The use of stable isotope analyses in freshwater ecology:current awareness

摘要: Ecological research using stable isotopes has progressed rapidly during the last 20 years and although more studies are including addition of isotopically labelled compounds at tracer levels, overwhelming majority rely on measurements natural abundance ratios. Access to isotope ratio mass spectrometry increased, spurred by awareness techniques increasing demand, consequently cost sample analysis dropped. Today carbon (13C/12C), nitrogen (15N/14N), sulphur (34S/32S), oxygen (18O/16O), hydrogen (2H/1H) can be determined routinely. Perhaps one most appealing attributes isotopic signatures is their potential use find patterns determine mechanisms across a range scales from molecular level through characterising whole food webs, reconstructing palaeoenvironments, tracing nutrient fluxes between ecosystems identifying subsidies, or migrations organisms. Ecologists every discipline who unlikely have been trained as chemists added (SIA) “toolbox”, but often leads abuse. The usefulness SIA arises predictable physical enzymatic-based discrimination biological non-biological materials leading different compositions. Without some ecological understanding these, interpretation isotope-derived data flawed. Here, I explore how recently used for in aquatic ecology, reviewing these allowed elucidation key processes systems such contribution allochthony lake discuss “state art”. Included thoughts where our knowledge ecology remains deficient continued development future application interdisciplinary methodologies may applied.