MRI-R2: Acquisition of a Shared Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for Ecological, Geological & Hydrological Research, Education & Training in the Central Appalachians

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。由美国国家科学基金会核磁共振- r2项目提供的资金帮助支持在马里兰大学环境科学中心阿巴拉契亚实验室建立一个最先进的稳定同位素测量设备。为这个阿巴拉契亚中部稳定同位素设施（CASIF）购置的设备为多个学科的独特的正在进行和计划中的研究项目提供了关键的支持，包括古生态学和古气候学、景观生态学和遥感、生物地球化学、水文学和植物生态学。这些资金用于购买ThermoFisher Delta V+同位素比值质谱仪（IRMS）、线轴微燃烧装置、元素分析仪、高温转换/元素分析仪热解装置和GasBench II。13名新老教师，包括7名早期职业助理教授，他们专门研究同位素和/或生物地球化学示踪剂的应用，他们正在使用这些设备解决有关环境变化影响的紧迫问题，包括：波托马克河流量的长期水文变化；氮循环对自然和人为扰动的响应入侵物种和人类活动对土壤和河流生物地球化学过程的影响以及许多其他及时的研究课题。这个小组共同积极培养大约25名研究生和博士后研究人员，以及大约30名本科生研究人员。学生和博士后研究人员，包括女性、少数民族和第一代学生，有机会使用最先进的技术和仪器。作为一个区域共享使用设施，CASIF将围绕共同的环境变化研究主题促进协同研究和教育活动，从而加强机构内部和机构间的合作，并帮助公众认识同位素在了解环境变化影响方面的效用。新仪器所促成的研究结果将通过同行评议的科学期刊以及学生和教员在区域和国家会议上的发言加以传播。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Funds supplied by the NSF MRI-R2 program have helped to support the establishment of a facility for state of- the-art stable isotope measurements at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Appalachian Laboratory. Acquisition of equipment for this Central Appalachians Stable Isotope Facility (CASIF) provides critical support to unique ongoing and planned research projects in multiple disciplines, including paleoecology and paleoclimatology, landscape ecology and remote sensing, biogeochemistry, hydrology & plant ecology. The funds were used to purchase a ThermoFisher Delta V+ isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS), a spooling wire microcombustion device, an elemental analyzer, a high temperature conversion/elemental analyzer pyrolysis unit and a GasBench II. A critical mass of 13 new and existing faculty, including 7 early-career assistant professors who specialize in the application of isotopic and/or biogeochemical tracers are using the equipment to address pressing questions concerning the impacts of environmental change, including: long-term hydrologic variability in the flow of the Potomac River; the response of the nitrogen cycle to natural and anthropogenic perturbations; the impacts of invasive species and human activities on biogeochemical processes in soils and streams; and many other timely research topics. Together this group actively trains roughly 25 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and approximately 30 undergraduate researchers. Students and postdoctoral researchers, including women, minorities & first-generation students, are provided with opportunities to utilize state-of-the-art techniques and instruments at the CASIF. As a regional shared-use facility, the CASIF will promote synergistic research and education activities around common environmental-change research themes, thus enhancing intra- and inter-institution collaborations, and also helping the general public appreciate the utility of isotopes for understanding the impacts of environmental change. Results from the studies enabled by the new instrumentation will be disseminated through peer-reviewed scientific journals, and by student and faculty presentations at regional and national meetings.