Application of stable isotope techniques in studies of carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles of ecosystem

Stable isotope techniques have been proved useful as tools for studying the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) biogeochemical cycles of ecosystem. This paper firstly introduced the basic principles and the distribution characteristics of stable isotope, then reviewed the recent advances and applications of stable isotope in the C and N biogeochemical cycles of ecosystem. By applying the 13 C natural abundance technique, ecologists are able to understand the photosynthetic path and CO 2 fixation of plants, the CO 2 exchange and C balance status of ecosystem, the composition, distribution and turnover of soil organic C and the sources of organic matter in food webs, while by using the 13 C labeled technique, the effects of elevated CO 2 on the C processes of ecosystem and the sources and fate of organic matter in ecosystem can be revealed in detail. Differently, by applying the 15 N natural abundance technique, ecologists are able to analyze the biological N 2 -fixation, the N sources of ecosystem, the N transformation processes of ecosystem and the N trophic status in food webs, while by using the 15 N labeled technique, the sources, transformation and fate of N in ecosystem and the effects of N input on the ecosystem can be investigated in depth. The applications of both C and N isotope natural abundance and labeled techniques, combined with the elemental, other isotope ( 34 S) and molecular biomarker information, will be more propitious to the investigation of C and N cycle mechanisms. Finally, this paper concluded the problems existed in current researches, and put forward the perspective of stable isotope techniques in the studies on C and N biogeochemical cycles of ecosystem in the future.     

表层雪中稳定同位素季节变化及其与水汽输送的关系——以天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川积累区为例

根据2002年9月至2005年12月在天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川积累区采集的表层雪样品,揭示了该区表层雪中δ<'18>O值的季节变化特征,讨论了水汽输送对降水中δ<'18>O值变化的影响.研究表明,天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川表层雪中δ<'18>O值季节变化显著,变幅可达12.59‰左右,其变化趋势和气温的变化趋势基本一致,...     

Spatial and temporal variations in C3 and C4 plant abundance over the Chinese Loess Plateau since the last glacial maximum

Stable carbon isotopes of soil organic matter from 12 sites in the southern Chinese Loess Plateau are reviewed to examine spatial and temporal patterns of C₃ and C₄ plants in the arid to semiarid monsoonal region during three key periods - last glacial maximum, mid-Holocene, and modern. We have tentatively corrected the effects of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and precipitation amounts on the δ¹³C endmembers for C₃ plants to reconstruct the relative proportion of C₄ plants because the δ¹³C values of C₃ plants are variable under different CO₂ and climate conditions. The results indicate that C₄ grasses increase from northwest to southeast spatially, which is consistent with present-day increasing precipitation and temperature patterns. This suggests that for a monsoon-dominant arid to semiarid region, such as the Loess Plateau, warm-season rainfall is a primary factor limiting C₄ plants growth, and thus C₄ grasses have been outcompeted by C₃ grasses/shrubs under cold-dry climate conditions. However, temporal fluctuations in atmospheric CO₂ concentration may also affect plant growth through altering water-use efficiency (WUE). Enhanced drought caused by decreased WUE due to low atmospheric CO₂ concentrations during glacial periods, combined with a cold-dry climate, leads to a decline in C₄ grasses, canceling out any advantages gained from lowered atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. To reconstruct accurately the abundance of C₃ and C₄ plants in an ecosystem and explore their controlling factors, process-based vegetation models integrating CO₂ and climatic parameters interactive with plant physiology are necessary.     

土壤碳循环研究进展及干旱区土壤碳循环研究展望

土壤碳库动态及其驱动机制是陆地生态系统碳循环与全球变化研究的热点问题之一。随着各国对《京都议定书》的重视,农业土壤碳库变化及其源汇效应研究不断加强,但以往研究土壤碳循环主要是针对有机碳,较少考虑无机碳的作用和地位,干旱区土壤无机碳储量巨大,其在区域碳循环过程中的贡献日益显著,这使得干旱区土壤碳循环研究必须同时考虑土壤有机碳和无机碳的行为。国内外关于农业土壤有机碳动态的研究主要围绕农业土壤有机碳储量、固碳潜力等问题展开,研究区多为湿润、半湿润地区;国际上对农业土壤无机碳动态的研究主要集中在干旱区土地管理措施对土壤发生性碳酸盐碳的形成与转化方面,研究方法以稳定同位素技术为主,但目前关于中国干旱区农业土壤无机碳动态的研究还较为薄弱。因此,应加强干旱区绿洲土壤碳循环研究,深入分析干旱区绿洲土壤碳的源/汇效应;探讨土壤无机碳动态变化的机理。     

湘东锡田A型花岗岩的年代学、Hf同位素、地球化学特征及其地质意义

对湘东锡田岩体进行的LA-ICP-MS定年结果表明,2个第一期中(细)粒斑状黑云母二长花岗岩样品的年龄分别为(220.9±0.6) Ma及(220.7±0.7)Ma;第二期中细粒二云母二长花岗岩的年龄为(154.4±0.7)Ma.两期花岗岩均为高钾、富碱、弱过铝质岩石.稀土元素总量较高,富集U、Th,亏损Ti、P等高场强元素和Ba、Sr等大离子亲石元素,具高的104 Ga/Al,显示A型花岗岩特征.印支期花岗岩略富集轻稀土元素,Eu异常较弱;燕山期花岗岩轻、重稀土元素分异不明显,Eu异常显著.Hf同位素研究显示,两期次花岗岩均具有较低的εHf(t)(-4.91～-11.04),亏损地幔二阶段模式年龄集中在1.6～1.8 Ga,与华夏地块古老的变质基底年龄一致.因此,锡田岩体是华夏地块古元古代地壳物质在伸展的构造背景下部分熔融的产物.锡田A型花岗岩复式岩体的确定,对于研究湖南东部在中生代印支、燕山两期构造事件中所处的构造背景具有重要意义,同时也为华南地区存在印支期A型花岗岩钨锡成矿作用增加了证据.     

江西省兴源冲铜矿床同位素地球化学特征及成矿机制探讨

兴源冲铜矿床地处九岭南缘铜多金属大型矿集区西段的黄茅地区。文章在成矿地质特征的基础上,通过对矿石进行稳定同位素地球化学研究,重点分析了成矿物质来源,探讨了矿床成矿机制。碳、氧同位素分析结果表明,矿区碳酸盐岩δ13CVPDB为-5·4‰～1·9‰,平均为0·6‰,δ18OSMOW变化范围为9·0‰～13·9‰,平均为10·9‰,主要为海相碳酸盐岩,碳、氧同位素图解表明碳可能主要来源于深部,且受高温变质作用和低温蚀变作用明显;矿石硫化物硫同位素δ34S变化范围主要在1·0‰～6·2‰之间,个别样品同位素比值偏大,对比相似矿床,表明该矿床具有海底喷流沉积和后期岩浆热液叠加作用的特征。上述同位素地球化学特征表明,兴源冲铜矿床是在中元古代海底火山沉积基础上,经新元古代晋宁造山期岩浆热液、动力变质叠加成矿作用所形成。     

广东湛江湖光岩地区玄武岩风化壳Fe同位素研究

本文对广东湛江湖光岩地区厚度分别为4 m和7 m的两个不同喷发时代玄武岩形成的风化壳样品进行Fe同位素分析,分析结果显示:厚度4m风化壳样品Fe同位素组成δ57Fe范围为0.17‰～0.57‰;厚度7 m风化壳样品Fe同位素组成δ57Fe范围为0.20‰～0.68‰,相对于标准物质IRMM-014,不同深度风化壳样品均显示Fe的重同位素富集.两风化壳剖面自下而上,随风化程度增大,风化壳样品中Fe同位素分馏程度也呈现逐渐增大的趋势,表明风化壳样品中Fe的重同位素富集趋势与风化壳的发育程度正相关,风化壳土壤中Fe同位素组成是反映土壤风化程度的指标.另一方面,风化过程可将地球外部圈层(岩石圈、水圈、生物圈)有机结合起来,风化壳土壤Fe同位素组成变化是表生植物和水淋滤共同作用的结果,对化学风化过程中Fe同位素研究,将会极大地补充表生过程中同位素地球化学的知识,同时Fe同位素可作为表生过程中物质的循环、环境的变化等过程中有力的示踪/指示技术手段加以应用.     

长江水氢、氧同位素组成的时空变化及其环境意义

在2003～2007年间,在长江干流的25个水文站及主要支流的13个水文站系统采样,进行了氢氧同位素研究。观测到的D变化范围为-30‰～-112‰,变化范围为-3.8‰～-15.4‰。从长江源头到河口,不同时期的样品均显示相同的氢氧同位素沿程变化特征。从源头到攀枝花,长江干流的D与逐步下降;而由攀枝花到入海口,D与值逐渐升高。 研究发现,控制长江水的氢氧同位素组成的主要因素是大气降水。长江干流D与值所展现的从攀枝花至河口逐渐升高的趋势就是对流域大气降水的D与变化趋势的响应。长江各支流在氢氧同位素组成上的差别及其对干流的影响也反映大气降水对长江水的制约。 蒸发作用对长江水的氢氧同位素组成也有重要影响。长江源头地处青藏高原,高原湖泊和沼泽星罗棋布。由于气候干燥、日照强烈,湖沼水经过长期的蒸发,盐度逐渐加大,D和18O值也逐渐升高。这些湖水的加入对长江水的氢氧同位素组成也造成一定影响。蒸发作用在枯水期也使洞庭湖与鄱阳湖的D和18O值升高,进而提高长江相关河段的D和18O值。 冰雪融化是影响长江水的氢氧同位素组成的另一重要因素。在长江源头和所有左岸支流的源头,冰川融雪都是重要的水源之一。由于冰川水在氢氧同位素组成上的特殊性,其对河水贡献的大小将影响河水的氢氧同位素组成。 三峡大坝对于长江的水动力体系影响巨大,三峡水库对长江水资源的调控作用有待长期观测研究。从本次的研究资料来看,三峡大坝在丰水期对相应河段的氢氧同位素变化趋势影响不大。但在枯水季节,三峡水库蓄水使下游的宜昌和沙市的水源发生明显变化,导致D和18O值的显著降低。 长江水资源状况及其演变趋势是受到各方面高度关注的重要研究课题。为深入探讨这一问题,需要了解长江水资源的变化与各种气象与水文要素之间的关系,查明大气降水、地下水、冰川水、湖水与河水之间的交互作用。而氢氧同位素示踪技术在这方面可以发挥关键性的作用。由于现有资料有限,目前还无法利用氢氧同位素组成来追溯其气候条件的详细演化过程。但若能在进行系统水文测量的同时,适当开展氢氧同位素测定,将对研究长江水资源状况及其演变趋势大有脾益。     

Deciphering late Quaternary land snail shell δO and δC from Franchthi Cave (Argolid,Greece)

This paper investigates the stable isotopic composition from late Pleistocene–Holocene (~ 13 to ~ 10.5 cal ka BP) shells of the land snail Helix figulina, from Franchthi Cave (Greece). It explores the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental implications of the isotope palaeoecology of archaeological shells at the time of human occupation of the cave. Modern shells from around the cave were also analysed and their isotopic signatures compared with those of the archaeological shells. The carbon isotope composition of modern shells depicts the consumption of C₃ vegetation. Shell oxygen isotopic values are consistent with other Mediterranean snail shells from coastal areas. Combining empirical linear regression and an evaporative model, the δ¹⁸Os suggest that modern snails in the study area are active during periods of higher relative humidity and lower rainfall δ¹⁸O, probably at night. Late glacial and early Holocene δ¹⁸Os show lower values compared to modern ones. Early Holocene δ¹⁸Os values likely track enhanced moisture and isotopic changes in the precipitation source. By contrast, lower late glacial δ¹⁸O could reflect lower temperatures and δ¹⁸Op, compared to the present day. Shell carbon isotope values indicate the presence of C₃ vegetation as main source of carbon to late glacial and early Holocene snails.     

福建武平十二排钼矿床辉钼矿Re-Os 同位素年龄及其地质意义

福建武平十二排铝矿床是近年来在闽西南地区找到的又一处铝矿床.钼矿化在中细粒黑云母花岗岩岩体与新元古界楼子坝群、晚古生界变质岩接触带内呈浸染状和脉状产出,并且构成透镜状矿体.本次研究过程中,对5件代表性辉钼矿样品进行了Re-Os同位素年龄测定,模式年龄值变化范围为149.7 ～ 152.8Ma,等时线年龄为(151 ±2) Ma,略晚于黑云母花岗岩的成岩年龄,由此认为十二排钼矿床与黑云母花岗岩的形成时间均为晚侏罗世,属燕山早期构造—岩浆活动的产物.结合矿区外围其他钼矿床同位素年龄数据,可以推测闽西南大规模钼矿化发生在印支期台地向活动大陆边缘转变阶段,并伴随燕山早期挤压隆升(约160 ～ 145 Ma)和燕山晚期由挤压向拉张机制转换(约105 ～90 Ma)作用所诱发的岩浆活动是导致钼矿床形成的主导因素.