Article
Engineering, Environmental
Clara Torrento, Violaine Ponsin, Christina Lihl, Thomas B. Hofstetter, Nicole Baran, Martin Elsner, Daniel Hunkeler
Summary: Although multielement isotope fractionation studies have been well-established for point-source pollution, they are only emerging for diffuse pollution by micropollutants like pesticides. This study found that chlorine isotope fractionation can be a robust indicator of chloroacetanilide degradation, with distinct patterns observed for different degradation pathways. The 3D isotope approach allows for differentiation of transformations that may not be distinguishable based on C and N isotope data alone.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ivan Lizaga, Borja Latorre, Leticia Gaspar, Ana Navas
Summary: Sediment fingerprinting is a valuable tool for understanding soil erosion processes and identifying sediment sources. This study proposes a physical model and a conservative balance for isotopic tracers, allowing for the combined use of isotopic and elemental tracers. The model is successfully validated and tested, and it shows improved discriminant capacity and clearer results when combining isotopic and elemental tracers.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel F. Araujo, Joel Knoery, Nicolas Briant, Nathalie Vigier, Emmanuel Ponzevera
Summary: The advent of Multicollector ICP-MS has opened the door to studying nontraditional isotopes in marine metal contamination, providing valuable tools for understanding geochemical and ecotoxicological aspects. However, research on these applications is still in its early stages, with limited information on recent developments and obstacles. This paper aims to fill this gap and encourage the marine scientific community to utilize this newly available information for chemical risk assessment, biomonitoring, and examining the trophic transfer of metal contaminants.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Meisha Holloway-Phillips, Lucas A. Cernusak, Daniel B. Nelson, Marco M. Lehmann, Guillaume Tcherkez, Ansgar Kahmen
Summary: Oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of cellulose in plant biology can be used to understand environmental conditions, but their covariation is not well understood. This study compared plant water, leaf cellulose, and branch cellulose across an aridity gradient in Northern Australia. The researchers found a decline in covariation from xylem to leaf water, and from leaf to branch wood cellulose. The results suggest that postphotosynthetic isotope exchange with water is more apparent for oxygen isotopes, while variable kinetic and nonequilibrium isotope effects complicate the interpretation of metabolic-induced d(2)H patterns.
Article
Forestry
Yujian Zhang, Qianqian Qin, Qiang Zhu, Xingyue Sun, Yansong Bai, Yanhong Liu
Summary: Fire plays a crucial role in regulating boreal forest ecosystems, especially in the growth and physiological processes of fire-tolerant trees. However, studies on the effects of fires on tree isotopes, specifically carbon and oxygen, are scarce, especially for fire-tolerant species. This study examined the changes in growth and isotopes of Larix gmelinii before and after three moderate fires in Northeastern China. The results showed that the fires significantly reduced radial growth and increased both carbon and oxygen isotopes. Fires also enhanced the intrinsic water-use efficiency derived from carbon isotopes and altered the relationships between isotopes, water-use efficiency, and climate factors. A conceptual model revealed the initial response of stomatal conductance and photosynthesis, which varied over time and were influenced by spring temperature. This study provides valuable insights into the physiological adaptations of fire-tolerant tree species in fire-prone environments, while acknowledging the limitations and constraints of the model.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yo Han Yang, Sae Yun Kwon, Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui, Laura C. Motta, Spencer J. Washburn, Jaeseon Park, Min-Seob Kim, Kyung-Hoon Shin
Summary: By analyzing the nitrogen and mercury isotopes of eels and pike, we found that pike has consistent mercury concentration and ecological traits, making it an effective bioindicator for mercury. Eels, on the other hand, better capture site-specific mercury sources based on their mercury concentration and feeding behavior.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Hyejung Jung, Yun S. Kim, Jisu Yoo, Bumsung Park, Jeonghoon Lee
Summary: A multi-isotopes approach combining stable nitrate isotopes (delta N-15(NO3) and delta O-18(NO3)) with stable water isotopes (delta O-18(H2O) and delta H-2(H2O)) can help identify nitrogen sources and understand transformation processes in river water systems. Seasonal variations have a significant impact on stable isotope values, leading to uncertainties in estimating the contribution of effluent to the water system.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel Bouchard, Patrick Hohener, Didier Gori, Daniel Hunkeler, Tim Buscheck
Summary: Several types of laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate isotope fractionation caused by phase transfer process for a selection of common environmental contaminants. Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation caused by vaporization of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), volatilization from water, and dissolution into an organic solvent (TGDE) were investigated. The results showed significant isotope fractionation during NAPL vaporization and volatilization from water, while no significant fractionation was observed during the air-TGDE partitioning process, except for certain compounds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenzhe Xu, Yongxin Dang, Siu Gin Cheung, Zhinan Zhang, Jun Sun, Ankang Teng, Paul K. S. Shin
Summary: The addition of stable isotope tracers can enhance isotopic differences of primary producers, allowing for a wider food-web resolution than using natural abundance stable isotopes alone. In a study near Halophila minor seagrass bed in Hong Kong, China, a N-15 addition experiment revealed larger dietary contributions of benthic microalgae for some infauna species compared to natural abundance stable isotopes data. This suggests the importance of combining NASIs with isotope tracer addition for a more accurate determination of dietary contributions and trophic statuses in ecosystems with similar primary producer isotope values.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Andrew T. Revill, Richard Saul, Elizabeth A. Brewer, Peter D. Nichols
Summary: Squalene in deep-water dogfish liver oil has high value in cosmetics and nutraceuticals. Australia's deep-water dogfish fishery is well managed and sustainable. Distinguishing the origin of deep-water dogfish liver oil products is important for protecting Australia's competitive advantage and ensuring sustainability.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Biao Jin, Jiyun Zhang, Wenli Xu, Massimo Rolle, Jinzhong Liu, Gan Zhang
Summary: An online approach for compound specific stable isotope analysis of bromochlorinated compounds was developed in this study using gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry. Stable chlorine and bromine isotope ratios were simultaneously determined based on the mass spectral data of target compounds. The method showed good precision and reproducibility under optimized instrumental conditions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinyu Li, Zhonggen Li, Ji Chen, Leiming Zhang, Runsheng Yin, Guangyi Sun, Bo Meng, Zikang Cui, Xinbin Feng
Summary: This study investigated the isotope signatures of mercury in flue gas emitted from residential coal combustion in two coal-producing areas of Guizhou Province, China. The results showed that there are both mass-dependent fractionation and mass-independent fractionation occurring during the process of residential coal combustion. The negative shifts observed in the isotope signatures of mercury suggest that without air pollution control devices, residential coal combustion can potentially increase atmospheric mercury levels.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Justin M. Mathias, Tara W. Hudiburg
Summary: The use of stable isotopes to understand plant physiological processes has become common in ecology. However, there is currently no standardized tool to calculate isotope-derived plant physiological indices. In response, we developed isocalcR, an R package that provides functions and reference data to simplify the use of stable isotope data in plant tissues.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Songsong Chen, Yuncai Wang, Limin Ma
Summary: This study investigates the carbon and nitrogen isotope fractionation characteristics during the degradation of atrazine in a constructed wetland. The observed isotope parameters are consistent with those observed in the cultivation of specific strains, indicating similarities in the biodegradation pathway and mechanism. However, variations in carbon and nitrogen isotope fractionation across different phases may lead to over- or underestimation of atrazine biodegradation extent. The accuracy of estimation improves when using the enrichment factor derived from batch cultivation of pore water. This study advances the application of compound-specific stable isotope analysis in tracking atrazine biodegradation in ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of carefully selecting and applying the enrichment factor for quantifying intrinsic biodegradation.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mengyu Shen, Xiaofang Liu, Xiangxin Xu, Yinyin Wu, Jixian Zhang, Li Liang, Chaoting Wen, Xudong He, Xin Xu, Guoyan Liu
Summary: Isotope-labeled four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were used to study the migration and distribution of PAH4 in oil and French fries during frying. The results showed that PAH4 mainly distributed in the crust of the French fries, especially five-ring PAHs. The migration of PAH4 was mainly caused by oil absorption of French fries, which was influenced by the fluidity and polar component of the oil. Higher frying temperature enhanced the crust ratio and porous structure of French fries.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
J. Ryan Shipley, Cornelia W. Twining, Margaux Mathieu-Resuge, Tarn Preet Parmar, Martin Kainz, Dominik Martin-Creuzburg, Christine Weber, David W. Winkler, Catherine H. Graham, Blake Matthews
Summary: Climate change can lead to mismatches between resource supply and consumer demand, which can have negative effects on fitness. This study found that aquatic insects reach peak biomass earlier in the season than terrestrial insects, and the availability of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) to consumers depends largely on the phenology of aquatic insect emergence. This results in nutritional phenological mismatches for consumers, as highly nutritious aquatic insects cannot be simply replaced by terrestrial insects.
Article
Ecology
Margaux Mathieu-Resuge, Matthias Pilecky, Cornelia W. Twining, Dominik Martin-Creuzburg, Tarn Preet Parmar, Simon Vitecek, Martin J. Kainz
Summary: The study revealed that spiders at the lake riparian area obtained lipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from emergent aquatic and terrestrial insects, and the transfer of these nutrients varied depending on the distance of the spiders from the shoreline. Spiders in different habitats showed differences in the dietary sources and metabolic pathways used to fulfill their EPA demand, indicating the flexibility of spiders in adapting to their habitat and dietary availability.
Article
Ecology
Lindsey K. Albertson, Michelle A. Briggs, Zachary Maguire, Sophia Swart, Wyatt F. Cross, Cornelia W. Twining, Jeff S. Wesner, Colden Baxter, David M. Walters
Summary: Many aquatic invertebrates are experiencing decline or extinction due to stressors, impacting their physiology, resource consumption, reproduction, and phenology. A field study on Pteronarcys californica revealed that this species primarily consumes allochthonous detritus and relies on algae as an important source of fatty acids.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael A. Crawford, Yiqun Wang, David E. Marsh, Mark R. Johnson, Enitan Ogundipe, Ahamed Ibrahim, Hemalatha Rajkumar, S. Kowsalya, Kumar S. D. Kothapalli, J. T. Brenna
Summary: This article highlights the progress made in nutrition knowledge over the past century and the major gaps in implementing that knowledge, with a focus on the celebration of the centenary of the National Institute of Nutrition in India. It points out the global issue of brain famine and the neglect of neurocognitive health in food policies. The importance of proper nutrition for mothers before conception and during pregnancy in ensuring intellectual development is emphasized. The article calls for placing the nutritional requirements for the brain at the top of the list in nutrition education and food policy.
PROSTAGLANDINS LEUKOTRIENES AND ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alla Y. Molchanova, Svetlana N. Rjabceva, Tigran B. Melik-Kasumov, Nikolay B. Pestov, Plamena R. Angelova, Vadim V. Shmanai, Olga L. Sharko, Andrei Bekish, Genevieve James, Hui Gyu Park, Irina A. Udalova, J. Thomas Brenna, Mikhail S. Shchepinov
Summary: Arachidonic acid (ARA) is easily oxidized and its oxidation products induce inflammatory responses. This study found that deuterated ARA (D-ARA) can protect lungs from adverse effects of inflammation and reduce lung damage caused by acute lung injury, suggesting a potential therapeutic avenue for severe infections and inflammatory diseases.
Article
Limnology
Justin C. Havird, Pamela M. Brannock, Reyn M. Yoshioka, Rebecca C. Vaught, Kaile'a Carlson, Collin Edwards, Allison Tracy, Cornelia W. Twining, Yun Zheng, David Chai, Alan E. Wilson, Nelson G. Hairston, Scott R. Santos
Summary: This study explores how an endemic shrimp species in the Hawaiian anchialine ecosystem shapes microbial communities and whether the shrimp gut microbiome is influenced by the environmental microbial communities. The study reveals that shrimp grazing significantly reduces benthic microbial biomass and that shrimp harbor a distinct and relatively stable gut microbiome.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Tarn Preet Parmar, Alina L. Kindinger, Margaux Mathieu-Resuge, Cornelia W. Twining, Jeremy Ryan Shipley, Martin J. Kainz, Dominik Martin-Creuzburg
Summary: Emergent insects play a crucial role in transferring aquatic nutrients to terrestrial food webs. The differences in fatty acid profiles between aquatic and terrestrial insects have not been sufficiently explored. This study examined the fatty acid profiles of aquatic and terrestrial insects over a growing season and found distinct differences between the two groups regardless of season. Aquatic insects had high proportions of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while terrestrial insects had high proportions of linoleic acid. These findings highlight the importance of aquatic emergence as essential subsidies for riparian predators, especially during the breeding season.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Genevieve James, Whitney Bohannan, Eniola Adewunmi, Karsten Schmidt, Hui Gyu Park, Mikhail S. Shchepinov, Martin -Paul Agbaga, J. Thomas Brenna
Summary: D-DHA, a compound with higher resistance to oxidative damage, has the potential to treat eye diseases. By consuming D-DHA, it can replace natural DHA in the body and rapidly accumulate in ocular tissues, achieving therapeutic effects.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Lena Fehlinger, Margaux Mathieu-Resuge, Matthias Pilecky, Tarn Preet Parmar, Cornelia W. Twining, Dominik Martin-Creuzburg, Martin J. Kainz
Summary: Fishponds play an important ecological role by providing essential nutrients to terrestrial ecosystems through emergent insects. This study found that Chlorophyll-a concentrations affect the biomass and lipid content of emergent insects, and the PUFA composition of the insects differs from their dietary algae.
Review
Ecology
Libor Zavorka, Andreu Blanco, Fernando Chaguaceda, Julien Cucherousset, Shaun S. Killen, Camilla Lienart, Margaux Mathieu-Resuge, Pavel Nemec, Matthias Pilecky, Kristin Scharnweber, Cornelia W. Twining, Martin J. Kainz
Summary: The physiological dependence of animals on dietary intake of vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids is crucial. The differences in availability of these biomolecules across resources drive variations in phenotype and fitness of consumers, with potential impacts on ecosystem functioning. Focusing on vital dietary biomolecules in eco-eco-devo dynamics can enhance our understanding of anthropogenic changes at different biological levels.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Cornelia W. Twining, J. Ryan Shipley, Blake Matthews
Summary: Climate change is causing an increase in phenological and nutritional mismatches between consumers and their resources.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ian R. McFadden, Agnieszka Sendek, Morgane Brosse, Peter M. Bach, Marco Baity-Jesi, Janine Bolliger, Kurt Bollmann, Eckehard G. Brockerhoff, Giulia Donati, Friederike Gebert, Shyamolina Ghosh, Hsi-Cheng Ho, Imran Khaliq, J. Jelle Lever, Ivana Logar, Helen Moor, Daniel Odermatt, Loiec Pellissier, Luiz Jardim de Queiroz, Christian Rixen, Nele Schuwirth, J. Ryan Shipley, Cornelia W. Twining, Yann Vitasse, Christoph Vorburger, Mark K. L. Wong, Niklaus E. Zimmermann, Ole Seehausen, Martin M. Gossner, Blake Matthews, Catherine H. Graham, Florian Altermatt, Anita Narwani
Summary: Human impacts such as habitat loss, climate change, and biological invasions are drastically changing biodiversity. We propose an integrative approach to explain the differences in impacts between terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems by linking them to four fundamental processes that structure communities. Through this approach, we aim to provide insights into why human impacts and responses to them may differ across ecosystem types, using a mechanistic, eco-evolutionary framework.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Genevieve James, Kevin Stephenson, Meghan Callaghan-Gillespie, Mohamed Tabita Kamara, Hui Gyu Park, J. Thomas Brenna, Mark J. J. Manary
Summary: This study aimed to prepare RUTF formulations with DHA and measure its retention. The results showed that most of the DHA was retained in the final product, and adding DHA at the latest manufacturing stage achieved the best retention rate.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Michael A. Crawford, Andrew J. Sinclair, Yiqun Wang, Walter F. Schmidt, C. Leigh Broadhurst, Simon C. Dyall, Larry Horn, J. Thomas Brenna, Mark R. Johnson
Summary: In George Wald's Nobel Prize acceptance speech, he proposed a hypothesis that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) traps the energy released during the visual process and carries it to the brain, explaining the previously unresolved issues of information transfer speed and photon wavelength conservation.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
J. Thomas Brenna, Marina G. Sergeeva, Nikolay B. Pestov, Tatyana V. Korneenko, Mikhail S. Shchepinov
Summary: This article discusses a new approach, using oxidation-resistant hexadeuterated arachidonic acid (D-ARA), to attenuate pathological inflammatory reactions by buffering the eicosanoid pathways. Enzymatic processing of released arachidonic acid by phospholipase A2 yields bioactive eicosanoids, some of which have pro-inflammatory, pro-angiogenesis, and pro-thrombosis effects. D-ARA, resistant to both enzymatic and non-enzymatic oxidation pathways, may play a role in mitigating inflammation-related disorders.
FREE RADICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
