Frasassi Cave Ammonia Volatilization and Nitrogen Isotope Data

20.7 KB of Excel data from a study of the Frasassi cave system, published by Mackenzie B. Best on figshare in May 2026. The dataset supports findings on ammonia volatilization as a novel nitrogen source for acidic biofilms and invertebrates in a sulfidic cave ecosystem.

Use Cases

• Modeling nitrogen fractionation during ammonia volatilization based on δ¹⁵N values of dissolved ammonium and atmospheric NH₃.
• Analyzing nitrogen source pathways in cave ecosystems based on isotopic signatures of condensation droplets and biofilms.
• Studying microbial lithoautotrophy and nutrient acquisition in low-input subsurface environments based on described geochemical data.

Strengths

• Dataset is focused on a specific, novel mechanism (airborne ammonia trapping) for nitrogen acquisition.
• Description provides concrete isotopic values (e.g., δ¹⁵N as low as -29‰) and chemical concentrations (up to 4 mM NH₄⁺).

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Mackenzie B. Best

Collection Method

Field measurements and isotopic analysis from the Frasassi cave system.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-15 06:44:02; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Frasassi cave system.