Stable <scp>I</scp> sotope <scp>T</scp> rajectory <scp>A</scp> nalysis ( <scp>SITA</scp> ): A new approach to quantify and visualize dynamics in stable isotope studies

Ecologists working with stable isotopes have to deal complex datasets including temporal and spatial replication, which makes the analysis representation of patterns change challenging, especially at high resolution. Due lack a commonly accepted conceptual framework in isotope ecology, graphical dynamics value organism or community scale remained past often descriptive qualitative, impeding quantitative detection relevant functional patterns. The recent trajectory (CTA) provides more explicit perspectives for visualization ecological trajectories. Building on CTA, we developed Stable Isotope Trajectory Analysis (SITA) framework, analyze geometric properties trajectories n-dimensional (n ? 2) spaces defined analogously traditional multivariate (?) used ecology. This approach new into spatio-temporal (??) derived structural (?? space). SITA allows calculation set metrics, based either distances directions, solutions, both easily performable an R environment. Here, illustrate use our by reanalyzing previously published from marine, terrestrial, freshwater ecosystems. We highlight insights provided this analytic individual, population, community, ecosystems levels, discuss applications, limitations, development potential.