MRI: Acquisition of an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for using stable isotopes to study complex ecological systems

Michigan Technological University, Houghton MI

Investigators

Abstract

An award is made to Michigan Technological University to obtain an isotope ratio mass spectrometer for the analysis of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and hydrogen in environmental samples. Faculty and staff will use the instrument to trace these elements in studies of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem processes. It is important for science students to have hands-on experience with essential analytical tools, and through this purchase, students in a wide variety of fields at Michigan Tech will be able to incorporate the use of isotopes into their own research. The team at Michigan Tech will fully integrate isotopic research into classroom education in upper-level ecosystem science courses to prepare future scientists who are fully capable of using advanced techniques to investigate environmental issues and their potential solutions. The state-of-the-science instrument also will aid in attracting the best possible graduate students and candidates for faculty positions in ecology and environmental science, both of which are areas of study known to attract diverse populations into STEM careers. The new instrument will triple the types of elemental isotopic analyses that can be provided to Michigan Tech students and researchers and their colleagues, fostering collaborations among ecosystem scientists, biologists, hydrologists, chemists and geologists. Researchers will use isotopic analyses for diverse purposes including: assessing origins of migratory species such as birds, bats and butterflies; separating recent versus older sources of greenhouse gas fluxes from wetlands to identify possible feedbacks to the climate system; understanding the contributions of stormflow and groundwater to streamflow to help predict the potential for future flooding as storm intensities increase; separating contributions of aquatic and terrestrial vegetation to the diets of wild species; and assessing impacts of recent and past droughts on forest productivity through analysis of tree rings and foliage and determining the soil depths from which different plant species can access water. Results from these studies and other research performed with the instrument will be widely disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and at scientific meetings. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.