Ecosystem structure analysis based on metabolic isotope mapping

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25650146
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (2014); Kyoto University (2013)
• Principal Investigator: TAYASU Ichiro 総合地球環境学研究所, 研究高度化支援センター, 教授 (80353449)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 安定同位体 / 微生物 / アミノ酸 / 土壌 / 粒状有機物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The project aimed at testing the use of nitrogen isotope ratios of individual amino acids for studying ecosystem structure focusing on detritus food chain. Previous studies have shown that nitrogen isotope ratios of individual amino acids can provide trophic positions of living organisms without referring to the food bases. However, change in nitrogen isotope ratios of amino acids on the trophic transfer has mostly studied in the grazing chain, but not well been studied in the detritus chain. In this study, we showed the behavior of nitrogen isotope ratios of amino acids in model systems both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The results indicated that nitrogen isotope ratios of phenylalanine and glutamic acid behave differently in decomposition process, and suggest that the potential usefulness of the approach on the study of ecosystems.

Free Research Field

同位体生態学