Stable isotope composition of land snail body water and its relation to environmental waters and shell carbonate

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(89)90102-6· OSTI ID:7061481

Goodfriend, G A; Magaritz, M; Gat, J R ^[1]

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1. Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot (Israel)

Day-to-day and within-day (diel) variations in {delta}D and {delta}{sup 18}O of the body water of the land snail, Theba pisana, were studied at a site in the southern coastal plain of Israel. Three phases of variation, which relate to isotopic changes in atmospheric water vapor, were distinguished. The isotopic variations can be explained by isotopic equilibration with atmospheric water vapor and/or uptake of dew derived therefrom. During the winter, when the snails are active, there is only very minor enrichment in {sup 18}O relative to equilibrium with water vapor or dew, apparently as a result of metabolic activity. But this enrichment becomes pronounced after long periods of inactivity. Within-day variation in body water isotopic composition is minor on non-rain days. Shell carbonate is enriched in {sup 18}O by ca. 1-2% relative to equilibrium with body water. In most regions, the isotopic composition of atmospheric water vapor (or dew) is a direct function of that of rain. Because the isotopic composition of snail body water is related to that of atmospheric water vapor and the isotopic composition of shell carbonate in turn is related to that of body water, land snail shell carbonate {sup 18}O should provide a reliable indication of rainfall {sup 18}O. However, local environmental conditions and the ecological properties of the snail species must be taken into account.

• OSTI ID: 7061481
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA), Vol. 53:12; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
EXOSKELETON
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
ISOTOPE RATIO
MOLLUSCS
SNAILS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ISRAEL
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
MINERAL CYCLING
OXYGEN 18
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ASIA
BODY
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GEOCHEMISTRY
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MIDDLE EAST
MINERALS
NUCLEI
ORGANS
OXYGEN ISOTOPES
SEAS
SKELETON
STABLE ISOTOPES
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
580000* - Geosciences