Preparing the lab for stable isotope analysis

Project Leader Paddy Burke talks about the laboratory side of stable isotope analysis using stop motion to illustrate how they analyse isotopes in the lab, along with Macquire University and Save Our Seas Foundation. For this example, they will be using sawsharks, specifically, the common saw shark (Pristiophorus cirratus). 

So what is stable isotope analysis? 

Well, it’s a fantastic tool that allows researchers to understand more about how an animal fits into its food web and its community. this technique works the basis of ‘you are what you eat!’. In this cause on a chemical level that we can actually measure.

To find out more about Paddy and Jane’s research with Save Our Seas Foundation on their project page below.