National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF)
Lead Research Organisation:
British Geological Survey
Department Name: NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory
Abstract
Determining the isotopic composition of a breadth of environmental materials underpins our ability to constrain, track and understand a wide range of environmental science processes. Isotopes are used to determine the age of materials, constrain rates of change, integrate disparate environmental records, and assess cause/effects hypothesis. Isotopes are also used to track a range of natural and anthropogenic processes operating across the planet, from the hydrosphere to the biosphere. Isotope science requires infrastructure at the leading edge; not only physical infrastructure such as state of the art equipment and well established laboratories, but as important are the experienced facility personnel who provide the expertise, drive development, explore new areas of application, and develop systems to ensure data are accessible, interoperable and reusable. The requirements for isotopes in environmental sciences necessitates national delivery of fundamental capabilities for the following reasons: (1) A compelling community need for fundamental and complex isotope analyses; (2) Continued investment in instruments and skilled people is required to remain at forefront of world isotope science; and (3) High demand and delivery required by the UK research portfolio. Where these requirements exist, national facilities are a demonstrably cost-effective mechanism to deliver and underpin environmental science research and innovation, now and into the future.
The National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF) is an evolution of facilities that builds upon a strong track record of NERC facilities for environmental isotope analyses. This single nationally distributed facility comprises a range of analytical capabilities and staff expertise for isotope analyses that underpins an array of multidisciplinary, cross themed, environmental science areas. NEIF capabilities are subdivided into two categories: Chronology and Environmental and Life Science Tracers. Combined, these support research in the areas of biogeochemistry, archaeology, palaeoclimatology and climate change, solid Earth processes (inc. natural hazards), human-landscape evolution and interactions (inc. the Anthropocene), evolution of life, ecology, pollution, the hydrological cycle, applied minerals and energy research.
NEIF will underpin the UKs environmental research community in areas where isotope analyses are required, facilitating, supporting and encouraging the best research, technology and new ideas. The unified capabilities and expertise delivered by the NEIF are technically unique within the UK and are delivered to the highest standard and quality. NEIF will deliver against a number of key objectives: to facilitate environmental research to support the provision of training for early career researchers, to deliver innovation, and to promote awareness of NEIF capabilities, their role in environmental sciences, related NERC activities, and public outreach.
The benefits of a single national facility are that it will be ''greater than the sum of its parts''. The combined strategic nature of NEIF, with clear community input via the Strategy Group, acts as a catalyst for the areas of environmental science covered by NEIF. In addition to the direct support of projects and provision of training, the sustained support of NERC facilities has enabled their evolution to best fit the user community needs enable facility staff to deliver a longer-term perspective, identify challenges and opportunities, in order to best service the environmental science community. The NEIF represents a major evolution in the provision of isotopes capabilities and expertise for the UK research community. It will provide increased community innovation and greater scope for flexibility, whilst retaining the core purpose of underpinning UK science, in addition to hosting internationally competitive state-of-the-art capabilities critically underpinned by a vastly experienced, unique staff assemblage.
The National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF) is an evolution of facilities that builds upon a strong track record of NERC facilities for environmental isotope analyses. This single nationally distributed facility comprises a range of analytical capabilities and staff expertise for isotope analyses that underpins an array of multidisciplinary, cross themed, environmental science areas. NEIF capabilities are subdivided into two categories: Chronology and Environmental and Life Science Tracers. Combined, these support research in the areas of biogeochemistry, archaeology, palaeoclimatology and climate change, solid Earth processes (inc. natural hazards), human-landscape evolution and interactions (inc. the Anthropocene), evolution of life, ecology, pollution, the hydrological cycle, applied minerals and energy research.
NEIF will underpin the UKs environmental research community in areas where isotope analyses are required, facilitating, supporting and encouraging the best research, technology and new ideas. The unified capabilities and expertise delivered by the NEIF are technically unique within the UK and are delivered to the highest standard and quality. NEIF will deliver against a number of key objectives: to facilitate environmental research to support the provision of training for early career researchers, to deliver innovation, and to promote awareness of NEIF capabilities, their role in environmental sciences, related NERC activities, and public outreach.
The benefits of a single national facility are that it will be ''greater than the sum of its parts''. The combined strategic nature of NEIF, with clear community input via the Strategy Group, acts as a catalyst for the areas of environmental science covered by NEIF. In addition to the direct support of projects and provision of training, the sustained support of NERC facilities has enabled their evolution to best fit the user community needs enable facility staff to deliver a longer-term perspective, identify challenges and opportunities, in order to best service the environmental science community. The NEIF represents a major evolution in the provision of isotopes capabilities and expertise for the UK research community. It will provide increased community innovation and greater scope for flexibility, whilst retaining the core purpose of underpinning UK science, in addition to hosting internationally competitive state-of-the-art capabilities critically underpinned by a vastly experienced, unique staff assemblage.
Organisations
Publications
Morgan L
(2022)
First Principles Calibration of 40 Ar Abundances in 40 Ar / 39 Ar Mineral Neutron Fluence Monitors: Methodology and Preliminary Results
in Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research
Broadman E
(2022)
Reconstructing postglacial hydrologic and environmental change in the eastern Kenai Peninsula lowlands using proxy data and mass balance modeling
in Quaternary Research
Engbers Y
(2022)
Low Paleointensities and Ar/Ar Ages From Saint Helena Provide Evidence for Recurring Magnetic Field Weaknesses in the South Atlantic
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
Blanz M
(2022)
Life, Death and Teeth of Late Neolithic Sheep and Red Deer Excavated at Ness of Brodgar, Orkney Islands (UK)
in Environmental Archaeology
Lane K
(2022)
Pre-Hispanic anthropogenic wetlands in the upper Ica drainage, south-central Andes: dating and context
in Antiquity
Cobain M
(2022)
Stable isotopes demonstrate seasonally stable benthic-pelagic coupling as newly fixed nutrients are rapidly transferred through food chains in an estuarine fish community
in Journal of Fish Biology
Reay MK
(2022)
Mechanisms of nitrogen transfer in a model clover-ryegrass pasture: a 15N-tracer approach.
in Plant and soil
Mena-Rivera L
(2022)
Tracing carbon and nitrogen microbial assimilation in suspended particles in freshwaters
in Biogeochemistry
Salisbury M
(2022)
40Ar/39Ar ages and geochemistry of the Intersalar Range of the Bolivian Altiplano: A volcanological transect spanning the arc and reararc of the Central Andean Plateau
in Frontiers in Earth Science
Evershed RP
(2022)
Dairying, diseases and the evolution of lactase persistence in Europe.
in Nature
Liu L
(2022)
Conserved signalling components coordinate epidermal patterning and cuticle deposition in barley.
in Nature communications
Tadesse A
(2022)
Eruption frequency and magnitude in a geothermally active continental rift: The Bora-Baricha-Tullu Moye volcanic complex, Main Ethiopian Rift
in Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
Lira M
(2022)
The Last Glacial Maximum and Deglacial History of the Seno Skyring Ice Lobe (52°S), Southern Patagonia
in Frontiers in Earth Science
Beresford-Jones D
(2022)
Insights into changing coastlines, environments and marine hunter-gatherer lifestyles on the Pacific coast of South America from the La Yerba II shell midden, Río Ica estuary, Peru
in Quaternary Science Reviews
Gowlett J
(2022)
New Oldowan localities at high level within Kilombe Caldera, Kenya
in L'Anthropologie
Nardini N
(2022)
From the Middle Triassic Cima Pape complex (Dolomites; Southern Alps) to the feeding systems beneath active volcanoes: Clues from clinopyroxene textural and compositional zoning
in Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
Pincetti-Zúniga GP
(2022)
Hydrochemical characterization, spatial distribution, and geochemical controls on arsenic and boron in waters from arid Arica and Parinacota, northern Chile.
in The Science of the total environment
Zhang Y
(2022)
Variations in wetland hydrology drive rapid changes in the microbial community, carbon metabolic activity, and greenhouse gas fluxes
in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Salgado J
(2022)
Urbanization and seasonality strengthens the CO 2 capacity of the Red River Delta, Vietnam
in Environmental Research Letters
Shaffrey R
(2022)
A Stone Cresset from Dulverton House, Gloucester
in Medieval Archaeology
Becerra-Valdivia L
(2022)
A chronology for the earliest human burials at Cuchipuy, central Chile
in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Wells NS
(2022)
d18O as a tracer of PO43- losses from agricultural landscapes.
in Journal of environmental management
Bauld JT
(2022)
Can diet niche partitioning enhance sexual dimorphism?
in Ecology and evolution
Buckeridge K
(2022)
Microbial necromass carbon and nitrogen persistence are decoupled in agricultural grassland soils
in Communications Earth & Environment
Yates C
(2022)
Determining patterns in the composition of dissolved organic matter in fresh waters according to land use and management
in Biogeochemistry
Feldpausch T
(2022)
Forest Fire History in Amazonia Inferred From Intensive Soil Charcoal Sampling and Radiocarbon Dating
in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
Ellis B
(2022)
Geochemistry of the Pepom tephra deposits: The most recent intracaldera volcanism of Sete Cidades volcano, São Miguel, Azores
in Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
O'Hanlon N
(2022)
Habitat Selection and Specialisation of Herring Gulls During the Non-breeding Season
in Frontiers in Marine Science
Faust J
(2022)
New evidence for preservation of contemporary marine organic carbon by iron in Arctic shelf sediments
in Environmental Research Letters
King AJ
(2022)
The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system.
in Science advances
Roberts N
(2022)
On the enigmatic mid-Proterozoic: Single-lid versus plate tectonics
in Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Snelling A
(2022)
Nutrient availability in the North Pacific region not primarily driven by climate through the Quaternary
in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
Maberly SC
(2022)
The differential ability of two species of seagrass to use carbon dioxide and bicarbonate and their modelled response to rising concentrations of inorganic carbon.
in Frontiers in plant science
Chiewattanakul M
(2022)
Compound-specific amino acid 15N-stable isotope probing for the quantification of biological nitrogen fixation in soils
in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Dunne J
(2022)
Wild Food: Plants, Fish and Small Animals on the Menu for Early Holocene Populations at al-Khiday, Central Sudan
in African Archaeological Review
Yesares L
(2022)
Pyritic mineralization halo above the Tara Deep Zn-Pb deposit, Navan, Ireland: Evidence for sub-seafloor exhalative hydrothermal processes?
in Ore Geology Reviews
Blanz M
(2022)
Trace element ratios in tooth enamel as palaeodietary indicators of seaweed consumption and coastal grazing, and their broader applicability
in Journal of Archaeological Science
Hoogakker BAA
(2022)
Planktonic foraminifera organic carbon isotopes as archives of upper ocean carbon cycling.
in Nature communications
Casanova E
(2022)
Direct 14C dating of equine products preserved in archaeological pottery vessels from Botai and Bestamak, Kazakhstan.
in Archaeological and anthropological sciences
Espinasse B
(2022)
Temporal dynamics in zooplankton d13C and d15N isoscapes for the North Atlantic Ocean: Decadal cycles, seasonality, and implications for predator ecology
in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Worne S
(2022)
Silicic Acid Cycling in the Bering Sea During the Mid-Pleistocene Transition
in Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology
Chidimuro B
(2022)
Isotope analysis of human dental calculus d13 CO3 2- : Investigating a potential new proxy for sugar consumption.
in Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM
Salisbury R
(2022)
Making the Most of Soils in Archaeology. A Review
in Archaeologia Austriaca
Clark TJ
(2022)
Comment on "Evidence of prehistoric human activity in the Falkland Islands".
in Science advances
Manoukian N
(2022)
Diverse dietary practices across the Early Bronze Age 'Kura-Araxes culture' in the South Caucasus.
in PloS one
| Description | A SelFrag facility to underpin UK geoscience |
| Amount | £300,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/T00925X/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2020 |
| End | 03/2021 |
| Description | A Selective Fragmentation (SELFRAG) device for liberating minerals, microfossils from rocks: more efficient, effective and safer for the UK community. |
| Amount | £293,443 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/T009233/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2019 |
| End | 03/2020 |
| Title | A database of NERC radiocarbon measurements determined by accelerator mass spectrometry. |
| Description | The database contains radiocarbon (14C) measurements performed using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) by the NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory. Contextual information including sample type and sampling location, and associated publications are also provided |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Compilations of radiocarbon measurements performed by the NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory using radiometric methods have previously been made publicly available in research papers or databases. The new database is the first collection of radiocarbon measurements performed using accelerator mass spectrometry by the laboratory. The database provides a resource for researchers to access over 2000 radiocarbon measurements. |
| Description | 50 minute presentation on the Weymouth discovery of a Viking Age burial site and how isotopes were able to look at the origins of the men found there. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This talk was given to the Harrington Discussion Society. I was invited back having given a talk in 2018. This is group of local who gather regularly for such discussions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | A 50 minute talk about the discovery and analysis of Richard III's skeleton |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A presentation to the University of the Third Age group in Keyworth. Very interesting and diverse expertise within the audience resulting in 30 - 40 minutes of questions after the talk. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | A 50 minute talk about the discovery and analysis of Richard III's skeleton |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A talk about Richard III with a geological slant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BGS open day presentation to the general public on Richard III |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a talk targeted at the younger audience members aimed at showing the links between science and history |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Blog post |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Blogpost on BGS website describing the SelFrag instrument, its capabilities and future potential. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.bgs.ac.uk/news/exploding-rocks-the-uks-first-selfrag-machine/ |
| Description | Blogs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Frequent blog posts on the BGS Geoblogy site, updating on the aims of the project and the progress made with the analysis of the samples. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| Description | Cosmo2022 Scotland. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Cosmo 2022 - Scotland workshop is a continuation of the previous four events known as the Nordic Workshop on Cosmogenic Nuclides. The three-day workshop and the oneday field excursion was jointly hosted by the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) and the University of Edinburgh, and held in Edinburgh, 7-9 June 2022. The workshop Comprised of a scientific programme of oral and poster contributions by members of the international cosmogenic nuclide community, discussions, short practical workshops, and an optional field excursion the last day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_845736_smxx.pdf |
| Description | Diatom isotopes demonstration as part of the British Geological Survey Open Day October 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An exhibit was presented at the BGS Open Day on diatoms, single-celled algae with silica (glass) shells, and how they are used in climate and environmental change research. Visitors were able to view fossil diatoms through a microscope and see their structure from 3D-printed models. Poster boards provided information on what diatoms are, their composition, their importance to us and the planet, how we utilise them in scientific research, and gave an example project (DeepCHALLA) where diatom isotopes are pivitol for providing a better understanding of past climate and its influence on patterns on human migration out of Africa. The stand engaged younger children by helping them create diatom art and plasticine models of diatoms from example images. Feedback was very positive |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Facebook Live discussion for paper in Science Advances "Multi-isotope analysis reveals that feasts in the Stonehenge environs and across Wessex drew people and animals from throughout Britain" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a four way moderated discussion, live on Facebook, organized by The VancePak Team Office of Public Programs (OPP) American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/ScienceAdvances/videos/793199927719821/. |
| Description | Geochronology activity and demonstration as part of the British Geological Survey Open Day October 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 70 members of the public participated in a combined activity and demonstration around the theme of geochronology and geological time, as part of the annual British Geological Surveys public open day. The demonstration included a talk and discussion about geological time combined with the 'Corridor of Time' activity which comprised a 46 metre scaled timeline (1cm equals 1 million years) of Earth history, from human history back to the formation of the Earth and Solar System. This demonstrated the tempo of evolution and the vastness of geological time compared to human histories. This was combined with a 'Speed dating' activity where members of the public came into the mass spectrometry laboratory and we explained how we obtain absolute dates on rocks and minerals, and then they were given a chance to select a mineral for analyses then and there - the sample was a real research target that contains detrital grains with a range of ages, from ~400 to 2700 million years. Throughout the day as more minerals were dated we kept a leader board and a prize was given to the person who picked the oldest grain. The capacity of 70 participants was set by the size of the laboratory and the nature of the activity. Feedback from the participants was wholly positive. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |