The prevention and detection of human error in ecological stable isotope analysis

1. Stable isotope analysis (SIA) is widely used in ecology, but samples are usually analysed in specialist facilities. Like any complex process, SIA is susceptible to human error. Despite the best efforts of the SIA laboratory, errors may occasionally remain in results released to clients. 2. We used our experiences as ecologists and laboratory analysts to identify human error scenarios to which SIA performed anywhere might be susceptible. These scenarios ran from sample selection and submission by the ecologist, to the final results report from the SIA laboratory. Several scenarios involved errors hard to find by visual examination, by either ecologist or analyst. 3. The ecologist can prevent pre-submission errors by formalising their sample submission process, and can best perform a final results quality check by submitting their own quality control material with a matrix similar to that of the samples. Prevention of laboratory errors is best accomplished by a comprehensive quality ...1. 稳定同位素分析（Stable isotope analysis, SIA）在生态学领域应用广泛，但样本通常需在专业实验室中完成分析。如同任何复杂流程，SIA极易受到人为误差的影响。即便SIA实验室已尽最大努力，最终交付给客户的分析结果中仍可能偶尔残留误差。 2. 我们依托作为生态学家与实验室分析人员的从业经验，梳理出全球范围内所有SIA流程均可能出现的人为误差场景。这些场景覆盖了从生态学家开展样本选择与提交，到SIA实验室出具最终结果报告的全流程环节。其中部分误差难以通过生态学家或分析人员的目视检查发现。 3. 生态学家可通过规范样本提交流程来规避提交前的误差，而开展最终结果质量核查的最佳方式，则是随同待测样本提交基质匹配的质控材料。实验室误差的预防，则需依托全面的质量...