CSS 523: Principles of Stable Isotopes

* Participation in FS 24738, “Isotopics,” which meets W 4-5p at the EPA is strongly encouraged and will greatly enhance your learning.

Instructor: Elizabeth Sulzman; ALS 3063; 737-8936; Elizabeth.Sulzman@orst.edu
and a host of others . . . .

Office hours: Tues 11-12, Wed 9-10, and by appointment

Course goals: An introduction to the principles and applications of stable isotopes with special reference to ecological processes.

Learning objectives:

Explain the difference among isotopes of a given element and describe how this affects their behavior in nature
Describe how temperature affects isotopic fractionation
Know what the international standard is for each of the light isotopes, and why things are compared to a standard
Know what a working standard is, why each lab has them, and identify characteristics that make a material a good working standard
Relate how isotopic fractionation can tell you about material sources and substance purity
Describe how isotopes have been used to infer past climate and past vegetation patterns
Describe the difference between natural abundance and tracer studies; explain why 15N is primarily used as a tracer
State how 18O can be used as a tracer, even at natural abundance levels
Describe how several of the light isotopes have been used to further understanding of ecological and environmental problems, including nutrient cycling, carbon storage, dietary analysis, and substance purity and origin
Describe how advances in technology have gone hand-in-hand with advances in scientific understanding

Grading:

Homework assignments (4 @ 10 points each) 40%

Special topic presentation 20%

Class participation 10%

Final exam (oral) 30%

Study materials: Class handouts.

Instructors: David D. Myrold and Elizabeth Sulzman

Webmaster: CSS Web Services