The concept of using stable isotopes to label and track microbes and metabolites of interest is a very recent development in microbial ecology. This comprehensive, carefully edited book, featuring contributions from world leaders in the development and application of these technologies, is the first to present stable isotope probing (SIP) and its related technologies in a single volume.

Divided into three parts, the book begins with methodology, guiding researchers through the basic, tested, and proven protocols including DNA, RNA, protein, and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) SIP, from concept and history through detailed methodology, troubleshooting, and interpretation, to optimal and future uses. Next, the book explores the important and emerging applications of SIP in environmental microbiology, ranging from bioremediation and gene mining to carbon tracking and gut microflora function. The book concludes with explorations of further elegant isotope labeling technologies such as Raman-FISH, NanoSIMS, and isotope arrays.