ABSTRACT
RATIONALE: A silver phosphate reference material (Ag3 PO4 ) for the measurement of stable oxygen isotope compositions is much needed; however, it is not available from the authorities distributing reference materials. This study aims to fill this gap by calibrating a new Ag3 PO4 stable isotope comparison material produced by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU). METHODS: Aliquots of Ag3 PO4 were distributed to four laboratories who frequently measure the δ18 O value in Ag3 PO4 ; the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), the University of Western Australia (UWA), the University of Helsinki (UH), and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). The instruments used to perform the measurements were high-temperature conversion elemental analysers coupled with continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometers. The working gas δ18 O value was set to 0 and the normalization was done by a three-point linear regression using the reference materials IAEA-601, IAEA-602, and NBS127. RESULTS: The mean δ18 O value of the new BOKU Ag3 PO4 comparison material on the VSMOW-SLAP scale is 13.71 and the combined uncertainty is estimated as ±0.34. This estimated uncertainty is within the range typical for comparison materials of phosphates and sulphates. Consistent results from the different laboratories probably derived from similar instrumentation, and use of the same reference materials and normalization procedure. The matrix effect of the different reference materials used in this study was deemed negligible. CONCLUSIONS: The BOKU Ag3 PO4 can be used as an alternative comparison material for stable oxygen isotope analysis and is available for stable isotope research laboratories to facilitate calibration.
ABSTRACT
Climate warming influences structure and function of Arctic benthic ecosystems. Assessing the response of these systems to perturbations requires long-term studies addressing key ecological processes related to recolonization and succession of species. Based on unique time-series (1980-2017), this study addresses successional patterns of hard-bottom benthos in two fjords in NW Svalbard after a pulse perturbation in 1980 and during a period of rapid climate warming. Analysis of seafloor photographs revealed different return rates of taxa, and variability in species densities, through time. It took 13 and 24 years for the community compositions of cleared and control transects to converge in the two fjords. Nearly two decades after the study initiation, an increase in filamentous and foliose macroalgae was observed with a subsequent reorganization in the invertebrate community. Trait analyses showed a decrease in body size and longevity of taxa in response to the pulse perturbation and a shift towards small/medium size and intermediate longevity following the macroalgae takeover. The observed slow recovery rates and abrupt shifts in community structure document the vulnerability of Arctic coastal ecosystems to perturbations and continued effects of climate warming. This article is part of the theme issue 'The changing Arctic Ocean: consequences for biological communities, biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functioning'.
