Hello,
I would like to identify/detect what organic substrates (e.g. leaf litter remnants, frass, death canopy foragers, dissolved OC, etc.) are being used by soil microorganisms in the process of soil heterotrophic respiration by comparing the isotopic signature of the soil gas flux (i.e. collected in a soil flux chamber) and that of a potential substrate candidate. Is this possible at all? Does this make sense at all? Are the isotopic signatures between substrates different enough to make this possible?
Thank you very much in advance for your replies!!