Measuring techniques for concentration and stable isotopologues of CO2 in a terrestrial ecosystem: A review

Measurements of carbon dioxide and their stable isotopes are propulsive research tool in ecology and environmental science as they can give us insight into carbon cycle. They are widely used to investigate both natural and anthropogenic carbon sources in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and geosphere, as well as the exchange between these reservoirs. In this paper, we provide a basic overview of two different analytical measurement techniques, isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and laser-absorption spectroscopy (LAS) which have been developed and utilized for monitoring of CO2 isotopologues in ecosystem. We present the basics for each technique, however with the emphasis on LAS measurement technique we are targeting readers who are not familiar with this topic. A major objective of this paper is to illustrate the current value and future potential of various analytical instruments in a wide range of applications deployed in the terrestrial ecosystem. Finally, we draw a conclusion from recent research campaigns by presenting a decision tree to better understand and choose a correct application combination for a selected scale of ecosystem.