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Present status and application perspectives of stable isotopes in coastal wetland ecosystem research: A review.

FENG Jian-xiang1, HUANG Min-shen1, HUANG Qian1, GUO Jie-min1, LIN Guang-hui1,2**   

  1. (1Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China; 2Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Center for Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)
  • Online:2013-04-10 Published:2013-04-10

Abstract: The coastal wetland ecosystems in the ecotones of terrestrial and marine systems have unique ecological characteristics, high ecosystem service values, and plenty of natural resources, but are severely impacted by human activities. Stable isotopes, as natural tracers, have become the important tools in coastal wetland ecological and environmental research. This paper reviewed the applications of stable isotopes in researching the food sources and food web structures of wetland animals, the water sources and water use efficiency of coastal wetland plants, and the potential responses of coastal ecosystems to the environmental pollution, biological invasion, elevated CO2 concentration, and human activities. The deficiencies in the applications of stable isotopes in researching coastal wetland ecosystem, such as the sample treatment and trophic enrichment measurement in food web study, and the water extraction method and the selection of instruments in water source research were discussed, and some future directions in the applications of stable isotopes in coastal wetland ecosystem research, including the assessment of wetland ecological restoration and the carbon cycling and greenhouse gases emission were proposed.

Key words: lateral root branch, adjacent upper straight root, anti-fracture characteristics.