Variability of 13C-labeling in plant leaves.
BACKGROUND
Plant tissues artificially labeled with (13)C are increasingly used in environmental studies to unravel biogeochemical and ecophysiological processes. However, the variability of (13)C-content in labeled tissues has never been carefully investigated. Hence, this study aimed at documenting the variability of (13)C-content in artificially labeled leaves.


METHODS
European beech and Italian ryegrass were subjected to long-term (13)C-labeling in a controlled-environment growth chamber. The (13)C-content of the leaves obtained after several months labeling was determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry.


RESULTS
The (13)C-content of the labeled leaves exhibited inter- and intra-leaf variability much higher than those naturally occurring in unlabeled plants, which do not exceed a few per mil. This variability was correlated with labeling intensity: the isotope composition of leaves varied in ranges of ca 60‰ and 90‰ for experiments that led to average leaf (13)C-content of ca +15‰ and +450‰, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The reported variability of isotope composition in (13)C-enriched leaves is critical, and should be taken into account in subsequent experimental investigations of environmental processes using (13)C-labeled plant tissues.
UMR 7618 BioEMCo GOME, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CC120, 4 Place Jussieu, 75 252, Paris cedex 05, France. ttnguyen@snv.jussieu.fr
Thanh Thuy
TT
Nguyen Tu
Philippe
P
Biron
Kadmiel
K
Maseyk
Patricia
P
Richard
Bernd
B
Zeller
Katell
K
Quénéa
Marie
M
Alexis
Gérard
G
Bardoux
Véronique
V
Vaury
Cyril
C
Girardin
Valérie
V
Pouteau
Daniel
D
Billiou
Thierry
T
Bariac
D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D029964:Fagus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D008129:Lolium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D002247:Carbon Isotopes