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Science 23 December 1977:
Vol. 198. no. 4323, pp. 1209 - 1215
DOI: 10.1126/science.198.4323.1209
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Articles

Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopic Ratios in Plant Cellulose

Samuel Epstein 1, Peter Thompson 2, and Crayton J. Yapp 1

1 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125
2 Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

The variations of the D/H and 18O/16O ratios of nonexchangeable hydrogen and oxygen in plant cellulose reveal systematic differences between terrestrial plant groups. The slope of dgrD versus dgr18O of cellulose from a variety of aquatic plants is close to 8 (the meteoric water value), while the slope for a number of terrestrial species is greater than or equal to about 24. Two models involving incorporation of CO2 and H2O into cellulose precursors are proposed to account for these differences. Effects of evaporative transpiration on the isotopic composition of water in leaves are measured and discussed in the context of these models.


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