Washington State University (WSU) has received funds from the Major Research Instrumentation Program to support the acquisition of a tunable diode laser optical analyzer (TGA100A), a leaf gas exchange system (LI6400), a ten detector isotope-ratio mass spectrometer, and an isotopic water analyzer (L1102-i). The instrumentation will be incorporated into WSU's Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis 2 (LBB2) Stable Isotope Core facility. Through the Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach (CEREO) this instrumentation will facilitate research and training in the area of global climate change and ecosystem-atmosphere exchange of carbon, nitrogen and water across the University. The TGA100A and LI6400 will be used to measure the exchange of trace gases between the atmosphere and the biosphere at ecosystem and leaf levels. The focus of the mass spectrometer will be to identify sources of nitrogen pollutants and fertilizers in agricultural and natural environments. The L1102-i will be used to study water movement through plants and soil profiles, and to understand how these processes are affected by changing climate. Additionally, the instrumentation will be incorporated into several graduate and undergraduate courses and will be an integral part of a nitrogen methods workshop developed through a NSF funded Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) grant. An internship through the Stable Isotopes Core facilities will also be available to train underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students from regional Universities on the technical aspects of this instrumentation and to engage high school students in independent research projects.
