We investigate current problems in the application of stable isotope-based methods to questions in global change biology and ecology in marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

In doing so, we seek to build on the collective knowledge, skills and experience of all researchers and collaborators.

We focus on two key themes:

1. Food source studies and analysis of marine and freshwater organisms (shellfish, crustaceans, fish through small invertebrates to the primary producers, seagrass and algae or higher plants) by analysis of blood and muscle, and shells as well as plant tissue for δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O to explore trophic structure.
2. Improved repeatability in preparation and analysis of plant material, organic matter (aquatic and terrestrial), water samples and decomposer organisms for ecophysiological and biogeochemical cycling studies at small scales.

Further information

• Bougoure J, Ludwig M, Brundrett M, Cliff J, Clode P, Kilburn M, Grierson P. (2014) High-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis of carbon dynamics in mycorrhizas formed by an obligately myco-heterotrophic orchid. Plant, Cell & Environment DOI: 10.1111/pce.12230
  
• Dodson J, Grierson PF, Bennett J, Melo de Howard S, Wong H. (2013) Nuclear science and the story of a preserved leaf from a copy of the Great Bible. Journal of Archaeological Science 40, 1700-1702.
  
• Fraser MW, Kendrick GA, Grierson PF, Fourqurean JW, Vanderklift MA, Walker DI. (2012). Nutrient status of seagrasses cannot be inferred from system-scale distribution of phosphorus in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Marine & Freshwater Research 63, 1015–1026.
• Mallick M, Dutta S, Greenwood PF. (2014) Molecular characterization of fossil and extant dammar resin extracts: Insights into diagenetic fate of sesqui-and triterpenoids. International Journal of Coal Geology. 121, 129-136.
• Pages A, Grice K, Vacher M, Welsh DT, Teasdale PR, Bennett WW, Greenwood P (2014) Characterising microbial communities and processes in a modern stromatolite (Shark Bay) using lipid biomarkers and two-dimensional distributions of porewater solutes. Environmental Microbiology. DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12378.
• Pettit NE, Davies T, Fellman, JB, Grierson PF, Warfe DM and Davies PM. (2012) Leaf litter breakdown and food web structure in two Australian tropical streams of contrasting hydrology. Hydrobiologia 680, 63-77. doi: 10.1007/s10750-011-0903-1.
• Plant EL, Smernik RJ, van Leeuwen J, Greenwood P, Macdonald LM. (2014) Changes in the nature of dissolved organics during pulp and paper mill wastewater treatment: a multivariate statistical study combining data from three analytical techniques. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 21 (6), 4265-4275.
  
• Smith S, Mauldin R, Munoz CM, Hard R, Debajyoti P, Skrzypek G, Villanueva P, Kemp L. (2014) Exploring the use of stable carbon isotope ratios in short-lived leporids for local paleoecological reconstruction. Proceedings of the 38th International Symposium on Archaeometry (ISA 2010, Tampa). Tykot, R. (Ed.). Open Journal of Archaeometry. DOI: 10.4081/arc.2014.5306.