宁夏河东沙地不同坡度柠条锦鸡儿（Caragana korshinskii）水分利用策略差异

为探讨全球气候变化背景下多元线性混合模型（IsoSource）和贝叶斯混合模型（MixSIAR）解析宁夏河东沙地柠条锦鸡儿（Caragana korshinskii）水分利用策略差异及适用性,利用氢氧稳定同位素技术,结合直接对比法、IsoSource模型和MixSIAR模型对比分析不同坡度（6°、10°、16°和24°）样地柠条锦鸡儿在生长季不同时期对各潜在水源的利用率,并评估两种模型的植物水分溯源效果。结果表明：柠条锦鸡儿对不同土层深度土壤水的利用存在明显的季节性差异,生长季初期,随着坡度的增大,柠条锦鸡儿对中层土壤水的利用率呈现出先增大后减小的趋势;生长季中期,随坡度增大,柠条锦鸡儿主要水分来源由深层土壤转移至浅层土壤;生长季后期,柠条锦鸡儿主要水分来源随着坡度的增大由浅层土壤转移至深层土壤。基于直接对比法的定性判断结果,IsoSource模型和MixSIAR模型计算坡度6°、10°和16°样地柠条锦鸡儿主要水分来源利用率的适用性均较高;而Mix-SIAR模型计算坡度24°样地柠条锦鸡儿主要的水分来源以及其贡献率具有更高的可靠性。Iso-Source模型更适合解析较小坡度（6°和1...     

Isotope mixing models require individual isotopic tracer content for correct quantification of sediment source contributions

The use of isotopic tracers for sediment source apportionment is gaining interest with recent introduction of compound‐specific stable isotope tracers. The method relies on linear mixing of source isotopic tracers, and deconvolution of a sediment mixture initially quantifies the contribution of sources to the mixture's tracer signature. Therefore, a correction to obtain real sediment source proportions is subsequently required. As far as we are aware, all published studies to date have used total isotopic tracer content or a proxy (e.g., soil carbon content) for this post‐unmixing correction. However, as the relationship between the isotopic tracer mixture and the source mixture is different for each isotopic tracer, post‐unmixing corrections cannot be carried out with one single factor. This contribution presents an isotopic tracer model structure—the concentration‐dependent isotope mixing model (CD‐IMM)—to overcome this limitation. Herein, we aim to clarify why the “conventional” approach to converting isotopic tracer proportions to source proportions using a single factor is wrong. In an initial mathematical assessment, error incurred by not using CD‐IMM (NCD‐IMM) in unmixing two sources with two isotopic tracers showed a complex relation as a function of relative tracer contents. Next, three artificial mixtures with different proportions of three soil sources were prepared and deconvoluted using ¹³C of fatty acids using CD‐IMM and NCD‐IMM. Using NCD‐IMM affected both accuracy (mean average error increased up to a threefold compared with the CD‐IMM output) and precision (interquartile range was up to 2.5 times larger). Finally, as an illustrative example, the proportional source contribution reported in a published study was recalculated using CD‐IMM. This resulted in changes in estimated source proportions and associated uncertainties. Content of isotopic tracers is seldom reported in published work concerning use of isotopic tracers for sediment source partitioning. The magnitude of errors made by miscalculation in former studies is therefore difficult to assess. With this contribution, we hope the community will acknowledge the limitations of prior approaches and use a CD‐IMM in future studies.     

Water use characteristics of coexisting sand-binding vegetation in two typical soil habitats in the desert steppe of China

Understanding the water use characteristics and water relationship of coexisting vegetation in a mixed-species plantation of trees and shrubs is crucial for the sustainable restoration of degraded arid areas. This study investigated the water use characteristic of coexisting sand-binding vegetation combinations in the sierozem habitat (Populus przewalskii Maxim namely Populus-S and Caragana liouana) and aeolian sandy soil habitats (Populus przewalskii Maxim namely Populus-A and Salix psammophila) of the desert steppe. By analysing the δ²H and δ¹⁸O isotopes in xylem, soil water, groundwater and precipitation, a Bayesian MixSIAR model was employed to quantitatively assess the water utilization characteristics of plants. Throughout the growing season, in the sierozem habitat, C. liouana exhibits the highest efficiency in utilizing soil moisture above 60 cm (53.45%) and displays adaptable water use strategies. In contrast, Populus-A predominantly relies on deep soil moisture below 60 cm plus groundwater (63.89%). In the aeolian sandy soil habitat, both Populus-A and S. psammophila similarly favour deep soil moisture below the 60 cm soil plus groundwater (66.77% and 67.60%, respectively). During the transition period from the dry to the wet seasons, although both Populus-A and S. psammophila in the aeolian sandy soil habitat shifted their water sources from deeper to shallower ones, there was considerable overlap in the water sources used by Populus-A and S. psammophila. This overlap led to competition for water resources and exacerbated the depletion of deep soil moisture in both seasons. Conversely, in the sierozem habitat, the partitioning of water sources between Populus-S and C. liouana facilitated the allocation and utilization of water resources between the two species. The findings highlight the need for species-specific consideration in water resource allocation within mixed-species plantations of trees and shrubs, which is crucial for sustainable vegetation restoration in sand-binding ecosystems.     

End member and Bayesian mixing models consistently indicate near-surface flowpath dominance in a pristine humid tropical rainforest

The impacts of forest conversion on runoff generation in the tropics have received much interest, but scientific progress is still hampered by challenging fieldwork conditions and limited knowledge about runoff mechanisms. Here, we assessed the runoff generation, flow paths and water source dynamics of a pristine rainforest catchment in Costa Rica using end member mixing analysis (EMMA) and a Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR). Geochemical tracer data collected over a 4-week field campaign were combined with tritium data used to assess potential deeper groundwater flow pathways to the perennial stream. The streamflow composition was best captured using three end-members, namely throughfall, shallow (5–15 cm) and deeper (15–50 cm) soil water. We estimated the end-member contributions to the main stream and two tributaries using the two mixing approaches and found good agreement between results obtained from EMMA and MixSIAR. The system was overwhelmingly dominated by near-surface sources, with little evidence for deeper and older groundwater as tritium-derived baseflow mean transit time was between 2.0 and 4.4 years. The shallow soil flow pathway dominated streamflow contributions in the main stream (median 39% and 49% based on EMMA and MixSIAR, respectively), followed by the deeper soil (32% and 31%) and throughfall (25% and 19%). The two tributaries had even greater shallow soil water contributions relative to the main stream (83% and 74% for tributary A and 42% and 63% for tributary B). Tributary B had no detectable deep soil water contribution, reflecting the morphology of the hillslope (steeper slopes, shallower soils and lower vegetation density compared to hillslope A). Despite the short sampling campaign and associated uncertainties, this study allowed to thoroughly assess runoff generation mechanisms in a humid tropical catchment. Our results also provide a first comparison of two increasingly used mixing models and suggest that EMMA and MixSIAR yield comparable estimates of water source partitioning in this tropical, volcanic rainforest environment.     

Trophic structure of mesopelagic fishes in the Gulf of Mexico revealed by gut content and stable isotope analyses

Mesopelagic fishes represent an important component of the marine food web due to their global distributions, high abundances and ability to transport organic material throughout a large part of the water column. This study combined stable isotope (SIAs) and gut content analyses (GCAs) to characterize the trophic structure of mesopelagic fishes in the North‐Central Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, this study examined whether mesopelagic fishes utilized chemosynthetic energy from cold seeps. Specimens were collected (9–25 August 2007) over three deep (>1,000 m) cold seeps at discrete depths (surface to 1,503 m) over the diurnal cycle. GCA classified 31 species (five families) of mesopelagic fishes into five feeding guilds: piscivores, large crustacean consumers, copepod consumers, generalists and mixed zooplanktivores. However, these guilds were less clearly defined based on stable isotope mixing model (MixSIAR) results, suggesting diets may be more mixed over longer time periods (weeks–months) and across co‐occurring species. Copepods were likely important for the majority of mesopelagic fishes, consistent with GCA (this study) and previous literature. MixSIAR results also identified non‐crustacean prey items, including salps and pteropods, as potentially important prey items for mesopelagic fishes, including those fishes not analysed in GCA (Sternoptyx spp. and Melamphaidae). Salps and other soft‐bodied species are often missed in GCAs. Mesopelagic fishes had δ¹³C results consistent with particulate organic matter serving as the baseline organic carbon source, fueling up to three trophic levels. Fishes that undergo diel vertical migration were depleted in ¹⁵N relative to weak migrators, consistent with depth‐specific isotope trends in sources and consumers, and assimilation of ¹⁵N‐depleted organic matter in surface waters. Linear correlations between fish size and δ¹⁵N values suggested ontogenetic changes in fish diets for several species. While there was no direct measure of mesopelagic fishes assimilating chemosynthetic material, detection of infrequent consumption of this food resource may be hindered by the assimilation of isotopically enriched photosynthetic organic matter. By utilizing multiple dietary metrics (e.g. GCA, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, MixSIAR), this study better defined the trophic structure of mesopelagic fishes and allowed for insights on feeding, ultimately providing useful baseline information from which to track mesopelagic trophodynamics over time and space.     

How do non-halophyte locust trees thrive in temperate coastal regions: A study of salinity and multiple environmental factors on water uptake patterns

Understanding plant water use patterns is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of the soil–plant-atmosphere continuum and evaluating the adaptability of plants across diverse ecosystems. However, there remains a gap in our comprehension of non-halophyte plants' water uptake patterns and driving factors in temperate coastal regions. For this reason, we used locust trees (a widely planted non-halophyte tree species in northern China) as a study subject. We collected water isotope data (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) for locust trees xylem and soil over two consecutive growing seasons. The MixSIAR model was used along with five distinct sets of input data (single isotopes, uncorrected dual isotopes, and corrected dual isotopes incorporating δ²H data obtained by soil water line or cryogenic vacuum distillation methods) to infer water utilization patterns. The results indicated that locust trees primarily absorb shallow soil water (0–20 cm, 29.4% ± 16.9%) and deep soil water (120–180 cm, 24.7% ± 5.8%). Pearson's correlation analysis revealed the key driving factors behind water uptake patterns were vegetation transpiration and soil salinity. Remarkably, the build up of salts in the lower soil layer (60–120 cm) hinders the absorption of water by plants. To prevent high salt concentrations from affecting water uptake in non-halophyte plants, we recommend implementing sufficient irrigation from March to April each year to meet the water needs of plant growth and regulate the accumulation of salts in various soil layers. This study reveals the dynamic water utilization strategy of non-halophyte plants in temperate coastal regions, offering valuable information for water resources management.     

长江下游沿江升金湖河湖过渡带地下水来源及水质影响因素分析

为探究河湖过渡带地下水来源及其水质影响因素,本文分析了不同水体氢氧同位素的分布特征,确定地下水的补给来源,而后采用贝叶斯混合模型(MixSIAR)定量解析不同补给源对地下水的贡献率,并计算混合水源对地下水酸碱度(pH)、电导率(Cond)和总溶解固体(TDS)的贡献量,探究水源混合对地下水水质的影响.研究发现:近长江和湖岸的地下水同位素特征与长江水、湖水接近,其水力联系密切,而中部地下水同位素特征与河水接近,受河水补给明显;河水对地下水的贡献率最大,约为47%,降水贡献率约为20%,湖水和长江水的贡献率分别约为16%和17%;混合水源对pH的贡献率接近100%,对Cond的贡献率约为70%,而对TDS的贡献率很小.此外,生活污水、农业污染等外源输入也会导致地下水pH下降,Cond和TDS明显升高.