April 30, 2026 | 2:30–4:30 PM ET

Stable isotope analysis has become one of the most widely used tools in modern ecology, providing powerful insights into diet, trophic structure, migration, habitat use, and nutrient cycling. However, many ecologists encounter isotope data with little formal training in the principles that underpin these methods or the analytical approaches used to interpret them. This session provides a practical introduction to stable isotope ecology, designed to help participants understand both the theory behind isotope variation in ecological systems and the analytical tools used to interpret isotope datasets. The session will introduce the core concepts of isotope fractionation, food web tracing, baselines, and isotopic niches, before demonstrating how these concepts translate into common analytical workflows used in ecological research. Participants will leave the session with a clear conceptual understanding of stable isotope methods, familiarity with common analytical approaches, and practical guidance on how isotope techniques can be applied to their own ecological research questions