300359 SE+UE Stable Isotopes in Ecology (2007W)

The goal of this practical class is to introduce students into application of stable isotope techniques in ecology, microbial, plant and animal sciences. We will demonstrate the use of stable isotopes as tracers in metabolic studies and ecosystem flux measurements. Stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen will be analysed at natural abundance levels and in labelling experiments by a range of techniques, including isotope ratio mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and emission spectrometry.