scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Book ChapterDOI

The isotopic composition of reduced organic carbon

01 Jan 1980-Vol. 1, pp 329-406
About: The article was published on 1980-01-01. It has received 1323 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Total organic carbon.
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The use of stable isotopes to solve biogeochemical problems in ecosystem analysis is increasing rapidly because stable isotope data can contribute both source-sink (tracer) and process information: the elements C, N, S, H, and all have more than one isotope, and isotopic compositions of natural materials can be measured with great precision with a mass spectrometer as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The use of stable isotopes to solve biogeochemical problems in ecosystem analysis is increasing rapidly because stable isotope data can contribute both source-sink (tracer) and process information: The elements C, N, S, H, and all have more than one isotope, and isotopic compositions of natural materials can be measured with great precision with a mass spectrometer. Isotopic compositions change in predictable ways as elements cycle through the biosphere. These changes have been exploited by geochemists to understand the global elemental cycles. Ecologists have not until quite recently employed these techniques. The reasons for this are, first, that most ecologists do not have the background in chemistry and geochemistry to be fully aware of the possibilities for exploiting the natural variations in stable isotopic compositions, and second, that stable isotope ratio measurements require equipment not normally available to ecologists. This is unfortunate because some of the more intractable problems in ecology can be profitably addressed using stable isotope measurements. Stable isotopes are ideally suited to increase our understanding of element cycles in ecosystems. This review is written for ecologists who would like to learn more about how stable isotope analyses have been and can be used in ecosystem studies. We begin with an explanation of isotope terminology and fractionation, then summarize isotopic distributions in the C, N, and S biogeochemical cycles, and conclude with five case studies that show how stable isotope measurements can provide crucial information for ecosystem analysis. We restrict this review to studies of natural variations in C, N, and S isotopic abundances, cxcluding from consideration ~5N enrichment studies and hydrogen and oxygen isotope studies. Our focus on C, N, and S derives in part from our

5,234 citations

MonographDOI
16 Dec 2004
TL;DR: The second edition of The Biomarker Guide as mentioned in this paper provides a comprehensive account of the role that biomarker technology plays both in petroleum exploration and in understanding Earth history and processes.
Abstract: The second edition of The Biomarker Guide is a fully updated and expanded version of this essential reference. Now in two volumes, it provides a comprehensive account of the role that biomarker technology plays both in petroleum exploration and in understanding Earth history and processes. Biomarkers and Isotopes in the Environment and Human History details the origins of biomarkers and introduces basic chemical principles relevant to their study. It discusses analytical techniques, and applications of biomarkers to environmental and archaeological problems. The Biomarker Guide is an invaluable resource for geologists, petroleum geochemists, biogeochemists, environmental scientists and archaeologists.

2,163 citations

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: Stable isotope ratios provide clues about the origins and transformations of organic matter and have been used as a tool for understanding complex ecological processes as mentioned in this paper, which has prompted increasing use of stable isotope analyses as a method to understand complex biological processes.
Abstract: Stable isotope ratios provide clues about the origins and transformations of organic matter. A few key reactions control the isotopic composition of most organic matter. Isotopic variations introduced by these reactions are often passed on with little change so that isotopic measurements can indicate natural pathways and flows “downstream” from these key reactions. When chemical and metabolic processes scramble the information content of molecules, isotopic compositions are often preserved. This realization has prompted increasing use of stable isotope analyses as a tool for understanding complex ecological processes.

1,936 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results indicate that bone collagen δ15N values will be useful in determining relative dependence on marine and terrestrial food sources and in investigating trophic level relationships among different animal species within an ecosystem.

1,772 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the identification of diagenetic alteration of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of bone and tooth collagen prepared by a widely used method is presented for assessing sample quality.

1,449 citations

References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: δ 13C/12C ratios have been determined for plant tissue from 104 species representing 60 families and photosynthetic fractionation leading to such values is discussed.
Abstract: 13C/12C ratios have been determined for plant tissue from 104 species representing 60 families. Higher plants fall into two categories, those with low δPDBI13C values (—24 to —34‰) and those with high δ 13C values (—6 to —19‰). Algae have δ 13C values of —12 to —23‰. Photosynthetic fractionation leading to such values is discussed.

1,943 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A survey of the variation of the ratio C13/C12 in nature can be found in this paper, where Urey and his co-workers used two complete feed systems with magnetic switching to determine small differences in isotope ratios between samples and a standard gas.

1,779 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the isotopic abundances of C13 and O18 were analyzed for carbon dioxide reporting, in addition to concentration in air, in order to explain the correlation observed for all samples between C13 isotope abundance and concentration of carbon dioxide in air.

1,014 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The effects of different modes of formation on the isotopic composition of speleothems has been examined to delineate the conditions under which they may be used to give palaeo-climatic data as mentioned in this paper.

1,014 citations

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 1969
TL;DR: In this paper, a modification in the Nier-type mass spectrometer and a refinement in instrumentation techniques by McKinney et al. [3] finally initiated stable isotope studies of the type that are discussed in this review.
Abstract: In 1947, in his classical paper on the thermodynamic properties of isotopic substances, H. C. Urey [1] laid the foundation of modern isotope geochemistry. At the same time, A. O. Nier [2] designed a new mass spectrometer which allowed the measurement of small differences in isotope abundance ratios. A modification in the Nier-type mass spectrometer and a refinement in instrumentation techniques by McKinney et al. [3] finally initiated stable isotope studies of the type that will be discussed in this review.

673 citations