Second slightly more official notification:

Here are some additional details of the symposium which was recently 
circulated by Cristina.

STABLE ISOTOPES AND THE INTEGRATION OF BIOLOGICAL, ECOLOGICAL AND 
GEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
9-11 July, 1996, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

The conference is supported by the Association of Applied Biologists 
(AAB), Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) and British Ecological 
Society (BES).

Despite the enormous scope of the meeting, reviewers and potential 
participants were generally very  encouraging. I hope that a meeting such 
as this will provide a timely and stimulating get-together, and that a 
rapidly  published symposium volume will make an important means of 
promoting the important contributions that can be made by stable isotopes.

The plenary programme, outlined below, is still being finalised, and the 
version that was circulated was a desiderata taken from earlier planning 
papers . However, I hope that you can see an area of interest and should 
you be able to offer a paper or poster, we require a title immediately so 
that the sessions can be finalised. Once accepted, please submit an 
extended, 1-2 page abstract (2-3 pages for plenary speakers) of your 
contribution by March 22nd. All abstracts will be available in a bound 
volume at the meeting. If the main programme is oversubscribed, we will 
organise evening sessions to allow posters and additional short talks to 
be given a decent forum. I am still working on the final shape of the 
sessions, as I am hoping to cross a wide range of  timescales in each, 
spanning evolutionary, palaeohistorical, inorganic and organic interests 
throughout. The aim is that the biologists sit head to head (or lean on 
the bar elbow to elbow) with geochemists (i.e. no escape) and talk 
spatial and temporal variability in isotope signals,  measurement 
precision and implications for past and future climates.   

We are running to a pretty tight budget, as support has not been quite as 
fulsome as I might have hoped, and as a consequence the meeting will have 
to be supported by a registration fee of around 150 UK pounds. However, 
representatives of major mass spectrometer manufacturers (Europa, 
Finnegan and VG) and suppliers of isotopic consumables will be 
demonstrating equipment and/or giving presentations, so there will be 
ample opportunity to discuss the latest theoretical developments in the 
context of the associated mass spectrometric hardware.

Newcastle upon Tyne is served by an airport with some international 
flights and regular shuttles from London and other major UK airports. The 
airport is linked to the city by an efficient metro railway system and 
the University is adjacent to the city centre. On top of that, we are 
situated close to some spendidly wild scenery with interesting geology 
(Whin Sill), recent palaeohistory (Hadrian's Wall and associated Roman 
remains), not to mention bracing marine and freshwater habitats, with the 
delights of Scotland only a few hours away. An excursion will be 
organised on Monday 8th July to allow those who have to take advantage of 
a weekend flight to explore some of these sights. There will be a 
reception on Tuesday night and conference dinner in the local civic 
centre on the Wednesday night.

Please can you inform me or Carol at the AAB so that we can set up the 
conference address book, with full postal address, telephone, fax and 
email contacts. I hope that you can spread details of the meeting among 
any colleagues who may be interested.
Best wishes
Professor Howard Griffiths,
Dept of Agricultural and Environmental Science,
Ridley Building,
University of Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE1 7RU UK.

Phone: +44 191 222 7893
Fax:     +44 191 222 5229
email: [log in to unmask]

AAB Contact:
Carol Millman,
Association of Applied Biologists,
Horticulture Research International,
Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9EF, UK.

Tel: +44-(0)1789- 470382; Fax +44-(0)1789 470234;


Sessions:For a three day meeting, six half day sessions were planned 
which by their integrated nature would encourage delegates to participate 
throughout. 
1. Stable isotopes: introduction and technical developments
2.Chemical and biochemical control of fractionation processes
3.Terrestrial resources and transformations: soil, nutrients and water 
sources
4.Through plant to terrestrial ecosystems: variations within and betweeen 
plants
5. Aquatic ecosystems.
6. Climate change and atmospheric processes

Keynote speakers are given in a preliminary conference outline below::

SESSION 1: Stable isotopes: introduction and technical developments
-introduction and overview: "Palaeoatmospheres and the evolution of 
phototrophy: A 	biologist's perspective on what stable isotopes of C, O, 
H and N can tell us" JA Raven, Dundee;
-precision of dual inlet and continous flow mass spectrometers; sample 
collection and preparation: C. Scrimgeour, Dundee; conventional dual 
inlet IRMS and GCCIRMS: Europa Scientific UK; VG;  Finnegan
SESSION 2: Chemical and biochemical control of fractionation processes: 
from 	molecule to marker compound
-13C: "Carbon isotope discrimination in the formation of natural 
compounds" H-L. Schmidt, Munich; effects of  respiration and 
photorespiration: Gillon, Fordham & Griffiths Newcastle;
-13C/18O instantaneous discrimination and metabolism: C.B. Osmond, 
Canberra (still needs persuading)
-18O in organics: G.D. Farquhar, Canberra;
-D in organics : 
13C/18O Transformation during diagenesis J. Hayes, Indiana (option 1); 
Inorganic and microbial systems: M. Coleman, Reading; A. Aplin, M. Jones 
and S. Larter, Newcastle
SESSION 3:   Terrestrial resources and transformations: soil, nutrients 
and water sources
-dynamics of soil nitrogen processes: D. Hopkins, D. Robinson, Dundee;
-nitrogen uptake, assimilation and transport: T. Yoneyama, Tsukuba;
-N sources and sinks: LL Handley and GR Stewart, Dundee and Queensland
-hydrology and water use; T. Dawson, Cornell and L. Sternberg, Miami);

SESSION 4:Through plant to terrestrial ecosystems: variations within and 
betweeen plants
-Leaf water: 18O/D composition and steady states: D.Yakir, Rehovot;  
-coupling of CO2/H2O fluxes L. Flanagan, Ottawa;
-photosynthetic pathways C3-C4-CAM:
-selectivity and crop improvement; ( E. Brugnoli, Porano)
-terrestrial ecosystems: semidesert environments: 13C , D (and N): J. 
Ehleringer, Utah; Temperate forests: Gebauer and E-D Schulze, Bayreuth; 
SESSION 5:    Aquatic Ecosystems
-carbonates and the development of life: A.E. Fallick, Glasgow;
- freshwater lacustrine sediment records : Street-Perrott, Swansea
-oceanic ecosystems: primary production and carbonate deposition (AM 
Johnston and  H. Kennedy, Dundee and Bangor;
-nitrogen cycling in oceans: NJP Owens, Newcastle;
-marine pollution and food web interactions: B. Fry, Florida; Wada, Kyoto;

SESSION 6:    Climate change and atmospheric processes
-stomatal density altitude and climate (D Beerling/ F.I.Woodward, Sheffield;
-extant tree ring and tree ring reconstructions
-calcretes, climate and the evolution of photosynthetic pathways (T. 
Cerling, Utah)
-palaeoclimatic reconstruction and palaeohistoric CO2/O2 from organics as 
compared to other methods: J.Hayes, Indiana ?option 2?;
-atmospheric coupling of CO2 and H2O
-nitrogen deposition (NH3, Nox)
-missing sinks for CO2: terrestrial versus marine
-Global Circulation Models