aechanisms of Base Cation Cycling in Forest Biogeochemical Systems: Application of a New Tool

小行星9630531 森林生物地球化学系统中阳离子循环机制的新工具 在美国和其他工业化国家，地球化学领域的研究重点是了解现代人类活动如何影响自然生态系统的完整性和稳定性。 特别迫切需要了解森林资源是如何受到影响的，最近的科学报告表明，北美和欧洲一些地区的森林健康状况日益恶化，包括“森林衰退”的情况。“预测下一个世纪森林状况的最重要需求之一是更好地了解人类是如何扰乱森林以矿物质养分（所谓的“碱阳离子”）为食的自然途径的。 在过去两年中，开发了一种新技术，利用锶的非放射性稳定同位素（同位素84）直接追踪人类活动对森林营养的影响。 这项研究将这种新的应用应用于人类影响最小的森林生态系统，以更好地了解基阳离子的来源以及如何利用和循环这些材料。

9630531 Hedin Mechanisms of Base Cation Cycling in Forest Biogeochemical Systems: Application of a New Tool A priority for research in the field of biogeochemistry in the U.S. and other industrial nations is to understand how modern human activities are affecting the integrity and stability of natural ecosystems. It is particularly urgent to understand how forest resources are affected, as indicated by recent scientific reports of increasing degradation in forest health in some areas of North America and Europe, including instances of "forest decline." One of the most important needs for predicting the status of forests over the next century is an improved understanding of how humans are perturbing the natural pathways by which forests feed on mineral nutrients (so called "base cations"). Over the past two years, a new technique has been developed that uses non-radioactive stable isotopes of strontium (isotope 84) to directly trace how forest nutrition is affected by human activities. This research applies this new application to forest ecosystems where human impacts have been minimal to better understand the sources of base cations and how these materials are utilized and cycled.