Different isotopes refer to variations of the same element that contain a different number of neutrons in their nucleus. This slight difference gives each isotope unique properties and impacts their stability and behavior. Full definition
The researchers suspected that the ants provide D. major with nutrients in return for shelter To test this idea, they looked at the ratios of different isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in the plant's tissues. (newscientist.com)
They measured the amounts of the two different isotopes in air near the ground and above the canopy at the Harvard Forest Environmental Measurements Site, in a mostly deciduous forest dominated by red oak and red maple in Massachusetts, from 2011 to 2013. (sciencedaily.com)
Carbon isotopes from tooth enamel yield dietary information because different isotope signatures reflect different photosynthetic pathways of plants consumed during enamel development. (science.sciencemag.org)