Studying ecosystems using compound-specific isotope analyses in organisms

Abstract

To understand material cycles on surface Earth, it is important yet challenging to estimate energy flow through ecosystems. To address this issue, stable isotopic compositions of carbon and nitrogen and radiocarbon contents of organic compounds in organisms are useful. I and my collaborators are working on the following studies:1) Amino acid nitrogen isotopic compositions2) Amino acid radiocarbon contents3) Chlorophyll a radiocarbon contentsWe aim to find a simple and universal rule hidden behind apparently complex ecosystems by means of compound-specific isotope analyses that are governed by physicochemical rules.