Search results for "Stable Isotopes"
showing 10 items of 167 documents
Planktonic foraminifera as proxies of the Holocene climatic variability (Tyrrhenian, Mediterranean Sea)
2017
Introduction. The focus of this study is the paleoclimatic reconstruction of the southern Tyrrhenian between ~9.2 and 2.9 ka, through the study of planktonic foraminiferal assemblages and stable isotopes, and comparing data with other coeval intervals. Several authors have studied the climatic sensitivity of Holocene planktonic foraminifera in different parts of the Mediterranean. Planktonic foraminifera produce good records of Holocene climatic variability, especially as regards the suborbital events such as Bond events (Bond et al., 1997) and other cooling/warming oscillations. Therefore, the obtained eco-biostratigraphy has allowed us to analyze how climatic forcing influenced sea surfac…
The late Messinian "Lago-Mare" event and the Zanclean Reflooding in the Mediterranean Sea: New insights from the Cuevas del Almanzora section (Vera B…
2020
Abstract The return to normal marine conditions in the Mediterranean Sea after the end of the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), that led to the deposition of thick evaporitic succession followed by settlement of brackish to freshwater conditions of the “Lago-Mare”, is still subject to extensive debate between two opposite scenarios. One scenario implies an abrupt reflooding through the Gibraltar gateway of the Mediterranean Sea previously disconnected from the world ocean and partly desiccated. The second scenario postulates that the Mediterranean Sea kept a high-water level throughout the Messinian Salinity Crisis and was connected continuously to the Atlantic Ocean and to the Paratethys. T…
Observations of molecular hydrogen mixing ratio and stable isotopic composition at the Cabauw tall tower in the Netherlands
2016
AbstractMeasurements of the stable isotopic composition (δD(H2) or δD) of atmospheric molecular hydrogen (H2) are a useful addition to mixing ratio (χ(H2)) measurements for understanding the atmospheric H2 cycle. δD datasets published so far consist mostly of observations at background locations. We complement these with observations from the Cabauw tall tower at the CESAR site, situated in a densely populated region of the Netherlands. Our measurements show a large anthropogenic influence on the local H2 cycle, with frequently occurring pollution events that are characterized by χ(H2) values that reach up to ≈1 ppm and low δD values. An isotopic source signature analysis yields an apparent…
Assessing anthropogenic pressures on coastal marine ecosystems using stable CNS isotopes: State of the art, knowledge gaps, and community-scale persp…
2015
Abstract In recent decades, the analysis of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur stable isotopes (SIA) has emerged as a powerful, viable methodology for examining food web structure and dynamics, as well as addressing a number of applied issues. Here, we provide a state-of-the-art review of the use of SIA for assessing anthropogenic pressures on natural ecosystems, in order to establish current knowledge gaps and identify promising applications for evaluating the ecological status of marine coastal waters. Specifically, the potential of SIA to provide food web-scale indicators for estimating cumulative anthropogenic pressures is addressed. The review indicates that the methodology has been used for …
Disparate movement behavior and feeding ecology in sympatric ecotypes of Atlantic cod
2021
Abstract Coexistence of ecotypes, genetically divergent population units, is a widespread phenomenon, potentially affecting ecosystem functioning and local food web stability. In coastal Skagerrak, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) occur as two such coexisting ecotypes. We applied a combination of acoustic telemetry, genotyping, and stable isotope analysis to 72 individuals to investigate movement ecology and food niche of putative local “Fjord” and putative oceanic “North Sea” ecotypes—thus named based on previous molecular studies. Genotyping and individual origin assignment suggested 41 individuals were Fjord and 31 were North Sea ecotypes. Both ecotypes were found throughout the fjord. Seven …
Variability in δ13C values between individual Daphnia ephippia: Implications for palaeo-studies
2018
The stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13C value) of Daphnia spp. resting egg shells (ephippia) provides information on past changes in Daphnia diet. Measurements are typically performed on samples of ≥20 ephippia, which obscures the range of values associated with individual ephippia. Using a recently developed laser ablation-based technique, we perform multiple δ13C analyses on individual ephippia, which show a high degree of reproducibility (standard deviations 0.1–0.5‰). We further measured δ13C values of 13 ephippia from surface sediments of three Swiss lakes. In the well-oxygenated lake with low methane concentrations, δ13C values are close to values typical for algae (−31.4‰) and the rang…
Isotopic Niche and Trophic Position of the Invasive Portunid Portunus segnis Forskål, (1775) in Elounda Bay (Crete Island, Eastern Mediterranean)
2022
There is a growing recognition that an advanced understanding of the trophic characteristics of an invasive consumer can provide important information on its ecological impact. In recent years, the blue swimming crab Portunus segnis, one of the earliest Lessepsian invaders, has considerably expanded its distribution range in the Mediterranean Sea, yet, its trophic habits in invaded areas remain scarcely investigated. In this study, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis (SIA) to determine the trophic position and isotopic niche of the crab compared with other representatives of the flora and fauna occurring in Elounda Bay (Crete). P. segnis showed a trophic position of 3.9, hi…
Stable isotope analysis of trophic niche in two co-occurring native and invasive terrapins, Emys orbicularis and Trachemys scripta elegans
2016
A trophic niche overlap in native and alien turtle species can lead to competitive interactions whereby allochthonous turtles may outcompete autochthonous individuals and eventually affect viability of natural populations. The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is an autochthonous species threatened by habitat encroachment and competition with the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). The latter is an invasive species introduced in Europe from midwestern United States as a pet and now widespread in the natural habitats of E. orbicularis. The extent of trophic competition between E. orbicularis and T. s. elegans in northern Italy was assessed by nitrogen and carbon stable isotop…
Beyond the mean: A comparison of trace- and macroelement correlation profiles of two lacustrine populations of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii
2018
In invertebrate biomonitors of chemical pollution, emphasis has been generally given to mean accumulation patterns and how they reflect varying environmental levels of contamination. Intra-population variability, and how it relates with individual phenotypic traits, has received less attention. Here, a set of analytes including trace elements (B, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, and Zn), macroelements (C, Ca, K, Mg, N, Na), and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) was measured in two populations of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii from Lake Trasimeno and Lake Bolsena (Central Italy). The influence of location, sex, body size, and condition factor was assessed; in ad…