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Stable Hydrogen Isotope Ratios in Plants: A Review of Current Theory and Some Potential Applications

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Stable Isotopes in Ecological Research

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 68))

Abstract

Measurements of stable hydrogen isotope ratios (D/H) present many opportunities to investigate all parts of the hydrogen pathway of plants. For water in the roots and conductive tissues of plants, D/H ratios act as conservative water mass tracers. During evaporation of water at the leaves, large positive isotopic fractionations occur. Large negative isotopic fractionations occur in biochemical reactions during the synthesis of organic compounds in the plant.

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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White, J.W.C. (1989). Stable Hydrogen Isotope Ratios in Plants: A Review of Current Theory and Some Potential Applications. In: Rundel, P.W., Ehleringer, J.R., Nagy, K.A. (eds) Stable Isotopes in Ecological Research. Ecological Studies, vol 68. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3498-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3498-2_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8127-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-3498-2

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