The application of stable isotope analysis in marine ecosystems
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Stable isotope analysis has become common in ecology, particularly in the aquatic sciences, to describe energy flow and food-web structure. Biochemical properties of stable isotopes affect their distribution in biological materials and, through processes of synthesis and metabolism, record an animal’s dietary history in its tissues. Carbon and nitrogen have been the primary isotopes used in food web studies, recording source and trophic information respectively. But the application o f stable isotopes in ecological studies is new, and many of their biochemical properties have yet to be analysed. Problems such as missed sources, uncertainties in fractionation, and differences among species and tissues must be recognized. This paper reviews the basics of stable isotope chemistry and the roles of nitrogen and carbon isotopes in ecosystem studies. It also provides examples from a decade of stable isotope research while presenting the most current stable isotope model s, and provides a bibliography of stable isotope literature. Sampling protocols for marine systems are included in an appendix. While stable isotopes can be powerful tracers in aquatic systems, substantial care is needed in their application and interpretation.