Science. 1985 Mar 15;227(4692):1361-3. doi: 10.1126/science.227.4692.1361.
The use of a combination of the stable isotopes of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen allows the flow of organic matter and trophic relations in salt marshes and estuaries to be traced while eliminating many ambiguities that accompany the use of a single isotopic tracer. Salt-marsh grasses take up the isotopically light sulfides formed during sulfate reduction, and the transfer of this light sulfur through the marsh food web is illustrated with data on the ribbed mussel (Geukensia demissa) from various locations in a New England marsh. The multiple isotope approach shows that this filter feeder consumes both marsh grass ( Spartina) detritus and plankton, with the relative proportions of each determined by the location of the mussels in the marsh.
利用硫、碳和氮的稳定同位素的组合，可以追踪盐沼和河口的有机物流动和营养关系，同时消除使用单一同位素示踪剂所伴随的许多歧义。盐沼草吸收在硫酸盐还原过程中形成的同位素轻的硫化物，这种轻硫通过沼泽食物网的转移可以通过新英格兰沼泽不同地点的肋贻贝（Geukensia demissa）的数据来说明。多同位素方法表明，这种滤食动物既消耗沼泽草（Spartina）碎屑又消耗浮游生物，每种物质的相对比例取决于贻贝在沼泽中的位置。
