Η περιοχή του κεντρικού Αιγαίου έχει υποβληθεί σε ηπειρωτική διαστολή από το κατώτερο Μειόκαινο. Κατά το στάδιο της διαστολής είχαμε διείσδυση ενός πλουτωνίτη ο οποίος σχετίζεται με το σύστημα αποκόλλησης της Μυκόνου. Η Μύκονος κυριαρχείται από έναν μονζογρανίτη, Ι-τύπου, ηλικίας 10 Ma ο οποίος διείσδυσε μέσα σε μάρμαρα, μεταπηλίτες και μεταβασίτες της Κατώτερης Ενότητας. Τα γρανιτοειδή της Μυκόνου έχουν μορφή λακκόλιθου με μονζογρανιτική έως γρανοδιοριτική σύσταση και υπέρκειται από την αποκόλληση της Λιβάδας η οποία ήταν ενεργή ταυτόχρονα με την εκταφή του γρανίτη και έχει υποβληθεί σε έντονη μυλωνιτίωση. Η τοποθέτηση του λακκόλιθου χρονολογείται στα 13,5 +/- Ma όπως βρέθηκε από χρονολογήσεις U/Pb σε ζιρκόνιο. Η εκταφή του λακκόλιθου της Μυκόνου ήταν γρήγορη όπως υποδεικνύεται από θερμοχρονολογικά δεδομένα. Το τέλος της περιόδου δραστηριότητας της αποκόλλησης είναι ισόχρονο με την απόθεση του συστήματος των φλεβών βαρύτη το οποίο αποτέθηκε στην περιοχή του Πανόρμου. Δείγματα που συλλέχθηκαν από την περιοχή του Πανόρμου χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την ισοτοπική ανάλυση των ρευστών εγκλεισμάτων που απομονώθηκαν από τις βαρυτικές φλέβες. Οι αναλύσεις μπορούν να μας δώσουν χρήσιμα δεδομένα για τις συνθήκες που επικρατούσαν κατά την απόθεση του βαρύτη καθώς και την προέλευση της μεταλλοφορίας του πλουτωνίτη της Μυκόνου. / The central Aegean region has undergone continental extension since at least the Early Miocene. The extensional stage was accompanied by the intrusion of granitic plutons and associated detachments such as the Mykonos detachment. Mykonos is dominated by a 10 Ma I-type monzogranite intruded into marble, metapelite and metabasite of the Lower Unit. The Mykonos granitoids form a laccolith-like intrusion with a monzogranitic to granodioritic composition and are topped by a low angle normal fault system. The top of the laccolith has been reworked by the Livada detachment which was active along with the exhumation of the granite and has undergone through intensive mylonitization and brecciation. Emplacement of the laccolith is dated at 13,5 +/- Ma using the U/Pb technique on Zircon. The exhumation of the Mykonos laccolith was very fast as indicated by thermochronological data. The end of the period of activity of the detachment is coeval with the emplacement of huge barite veins. The barite vein system which is deposited in the area of Panormos Bay is hosted in the monzogranite and consists of a set of ten major NW- to NNW- crustified tension gashes filled with barite and other minerals. Sample material that was collected from Panormos Bay was used for the study of fluid inclusions that were trapped in coarse-grained transparent minerals such as barite and quartz. Fluid inclusions can provide very useful information about the conditions existing during the formation of barite as well as the origin of the mineralization on the Mykonos pluton.

The Saskatchewan River Delta (SRD) in central Canada, North America’s largest inland delta, is an important spring and fall stopover site for waterfowl with thousands flocking there annually to stage. However there is very little information on their origins prior to arrival and their feeding ecology while in the Delta. To date, band recoveries are largely from birds banded south of the SRD, mostly due to limited banding activity in productive waterfowl habitats to the north such as the Peace-Athabasca Delta and the broader boreal forest. There is also very little information on the importance of the SRD as an overall recruitment area for the North American waterfowl population. No studies have used stable isotopes to infer the origins and diets of these birds. I first used stable isotopes of hydrogen (2H) and sulfur (34S) to infer migratory origins and specifically evaluate the contribution of local and non-local birds to the staging population in the SRD during fall migration. Based on 2H, I found that few birds (34%) originated in the SRD despite its known role as breeding habitat; instead, most birds (56%) were migrants from the north of the SRD and a small fraction (10%) came from south of the SRD. Stable sulfur isotope data proved a useful tool in further delineation of birds into prairie and forest regions, respectively. Secondly, I used stable carbon (13C) and nitrogen (15N) isotopes and mercury concentrations in liver tissue ([Hg]) to trace nutrient sources of these waterfowl using the SRD prior to fall migration, and tested for differences in diets among species, sexes and age groups within species. I demonstrated the importance of macrophytes as a source of food, particularly among the American Widgeon and Northern Pintail (70% of the diet). However, there was some level of partitioning of resources at the species level, as Blue-winged Teal and Green-winged Teal used invertebrate sources, as did a distinct group of Mallards. This is likely a result of birds minimizing competition for resources during the short staging period in the SRD when waterfowl densities are high. Finally, I found that 15N values in liver, a known indicator of trophic position, can be confounded by variation in basal sources; hence, there is the need to use other isotopes or tracers such as [Hg] for verification. Overall, my results suggest an important role for northern ecosystems in central Canada in contributing to the waterfowl breeding population in the Central Flyway, and a key role for the SRD in providing fuel for waterfowl during fall migration. .

Recent observed changes in bird distributions provide an unprecedented opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the processes that influence species' persistence. By modelling presence-absence data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, we found evidence that the breeding range of the western burrowing owl has contracted at its northern, western, and eastern boundaries since 1967. We suggest that the species' breeding distribution is also expanding southwards to former wintering grounds into northern Mexico, facilitated by the appearance of new breeding habitat created by irrigated agriculture in the arid areas of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. This dissertation explores the hypothesis that burrowing owls from northern migratory populations have become resident breeders in areas of northwestern Mexico that were formerly used only by migratory owls during winter, contributing to both population declines near the northern extent of the species' breeding range and population increases in the southern half of the species' range. We used novel DNA microsatellite markers to test patterns of gene flow predicted by this migration-mediated range-shift hypothesis. We genotyped 1,560 owls from 36 study locations in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Analyses of molecular variance provided evidence that burrowing owl populations in both northwestern Mexico and Canada are genetically different from the rest of the populations in the breeding range, lending some support to the migration-mediated range-shift hypothesis. We found evidence of subtle genetic differentiation associated with subtropical irrigated agricultural areas in southern Sonora and Sinaloa, demonstrating that land use can produce location-specific population dynamics leading to genetic structure even in the absence of dispersal barriers. We also used stable isotopes 2/H, 13/C, and 15/N in feathers to test philopatry and breeding dispersal patterns predicted by this migration-mediated range-shift hypothesis. Burrowing owl populations near the northern edge of the species' breeding range had a high proportion of immigrants compared to interior populations, while other populations had high levels of philopatry. Stable isotopes also provided evidence of breeding dispersal events from Canadian populations to northwestern Mexico in support of the migration-mediated range-shift hypothesis, but similar isotope signatures in nestling feathers between these two regions prevent stronger inferences.

Total evapotranspiration (ET) is the key process that links the land and the atmosphere via water, energy and carbon exchange. ET is a combination of evaporation and transpiration, which behave dynamically in very different ways. In this work we investigate the relative contribution of transpiration and soil evaporation to total ET in a semi-wooded, semi-arid forest in the Manitou Research Park northwest of Colorado Springs, CO. We use stable water isotopes measured at different levels within and outside the canopy, over a 30-day period (June 26 - July 26, 2010), using a field-deployable cavity ring-down spectrometer. The traditional "Keeling plot" analysis is used to partition the ET flux from moisture that comes from outside of the ecosystem, and then a simple model is used to partition the transpiration flux. In addition, we introduce a new alternative "multi-level" method to calculate the fraction of transpiration to total ET. Both the "Keeling plot" method and the "multi-level" method yield very similar fractions of transpiration to total ET, ranging from about 15% to about 85%. We compare both methodologies and discuss some of the corrections that must be made when measuring with high-frequency field-deployable instruments.

<p class=MsoNormal><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?????????????????? </span>Stable isotopic analysis of nitrate (¹⁵N/¹⁴N and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O) was used to trace nitrate sources and cycling under undisturbed conditions and following harvest at the Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW), located near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?????? </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">????????????</span>Bulk precipitation collected biweekly at the TLW from 1995 to 2000 had nitrate isotope values that ranged from +42. 4 to +80. 4&permil; for <span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁸O and -6. 3 to +2. 8&permil; for <span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁵N. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span>An incubation experiment indicated that the isotopic composition of atmospheric nitrate was not compromised by collection methods whereby unfiltered bulk precipitation samples remain in the collector for up to two weeks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?????????????????? </span>The first direct measurement of the isotopic composition of microbial nitrate produced <i>in situ</i> was obtained by eliminating precipitation inputs to three forest floor lysimeters and subsequently watering the area with a nitrate-free solution. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span>Microbial nitrate had <span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁸O values that ranged from +3. 1 to +10. 1&permil; with a mean value of +5. 2&permil;, only slightly higher than values predicted based on the <span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁸O-H₂O of the watering solution used. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span><span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁸O values of soil O₂ (+23. 2 to +24. 1&permil;) down to a depth of 55cm were not significantly different from atmospheric O₂ (+23. 5&permil;) and therefore respiratory enrichment of soil O₂ did not affect the <span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁸O values of microbial nitrate produced at the TLW. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?????????????????? </span>Nitrate export from two undisturbed first-order stream basins was dominated by microbial nitrate, with the contribution of atmospheric nitrate peaking at about 30% during snowmelt. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span>Clear-cutting of catchment 31 in 1997 resulted in elevated nitrate concentrations, reaching levels that exceeded the drinking water limit of 10 mg N/L. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span>Isotopic analysis indicated that the source of this nitrate was predominantly chemolithoautotrophic nitrification. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span>The <span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁸O values of microbial nitrate in stream 31 progressively increased during the post-harvest period due to an increase in the proportion of nitrification that occurred in the summer months. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">?? </span>Despite drastic alteration of nitrogen cycling in the catchment by the harvest, <span style='font-family:Symbol'>d</span>¹⁵N-nitrate values in shallow groundwater did not change from the pre-harvest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">???? </span>Denitrification and plant uptake of nitrate in a small forested swamp in catchment 31 attenuated 65 to 100% of surface water nitrate inputs following harvest, reducing catchment-scale nitrate export by 35 to 80%.

Silicon (Si) isotopes have been extensively studied in low temperature environments but the science of Si isotopes in igneous material has been comparatively ignored. This is because the degree of isotopic fractionation at high temperatures is relatively small, making the accurate measurement of these variations extremely challenging. Using state-of-the-art analytical techniques and instrumentation, which deliver high levels of precision, the objective of this research is to rectify this omission. Specifically, this study aims to investigate whether there are systematic Si isotope variations within, and provide robust Si isotopic compositions for, the major silicate reservoirs on Earth. To this end, a broad range of mantle and crustal lithologies, sourced globally and from various tectonic regimes, have been analysed using high resolution MC-ICP-MS. Analyses indicate that the Si isotopic compositions of mantle-derived mafic and ultramafic material are extremely homogeneous. These data are used to calculate a Bulk Silicate Earth (BSE) average of δ³⁰Si = -0.29 ± 0.08 ‰ (2 s.d.). The degree of Si isotopic fractionation as a result of magmatic differentiation has also been assessed, and found to be small but resolvable between basalt and rhyolitic end-members. Finally, this research shows that, although igneous rocks and sediments derived from the continental crust can be relatively heterogeneous with respect to Si isotopes, bulk averages calculated for the upper, middle and lower continental crust are all very similar to that of BSE. Providing robust estimates for these reservoirs has greatly improved our knowledge of the behaviour of Si isotopes in silicate lithologies and provides a framework for further Si isotopic investigations of such material.

The potential of Arctica islandica, a long lived marine bivalve with a lifespan of over 300 years, to reconstruct a high resolution (sub-annual) climate record is explored in this thesis. Fluctuations in trace element and isotopic data from live-collected specimens from Irvine Bay, NW Scotland are compared to instrumental (particularly temperature) data. X-ray absorption spectroscopy data demonstrate the coordination state of Sr and Mg within the shell. These are consistent with models in which Sr substitutes ideally for Ca in aragonite, and Mg is bound predominantly to organic molecules. Sr/Ca incorporation may be influenced by changes in the crystal nucleation, propagation and growth rate as well as vital effects. However any effect of seawater temperature on Sr/Ca incorporation was obscured by these other factors. Mg concentration is not a linear function of a single environmental variable or organic content within the shell, indicating that Mg uptake is biologically mediated. Ba variation shows sporadic increases (of >500% above baseline) in both shells, the timing of which is similar between the prismatic layer and umbo region. The maxima are, however, not synchronous between the two shells analysed. The controls on Ba uptake require further research, but low Ba/Ca may reflect Ba/Ca concentrations within the seawater. Aliquots taken from cod otoliths show that micromilling has negligible effect on δ¹⁸O. The range of reconstructed temperature from δ¹⁸O profiles Arctica islandica shows good agreement with the sea surface temperature data from the nearby Millport marine station to within 2.1 °C. However, both the interannual and intra-annual variation appears to be sensitive to changes in temporal resolution resulting from changes in growth rates. Modelling of δ¹⁸O highlights dependence on changes in temporal resolution of the sampling, in addition to temperature and salinity. Results from the radiocarbon pilot study show that Arctica islandica is a suitable archive for changes in radiocarbon associated with anthropogenic ¹⁴C fluxes.

The spatial ecology of a species underpins an array of important questions about the ecology and evolution of a species, relating for instance to sociality, population dynamics, geographical distribution or genetic partitioning. Furthermore, the understanding of the spatial ecology of a species also has important implications for conservation and for disease management. It is in this context that I have examined the spatial ecology of the serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus), in Europe, and especially at the northern limit of its distribution in England, using population genetic and stable isotope analyses. Data from nuclear microsatellite markers indicated higher levels of gene flow on the continent than in England. Consistent with this, England was separated into three genetically distinct populations, inter-connected by male-driven gene flow. Substantial asymmetric gene movement over the English Channel was inferred, possibly indicating a northward and westward range expansion. Mitochondrial DNA revealed fast population expansion and strong female philopatry. Moving to finer scale, δ13C in wing tissue and fur revealed that the association of individuals at roosts is flexible and dynamic, possibly reflecting their membership to communities operating at larger geographic scales. Communities of E. serotinus seem therefore to create a network of roosts with individuals continually re-assorting among themselves both within and across breeding seasons. The integration of the genetic and isotopic data highlighted complex spatial, social and temporal interactions in this species. While individual associations within communities seem to be flexible, communities were found to be strongly segregated over the breeding season. In contrast, genetic connectivity operates on a larger geographical scale than the local summer landscape. Together, these findings help explain the apparent absence in the UK of the European Bat Lyssavirus 1 (EBLV-1) for which this species is the main host. Hence, the relative fragmentation of this low-density population may inhibit the virus’ spread. However, with regular immigration from the continent, EBLV-1 could eventually enter the UK.

This thesis focuses on the geochemistry of secondary minerals, mainly calcite but also others such as fluorite and Ca/Al silicates, precipitated throughout the last 1.5 billion years in fractures of crystalline rock, SE Sweden. The work was based on previous reconnaissance studies and has been possible thanks to access to high-quality drill cores and associated mapping data provided by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB). Concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) and occasionally other metals were determined in a variety of secondary minerals from fractures (mainly open systems) and veins (mainly sealed systems) and in primary minerals from the bedrock. Stable-isotope composition was measured in the secondary minerals. The overall aim was to define the sources, uptake and fractionation of REEs in calcite, and a few other co-genetic minerals, precipitated throughout the geological history under conditions ranging from hydrothermal to low temperatures. Collectively, the findings of the individual studies show that there is no easy and straightforward control of REE abundance and fractionation in calcite and other minerals in fractures and veins in crystalline bedrock settings. For example, the REE features in calcite vary extensively within sub-generations of single vein-precipitating events, on micro scale in transects across individual veins, and unsystematically over the geological history characterised by successively decreasing temperatures of mineral formation. Although the REE content in, and release from, the crystalline bedrock can have an influence on REE distribution in calcite and other minerals, it is of overall minor importance within a given bedrock domain. The main advantage of determining REEs in secondary minerals in fractures and veins in crystalline rock is therefore, as revealed in this work, to assess the character and evolution of the conditions (including features of the paleofluids) during confined mineral-precipitating events.

Lakes play an important role in the global carbon (C) cycle as they process carbon from terrestrial (allochthonous) and within lake (autochthonous) sources and may store C over long periods of time. Some arctic lakes contain high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) that does not absorb light and thus remains colourless. The origin of this DOC remains unknown, but the sediment of these lakes have been suggested to accumulate primarily autochthonous (algal) C. I developed an experimental chamber for hydrogen (H) isotope pre-treatments and applied a novel H isotope tracing approach to determine the origin of the DOC and sediment C of a lake on SW Greenland known to contain colourless DOC. I hypothesized that autochthonous C was the prime source of DOC and sediment C, in line with previous theories. Analyses of algae and soil samples from the catchment revealed that local allochthonous and autochthonous C sources had a δ2H composition of -139 ‰ and -209 ‰, respectively. In contrast to my hypothesis, the analysed DOC had a mean δ2H isotopic composition of -147 ‰ indicating a dominance (ca 80-90 %) of allochthonous C. Similarly, the sediment had a mean δ2H isotopic composition of -155 ‰, suggesting that about 84 % of the C accumulating in the sediment was derived from terrestrial sources. The terrestrial origin was supported by field observations of high DOC seepage water (up to 70 mg L-1) with uncharacteristically low light absorption values entering the lake during high precipitation events. My results indicate that terrestrial processes are fundamental C sources for arctic lakes, even in regions with very low precipitation.