Research Progress in Area 1 方向 ( 一 ) 課題進展 67 Abstract The distribution of light stable isotopes across space and through food webs has emerged as a key tool for quantifying and describing spatial pattern in biogeochemical processes and the structure and function of marine ecosystems. Spatio-temporal variations in isotopic abundances can provide information on nutrient sources, nutrient cycling and phytoplankton physiology at the base of the food web, on trophic interactions and food web structure and on geographic origin and movement in mobile animals. The aim of this project is to map the spatial distribution of the stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur in planktonic zooplankton across the Pearl River Estuary and Adjacent South China Sea. By producing maps of the spatial pattern in isotopic ratios (isoscapes), Prof. Trueman’s team will be able to determine how nutrient sources vary across environmental, hydrological and anthropogenic gradients in one of the most densely urbanized coastal regions in the world. Research Activities and Progress Due to the virus pandemic, no field collection of samples has been possible over the assessed period. They were therefore unable to collect or process samples. • Continued to work on developing and extending data analysis methods associated with creating isoscapes. • Applied these methods to compilations of published isotope data. • Used extended methods to create isoscapes for the Southern Ocean – these approaches will be used in the project when samples become available. Key Findings • The first complete sample-based carbon and nitrogen isoscapes has been developed for particulate organic matter across the Southern Ocean, including seasonal variability. Research Output Publication 1 Trained personnel 0 Mapping Spatial Distributions in Stable Isotope Compositions in Ecosystems of the Pearl River Estuary and Adjacent South China Sea Prof. Clive Nicolas Trueman University of Southampton Fig 1. Isoscape for sulfur stable isotopes (d34S values) across the UK shelf seas generated from jellyfish tissues
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDk5Njg=