Download or read book Understanding the Effects of Consumers and Light on Stream Food Webs Using Stable Isotope Techniques written by Sarah Michelle Collins and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In headwater streams that are heavily shaded by surrounding forests, primary production is often low and inputs of particulate and dissolved organic carbon from terrestrial environments are important resources in food webs. Stable isotope methods are useful for quantifying food web fluxes of different carbon sources but data are frequently difficult to interpret. Here, I developed novel stable isotope techniques to study the role of terrestrial energy subsidies in stream food webs in Trinidad and Tobago and the Adirondack region of New York. Specifically, I sought to determine the importance of carbon sources from terrestrial environments versus in-stream primary production in streams with varying light availability and fish communities. I compared natural canopy streams to streams with experimentally thinned canopies using a novel carbon and nitrogen dual isotope tracer technique. Comparing data from 13 C-acetate tracers, which are assimilated only by heterotrophic bacteria, and 15N- ammonium tracers, which are assimilated by both heterotrophs and autotrophs, allowed me to evaluate the relative importance of terrestrial carbon inputs and heterotrophic pathways. I also compared food webs in Trinidad and Adirondack streams along a natural gradient of canopy cover using stable isotopes of hydrogen, which indicated how much terrestrial organic matter was assimilated by consumers. In the Adirondacks, terrestrial carbon subsidies and heterotrophic bacteria were important resources for consumers, but the amount of bacterial carbon assimilated by invertebrates declined when light availability and primary production were experimentally increased. Fish introductions and light availability both influenced food webs in Trinidad streams. There were increased fluxes of carbon and nitrogen to consumers in streams with high light. Effects of fish introduction varied by consumer taxon, with strong positive effects of fish on filter-feeding invertebrates, and weaker positive effects of fish on grazer invertebrates. In comparative studies across light gradients, most consumer taxa were flexible in the amount of terrestrial carbon they assimilated, with higher reliance on terrestrial subsidies in streams with high canopy cover than in larger streams with less canopy cover. Overall, these results suggest that the light environment can have a strong influence on the role of terrestrial subsidies in streams.

Download or read book Compound specific Stable Isotope Analysis written by Maik A Jochmann and published by Royal Society of Chemistry. This book was released on 2015-11-09 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The use of Compound-specific Stable Isotope Analysis (CSIA) is increasing in many areas of science and technology for source allocation, authentication, and characterization of transformation reactions. Until now, there have been no textbooks available for students with an analytical chemical background or basic introductory books emphasising the instrumentation and theory. This book is the first to focus solely on stable isotope analysis of individual compounds in sometimes complex mixtures. It acts as both a lecture companion for students and a consultant for advanced scientists in fields including forensic and environmental science. The book starts with a brief history of the field before going on to explain stable isotopes from scratch. The different ways to express isotope abundances are introduced together with isotope effects and isotopic fractionation. A detailed account of the required technical equipment and general procedures for CSIA is provided. This includes sections on derivatization and the use of microextraction techniques in GC-IRMS. The very important topic of referencing and calibration in CSIA is clearly described. This differs from approaches used in quantitative analysis and is often difficult for the newcomer to comprehend. Examples of successful applications of CSIA in food authenticity, forensics, archaeology, doping control, environmental science, and extraterrestrial materials are included. Applications in isotope data treatment and presentation are also discussed and emphasis is placed on the general conclusions that can be drawn from the uses of CSIA. Further instrumental developments in the field are highlighted and selected experiments are introduced that may act as a basis for a short practical course at graduate level.

Download or read book Methods in Stream Ecology written by Gary Lamberti and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-05-15 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Methods in Stream Ecology: Volume 2: Ecosystem Structure, Third Edition, provides a complete series of field and laboratory protocols in stream ecology that are ideal for teaching or conducting research. This new two-part edition is updated to reflect recent advances in the technology associated with ecological assessment of streams, including remote sensing. Volume two covers community interactions, ecosystem processes and ecosystem quality. With a student-friendly price, this new edition is key for all students and researchers in stream and freshwater ecology, freshwater biology, marine ecology and river ecology. This book is also supportive as a supplementary text for courses in watershed ecology/science, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology and landscape ecology. Methods in Stream Ecology, 3rd Edition, Volume 1: Ecosystem Structure, is also available now! Provides a variety of exercises in each chapter Includes detailed instructions, illustrations, formulae and data sheets for in-field research for students Presents taxonomic keys to common stream invertebrates and algae Includes website with tables and a links written by leading experts in stream ecology

Download or read book Stable Isotope Ecology written by Brian Fry and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-01-15 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A solid introduction to stable isotopes that can also be used as an instructive review for more experienced researchers and professionals. The book approaches the use of isotopes from the perspective of ecological and biological research, but its concepts can be applied within other disciplines. A novel, step-by-step spreadsheet modeling approach is also presented for circulating tracers in any ecological system, including any favorite system an ecologist might dream up while sitting at a computer. The author’s humorous and lighthearted style painlessly imparts the principles of isotope ecology. The online material contains color illustrations, spreadsheet models, technical appendices, and problems and answers.

Download or read book Stable Isotopes in Ecology and Environmental Science written by Robert Michener and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book highlights new and emerging uses of stable isotope analysis in a variety of ecological disciplines. While the use of natural abundance isotopes in ecological research is now relatively standard, new techniques and ways of interpreting patterns are developing rapidly. The second edition of this book provides a thorough, up-to-date examination of these methods of research. As part of the Ecological Methods and Concepts series which provides the latest information on experimental techniques in ecology, this book looks at a wide range of techniques that use natural abundance isotopes to: follow whole ecosystem element cycling understand processes of soil organic matter formation follow the movement of water in whole watersheds understand the effects of pollution in both terrestrial and aquatic environments study extreme systems such as hydrothermal vents follow migrating organisms In each case, the book explains the background to the methodology, looks at the underlying principles and assumptions, and outlines the potential limitations and pitfalls. Stable Isotopes in Ecology and Environmental Science is an ideal resource for both ecologists who are new to isotopic analysis, and more experienced isotope ecologists interested in innovative techniques and pioneering new uses.

Download or read book Stable Isotopes in Ecological Research written by P.W. Rundel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The analysis of stable isotope ratios represents one of the most exciting new technical advances in environmental sciences. In this book, leading experts offer the first survey of applications of stable isotope analysis to ecological research. Central topics are - plant physiology studies - food webs and animal metabolism - biogeochemical fluxes. Extensive coverage is given to natural isotopes of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and strontium in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Ecologists of diverse research interests, as well as agronomists, anthropologists, and geochemists will value this overview for its wealth of information on theoretical background, experimental approaches, and technical design of studies utilizing stable isotope ratios.

Download or read book Aquatic Food Webs written by Andrea Belgrano and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2005 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Aquatic Food Webs' provides a current synthesis of theoretical and empirical food web research. The textbook is suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers in community, ecosystem, and theoretical ecology, in aquatic ecology, and in conservation biology.

Download or read book The Ecology of Sandy Shores written by A.C. Brown and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2010-07-27 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Ecology of Sandy Shores provides the students and researchers with a one-volume resource for understanding the conservation and management of the sandy shore ecosystem. Covering all beach types, and addressing issues from the behavioral and physiological adaptations of the biota to exploring the effects of pollution and the impact of man's activities, this book should become the standard reference for those interested in Sandy Shore study, management and preservation. More than 25% expanded from the previous edition Three entirely new chapters: Energetics and Nutrient Cycling, Turtles and Terrestrial Vertebrates, and Benthic Macrofauna Populations New sections on the interstitial environment, seagrasses, human impacts and coastal zone management Examples drawn from virtually all parts of the world, considering all beach types from the most exposed to the most sheltered

Download or read book Isoscapes written by Jason B. West and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-11-25 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stable isotope ratio variation in natural systems reflects the dynamics of Earth systems processes and imparts isotope labels to Earth materials. Carbon isotope ratios of atmospheric CO2 record exchange of carbon between the biosphere and the atmosphere; the incredible journeys of migrating monarchs is documented by hydrogen isotopes in their wings; and water carries an isotopic record of its source and history as it traverses the atmosphere and land surface. Through these and many other examples, improved understanding of spatio-temporal isotopic variation in Earth systems is leading to innovative new approaches to scientific problem-solving. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the theory, methods, and applications that are enabling new disciplinary and cross-disciplinary advances through the study of "isoscapes": isotopic landscapes. "This impressive new volume shows scientists deciphering and using the natural isotope landscapes that subtly adorn our spaceship Earth.", Brian Fry, Coastal Ecology Institute, Louisiana State University, USA "An excellent timely must read and must-have reference book for anybody interested or engaged in applying stable isotope signatures to questions in e.g. Anthropology, Biogeochemistry, Ecology, or Forensic Science regarding chronological and spatial movement, changes, or distribution relating to animals, humans, plants, or water.", Wolfram Meier-Augenstein, Centre for Anatomy & Human Identification, University of Dundee, UK "Natural resources are being affected by global change, but exactly where, how, and at what pace? Isoscapes provide new and remarkably precise answers.", John Hayes, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA "This exciting volume is shaping a new landscape in environmental sciences that is utilizing the remarkable advances in isotope research to enhance and extend the capabilities of the field.", Dan Yakir, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Download or read book Food Webs written by John C. Moore and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents new approaches to studying food webs, using practical and policy examples to demonstrate the theory behind ecosystem management decisions.

Download or read book Methods in Stream Ecology written by F. Richard Hauer and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-01-16 with total page 508 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Methods in Stream Ecology provides a complete series of field and laboratory protocols in stream ecology that are ideal for teaching or conducting research. This two part new edition is updated to reflect recent advances in the technology associated with ecological assessment of streams, including remote sensing. Volume focusses on ecosystem structure with in-depth sections on Physical Processes, Material Storage and Transport and Stream Biota. With a student-friendly price, this Third Edition is key for all students and researchers in stream and freshwater ecology, freshwater biology, marine ecology, and river ecology. This text is also supportive as a supplementary text for courses in watershed ecology/science, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, and landscape ecology. Methods in Stream Ecology, 3rd Edition, Volume 2: Ecosystem Structure, is also available now! Provides a variety of exercises in each chapter Includes detailed instructions, illustrations, formulae, and data sheets for in-field research for students Presents taxonomic keys to common stream invertebrates and algae Includes website with tables and a link from Chapter 22: FISH COMMUNITY COMPOSITION to an interactive program for assessing and modeling fish numbers Written by leading experts in stream ecology

Download or read book Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics written by Jorge L. Sarmiento and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-07-17 with total page 527 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics provides a broad theoretical framework upon which graduate students and upper-level undergraduates can formulate an understanding of the processes that control the mean concentration and distribution of biologically utilized elements and compounds in the ocean. Though it is written as a textbook, it will also be of interest to more advanced scientists as a wide-ranging synthesis of our present understanding of ocean biogeochemical processes. The first two chapters of the book provide an introductory overview of biogeochemical and physical oceanography. The next four chapters concentrate on processes at the air-sea interface, the production of organic matter in the upper ocean, the remineralization of organic matter in the water column, and the processing of organic matter in the sediments. The focus of these chapters is on analyzing the cycles of organic carbon, oxygen, and nutrients. The next three chapters round out the authors' coverage of ocean biogeochemical cycles with discussions of silica, dissolved inorganic carbon and alkalinity, and CaCO3. The final chapter discusses applications of ocean biogeochemistry to our understanding of the role of the ocean carbon cycle in interannual to decadal variability, paleoclimatology, and the anthropogenic carbon budget. The problem sets included at the end of each chapter encourage students to ask critical questions in this exciting new field. While much of the approach is mathematical, the math is at a level that should be accessible to students with a year or two of college level mathematics and/or physics.

Download or read book Food Webs written by Gary A. Polis and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 475 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reflecting the recent surge of activity in food web research fueled by new empirical data, this authoritative volume successfully spans and integrates the areas of theory, basic empirical research, applications, and resource problems. Written by recognized leaders from various branches of ecological research, this work provides an in-depth treatment of the most recent advances in the field and examines the complexity and variability of food webs through reviews, new research, and syntheses of the major issues in food web research. Food Webs features material on the role of nutrients, detritus and microbes in food webs, indirect effects in food webs, the interaction of productivity and consumption, linking cause and effect in food webs, temporal and spatial scales of food web dynamics, applications of food webs to pest management, fisheries, and ecosystem stress. Three comprehensive chapters synthesize important information on the role of indirect effects, productivity and consumer regulation, and temporal, spatial and life history influences on food webs. In addition, numerous tables, figures, and mathematical equations found nowhere else in related literature are presented in this outstanding work. Food Webs offers researchers and graduate students in various branches of ecology an extensive examination of the subject. Ecologists interested in food webs or community ecology will also find this book an invaluable tool for understanding the current state of knowledge of food web research.

Download or read book Global Environmental Forest Policies written by Constance McDermott and published by Earthscan. This book was released on 2010 with total page 393 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a uniquely detailed and systematic comparison of environmental forest policies and enforcement in twenty countries worldwide, covering developed, transition and developing economies. The goal is to enhance global policy learning and promote well-informed and precisely-tuned policy solutions.

Download or read book Stable Isotopes as Indicators of Ecological Change written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2011-09-21 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 alterations Reveals how ecosystems have responded to environmental and biotic fluctuations in the past Includes examples from research by a wide range of biological and physical scientists who are using isotopic records to both detect and interpret environmental change

Download or read book Plant Cell Walls written by Peter Albersheim and published by Garland Science. This book was released on 2010-04-15 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plant cell walls are complex, dynamic cellular structures essential for plant growth, development, physiology and adaptation. Plant Cell Walls provides an in depth and diverse view of the microanatomy, biosynthesis and molecular physiology of these cellular structures, both in the life of the plant and in their use for bioproducts and biofuels. Plant Cell Walls is a textbook for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students, as well as a professional-level reference book. Over 400 drawings, micrographs, and photographs provide visual insight into the latest research, as well as the uses of plant cell walls in everyday life, and their applications in biotechnology. Illustrated panels concisely review research methods and tools; a list of key terms is given at the end of each chapter; and extensive references organized by concept headings provide readers with guidance for entry into plant cell wall literature. Cell wall material is of considerable importance to the biofuel, food, timber, and pulp and paper industries as well as being a major focus of research in plant growth and sustainability that are of central interest in present day agriculture and biotechnology. The production and use of plants for biofuel and bioproducts in a time of need for responsible global carbon use requires a deep understanding of the fundamental biology of plants and their cell walls. Such an understanding will lead to improved plant processes and materials, and help provide a sustainable resource for meeting the future bioenergy and bioproduct needs of humankind.

Download or read book Freshwater Nematodes written by Eyualem Abebe and published by CABI. This book was released on 2006 with total page 772 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains 22 chapters on various aspects of freshwater nematode ecology and taxonomy. Subjects covered include the techniques for processing freshwater nematodes, the composition and distribution of free living freshwater nematodes, their abundance, biomass and diversity, the production of freshwater nematodes, their feeding ecology, patterns in size structure of freshwater nematode communities, different nematode habitats, and computation and application of nematode community indices. It provides descriptions with figures of each taxon at the genus level and above to currently valid genera. For every genus, a complete list of species, with an emphasis on biogeography, is given for primarily freshwater taxa and a list of only those species reported from freshwater bodies is given for the genera that are considered primarily non-freshwater. This book is intended to provide a useful reference to students, beginners and established researchers in the field of freshwater nematology, benthologists, invertebrate biologists, limnologists, ecologists, microbiologists and soil biologists.