Stable Isotopes as Indicators of Ecological Change

The 20th century has experienced environmental changes that appear to be unprecedented in their rate and magnitude during the Earth’s history.

For the first time, Stable Isotopes as Indicators of Ecological Change brings together a wide range of perspectives and data that speak directly to the issues of ecological change using stable isotope tracers. The information presented originates from a range of biological and geochemical sources and from research fields within biological, climatological and physical disciplines covering time-scales from days to centuries. Unlike any other reference, editors discuss where isotope data can detect, record, trace and help to interpret environmental change.

Provides researchers with groundbreaking data on how to predict the terrestrial ecosystems response to the ongoing rapid alterationsReveals how ecosystems have responded to environmental and biotic fluctuations in the pastIncludes examples from research by a wide range of biological and physical scientists who are using isotopic records to both detect and interpret environmental change

Section 1: Ecological isotope archives; Section 2: Plant-based isotope data as indicators of ecological change; Section 3: Animal-based isotope data as indicators of ecological change; Section 4: Isotope composition of trace gasses, sediments and biomarkers as recorders of change; Section 5: Humans, isotopes and ecological change; Section 6: New challenges and frontiers: biodiversity, ecological change and stable isotope networks.