. Des études couplées de d15N et ?17O d'échantillons de nitrate atmosphérique collectés dans l'Arctique, en Antarctique et dans l'atmosphère marine au dessus de l'Océan Atlantique, où le bilan des NOx est souvent mal connu ont été effectuées. À ces fins, le défi que constitue la mesure simultanée des trois rapports isotopiques du nitrate (17O/16O, 18O/16O et 15N/14N) dans le même échantillon représentant moins d'une micromole a été relevé. La solution adoptée tire avantage des propriétés d'une bactérie dénitrifiante, utilisée pour convertir le nitrate en N2O, dont la composition isotopique totale a été mesurée en utilisant un système automatisé de chromatographie en phase gazeuse et spectrométrie de masse de rapport isotopique. Les principaux résultats obtenus via les isotopes de l'oxygène permettent l'identification claire de transitions saisonnières entre voies d'oxydation des NOx, y compris le rôle majeur des composés halogénés réactifs au printemps polaire en régions côtières. Les isotopes de l'azote ont quant à eux permis d'apporter de nouvelles contraintes sur le cycle de l'azote dans les régions polaires, grâce au fractionnement significatif induit par les phénomènes de remobilisation post-dépôt affectant le nitrate dans le manteau neigeux, et l'émission de NOx qui en découle
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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.
Full textAbstract:
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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Malkin, Elon M. "The Economically Important Nitrogen Pathways of Southwest Florida." Scholar Commons, 2010. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3635.
Full textAbstract:
The global phenomenon of burgeoning coastal population growth has led to
coastal watershed landscape transformation and ecosystem degradation, prompting
policy-makers to set limits on freshwater withdrawals and labile nutrient loads. Important
components of Florida’s economies lie in the state’s expansive coastal zone; the
organisms driving the billion-dollar recreational fishing industry are rooted in coastal
habitats, while the agriculture and real-estate industries sprawl throughout numerous
coastal watersheds. This study aimed to identify the connections between anthropogenic
land use and essential juvenile fish nursery habitats within the coastal zone, which is the
first critical step for sustaining the ecology and related economies of the region.
The need for this study arises from the fact that these economies are
interconnected through nitrogen, and therefore nitrogen management can influence their
prosperity or collapse. Juvenile fish nursery habitats are located in waters that receive
nitrogen from adjacent landscapes. Runoff delivers nitrogen derived from human
nitrogen use and processing within the watersheds to the juvenile fish nursery habitats.
Ecosystem managers must understand that although copious amounts of nitrogen
applied to land may ultimately support nursery habitat foodwebs, overwhelming nitrogen
loads may also create algal blooms that decay and cause lethal hypoxic events leading
to ecosystem degradation. This study aims to pinpoint the specific nitrogen sources that
support primary production and ultimately fish production in watersheds dominated by
agricultural landscapes and residential neighborhoods.
Stable isotopes are versatile tools used to identify these connections. The
nitrogen and carbon compounds that make up the moieties of an ecosystem inherently
carry information on major nitrogen sources, trophic structure as well as the crucial
information concerning dominant nitrogen removal and transformative processes that
occur within sediments. Specifically in this study, the stable isotopes of carbon and
nitrogen of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, primary producers, and fish were used to
identify 1) the connections between urban and agricultural landscapes and the nutrients
that percolate through the foodweb, 2) the primary producers that support fish biomass,
3) the origins of sedimentary organic matter that can provide new nitrogen via recycling,
and 4) the heterogeneous function of fish nursery habitats in polluted systems. This
study was conducted during the region’s wet and dry seasons and in over thirty
watersheds that differ from each other in terms of size and anthropogenic influence.
In agricultural watersheds, nitrogen derived from row crops and tree crops
ultimately supported fish production during the wet season. Convective afternoon
thunderstorms coupled with runoff delivered nitrogen from the landscape to receiving
waters. These nutrients supported phytoplankton which deposited into the sediments
and supported benthic foodwebs. During the dry season, nitrogen derived from row
crops and nitrogen transformation in the sediments ultimately supported fish production.
In this case, irrigation water used for agriculture delivered nitrogen from lands covered
with row crops to the nursery habitats in receiving waters.
The dry season was characterized by the nitrogen transformation process known
as dissimilatory nitrogen reduction to ammonium (DNRA), where biologically available
nitrate is converted to biologically available ammonium. Phytoplankton deposits, most
likely delivered during the wet season, were recycled through the slow burning DNRA
processes, which provided nitrogen for the benthic microalgae that dominated in the dry
season. These organisms in turn supported benthic communities which ultimately
supported dry season fish production.
In small urban watersheds, nitrogen derived from septic tanks, lawn irrigation,
leaky sewage pipes, and atmospheric deposition ultimately supported fish production via
phytoplankton, but unlike the nitrogen sources in agricultural watersheds, these sources
(with the exception of atmospheric deposition) were seasonally consistent because a
mechanisms to deliver nitrogen derived from septic tanks, lawn fertilizer, and leaky
sewage pipes were, at least to some extent, available during both seasons.
In polluted, tidal, fish-nursery habitats, the specific mechanism that
allowed nursery habitats to decrease the ratio of mortality over growth rates of
juvenile fish was not consistent among systems. These mechanisms were likely
dependent on physical-chemical parameters and stream geomorphology. If the
geomorphology or physical-chemical characteristics of nursery habitats are not
adequate to set up an efficient nitrogen transfer process to fish, these habitats
become more of a haven from predators rather than a source of food for fish.
This study has several implications for management. Managers must first
recognize that microalgae are dominant supporters of tidal nursery foodwebs. Managers
must define the relationship between nitrogen loads and fish abundance. If this
relationship is unknown, the results of increasing nitrogen loads on fish production will
remain uncertain; foodwebs in nursery habitats may collapse due to eutrophication, or
fish abundance may increase due to increases in food supply. Connectivity factors
derived from stable isotope mechanistic mass-balance models can be used as
measurable targets for groups of watersheds. The use of wetlands as nitrogen
remediation tools may not be effective at removing nitrogen; nitrogen transformation
processes such as DNRA likely outweigh removal processes in wetland soils.
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Fahlman, John W. "Stable nitrogen isotopes as a method to source groundwater nitrate, field study of a municipal wastewater lagoon site." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape8/PQDD_0003/MQ45320.pdf.
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Harrison, Sofie A. "The influence of seabird-derived nutrients on island ecosystems in the oligotrophic marine waters of south-western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2006. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/68.
Full textAbstract:
Nutrient inputs from productive marine environments have been shown to directly and indirectly subsidise primary producers and consumers in terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. Polis and Hurd 1995; 1996; Anderson and Polis 1998; 1999). But does this theory hold true on islands surrounded by oligotrophic waters, which account for a significant proportion of the marine environment? The aim of the present study was to examine the applicability of the spatial subsidisation hypotheses proposed by Polis and his co-authors to an oligotrophic system in south-western region of Western Australia. These aims were achieved by comparing soil and plant nutrients, and the nitrogen stable isotope signatures of soil, plants, detritus and invertebrates in areas with (islands) and without (mainland sites) inputs from seabirds. In addition, the responses of plant nutrients and vegetation assemblages to guano additions were examined in a controlled field experiment.
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Reitsema, Laurie Jean. "Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Analysis of Human Diet Change in Prehistoric and Historic Poland." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1330969837.
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Perkins, Matthew James. "Quantifying the effects of biodiversity on food web structure : a stable isotope approach." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/13941.
Full textAbstract:
Food web structure is of underlying importance to ecological functions and processes. Whilst it is understood that a range of biotic and abiotic factors affect structure, relatively little is known of the role of biodiversity per se in structuring food webs. In this thesis I utilise novel multi-dimensional estimates of food web structure based on stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) to quantify structural responses to changing community diversity. I additionally investigate methodological aspects of sample preparation and stable isotope quantifications of food chains. Using an arthropod prey-predator system, in chapter 2 I demonstrate that tissue selection and lipid extraction are important methodological procedures for deriving accurate δ15N and δ13C signatures. In chapter 3 I test the utility of δ15N to quantify food chain length, and δ13C to trace primary energy sources through to end consumers. Bayesian resampling of variance in sample means for plant and arthropod food chains produces robust isotopic estimates that match known food chain length well despite some error variance, and estimates of δ13C-range that trace trophic transfers. Chapter 4 represents a change in system from lab to field as I determine δ15N and δ13C signatures for plant and invertebrate species within three grassland communities representing a gradient of biodiversity. Quantifications of community bivariate isotopic space using isotopic metrics revealed that greater taxonomic richness increased both diversity of resource space exploited and overlap in resource space. These results therefore suggest that loss of diversity affected structure through altering relative patterns of niche partitioning in resource exploitation amongst community members. In chapter 5, I additionally find evidence that grassland management mediated changes in food web compartmental structure that were associated with differences in generalist invertebrate predator feeding habits. Taken together, these findings develop and demonstrate the utility of isotopic approaches to quantifying food web structure, and provide evidence of important mechanisms by which biodiversity affects food web structure. I conclude that the preservation of natural food web structure and trophic dynamics are further reasons for halting loss of biodiversity.
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Leda, Lucyna. "The Permian-Triassic boundary in the NW-Iranian Transcaucasus and in Central Iran." Doctoral thesis, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.18452/21106.
Full textAbstract:
Perm/Trias-Grenzprofile in den Regionen von Julfa (NW-Iran) und Abadeh (Zentral-Iran) zeigen eine Abfolge von drei charakteristischen Gesteinseinheiten, (1) den Paratirolites Limestone mit dem end-permischen Massensterbehorizont an seiner Oberkante, (2) den Boundary Clay und (3) die untertriassische Elikah-Formation mit der mit Conodonten definierten Perm/Trias-Grenze an seiner Basis. Die Karbonatmikrofazies zeigt eine Veränderung in den Profilen bei Julfa; innerhalb des Paratirolites Limestone ist eine zunehmende Anzahl von Intraklasten, Fe-Mn-Krusten und biogenen Verkrustungen erkennbar. Die Karbonatproduktion des späten Perms wurde mit der Ablagerung von mikrobiellen Karbonaten an der Basis der Elikah-Formation in Julfa erneuert. Die in den Profilen von Baghuk (Abadeh-Region) vorkommenden Mikrobialite sind vielfältig; es gibt groß-und kleinskalige, arboreszierendende Mikrobialit-Ansammlungen mit auffälliger Morphologie und innerer Struktur. In den Regionen von Julfa (NW-Iran) und Abadeh (Zentral-Iran) deutet eine deutliche und weltweit nachvollziehbare negative Kohlenstoffisotopenexkursion hin. Die rasche Exkursion der Kohlenstoffisotopenexkursion unterhalb des Aussterbehorizonts im obersten Bereich des Paratirolites Limestone wird durch eine stratigraphische Kondensation, die ein Defizit der Karbonatproduktion/Akkumulation und/oder eine schnelle geochemische Veränderung in Richtung Karbonatuntersättigung spiegelt, verstärkt. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass ein länger andauernder Mechanismus, wie die thermische Metamorphose von an organischem Material reicher Sedimente, und/oder verstärkte Verwitterung auf den Kontinenten, die negative Perm/Trias- Kohlenstoffisotopenexkursion verursacht haben könnte. Die Stickstoffisotopenwerte zeigen keinen Trend unterhalb des Aussterbehorizonts, was auf eine Kombination verschiedener Prozesse (Stickstofffixierung und ein Gleichgewichtszustand zwischen Nitratassimilation, Stickstoff-Fixierung und Denitrifikation) hinweist.Permian-Triassic boundary sections in the Julfa (NW Iran) and Abadeh (Central Iran) regions display a succession of three characteristic rock units, (1) the Paratirolites Limestone with the end-Permian mass extinction horizon at its top, (2) the Boundary Clay, and (3) the Early Triassic Elikah Formation with the conodont Permian-Triassic boundary at its base. The carbonate microfacies reveals a change, in the sections near Julfa, within the Paratirolites Limestone with an increasing number of intraclasts, Fe-Mn crusts, and biogenic encrustation. A decline in carbonate accumulation occurs towards the top of this unit, finally resulting in a complete demise of the carbonate factory. The skeletal carbonate factory was restored with the deposition of microbial carbonates at the base of the Elikah Formation at Julfa. At Baghuk Mountain (Abadeh region) large- and small-scale, arborescent microbialite buildups with conspicuous morphology and internal structure occur. In the Julfa and Abadeh regions, a prominent and globally traceable negative carbon isotope excursion indicates major perturbations of the carbon cycle around the P-Tr boundary. The sudden carbonate carbon isotope decrease below the extinction horizon is triggered by stratigraphic condensation that mirrors a deficit of the carbonate production/accumulation and/or a rapid geochemical change towards carbonate undersaturation. The negative carbon isotope trend before extinction horizon is gradual, suggesting that a longer lasting mechanism, such as thermal metamorphism of organic-rich sediments, and/or enhanced weathering on the continents may have caused the negative Permian-Triassic stable carbon isotope excursion. The bulk nitrogen isotope values in the sections of the Julfa region do not show any trend below the extinction horizon, pointing to rather mixing of different processes (nitrogen fixation and an equilibrium state between nitrate assimilation, nitrogen fixation, and denitrification).
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Raymond, Jay E. "Use of Stable Isotopes to Trace the Fate of Applied Nitrogen in Forest Plantations to Evaluate Fertilizer Efficiency and Ecosystem Impacts." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78738.
Full textAbstract:
This study assessed five fertilizer treatments (control – no fertilizer, urea, urea treated with N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), coated urea + NBPT (CUF), polymer coated urea (PCU) ) during two application seasons (spring, summer) to: 1) compare fertilizer nitrogen (N) losses (see Chapter 2); 2) evaluate temporal N uptake patterns of loblolly pine (see Chapter 3); and 3) evaluate fertilizer N cycling and partitioning in a loblolly pine ecosystem (see Chapter 4). Chapter 2 results showed enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) significantly reduced ammonia (NH3) volatilization losses compared to urea. Mean NH3 volatilization after spring fertilization ranged from 4% to 26% for EEFs versus 26% to 40% for urea, and 8% to 23% for EEFs versus 29% to 49% for urea in summer. Chapter 3 results showed an increase in timing and development of foliage in fertilized compared to unfertilized plots. In addition, the cumulative N uptake by loblolly pines increased over the entire growing season from N originating from fertilizer and natural sources. Chapter 4 results showed greater fertilizer N recovery for EEFs in both spring and summer (80%, 70-80% respectively) compared to urea (60%, 50% respectively) with most fertilizer N recovered from mineral soil (20% to 50%) and loblolly pines (10% to 50%). Three primary conclusions come from this research: 1) EEFs reduce NH3 volatilization after N fertilization compared to urea regardless of application timing and weather conditions (see Chapter 2); 2) N uptake by loblolly pines increases over the entire growing season after N fertilization (see Chapter 3); more fertilizer N remains in the ecosystem with EEFs compared to urea with most fertilizer N remaining in the soil (see Chapter 4). From these findings, we hypothesize that the EEFs in this study: 1) reduce ammonia volatilization which 2) translates to an increase in fertilizer nitrogen remaining in the loblolly pine plantation system that 3) increases the amount of plant available nitrogen for an extended period into the stand rotation and 4) increases fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency (FNUE) for all enhanced efficiency fertilizers investigated in this study compared to the conventional form of fertilizer N used in forestry, urea.Ph. D.
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Ghaui, Mark. "Identifying long term patterns and drivers of vegetation structure in an African savanna using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes." Bachelor's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26381.
Full textAbstract:
Savanna systems are complex and dynamic in space and time. Climate, fire, herbivory and nutrients have been identified as structuring agents of savanna form and function, but their interactions and feedbacks with one another and vegetation are poorly resolved. Increasing the spatial and temporal scope of studies will help to improve this situation, as demonstrated in recent studies in the spatial dimension in particular. This study aims to investigate vegetation and Nitrogen cycling changes over time in a diverse patch mosaic landscape in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park to identify drivers of vegetation structure and their dynamism over time. Sediment from a 150cm core (taken using a Russian corer) was analyzed for stable ¹³C and ¹⁵N isotope abundances, and C:N ratio of soil organic matter. The base of the core was dated at 2380±40cal.Yr.BP. δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and C:N of soil organic matter was found to be variable over time. δ¹³C followed a pattern of stable periods of distinct abundance separated by abrupt changes; δ¹⁵N and C:N underwent changes over the same periods as δ¹³C. Vegetation follows a pattern of phase and transition as predicted by resilience theory. An aquatic vegetation phase persists around 2000cal.Yr.BP to about 500cal.Yr.BP, coinciding with a warm, wet period (including the Medieval Warm Period) with an open Nitrogen cycle. A C₄ grassland phase follows alter a transition to cool, dry conditions coinciding with the Little Ice Age, and decreasing openness of the N cycle. Recent increasing C₃ vegetation and N-openness were attributed to atmospheric CO₂ increase and Nitrogen deposition respectively. Climate is concluded to be the major driver of vegetation at this site, and a combination of climate and vegetation are responsible for changes in Nitrogen availability. Findings are discussed in relation to landscape management. Multi-proxy evidence in future studies would be useful in validating the findings of this study.
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Pointeau, Virginie M. "Water-use efficiency and productivity in native Canadian populations of Populus trichocarpa and Populus balsamifera." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/587.
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Afforestation and reforestation programs utilizing available fields for biofuel production, carbon sequestration, and other uses linked to climate change are looking to tree physiologists to identify species and genotypes best-suited to their purposes. The ideal poplar genotype for use in Canadian programs would be drought-resistant, cold-climate adapted, and fast-growing, thus requiring an understanding of links between a variety of physiological traits linked to growth and productivity. This study examined the basis for variations in water-use efficiency within four selected populations of Populus trichocarpa and Populus balsamifera (2 provenances each). Each species included both a northern and a southern provenance. Correlations between water-use efficiency, nitrogen-use efficiency, ¹³C/¹²C isotope ratio, stomatal conductance, and overall productivity were evaluated. Gas exchange variables measured included net photosynthesis, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO₂ content. Water-use efficiency and ¹³C content across all genotypes were highly correlated. Results suggested that variation in water-use efficiency was primarily related to variation in stomatal conductance across all genotypes. Whereas differences in net photosynthesis in this study were not significant between species, P. balsamifera did reveal a higher average stem volume overall. Although variation in stomatal conductance was the major determinant of differences in water-use efficiency, positive correlations were found between ¹³C isotope abundance and net photosynthesis in both P. balsamifera provenances. In this regard, results for the northern P. balsamifera provenance are the most consistent across all gas-exchange and growth trait correlations, in terms of meeting expectations for sink-driven water-use efficiency. The findings in this study suggest the possibility of identifying poplar genotypes with an absence of trade-off between water-use efficiency and nitrogen-use efficiency, notably among genotypes from the northern P. balsamifera provenance, near Gillam.
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Consolmagno, Luiza Camargo. "Estimativa da taxa de turnover e fator de discriminação isotópico em espécies de quelônios." Universidade de São Paulo, 2018. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/91/91131/tde-11102018-114205/.
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A utilização de traçadores como os isótopos estáveis de carbono e nitrogênio, é crescente e complementa as técnicas convencionais nos estudos referentes à dieta em animais silvestres. Isso é possível pois o valor isotópico dos itens utilizados na alimentação é refletido nos tecidos. A diferença isotópica resultante chamada de fator de discriminação ou fracionamento, está associada aos processos metabólicos necessários para que ocorra a incorporação de nutrientes. O estudo teve como objetivo medir o tempo de incorporação dos isótopos no plasma e nas células sanguíneas, componentes de \"tecido\" não mortal reamostrável, e determinar o fator de discriminação em cinco espécies de quelônios de água doce: Podocnemis expansa (tartaruga-da-Amazônia), Podocnemis unifilis (tracajá), Phrynops geofroanus (cágado-de-barbicha), Trachemys scripta (tartaruga-de-orelha-vermelha) e Trachemys dorbigni (tigre-d\'água). Os animais foram mantidos em cativeiro e as diferenças isotópicas dos 10 indivíduos adultos de cada espécie, foram medidas a partir da troca de dietas com valores isotópicos distintos. Com a mudança da dieta, o turnover do carbono e nitrogênio foram estimados entre 7 e 185 dias por meio de regressão exponencial não linear, quando os novos fatores de fracionamento foram estimados. O tempo de turnover para as espécies de quelônios variou de 72 a 337 dias para o carbono, e de 29 a 270 dias para o nitrogênio no plasma. Nas células sanguíneas o turnover variou de 3 a 373 dias para o carbono, e de 51 a 216 dias para o nitrogênio. Os fatores de discriminação que eram em média próximos a zero para o carbono, e entre 3-4‰ para o nitrogênio, variaram de 1,01 a 3,28‰ para o 13C e -0,76 a 0,49‰ para o 15N no plasma, e de 1,49 a 3,98‰ para o 13C e 0,99‰ a 4,69 para o 15N nas células sanguíneas, com a diminuição de 3,7‰ e aumento de 6,2‰, respectivamente para carbono e nitrogênio, na nova dieta. A diferença encontrada entre os fatores de discriminação calculados anteriormente a troca da dieta e após a troca, mostraram que provavelmente a incorporação dos isótopos estáveis se dá de forma heterogênea nos tecidos. De acordo com a literatura foi possível analisar que fatores como a memória isotópica, as rotas metabólicas e elementos característicos dos répteis possivelmente estão ligados ao turnover mais lento, diferente dos animais endotérmicos em que esse processo é mais rápido.The use of tracers such as stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes is crescent and complements the conventional techniques used in the studies referring to the diet in wild animals. This is possible because the isotopic value of the items used in the diet reflects their isotopic values on the tissues. The resulting isotopic difference called the discrimination factor or fractionation is associated with the metabolic processes required for nutrient incorporation to occur. The object of the study was to measure the incorporation time of isotopes into plasma and blood cells, components of re-portable non-lethal \"tissue\", and to determine the discriminant factor of five species of freshwater chelonians: Podocnemis expansa (Amazonia tortoise), Podocnemis unifilis (tracajá), Phrynops geofroanus (geoffroy´s side necked turtle), Trachemys scripta (red-eared slider turtle) and Trachemys dorbigni (d\'orbigny\'s slider). The isotopic differences of 10 adult individuals of each species kept in captivity were measured through shifting diets with different isotopic values. With the diet variation, carbon and nitrogen turnover was estimated between 7 and 185 days by non-linear exponential regression, when the new fractionation factors were estimated. The turnover time for the chelonians species varied from 72 to 337 days for carbon, and from 29 to 270 days for the plasma nitrogen. In blood cells, the turnover ranged from 3 to 373 days for carbon, and from 51 to 216 days for nitrogen. Discrimination factors that were, in average, close to zero for carbon and between 3 and 4‰ for nitrogen ranged from 1.01 to 3.28‰ for 13C and -0.76 to 0.49‰ for 15N in plasma, and from 1.49 to 3.98‰ for 13C and 0.99 to 4.69 for 15N in blood cells, with a decrease of 3.7‰ and an increase of 6.2‰, respectively for carbon and nitrogen in the new diet. The difference found between the discrimination factors calculated before and after the diet shift, showed that stable isotopes incorporation probably occurs in a heterogenous way in tissues. According to the literature it was possible to analyze that factors such as isotopic memory, metabolic routes and reptiles characteristic elements are possibly linked to slower turnover, different from endothermic animals in which this process is faster.
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Sernagiotto, Erica Regina 1983. "Rastreabilidade da farinha de vísceras de aves em codornas submetidas a longo período de criação utilizando a técnica dos isótopos estáveis 'delta' 'intpot. 13 c' e 'delta' 'intpot. 15 N' /." Botucatu : [s.n.], 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/95279.
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Orientador: Antonio Celso PezzatoBanca: Carlosw Ducatti
Banca: Valquíria Cação da Cruz
Resumo: O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a capacidade da técnica dos isótopos estáveis em rastrear a farinha de vísceras de aves (FVA), na alimentação de codornas de corte criadas por longo período, após a substituição da dieta com 8% de FVA por dieta vegetal. Foram utilizadas 320 codornas, distribuídas aleatoriamente em oito tratamentos: dieta vegetal (T1) e sete tratamentos com inclusão de 8% de FVA na dieta, um mantendo a dieta até o final do período experimental (T2), e nos demais a dieta foi substituída aos 42; 56; 70; 84; 98; 112 dias; respectivamente, por dieta vegetal. Para coleta das amostras de músculo peitoral foram sacrificadas ao acaso, quatro aves (n = 4) por tratamento, a cada 14 dias, sendo que no T1 e T2 tiveram início aos 42 dias e nos demais a partir da troca das dietas. Os resultados isotópicos obtidos foram submetidos à análise multivariada de variância (MANOVA) com auxílio do procedimento GLM do programa estatístico SAS. Os tratamentos diferiram do vegetal quando as aves foram sacrificadas duas semanas após a troca da dieta; após esse período os tratamentos experimentais tiveram comportamento semelhante ao vegetal, exceto o T3, que se mostrou semelhante ao T1 no abate 14 dias após a troca da dieta; e do T2 que em todos os períodos de comparação diferiu do T1. Conclui-se que a aplicação da técnica dos isótopos estáveis de carbono e nitrogênio na rastreabilidade da FVA, na alimentação de codornas de corte criadas por longo período é possível nas aves abatidas 14 dias após a troca de dieta, com exceção das aves sacrificadas aos 56 dias de idade.
Abstract: The present work aimed to evaluate the capability of the stable isotope technique to trace poultry visceral meal (PVM) in the diet of meat quails raised for a long period after substitution of an 8% PVM diet for a vegetable diet. Three hundred and twenty poultries (320) were randomly distributed into eight treatments: vegetable diet (T1) and seven treatments containing 8% PVM in the diet: in one treatment, the same diet was kept until the end of the experimental period (T2), and in the remaining treatments, the diet was substituted at 42, 56, 70, 84, 98, and 112 days, respectively, for a vegetable diet. To collect chest muscle samples, four poultries (n = 4) per treatment were randomly sacrificed at every 14 days, starting at 42 days in T1 and T2 and from diet substitution in the remaining treatments. The obtained isotopic results were subjected to multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) using the GLM procedure of SAS statistical software. Treatments differed from the vegetable diet when poultries were sacrificed at two weeks following the diet substitution; after such period, the behavior of experimental treatments was similar to that of the vegetable diet, except for T3, which was similar to T1 at slaughtering at 14 days after the diet substitution, and T2 which, in all comparison periods, differed from T1. In conclusion, the technique of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen can be used to trace PVM in the diet of meat quails slaughtered at 14 days after diet substitution, except for poultries sacrificed at 56 days.
Mestre
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Pastershank, Georgine M. "Unifying ecosystem concepts and mercury biomagnification in an estuarine environment using stable isotopes (delta-carbon-13 and delta nitrogen-15)." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/9387.
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Isotope ratios of carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N), on a parts per thousand (‰) basis relative to a standard, were used to trace carbon flows (delta 13C) and trophic positions of organisms (delta15N). Values of delta13C and delta15N were obtained for sediments, suspended particulate matter (SPM), plants, and animals found in the Miramichi River Estuary (New Brunswick, Canada) and used to show the relationship between food web structure and patterns of mercury biomagnification. On a delta13C and delta15N basis, three different sources of energy were identified: terrestrial carbon, in situ estuarine primary production, and marine phytoplankton. Isotopically depleted delta13C and delta15N values verified terrestrial carbon was a major source of energy to estuarine sediments and SPM. A cluster analysis of mean delta13C and delta 15N values for 47 abiotic and biotic groups in this study helped to structure the community of plants and animals. Eight distinct clusters were formed: (1) estuarine sediment, and estuarine and freshwater SPM; (2) estuarine and marine primary producers; (3) freshwater fish and submerged terrestrial leaf litter, and estuarine oysters; (4) estuarine filter-feeding invertebrates; (5) estuarine deposit-feeding invertebrates; (6) estuarine planktivorous and benthivorous fish, some benthic invertebrates, and two filter-feeding marine fish; (7) estuarine carnivorous and two benthivorous fish; and (8) double crested cormorant eggs (whites and yolks). The results of this analysis show that for this coastal ecosystem, no distinction can be made in delta13C and delta15N values between estuarine and marine primary producers and filter-feeding fish, whereas freshwater fish and submerged terrestrial leaf litter were characterised by their isotopically light delta13C values. Based on measurements of delta13C and delta 15N differences between a predator and its prey, an average delta 13C- and delta15N-trophic enrichment factor (TEF) of 1.87 +/- 0.16‰ and 2.94 +/- 0.14‰, respectively, were calculated for the Miramichi River Estuary food web. Consistent with observations in other aquatic studies, a total of 4.7 delta15N-defined trophic levels were identified for the Miramichi River Estuary food web. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
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Al-Reasi, Hassan Ali. "Tracking mercury biomagnification in fish from the Gulf of Oman using stable isotopes (carbon-13carbon-12 and nitrogen-15nitrogen-14)." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/26836.
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Attempts to use stable isotope carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) ratios to construct trophic positions and track mercury biomagnification in zooplankton and 13 fish species from a coastal food web of the Gulf of Oman illustrated some potential differences in this environment compared to the aquatic ecosystem of the northern hemisphere. Due to the large difference in delta13C values (3.4‰) between zooplankton planktivorous fish species (S. crumenophthalmus, S. longiceps and R. kanagurta), zooplankton would seem to not be the primary diet of these fish species as commonly described in literature.
Total mercury (T-Hg) concentrations of zooplankton were very low (range 0.010 to 0.037 mug·g-1, N = 27) with a mean methyl mercury (MeHg) of 0.001 mug·g-1 (range 1-19%, N = 5). The lowest T-Hg (0.003 mug·g-1) was found in planktivore (S. longiceps) and the highest was 0.760 mug·g -1 in predator shark (R. acutus) with average MeHg for all fish of 72% (range: 33-100%, N = 150). Using 15 N as indicator of trophic position, neither total mercury (T-Hg) nor methyl mercury (MeHg) were found to biomagnify. Regression slopes were 0.08 and 0.05 for T-Hg and MeHg respectively as a function of delta15 N. This indicates that biomagnification was lower in this tropical ocean compared to that found in freshwater and marine ecosystems of the arctic and temperate zones.
Methyl mercury levels in the fish species commonly consumed are low and intake calculations showed that individuals can safely consume fish.
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Weber, Sarah C. "From rivers to natural gas: The influence of allochthonous inputs on marine nitrogen fixation and the carbon cycle." Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/54470.
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The Western Tropical North Atlantic (WTNA) was once thought to be a net source of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to the atmosphere, but recent studies have shown that this Amazon River influenced region may actually act as a net sink for CO₂. During a 2010 research cruise to the WTNA, we characterized the impact of the Amazon River on offshore diazotrophy (N₂-fixation) and the resulting stimulation of biological carbon export from surface waters. Through the delivery of phosphate- and silicate-replete waters to the nitrogen (N) limited surface waters of the WTNA, the aging Amazon River plume promotes the growth of diatom-diazotoph associations (DDAs). Regions supporting large DDA blooms were associated with increased pCO₂ and DIC drawdown in the surface waters, reflecting the net export of carbon from the mixed layer. The existence of this biologically mediated linkage between the C and N cycles in productive surface waters is well known, but we have only recently discovered a stimulatory relationship in deep waters between oil/gas release and N₂-fixation. This association was first observed after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 and we again saw evidence for it in the days following the Hercules 265 natural gas blowout. This blowout event was characterized by the release of an unknown quantity of natural gas into the shelf waters of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, but we detected a response from the marine microbial community within days. We observed a significant drawdown of dissolved oxygen and found biogeochemical evidence for the incorporation of methane-carbon into the food web, along with a modest stimulation of N₂-fixation. The episodic nature of anthropogenic blowouts makes them difficult to study, so we use cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico as natural analogues. Interestingly, we have measured both methane oxidation and N₂-fixation at depth above some of the more active seeps. Using NanoSIMS analyses, we have taken the first steps towards physically characterizing the organisms utilizing these metabolisms. It appears that different organisms are carrying out these processes, with CH₄-assimilation occurring primarily in individual particles or small aggregates, whereas N₂-fixtion was associated with larger, sulfur-containing aggregates. Continued NanoSIMS work in combination with the use of microbial ID techniques will help to further characterize these unique deepwater diazotrophs.
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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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Husic, Admin. "NUMERICAL MODELING AND ISOTOPE TRACERS TO INVESTIGATE KARST BIOGEOCHEMISTRY AND TRANSPORT PROCESSES." UKnowledge, 2018. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ce_etds/70.
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This dissertation investigated the physical and biogeochemical processes affecting the source, fate, and transport of sediment, carbon, and nitrogen within a highly-coupled fluviokarst system. Elemental and isotopic datasets were collected at surface and subsurface locations for both dissolved and particulate contaminant phases, new methodology regarding data collection was presented to the karst research community, an in-cave sediment transport model coupling physical transport with elemental and isotopic mass balances of carbon and nitrogen was formulated, pathway and process control on nitrate leaching from agricultural karst watersheds was assessed, and nitrate mobilization and fractionation were modeled using high frequency storm sampling and long-term low-flow sampling. Data and modeling results indicate that phreatic karst conduits are transport-limited during hydrologic events and experience subsurface deposition of labile, storm-injected sediment which is subsequently decomposed by heterotrophic bacteria. An estimated 30% of the organic carbon associated with sediment is decomposed during transport in the subsurface karst. Concentrations of nitrate in subsurface waters are consistently 50% greater than surface inputs suggesting an additional source of subsurface nitrate. Further modeling of nitrate leaching indicates that quick-flow water sources dilute nitrate concentrations and slow-flow (epikarst and phreatic) sources account for approximately 90% of downstream nitrate delivery. Field sampling of extreme events highlights the physical transport and delayed release of high nitrate concentrations by intermediate karst pathways, which is likely associated with a transition from epikarst to soil drainage during storm recession. Modeling of sediment carbon and nitrogen within the karst SFGL supports the idea that the cave sediment bed experiences hot spots and hot moments of biogeochemical activity. Sediment nitrogen tracing data show a significant increase in δ15NSed at the spring outlet relative to karst inputs indicating the potential for isotope fractionation effects during dissolved N uptake by cave biota. Dissolved nitrogen stable isotopic composition shows a significant downstream decrease in δ15NNO3 within the conduit, likely associated with nitrification. Data and modeling results of sediment, carbon, and nitrogen emphasize the role of multiple pathways, turbulent transport, and in-conduit transformations in controlling contaminant flux from karst watersheds.
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Montey, Nicole R. "Investigation of pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps ) populations in the southeastern United States using stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in teeth." Thesis, College of Charleston, 2015. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1587301.
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The pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) is currently the second-most commonly stranded cetacean in the Southeastern United States (SEUS), but information concerning their population structure is severely limited. This study utilized stable isotope analysis to investigate the possible migratory patterns and population structure of K. breviceps among six different regions in the SEUS. Combined growth layers from different regions of the teeth were subsampled via dental drill and analyzed representing four different age classes: calf, juvenile, sub-adult, and adult, as well as four yearlings that had stranded with their mothers. Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen were measured in the organic component of 46 teeth, and oxygen isotope ratios were measured in the inorganic (hydroxyapatite) component of 21 teeth obtained from stranded individuals. There was a high degree of individual variability in δ13C, δ 15N, and δ18O resulting in no significant differences between the six different regions: South Carolina, Georgia, Northern, Central, and Southern Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico. Differences between the age classes were significant for δ13C and δ 15N. Adults exhibited significantly more negative δ13 C than subadults. These results support a previously hypothesized inshore-offshore migration for Kogia breviceps. Yearlings displayed significantly higher δ15N values than all other age classes due to nursing. A slight increase in δ15N from juvenile to adult supports a possible ontogenetic shift in the trophic level of prey. Results from this study provide the first carbon and nitrogen isotope values from different age classes of pygmy sperm whales as well as the first reported oxygen isotopes values for this species.
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Hooker, Toby D. "Consequences of Vegetation Change on the Dynamics of Labile Organic Matter and Soil Nitrogen Cycling in a Semiarid Ecosystem." DigitalCommons@USU, 2009. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/411.
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Sagebrush-dominated ecosystems are being transformed by wildfire, rangeland improvement techniques, and exotic plant invasions. These disturbances have substantial effects on the composition and structure of native vegetation, but the effects on ecosystem C and N dynamics are poorly understood. To examine whether differences in dominant vegetation affect the quantity and quality of plant organic matter inputs to soil, ecosystem C and N pools and rates of plant turnover were compared among historically grazed Wyoming big sagebrush, introduced perennial crested wheatgrass, and invasive annual cheatgrass communities. Since low soil moisture during the summer may inhibit the microbial colonization of plant detrital inputs and result in C-limitations to microbial growth, soils were treated with an in situ pulse of plant detritus prior to the onset of the summer dry-season, and rates of soil C and gross N cycling were compared between treated and untreated soils. Finally, because plant detritus is the dominant form of labile C input to soil microbes over a large portion of the year, the decomposition of 13C-labeled annual grass detritus was used to determine the importance of plant detritus versus soil organic matter as microbial substrate. Results revealed large differences in ecosystem C and N pools, and in the quantity of plant C and N inputs to soil among vegetation types, but differences in soil C and N cycling rates were more subtle. Plant biomass pools were greatest for sagebrush stands, but plant C and N inputs to soil were greatest in cheatgrass communities, such that rates of plant C and N turnover appeared to be accelerated in disturbed ecosystems. Earlier release of plant biomass to soil detrital pools stimulated N availability to a greater extent than C availability relative to untreated soils, and this effect could not be predicted from the C:N stoichiometry of plant detritus. Finally, in situ decomposition of cheatgrass detritus was rapid; however, there was no clear evidence of a time-lag during summer in microbial colonization of recently released plant detritus, and microbial consumption of plant detritus did not result in N-limitations to microbial growth.
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Boehme-Terrana, Linae Marie. "Trace metals and stable isotopes as tracers of life history and trophic connections in estuarine-dependent fish from Tampa Bay, Florida." [Tampa, Fla.] : University of South Florida, 2007. http://purl.fcla.edu/usf/dc/et/SFE0002241.
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Mamontov, Alexander. "Hydroxylation et halogénation directe et sélective des composés azotés en milieu superacide." Thesis, Poitiers, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018POIT2267.
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La fonctionnalisation tardive de molécules (Late stage functionalization – LSF) offre l’opportunité d’explorer l’espace chimique plus efficacement, en particulier en considérant les liaisons C-H aromatiques comme des points potentiels de diversification pour générer de nouveaux analogues directement en une seule étape au lieu de faire une synthèse totale dite de novo. La fonctionnalisation directe de composés élaborés peut en particulier se faire en utilisant la technologie superacide comme démontré par les nombreux travaux du professeur Jacquesy. L’un des meilleurs exemples de cette stratégie est certainement la transformation directe de la vinorelbine (Navelbine®) par fluoration en conditions superacides pour conduire à son analogue difluoré (Vinflunine), commercialisé par les laboratoires Pierre Fabre comme agent anticancéreux Javlor®. C’est dans ce contexte que ce travail de thèse a porté sur le développement de nouvelles méthodes de fonctionnalisation directe de composés aromatiques azotés.Il s’agissait effectivement de développer de nouveaux outils de synthèse en conditions superacides afin :1. d’hydroxyler directement des composés aromatiques par voie électrophile;2. d’halogéner des composés aromatiques azotés allant d’anilines simples à des composés élaborés naturels ou de synthèse;3. d’appliquer ces méthodes à la synthèse de molécules marquées par des isotopes stablesLate-stage functionalization can now be considered as a synthetic tool of choice to create molecular diversity, especially in a medicinal chemistry context. For example, aromatic C-H bonds can be regarded as functional groups and points of potential diversification to generate new analogs of a lead structure without resorting to de novo synthesis.The direct functionalization of elaborated compounds can also be done using superacid chemistry as demonstrated by the previous work of professor Jacquesy. One of the best examples of this strategy is certainly the direct transformation of vinorelbine (Navelbine®) by fluorination in superacid conditions to lead to its difluorinated analogue (Vinflunine), marketed by Pierre Fabre laboratories as an anticancer agent Javlor®.In this context, these studies focused on the development of new methods for the direct functionalization of aromatic nitrogen containing compounds.In particular, this work aimed at developing new synthetic tools in superacid for:1. the direct hydroxylation of aromatic compounds;2. the halogenation of aromatic nitrogen compounds from simple anilines to naturally occurring or synthetic compounds;3. the synthesis of labelled compounds with stable isotopes
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Cleary, Daniel Martin. "A Bat-Guano-Derived δ15N and δ13C Record of Paleoenvironmental Change: Zidită Cave, Romania." Scholar Commons, 2015. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5928.
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Because nitrogen isotopes are fractionated along the soil-plant-insect-bat-guano pathway, it may be possible to reconstruct environmental and climatic changes reflected in the nitrogen isotopic composition of guano. A 1.5-m core of bat guano from Zidită Cave (western Romania) provides a record of climatic and anthropogenic influence on the regional nitrogen cycle and paleoenvironmental controls on nitrogen transforming processes. Increasing and decreasing trends of nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N values) correspond well with changes in the influence of farming practices, deforestation, and forest expansion. These influences likely had a significant effect on the openness of the nitrogen cycle, resulting in changes in δ15N values of soil, plants, and ultimately guano. While δ15N values have gradually decreased since AD 1700, decadal trends towards more positive values at AD 1840 and 1920 coincide with increases in tree pollen (forest recovery). Additionally, the accumulation of relatively15N-depleted guano coincides with periods of increased fire frequency, deforestation, and crop/herbaceous pollen (agricultural practices).
δ13C record of bulk guano indicates that carbon isotopic variation results from changes in water availability. Comparison of δ13C to δ15N indicates that there is a significant correlation between nitrogen and carbon isotopic composition of guano. When water availability was high (low δ13C values), δ15N values of bulk guano trend towards higher values. Although this connection to climate is the opposite of the findings from previous work correlating δ15N values of plant foliage and precipitation amount, the relationship between nitrogen isotopic values and water availability still appears to have merit. Based on these findings, δ15N of guano appears to be a signal for changes in N cycling of the Mada region that occurs, primarily in response to the precipitation received, further modified by intense changes in anthropogenic activity.
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Sigman, Daniel M. "The Role of Biological Production in Pleistocene Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Variations and the Nitrogen Isotope Dynamics of the Southern Ocean." Ft. Belvoir : Defense Technical Information Center, 1997. http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA342811.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, 1997."September 1997." "Funding was provided by National Science Foundation Grant OCE-9201286, National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Program, and the JOI/USSAC Ocean Drilling Graduate Fellowship Program." Includes bibliographical references (p. 152-153).
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Wexler, S. K. "An investigation into the sources, cycling and attenuation of nitrate in an agricultural lowland catchment using stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 2010. https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/24211/.
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Nardoto, Gabriela Bielefeld. "Abundância natural de 15N na Amazônia e Cerrado - implicações para a ciclagem de nitrogênio." Universidade de São Paulo, 2005. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/91/91131/tde-30012006-155758/.
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A floresta de terra-firme amazônica e o Cerrado ocorrem em regiões caracterizadas pela baixa fertilidade do solo. Apesar de diferenças evolutivas, estratégias de economia de água e ciclagem de nutrientes, ambos são conhecidos pela elevada presença de espécies de plantas leguminosas. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi investigar a dinâmica do nitrogênio, com ênfase na fixação biológica desse elemento, em alguns tipos de vegetação natural do Brasil. Foram investigadas áreas de floresta de terra-firme em platô, floresta de terra-firme no baixio e campinarana, situadas na região Amazônica brasileira e áreas de cerrado sensu stricto submetidas a diferentes regimes de queima, situadas na região central do Brasil. A concentração de N total no solo variou de 0,12 a 0,41 % na superfície (0-5 cm) chegando a 0,05 % a 50 cm profundidade. Em todos os perfis de solos estudados ocorreu um progressivo enriquecimento em 15N com a profundidade, independente do tipo de vegetação. Os valores mais elevados de δ15N ocorreram ao longo dos perfis de solo em Santarém e Manaus-platô. As florestas de terra-firme apresentaram as maiores concentrações de N, P e Ca na serapilheira produzida e um maior enriquecimento em 15N assim como razões C/N e N/P mais baixas. Dentro de uma mesma área, o δ15N não diferiu entre as leguminosas e não-leguminosas, mas as leguminosas apresentaram concentrações foliares de N maiores que as não-leguminosas. Em Manaus, as espécies lenhosas das áreas de campinarana e floresta no baixio apresentaram valores menores de δ15N foliar quando comparado aos das árvores da área de floresta no platô. Os valores de δ15N foliar entre as florestas de terra-firme em áreas de platô diminuíram sistematicamente com o aumento da precipitação anual e diminuição na duração da estação seca. Para as áreas de cerrado s.s., uma variação de ~10 foi observada entre as espécies de leguminosas e não-leguminosas. Como conseqüência desta grande variabilidade nos valores de δ15N foliar, fatores como sazonalidade, freqüência de queimadas e habilidade de fixar N2 (leguminosas x não-leguminosas) não causaram entre as áreas de cerrado s.s diferenças significativas tanto para espécies de leguminosas como não-leguminosas. Os valores de δ15N encontrados confirmam que as florestas de terra-firme apresentam uma maior disponibilidade de N. No entanto, quanto maior a duração da estação seca na região amazônica mais alta é a disponibilidade de N nessas florestas (ciclo do N mais aberto). Por outro lado, os valores obtidos nas áreas de cerrado s.s. estariam refletindo a baixa disponibilidade de N nesse ecossistema. Diferenças na abertura relativa do ciclo do N (magnitude das entradas e saídas versus a quantidade de N dentro do sistema) contribuíram para a variação do δ15N relacionada à fertilidade do solo, enquanto as diferenças no fracionamento isotópico durante as perdas de N contribuíram mais significativamente na variação do δ15N associada à distribuição das chuvas.The Amazon terra-firme forest and Cerrado occur in the Brazilian tropical region characterized by low soil fertility and a quite diverse climatological condition, mainly related to extend and intensity of the dry and wet seasons. Despite the differences in evolutionary character, water economy and strategies in nutrient cycling, these systems are known for a high number of woody legumes. Othe objective of this study was to investigate the nitrogen dynamics, with emphasis on the biological nitrogen fixation, on some types of natural vegetation from Brazil. Areas of terra-firme forest on plateau, terra-firme forest on baixio and campinarana, situated in the Brazilian Amazon region and areas of cerrado sensu stricto submitted to different fire regimes, situated in Central region of Brazil, were investigated. Total N concentration varied from 1.2 to 4.1 g kg-1 at the surface (0-5 cm) to ~ 0.5 g kg-1 at 50 cm depth. Regardless of the site, a large increase in δ15N was observed in the first 50 cm of the soil, although the soil profiles from terra-firme forest in Manaus and Santarém were more enriched in 15N than the other profiles. All terra-firme forests showed higher N, P and Ca concentrations, and δ15N, in the litter, as well as lower C:N ratio compared to the other studied sites. Within-site, foliar δ15N (~ 10 ) did not differ between legumes and non-legumes, but legumes had higher foliar N concentrations. Forests on fertile soils were enriched in 15N relative to those on poorer soils. Foliar δ15N was positively correlated with the length of the dry season in terra-firme forests along the Amazon while foliar N did not decrease as precipitation increases. Terra-firme forests are N-rich ecosystems (open N-cycle) compared to the Cerrado where the large range of δ15N reflects mechanisms to sustain such diversity in this nutrient-poor and water-stressed environment. Precipitation seasonality (dry versus wet season), fire frequency and ability to fix atmospheric N (legumes vs non-legumes), did not reflect significant differences in the δ15N values of Cerrado leaves. Both terra-firme forest and cerrado s.s. are limited more by P than by N, although N limitation is higher in the latter. Three aspects ought to be concerned describing the patterns found in this work. First, differences in plant versus soil δ15N; second, differences in the characteristic of the N cycle (the magnitude of inputs and outputs versus the quantity of N within systems); and third, variations on isotopic fractionation during N loss. Therefore, differences in the relative openness of the N cycle seems to contribute most strongly to fertility-related variation in N-15, while differences in fractionation during output contribute more strongly to rainfallassociated variation.
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Edwards, Keith. "A proposed methodology for predicting the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope measures of K'inich Yax K'uk Mo', Copan dynastic founder." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2011. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/4887.
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The purpose of this thesis is to show that stable isotope analysis can be used to predict K'inich Yax K'uk Mo's stable isotope measures based on Stuart's (2007) hypothesis that K'inich Yax K'uk Mo', the dynastic founder of the Copan royal lineage, was a Caracol lord. There is significant and convincing evidence that K'inich Yak K'uk Mo' had a non-Copanec origin. Stable isotope analysis is a tested and reliable method for detailing diets and migratory paths of ancient humans and this theory is applied as a predictor of the stable isotope measures of K'inich Yax K'uk Mo', if he did in fact originate in Caracol. The literature is rich with explanations of stable isotopes and the writings of a few stalwarts in the field were utilized to gain an understanding of the associated technologies and techniques utilized in its analysis. Data from the Copan (Whittington and Reed 1997) and Caracol (Chase and Chase 2001) stable isotope studies were utilized to show the application of stable isotope analysis in areas "associated" with K'inich Yax K'uk Mo' and to illustrate how the palace diet identified by Chase and Chase (2001; Chase et al. 2001) could be aligned with the Stuart hypothesis to predict the stable isotope ranges for K'inich Yax K'uk Mo'.ID: 030423403; 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 (p. 72-79).
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