Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of plants, sediments and animals has been used as a common tool employed in different studies including ecology, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Because of the different isotopic values among primary producers, this is a powerful tool to trace pathways of exchange of organic matter between ecosystems. Nous décrivons les principes de base, y compris la nomenclature, de l'application de l'approche isotopique dans les études environnementales côtières. Furthermore, we present three recent studies with the isotopic approach for : 1) assess the distribution of deposited organic matter within the Río de la Plata estuary, 2) determine the trophic importance of a diatom from a surf zone in sandy beach food webs, and 3) assess the influence of the anthropogenic organic matter within the Montevideo Bay. The isotopic composition of organic matter sources allowed the study of different aspect of ecosystem function including the characterization of the organic matter pathways. This review highlighted the significant utility of this complementary tool for the study of ecological process and could be useful in the identification of changes in coastal environments.

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of plants, sediments and animals has been used as a common tool employed in different studies including ecology, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Because of the different isotopic values among primary producers, this is a powerful tool to trace pathways of exchange of organic matter between ecosystems. We describe the basic principles, including nomenclature, of the application of the isotopic approach in coastal environmental studies. Furthermore, we present three recent studies with the isotopic approach for: 1) assessing the distribution of deposited organic matter within the Río de la Plata estuary, 2) determining the trophic importance of a diatom from a surf zone in sandy beach food webs, and 3) assessing the influence of the anthropogenic organic matter within the Montevideo Bay. The isotopic composition of organic matter sources allowed the study of different aspects of ecosystem function including the characterization of the organic matter pathways. This review highlighted the significant utility of this complementary tool for the study of ecological process and could be useful in the identification of changes in coastal environments.

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of plants, sediments and animals has been used as a common tool employed in different studies including ecology, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Because of the different isotopic values among primary producers, this is a powerful tool to trace pathways of exchange of organic matter between ecosystems. We describe the basic principles, including nomenclature, of the application the isotopic approach in coastal environmental studies. Furthermore, we present three recent studies with the isotopic approach for: 1) assess the distribution of deposited organic matter within the Río de la Plata estuary, 2) determine the trophic importance of a diatom from a surf zone in sandy beach food webs, and 3) assess the influence of the anthropogenic organic matter within the Montevideo Bay. The isotopic composition of organic matter sources allowed the study of different aspect of ecosystem function including the characterization of the organic matter pathways. This review highlighted the significant utility of this complementary tool for the study of ecological process and could be useful in the identification of changes in coastal environments.

تم استخدام تركيب نظائر الكربون والنيتروجين المستقر للنباتات والرواسب والحيوانات كأداة مشتركة تستخدم في دراسات مختلفة بما في ذلك البيئة، وإعادة الإعمار البيئي القديم. نظرًا لاختلاف قيم النظائر بين المنتجين الرئيسيين، فإن هذه أداة قوية لتتبع مسارات تبادل المواد العضوية بين النظم الإيكولوجية. نحن نصف المبادئ الأساسية، بما في ذلك التسميات، لتطبيق نهج النظائر في الدراسات البيئية الساحلية. علاوة على ذلك، نقدم ثلاث دراسات حديثة مع نهج النظائر من أجل: 1) تقييم توزيع المواد العضوية المترسبة داخل مصب ريو دي لا بلاتا، 2) تحديد الأهمية الغذائية للدياتوم من منطقة ركوب الأمواج في الشبكات الغذائية للشواطئ الرملية، و 3) تقييم تأثير المادة العضوية البشرية المنشأ داخل خليج مونتيفيديو. سمح التركيب النظائري لمصادر المواد العضوية بدراسة الجوانب المختلفة لوظيفة النظام الإيكولوجي بما في ذلك توصيف مسارات المواد العضوية. سلطت هذه المراجعة الضوء على الفائدة الكبيرة لهذه الأداة التكميلية لدراسة العملية البيئية ويمكن أن تكون مفيدة في تحديد التغيرات في البيئات الساحلية.