MRI: Acquisition of Stable Isotope Instrumentation for Biogeochemistry Research and Teaching at the University of Cincinnati

MRI：辛辛那提大学购买用于生物地球化学研究和教学的稳定同位素仪器

• 批准号: 1229114
• 负责人: Aaron Diefendorf
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: University of Cincinnati Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-15 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1229114&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Stable; Isotope; Instrumentation

MRI: Acquisition of Stable Isotope Instrumentation for Biogeochemistry Research and Teaching at the University of CincinnatiSupport from the National Science Foundation will allow for the purchase of a stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) and associated peripheral devices for the stable isotope analysis of plant biomarkers, bioapatite and calcite, organic matter, water, and atmospheric methane. The IRMS will enable faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students - both at the University of Cincinnati and regionally - to conduct research projects on a broad array of topics. These topics will include (1) characterizing modern carbon isotope fractionation patterns in plant terpenoids and n-alkyl lipids (biomarkers) to better develop paleoclimate and paleoecological applications, (2) using carbon and hydrogen isotopes of terrestrial plant biomarkers to examine Paleogene and Neogene paleoclimate and paleovegetation history, (3) assessing patterns in stable isotope values in mammal tissues to understand foraging ecology and species interactions, (4) reconstructing diet and habit for extinct mammals with implications for human-driven extinctions, (5) characterizing Permian-Early Triassic paleoenvironments in the global ocean and understanding the link to the contemporaneous marine biotic crisis, (6) investigating the biogeochemistry of Late Pennsylvanian paleoenvironments associated with extensive black shale deposits, (7) characterizing atmospheric methane emissions using carbon and hydrogen isotopes, (8) constraining impacts of shale gas extraction on methane emissions, (9) characterizing methane biogeochemistry in Arctic ecosystems, and many other studies planned by the PIs and other users at the University of Cincinnati and within the region.Faculty, staff, and graduate students within the Departments of Geology, Anthropology, Geography, and Biology at the University of Cincinnati and from other regional institutions will use this state-of-the-art stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer to address a wide array of biogeochemical research questions. This instrumentation will take highly accurate measurements of the stable isotope ratios of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, which will further the PIs research examining Earth system processes, including unraveling past changes in climate and ecology and tracking the various pathways of carbon, water, and nutrients through Earth?s systems. This will provide the tools necessary for the PIs to greatly improve and expand on current interdisciplinary research activities in biogeochemistry, spanning scales from biochemical to biospheric and from geologic to modern time scales. This will be critical for advancing research in the areas of (1) terrestrial carbon cycling, (2) community ecology and human impacts, (3) climate and plant paleoecology, (4) marine chemistry and paleoceanography, and (5) atmospheric methane dynamics in urban and Arctic ecosystems. The instrumentation will provide training and research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and will immediately benefit a new upper level undergraduate and graduate course on stable isotope ecology. Programs currently in place in the Department of Geology will use this instrumentation for training and research purposes including the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program, the Graduate-Undergraduate Mentoring Program, and the Capstone Experience, required for all undergraduate students. The department is actively participating in Earth science outreach programs for K-12 students at Cincinnati Public Schools (50% under-represented minority students). Results from research projects using this instrumentation will be disseminated through student and faculty presentations at national and international scientific meetings, publications in peer-reviewed journals, and online data repositories.

核磁共振成像：在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，将能够购买稳定同位素比质谱仪（IRMS）和相关的外围设备，用于植物生物标志物、生物磷灰石和方解石、有机物、水和大气甲烷的稳定同位素分析。IRMS将使教师，博士后研究人员，研究生和本科生-无论是在辛辛那提大学和区域-进行广泛的主题研究项目。这些主题将包括：（1）表征植物萜类化合物和正烷基脂类的现代碳同位素分馏模式（2）利用陆生植物生物标志物的碳、氢同位素研究古近纪和新近纪的古气候和古植被历史，（3）评估哺乳动物组织中稳定同位素值的模式，以了解觅食生态学和物种相互作用，（4）重建灭绝哺乳动物的饮食和习惯，并对人类驱动的灭绝产生影响，（5）描述全球海洋中二叠纪-早三叠世古环境的特征，并了解与同期海洋生物危机的联系，（6）调查与广泛的黑色页岩沉积有关的晚宾夕法尼亚古环境的地球化学，（7）使用碳和氢同位素描述大气甲烷排放，（8）限制页岩气开采对甲烷排放的影响，（9）描述北极生态系统中甲烷的地球化学特征，以及辛辛那提大学和该地区内的PI和其他用户计划进行的许多其他研究。地质学，人类学，地理学，和生物学在辛辛那提大学和其他地区机构将使用这个国家的-一种稳定同位素比质谱仪，用于解决广泛的地球化学研究问题。该仪器将对碳、氢、氮和氧的稳定同位素比率进行高度精确的测量，这将进一步推动PI研究，研究地球系统的过程，包括揭示过去气候和生态的变化，跟踪碳、水和营养物质通过地球的各种途径。s系统。这将为PI提供必要的工具，以大大改善和扩大目前的跨学科研究活动，在地球化学，跨越尺度从生物化学到生物圈，从地质到现代的时间尺度。这对于推进以下领域的研究至关重要：（1）陆地碳循环，（2）社区生态学和人类影响，（3）气候和植物古生态学，（4）海洋化学和古海洋学，以及（5）城市和北极生态系统中的大气甲烷动力学。该仪器将为本科生和研究生提供培训和研究机会，并将立即有利于一个新的高层次的稳定同位素生态学本科生和研究生课程。目前在地质系的方案将使用这种仪器进行培训和研究，包括妇女在科学和工程（WISE）计划，研究生-本科生导师计划，和顶点经验，要求所有本科生。该部门积极参与辛辛那提公立学校K-12学生的地球科学推广计划（少数民族学生占50%）。使用该仪器的研究项目的结果将通过学生和教师在国家和国际科学会议上的演讲，同行评审期刊上的出版物和在线数据库进行传播。