Open AccessStable isotopes and biomarkers in microbial ecology
Author(s) -
Boschker H.T.S.,
Middelburg J.J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2002.tb00940.x
Subject(s) - microbial ecology , biology , metagenomics , ecology , isotope analysis , stable isotope ratio , microorganism , stable isotope probing , biomarker , food web , abundance (ecology) , bacteria , microbial population biology , isotope , environmental chemistry , microbiome , ecosystem , bioinformatics , chemistry , biochemistry , genetics , physics , quantum mechanics , gene
The use of biomarkers in combination with stable isotope analysis is a new approach in microbial ecology and a number of papers on a variety of subjects have appeared. We will first discuss the techniques for analysing stable isotopes in biomarkers, primarily gas chromatography‐combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and then describe a number of applications in microbial ecology based on 13 C. Natural abundance isotope ratios of biomarkers can be used to study organic matter sources utilised by microorganisms in complex ecosystems and for identifying specific groups of bacteria like methanotrophs. Addition of labelled substrates in combination with biomarker analysis enables direct identification of microbes involved in specific processes and also allows for the incorporation of bacteria into food web studies. We believe that the full potential of the technique in microbial ecology has just started to be exploited.