Acquisition of an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for Applications in Anthropology, Ecology and Conservation Biology

购买同位素比质谱仪用于人类学、生态学和保护生物学应用

• 批准号: 0115837
• 负责人: Tosha Dupras
• 金额: $ 16.29万
• 依托单位: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-09-01 至 2004-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0115837&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Acquisition; Isotope; Ratio; Mass; Spectrometer

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Dupras and colleagues at the University of Central Florida to acquire an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). This instrument is a specialized class of mass spectrometer designed to measure, with high precision, small differences in natural abundances of the light stable isotopes (non-radioactive types of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen). The primary application for this instrument is to measure naturally occurring stable isotope ratios in tissues of plants, humans, and other animals. In recent years, these stable isotopes have become essential tools in investigations in physical anthropology, archaeology, ecology, and conservation biology. Stable-isotope analysis is especially valuable in reconstructing diets since the isotope ratios in animal tissues reflect the isotope ratios of the foods consumed. Estimating the diets of humans and other animals with this type of instrumentation allows investigators to reconstruct environments, examine patterns of health, determine differential use of alternative foods, and detect patterns of migration. The research activities planned for this instrumentation include projects in several disciplines. The specific activities in anthropology and archaeology include: reconstructing the diet of past inhabitants of the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, in order to understand human bio-cultural adaptation to the harsh Saharan ecozone; determining differences and changes in diet among the inhabitants of ancient Maya sites, such as Caracol, Belize; and, analyzing patterns of prehistoric human migration. The research in ecology and conservation biology include: investigating predator-prey interactions, feeding relationships, and energy flow in the small mammal communities of coastal Florida; determining current and historical diet of Canada lynx across their range for use in developing conservation strategies for this endangered species; and, tracing the source of the diet of Florida manatees to determine feeding habits, as well as the historical foraging strategies, of this endangered marine mammal. This grant is a cooperative effort by faculty in several different disciplines to acquire basic equipment that has become integral to their fields. Recent advances in technology (decreasing the time and cost of analysis) and an increased recognition of the utility of stable-isotope ratios have promoted a dramatic increase in the use of this technique to reconstruct diets and trace the flow of energy and nutrients in ecological communities. The purchase of an IRMS for researchers at the University of Central Florida will speed the process of scientific inquiry on already existing scientific collections, and will enhance interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary scholarship. The IRMS will also have implications for undergraduate and graduate education at UCF. Use of the IMS in multi-disciplinary lab techniques courses will provide practical, hands-on experience for graduate students and advanced undergraduates; students trained in stable isotope analysis will have valuable expertise in this rapidly expanding field. Thus, the acquisition of an IRMS also will strengthen the connections between teaching, learning, and research at UCF.

佛罗里达大学的Dupras及其同事授予了赠款，以获取同位素比率质谱仪（IRMS）。 该仪器是一类专业的质谱仪类，旨在测量光稳定同位素的自然丰度（非放射性类型的碳，氮，硫，硫，氧气和氢）的自然丰度差异很小。 该仪器的主要应用是测量植物，人类和其他动物组织中天然存在的同位素比率。 近年来，这些稳定的同位素已成为物理人类学，考古学，生态学和保护生物学研究的重要工具。 稳定的异位分析对于重建饮食特别有价值，因为动物组织中的同位素比反映了所消耗的食物的同位素比。 用这种类型的仪器估算人类和其他动物的饮食，使研究人员可以重建环境，检查健康模式，确定替代食品的不同使用以及检测迁移模式。该仪器计划的研究活动包括几个学科的项目。人类学和考古学中的具体活动包括：重建埃及达克勒·奥西斯（Dakhleh Oasis）过去居民的饮食，以了解人类生物文化的适应性，以适应对苛刻的撒哈拉族生态的生物文化；确定古代玛雅人居民（例如卡拉科，伯利兹）居民的饮食差异和变化；并分析史前人类迁移的模式。 生态和保护生物学的研究包括：研究佛罗里达州沿海小型哺乳动物社区的捕食者 - 捕食相互作用，喂养关系和能量流；确定加拿大lynx在其范围内的当前和历史饮食，用于为这种濒危物种制定保护策略；并追踪佛罗里达海牛饮食的来源，以确定这种濒临灭绝的海洋哺乳动物的喂养习惯以及历史觅食策略。这笔赠款是教师在几个不同学科中的合作努力，以获取已成为其领域不可或缺的基本设备。 技术的最新进展（减少分析的时间和成本）以及对稳定异位比率的效用的越来越多的认识促进了这种技术在重建饮食中的使用急剧增加，并追踪生态社区中能量和营养的流动。为佛罗里达州中央大学的研究人员购买IRMS将加快对已经存在的科学收藏的科学询问的过程，并将增强跨学科和多学科奖学金。 IRMS还将对UCF的本科和研究生教育产生影响。 在多学科实验室技术中使用IMS课程将为研究生和高级本科生提供实践，动手的经验；接受稳定同位素分析培训的学生将在这个快速扩展的领域中具有宝贵的专业知识。因此，对IRM的获取也将加强UCF的教学，学习和研究之间的联系。