Acquisition of a Stable Isotope Facility to Study Terrestrial Processes and their Interaction with Climate and the Environment

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A stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer facility is proposed at the University of Wyoming to address several multidisciplinary processes including carbon flux between ecosystems and the atmosphere, ecosystem responses to simulated climate change, patterns of precipitation isotopic chemistry, reconstruction of climates using proxy records, and the geochemistry of environmental contamination. At present, no such facility exists in the state of Wyoming. This proposal funds the purchase of a dual inlet isotope ration mass spectrometer for high precision analysis of the stable isotopes of H, C, N, S, and O in air, water, soil, and vegetation. This instrument will support numerous ongoing studies that utilize stable isotope analyses to enhance a basic understanding of terrestrial processes. These include: 1) delineating the CO2 source and sink activity of native and agricultural ecosystems; 2) quantifying the degree to which changes in snow depth alter the patterns of water sources used by plants and modifies the flux of carbon; 3) assessing the weekly patterns of the isotopic composition of precipitation from an array of sites across the U.S; 4) applying the isotopic composition of plant tissues as paleoclimate proxies; 5) using stable isotopes to identify sources and processes affecting groundwater contaminants such as nitrate and hazardous organic compounds; and 6) characterizing the seasonal foraging patterns of free-ranging ungulates and applying this to the reconstruction of anthropological diets and predation strategies. The major focus of the proposed facility will be to nurture an expansion of interdisciplinary collaboration among diverse research teams. In addition, this instrumentation will provide regular exposure and research training opportunities for upper division undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scientists while encouraging other researchers on campus to utilize stable isotopes as part of their research. Finally, the facility will perform analyses that will contribute to several new national and international research initiatives, including a U.S. contribution to the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) and the Biosphere-Atmosphere Stable Isotope Network (BASIN).