Isotope Biogeochemistry

Catalog description

This course explores knowledge and quantitative approaches used in the application of isotopes within the biogeochemical sciences. Students will gain advanced understanding of isotopic data relevant to the cycling of life-sustaining elements and substrates, including carbon assimilation, metabolic processes and products, and energy metabolism. The course will focus on isotopes of the major elements (C,H,N,O,S) and include examples involving minor elements or metals relevant to biogeochemistry. Each course module will cover a core concept (or concepts) that provides a theoretical framework for understanding isotopic distributions in a certain type of system, and then apply this concept to a range of real-world topics. After successfully completing this course, students will be able to apply methods in isotope biogeochemical systems in fields relevant to the biological, ecological, environmental, soil, and earth sciences.