Stable Isotope Applications for Studying Food Web Dynamics and Nutrient Sources


Dear Isotope/Food web/Biogeochemistry friends,

Here is some information on a NABS/AGU special session on stable isotopes planned for the May meeting in New Orleans.  We would like to invite you to submit abstracts (firm electronic deadline Feb 10, 15:59Standard Pacific Time), and we hope to have an exciting and integratingsession!

Carol Kendall,
Gilbert Cabana

For abstract submission:

http://www.benthos.org/Meeting/nabs2005/instructionsabstractsubmissions.htm

For general info:

http://www.agu.org/meetings/sm05/
http://www.benthos.org/Meeting/

H21: Stable Isotope Applications for Studying Food Web Dynamics and Nutrient Sources

Sponsor: Hydrology

Description: The study of food webs is critical to understanding hownatural and man-made environmental pressures affect ecosystems, the routeby which pollutants are bioaccumulated up the food chain, and forproviding a scientific basis for health advisories. Stable isotopes havebecome an important tool for addressing these and other ecologicalquestions, including how the biogeochemistry of aquatic systems affectsthe isotopic compositions of inorganic or organic components at or nearthe base of food chains, thus complicating our ability to determinetrophic structures. Several recent studies have shown that the isotopiccompositions of organisms at the base of food chains can be used to"map" spatial changes in nutrient sources and biogeochemicalreactions in ecosystems, possibly providing a better integrator of these"signals" in aquatic systems than water chemistry measurements.This AGU/NABS session will bring together researchers who are using thenatural stable isotope variations of different elements to explore suchdiverse questions in aquatic systems. The aim is to raise awareness ofthe range of applications, their strengths and weaknesses, and tostimulate innovation.

CoSponsor: Biogeosciences

Conveners:

Carol Kendall
USGS
345 Middlefield Road, MS 434
Menlo Park, CA, USA  94025
650-329-4576
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Cabana Gilbert
University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres
Dept. of Chemistry-Biology
Trois-Rivieres, QB, CAN  G9A 5H7
819-376-5011 x3366
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