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Maier SR, Arboe NH, Christiansen H, Krawczyk DW, Meire L, Mortensen J, Planken K, Schulz K, van der Kaaden AS, Vonnahme TR, Zwerschke N, Blicher M. Arctic benthos in the Anthropocene: Distribution and drivers of epifauna in West Greenland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175001. [PMID: 39053532 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Albeit remote, Arctic benthic ecosystems are impacted by fisheries and climate change. Yet, anthropogenic impacts are poorly understood, as benthic ecosystems and their drivers have not been mapped over large areas. We disentangle spatial patterns and drivers of benthic epifauna (animals living on the seabed surface) in West Greenland, by integrating an extensive beam-trawl dataset (326 stations, 59-75°N, 30-1400 m water depth) with environmental data. We find high variability at different spatial scales: (1) Epifauna biomass decreases with increasing latitude, sea-ice cover and water depth, related to food limitation. (2) In Greenland, the Labrador Sea in the south shows higher epifauna taxon richness compared to Baffin Bay in the north. Τhe interjacent Davis Strait forms a permeable boundary for epifauna dispersal and a mixing zone for Arctic and Atlantic taxa, featuring regional biodiversity hotspots. (3) The Labrador Sea and Davis Strait provide suitable habitats for filter-feeding epifauna communities of high biomass e.g., sponges on the steep continental slope and sea cucumbers on shallow banks. In Baffin Bay, the deeper continental shelf, more gentle continental slope, lower current speed and lower phytoplankton biomass promote low-biomass epifauna communities, predominated by sea stars, anemones, or shrimp. (4) Bottom trawling reduces epifauna biomass and taxon richness throughout the study area, where sessile filter feeders are particularly vulnerable. Climate change with diminished sea ice cover in Baffin Bay may amplify food availability to epifauna, thereby increasing their biomass. While more species might expand northward due to the general permeability of Davis Strait, an extensive colonization of Baffin Bay by high-biomass filter-feeding epifauna remains unlikely, given the lack of suitable habitats. The pronounced vulnerability of diverse and biomass-rich epifauna communities to bottom trawling emphasizes the necessity for an informed and sustainable ecosystem-based management in the face of rapid climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra R Maier
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland.
| | - Nanette Hammeken Arboe
- Department of Fish and Shellfish, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Henrik Christiansen
- Department of Fish and Shellfish, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Diana W Krawczyk
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Lorenz Meire
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland; Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Yerseke, the Netherlands
| | - John Mortensen
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Koen Planken
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland; Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Yerseke, the Netherlands
| | - Kirstin Schulz
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | | | - Tobias Reiner Vonnahme
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Nadescha Zwerschke
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Martin Blicher
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
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Sen A, Molina EJ, de Freitas TR, Hess S, Reiss H, Bluhm BA, Renaud PE. Benthic remineralization under future Arctic conditions and evaluating the potential for changes in carbon sequestration in warming sediments. Sci Rep 2024; 14:23336. [PMID: 39375411 PMCID: PMC11458818 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-73633-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Benthic (seafloor) remineralization of organic material determines the fate of carbon in the ocean and its sequestration. Bottom water temperature and labile carbon supply to the seafloor are expected to increase in a warming Arctic and correspondingly, benthic remineralization rates. We provide some of the first experimental data on the response of sediment oxygen demand (SOD), an established proxy for benthic remineralization, to increased temperature and/or food supply across a range of Arctic conditions and regimes. Each factor significantly increased SOD rates (with different degrees of variability); however the largest increases were seen with both factors combined (50% to ten-fold increases), consistently across the four seasons and the spatial gradient covering shelf to deep basin included in our study. This ability of the Arctic benthos to process increased pulses of carbon suggests that increased sedimented carbon under warming conditions is likely to be utilized and processed, not accumulated, impacting carbon storage and decreasing the Arctic's role as a global carbon sink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunima Sen
- Department of Arctic Biology, The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway.
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodø, Norway.
| | - Eric Jordà Molina
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
| | | | - Silvia Hess
- Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Henning Reiss
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
| | - Bodil A Bluhm
- Department of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University in Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paul E Renaud
- Department of Arctic Biology, The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
- Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway
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3
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Han C, Zhang Q, Li Y, Sun Y, Dong Y, Ge M, Li Z, Hu X, Liu B, Zhang X, Wang Z, Xu Q. Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the cold-water species Ophiura sarsii. Sci Data 2024; 11:560. [PMID: 38816401 PMCID: PMC11139871 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03412-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The cold-water species Ophiura sarsii, a brittle star, is a key echinoderm in the Arctic continental shelf region, highly sensitive to climate change. However, the absence of a high-quality genome has hindered a thorough understanding of its adaptive evolution. In this study, we reported the first chromosome-level genome assembly of O. sarsii. The genome assembly totalled 1.57 Gb, encompassing 19 chromosomes with a GC content of 37.11% and a scaffold N50 length of 78.03 Mb. The Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) assessment yielded a completeness estimate of 93.5% for this assembly. We predicted a total of 27,099 protein-coding genes, with 25,079 functionally annotated. The genome was comprised of 58.09% transposable elements. This chromosome-level genome of O. sarsii contributes to our understanding of the origin and evolution of marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Han
- School of Ocean Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Yixuan Li
- Faculty of Science, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, 000000, China
| | - Yuyao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Yue Dong
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Meiling Ge
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Zhong Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Xuying Hu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Xuelei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Zongling Wang
- School of Ocean Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Qinzeng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China.
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Moreno B, Sowa A, Reginia K, Balazy P, Chelchowski M, Ronowicz M, Kuklinski P. Sea water temperature and light intensity at high-Arctic subtidal shallows - 16 years perspective. Sci Data 2024; 11:227. [PMID: 38388536 PMCID: PMC10883912 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03054-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Manifestations of climate change in the Arctic include an increase in water temperatures and massive loss of sea ice enabling more light penetration. Yet to understand tempo and scale of these parameters change over time, constant monitoring is needed. We present 16-yr long-term datasets of sea water temperature and relative light intensity at two depth strata (8 and 14 ± 1 m) of two hard-bottom sites in southern Isfjorden proper (Spitsbergen, 78°N). The high temporal resolution of the datasets (every 30 min, between 2006-2022) makes them suitable for studying changes at a local scale, correlating environmental variability with observed processes in benthic assemblages, and serving as ground-truth for comparison with, for example, remotely sensed or mooring data. These datasets serve as baseline for long-term investigations in the shallows of a high-Arctic fjord undergoing severe environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernabé Moreno
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland.
| | - Anna Sowa
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Kamil Reginia
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Piotr Balazy
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Maciej Chelchowski
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Marta Ronowicz
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Piotr Kuklinski
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland.
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Zhulay I, Iken K, Renaud PE, Kosobokova K, Bluhm BA. Reduced efficiency of pelagic-benthic coupling in the Arctic deep sea during lower ice cover. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6739. [PMID: 37185804 PMCID: PMC10130029 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33854-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pelagic-benthic coupling describes the connection between surface-water production and seafloor habitats via energy, nutrient and mass exchange. Massive ice loss and warming in the poorly studied Arctic Chukchi Borderland are hypothesized to affect this coupling. The strength of pelagic-benthic coupling was compared between 2 years varying in climate settings, 2005 and 2016, based on δ13C and δ15N stable isotopes of food-web end-members and pelagic and deep-sea benthic consumers. Considerably higher isotopic niche overlap and generally shorter isotopic distance were found between pelagic and benthic food web components in 2005 than in 2016, suggesting weaker coupling in the latter, low-ice year. δ15N values indicated more refractory food consumed by benthos in 2016 and fresher food reaching the seafloor in 2005. Higher δ13C values of zooplankton indirectly suggested a higher contribution of ice algae in 2005 than 2016. The difference in pelagic-benthic coupling between these years is consistent with higher energy retention within the pelagic system, perhaps due to strong stratification in the Amerasian Basin in the recent decade. Weaker coupling to the benthos can be expected to continue with ice loss in the study area, perhaps reducing benthic biomass and remineralization capacity; monitoring of the area is needed to confirm this prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Zhulay
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Katrin Iken
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA
| | - Paul E Renaud
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Arctic Biology, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Ksenia Kosobokova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Bodil A Bluhm
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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Sobczyk R, Serigstad B, Pabis K. High polychaete diversity in the Gulf of Guinea (West African continental margin): The influence of local and intermediate scale ecological factors on a background of regional patterns. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160046. [PMID: 36356769 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Tropical East Atlantic is one of the least studied areas in the world's oceans, and thus a blank spot on the map of marine studies. Shaped by dynamic currents and shifting water masses, it is a key region in discussions about marine ecology, biodiversity, and zoogeography, while facing numerous, poorly understood, and unmonitored threats associated with climate change, acidification, and pollution. Polychaete diversity was assessed along four transects along the Ghana coast, from shallow to deep bottoms and distributed along the whole upwelling marine ecoregion. Despite high sampling effort, steep species accumulation curves demonstrated the necessity of further sampling in the region. We observed zonation of fauna by depth, and a decrease in species richness from 25 m to 1000 m depth. Polychaete communities were influenced by sediment type, presence of oxygen minimum zones, and local disturbances caused by elevated barium concentrations. Similar evenness along the depth gradient reflected the importance of rare species in the community structure. Differences in phylogenetic diversity, as reflected by taxonomic distinctness, were small, which suggested high ecosystem stability. The highly variable species richness at small scale (meters) showed the importance of ecological factors giving rise to microhabitat diversity, although we also noticed intermediate scale (50-300 km) differences affecting community structure. About 44 % of the species were rare (i.e. recorded only in three or fewer samples), highlighting the level of patchiness, while one fifth was distributed on all transects, therefore along the whole upwelling ecoregion, demonstrating the influence of the regional species pool on local communities at particular stations. Our study yielded 253 species, increasing the number of polychaetes known from this region by at least 50 %. This casts doubt on previous findings regarding Atlantic bioregionalization, biodiversity estimates and endemism, which appear to have been more pronouncedly affected by sampling bias than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Sobczyk
- Department of Invertebrates Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Bjorn Serigstad
- Center for Development Cooperation in Fisheries, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Krzysztof Pabis
- Department of Invertebrates Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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7
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Bianchini K, Mallory ML, Provencher JF. Trends in hepatic cadmium concentrations in marine bird species from the Canadian Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159959. [PMID: 36343822 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a trace element of toxicological concern that has been monitored in marine birds inhabiting the Canadian Arctic since 1975. Despite nearly 50 years of monitoring, research to date has largely evaluated single species, locations, or time points, and there is as of yet no holistic overview that jointly considers all available Cd data. We addressed this information gap by combining and analyzing most of the existing data on hepatic Cd concentrations in marine birds from the Canadian Arctic. Using data collected between 1975 and 2018 from eight seabird species from 12 Arctic breeding colonies, we examined temporal, spatial, and interspecific variation in hepatic Cd levels, and we evaluated possible drivers of marine bird Cd loads. Hepatic Cd concentrations ranged from 1.6 to 124 μg/g dry weight across species, and were highest in thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) and king eiders (Somateria spectabilis), and lowest in black guillemots (Cepphus grylle), black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), and long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis). All sites with multiple years of data showed interannual fluctuations in Cd, which were correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index and with the previous year's June sea ice coverage, where marine birds exhibited higher Cd concentrations in positive NAO years and following years with lower sea ice coverage. Climate change is likely to shift the NAO to being more negative and to reduce sea ice coverage, and our results thus identify various ways by which climate change could alter Cd concentrations in marine birds in the Canadian Arctic. Understanding variations in marine bird contaminant burdens, and how these may be alters by other stressors such as climate change, is important for long-term marine bird conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Bianchini
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Mark L Mallory
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Canadian National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3, Canada.
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Rabosky DL. Evolutionary time and species diversity in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:2090-2105. [PMID: 35899476 PMCID: PMC9796449 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is frequently described as the most dramatic biodiversity pattern on Earth, yet ecologists and biogeographers have failed to reach consensus on its primary cause. A key problem in explaining the LDG involves collinearity between multiple factors that are predicted to affect species richness in the same direction. In terrestrial systems, energy input, geographic area, and evolutionary time for species accumulation tend to covary positively with species richness at the largest spatial scales, such that their individual contributions to the LDG are confounded in global analyses. I review three diversity patterns from marine and freshwater systems that break this collinearity and which may thus provide stronger tests of the influence of time on global richness gradients. Specifically, I contrast biodiversity patterns along oceanic depth gradients, in geologically young versus ancient lakes, and in the north versus south polar marine biomes. I focus primarily on fishes due to greater data availability but synthesize patterns for invertebrates where possible. I find that regional-to-global species richness generally declines with depth in the oceans, despite the great age and stability of the deep-sea biome. Geologically ancient lakes generally do not contain more species than young lakes, and the Antarctic marine biome is not appreciably more species rich than the much younger Arctic marine biome. However, endemism is consistently higher in older systems. Patterns for invertebrate groups are less clear than for fishes and reflect a critical need for primary biodiversity data. In summary, the available data suggest that species richness is either decoupled from or only weakly related to the amount of time for diversification. These results suggest that energy, productivity, or geographic area are the primary drivers of large-scale diversity gradients. To the extent that marine and terrestrial diversity gradients result from similar processes, these examples provide evidence against a primary role for evolutionary time as the cause of the LDG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Rabosky
- Museum of Zoology & Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Michigan2032 Biological Sciences BuildingAnn ArborMI48109USA
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9
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Hilgendag IR, Swanson HK, Lewis CW, Ehrman AD, Power M. Mercury biomagnification in benthic, pelagic, and benthopelagic food webs in an Arctic marine ecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156424. [PMID: 35662606 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous toxic metal that biomagnifies in food webs, and can reach high concentrations in top predators. Evaluating Hg biomagnification in Arctic marine food webs is critical for understanding Hg dynamics and estimating exposure to understudied fish and wildlife consumed by humans. The majority of studies conducted on Hg biomagnification in the Arctic have focused on pelagic food webs. Benthic and benthopelagic food webs in Arctic marine ecosystems also support many species of subsistence and commercial importance, and data are lacking for these systems. In this study, we investigated food web structure and Hg biomagnification for the benthic, pelagic, and benthopelagic marine food webs of inner Frobisher Bay in Nunavut. Stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), as well as total (THg) and methyl (MeHg) mercury concentrations were measured in fish, invertebrates, and zooplankton. Biomagnification in each food web was quantified with Trophic Magnification Slopes (TMS) and Trophic Magnification Factors (TMF). The highest TMS and TMF values were exhibited by the benthopelagic food web (TMS = 0.201; TMF = 1.59), followed by the pelagic food web (TMS = 0.183; TMF = 1.52), and lastly the benthic food web (TMS = 0.079; TMF = 1.20), with δ15N explaining 88%, 79%, and 9% of variation in Hg concentrations, respectively. TMS and TMF values were generally low compared to other Arctic marine food webs. Results from food web structure analyses indicated that the benthic food web had the greatest trophic diversity, trophic redundancy, and largest isotopic niche area of all food webs studied. Greater food web complexity may thus result in reduced MeHg biomagnification, but further study is required. Acquiring Hg and food web structure data is critical for predicting the effects of climate-induced environmental change on Hg dynamics, especially in the context of Arctic marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R Hilgendag
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Heidi K Swanson
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | | | - Ashley D Ehrman
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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10
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Passive acoustics suggest two different feeding mechanisms in the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus). Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03055-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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11
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März C, Freitas FS, Faust JC, Godbold JA, Henley SF, Tessin AC, Abbott GD, Airs R, Arndt S, Barnes DKA, Grange LJ, Gray ND, Head IM, Hendry KR, Hilton RG, Reed AJ, Rühl S, Solan M, Souster TA, Stevenson MA, Tait K, Ward J, Widdicombe S. Biogeochemical consequences of a changing Arctic shelf seafloor ecosystem. AMBIO 2022; 51:370-382. [PMID: 34628602 PMCID: PMC8692578 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01638-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Unprecedented and dramatic transformations are occurring in the Arctic in response to climate change, but academic, public, and political discourse has disproportionately focussed on the most visible and direct aspects of change, including sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, the fate of charismatic megafauna, and the expansion of fisheries. Such narratives disregard the importance of less visible and indirect processes and, in particular, miss the substantive contribution of the shelf seafloor in regulating nutrients and sequestering carbon. Here, we summarise the biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic shelf seafloor before considering how climate change and regional adjustments to human activities may alter its biogeochemical and ecological dynamics, including ecosystem function, carbon burial, or nutrient recycling. We highlight the importance of the Arctic benthic system in mitigating climatic and anthropogenic change and, with a focus on the Barents Sea, offer some observations and our perspectives on future management and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian März
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT UK
| | - Felipe S. Freitas
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1QE UK
| | - Johan C. Faust
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT UK
- MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 8, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Jasmin A. Godbold
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH UK
| | - Sian F. Henley
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE UK
| | - Allyson C. Tessin
- Department of Geology, Kent State University, 221 McGilvrey Hall, 325 S. Lincoln St., Kent, OH 44242 USA
| | - Geoffrey D. Abbott
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU UK
| | - Ruth Airs
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH UK
| | - Sandra Arndt
- Department of Geosciences, Environment and Society, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Av. F.
Roosevelt 50, CP160/02, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - David K. A. Barnes
- British Antarctic Survey, UKRI, High Cross, Maddingley Rd, Cambridge, CB3 0ET UK
| | - Laura J. Grange
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG North Wales UK
| | - Neil D. Gray
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU UK
| | - Ian M. Head
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU UK
| | - Katharine R. Hendry
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1QE UK
| | - Robert G. Hilton
- Department of Geography, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, South Rd, Durham, DH1 3LE USA
| | - Adam J. Reed
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH UK
| | - Saskia Rühl
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH UK
- Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Martin Solan
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH UK
| | - Terri A. Souster
- British Antarctic Survey, UKRI, High Cross, Maddingley Rd, Cambridge, CB3 0ET UK
- Department of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UIT, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mark A. Stevenson
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU UK
- Department of Geography, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, South Rd, Durham, DH1 3LE USA
| | - Karen Tait
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH UK
| | - James Ward
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1QE UK
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12
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Biodiversity of macrobenthic nematodes in the intertidal and shallow subtidal zones in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02989-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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13
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Lörz AN, Kaiser S, Oldeland J, Stolter C, Kürzel K, Brix S. Biogeography, diversity and environmental relationships of shelf and deep-sea benthic Amphipoda around Iceland. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11898. [PMID: 34447625 PMCID: PMC8364320 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The waters around Iceland, bounding the Northern North Atlantic and the Nordic seas, are a region characterized by complex hydrography and seabed topography. This and the presence of the Greenland-Iceland-Faroe-Scotland ridge (GIFR) are likely to have a major impact on the diversity and distribution of the benthic fauna there. Biodiversity in this region is also under increasing threat from climate-induced changes, ocean warming and acidification in particular, affecting the marine realm. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biodiversity and distributional patterns of amphipod crustaceans in Icelandic waters and how it relates to environmental variables and depth. A comprehensive data set from the literature and recent expeditions was compiled constituting distributional records for 355 amphipod species across a major depth gradient (18–3,700 m). Using a 1° hexagonal grid to map amphipod distributions and a set of environmental factors (depth, pH, phytobiomass, velocity, dissolved oxygen, dissolved iron, salinity and temperature) we could identify four distinct amphipod assemblages: A Deep-North, Deep-South, and a Coastal cluster as well as one restricted to the GIFR. In addition to depth, salinity and temperature were the main parameters that determined the distribution of amphipods. Diversity differed greatly between the depth clusters and was significantly higher in coastal and GIFR assemblages compared to the deep-sea clusters north and south of the GIFR. A variety of factors and processes are likely to be responsible for the perceived biodiversity patterns, which, however, appear to vary according to region and depth. Low diversity of amphipod communities in the Nordic basins can be interpreted as a reflection of the prevailing harsh environmental conditions in combination with a barrier effect of the GIFR. By contrast, low diversity of the deep North Atlantic assemblages might be linked to the variable nature of the oceanographic environment in the region over multiple spatio-temporal scales. Overall, our study highlights the importance of amphipods as a constituent part of Icelandic benthos. The strong responses of amphipod communities to certain water mass variables raise the question of whether and how their distribution will change due to climate alteration, which should be a focus of future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Nina Lörz
- Institute for Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries Science, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kaiser
- Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Łódź, Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Caroline Stolter
- Department Biology, Zoological Institute, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Saskia Brix
- Deutsches Zentrum für Marine Biodiversität, Senckenberg Nature Research Society, Hamburg, Germany
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14
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Reed AJ, Godbold JA, Solan M, Grange LJ. Reproductive traits and population dynamics of benthic invertebrates indicate episodic recruitment patterns across an Arctic polar front. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6900-6912. [PMID: 34141264 PMCID: PMC8207403 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate-induced changes in the ocean and sea ice environment of the Arctic are beginning to generate major and rapid changes in Arctic ecosystems, but the effects of directional forcing on the persistence and distribution of species remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the reproductive traits and population dynamics of the bivalve Astarte crenata and sea star Ctenodiscus crispatus across a north-south transect that intersects the polar front in the Barents Sea. Both species present large oocytes indicative of short pelagic or direct development that do not differ in size-frequency between 74.5 and 81.3º latitude. However, despite gametogenic maturity, we found low frequencies of certain size classes within populations that may indicate periodic recruitment failure. We suggest that recruitment of A. crenata could occur periodically when conditions are favorable, while populations of C. crispatus are characterized by episodic recruitment failures. Pyloric caeca indices in C. crispatus show that food uptake is greatest at, and north of, the polar front, providing credence to the view that interannual variations in the quantity and quality of primary production and its flux to the seafloor, linked to the variable extent and thickness of sea ice, are likely to be strong determinants of physiological fitness. Our findings provide evidence that the distribution and long-term survival of species is not only a simple function of adaptive capacity to specific environmental changes, but will also be contingent on the frequency and occurrence of years where environmental conditions support reproduction and settlement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Reed
- School of Ocean and Earth ScienceNational Oceanography Centre SouthamptonUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Jasmin A. Godbold
- School of Ocean and Earth ScienceNational Oceanography Centre SouthamptonUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Martin Solan
- School of Ocean and Earth ScienceNational Oceanography Centre SouthamptonUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
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15
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Millennial scale persistence of organic carbon bound to iron in Arctic marine sediments. Nat Commun 2021; 12:275. [PMID: 33436568 PMCID: PMC7804933 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20550-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Burial of organic material in marine sediments represents a dominant natural mechanism of long-term carbon sequestration globally, but critical aspects of this carbon sink remain unresolved. Investigation of surface sediments led to the proposition that on average 10-20% of sedimentary organic carbon is stabilised and physically protected against microbial degradation through binding to reactive metal (e.g. iron and manganese) oxides. Here we examine the long-term efficiency of this rusty carbon sink by analysing the chemical composition of sediments and pore waters from four locations in the Barents Sea. Our findings show that the carbon-iron coupling persists below the uppermost, oxygenated sediment layer over thousands of years. We further propose that authigenic coprecipitation is not the dominant factor of the carbon-iron bounding in these Arctic shelf sediments and that a substantial fraction of the organic carbon is already bound to reactive iron prior deposition on the seafloor.
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16
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Yurkowski DJ, Brown TA, Blanchfield PJ, Ferguson SH. Atlantic walrus signal latitudinal differences in the long-term decline of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna in the Canadian Arctic. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202126. [PMID: 33290685 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2126rspb20202126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is altering the biogeochemical and physical characteristics of the Arctic marine environment, which impacts sea ice algal and phytoplankton bloom dynamics and the vertical transport of these carbon sources to benthic communities. Little is known about whether the contribution of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna and nitrogen cycling has changed over multiple decades in concert with receding sea ice. We combined compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids with highly branched isoprenoid diatom lipid biomarkers using archived (1982-2016) tissue of benthivorous Atlantic walrus to examine temporal trends of sea ice-derived carbon, nitrogen isotope baseline and trophic position of Atlantic walrus at high- and mid-latitudes in the Canadian Arctic. Associated with an 18% sea ice decline in the mid-Arctic, sea ice-derived carbon contribution to Atlantic walrus decreased by 75% suggesting a strong decoupling of sea ice-benthic habitats. By contrast, a nearly exclusive amount of sea ice-derived carbon was maintained in high-Arctic Atlantic walrus (98% in 1996 and 89% in 2006) despite a similar percentage in sea ice reduction. Nitrogen isotope baseline or the trophic position of Atlantic walrus did not change over time at either location. These findings indicate latitudinal differences in the restructuring of carbon energy sources used by Atlantic walrus and their benthic prey, and in turn a change in Arctic marine ecosystem functioning between sea ice-pelagic-benthic habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas A Brown
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban PA37 1QA, UK
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17
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Yurkowski DJ, Brown TA, Blanchfield PJ, Ferguson SH. Atlantic walrus signal latitudinal differences in the long-term decline of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna in the Canadian Arctic. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202126. [PMID: 33290685 PMCID: PMC7739943 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is altering the biogeochemical and physical characteristics of the Arctic marine environment, which impacts sea ice algal and phytoplankton bloom dynamics and the vertical transport of these carbon sources to benthic communities. Little is known about whether the contribution of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna and nitrogen cycling has changed over multiple decades in concert with receding sea ice. We combined compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids with highly branched isoprenoid diatom lipid biomarkers using archived (1982-2016) tissue of benthivorous Atlantic walrus to examine temporal trends of sea ice-derived carbon, nitrogen isotope baseline and trophic position of Atlantic walrus at high- and mid-latitudes in the Canadian Arctic. Associated with an 18% sea ice decline in the mid-Arctic, sea ice-derived carbon contribution to Atlantic walrus decreased by 75% suggesting a strong decoupling of sea ice-benthic habitats. By contrast, a nearly exclusive amount of sea ice-derived carbon was maintained in high-Arctic Atlantic walrus (98% in 1996 and 89% in 2006) despite a similar percentage in sea ice reduction. Nitrogen isotope baseline or the trophic position of Atlantic walrus did not change over time at either location. These findings indicate latitudinal differences in the restructuring of carbon energy sources used by Atlantic walrus and their benthic prey, and in turn a change in Arctic marine ecosystem functioning between sea ice-pelagic-benthic habitats.
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18
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Park H, Watanabe E, Kim Y, Polyakov I, Oshima K, Zhang X, Kimball JS, Yang D. Increasing riverine heat influx triggers Arctic sea ice decline and oceanic and atmospheric warming. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/45/eabc4699. [PMID: 33158866 PMCID: PMC7673719 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc4699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Arctic river discharge increased over the last several decades, conveying heat and freshwater into the Arctic Ocean and likely affecting regional sea ice and the ocean heat budget. However, until now, there have been only limited assessments of riverine heat impacts. Here, we adopted a synthesis of a pan-Arctic sea ice-ocean model and a land surface model to quantify impacts of river heat on the Arctic sea ice and ocean heat budget. We show that river heat contributed up to 10% of the regional sea ice reduction over the Arctic shelves from 1980 to 2015. Particularly notable, this effect occurs as earlier sea ice breakup in late spring and early summer. The increasing ice-free area in the shelf seas results in a warmer ocean in summer, enhancing ocean-atmosphere energy exchange and atmospheric warming. Our findings suggest that a positive river heat-sea ice feedback nearly doubles the river heat effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hotaek Park
- Institute of Arctic Climate and Environmental Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan.
- Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Eiji Watanabe
- Institute of Arctic Climate and Environmental Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Youngwook Kim
- Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group, WA Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Science United Arab Emirates University P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Igor Polyakov
- International Arctic Research Center and College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 930 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Erik Palménin aukio 1, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kazuhiro Oshima
- Faculty of Software and Information Technology, Aomori University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Xiangdong Zhang
- International Arctic Research Center and Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - John S Kimball
- Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group, WA Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Daqing Yang
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria, Canada
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19
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Faust JC, Stevenson MA, Abbott GD, Knies J, Tessin A, Mannion I, Ford A, Hilton R, Peakall J, März C. Does Arctic warming reduce preservation of organic matter in Barents Sea sediments? PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2020; 378:20190364. [PMID: 32862811 PMCID: PMC7481662 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2019.0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, the Barents Sea experienced substantial warming, an expansion of relatively warm Atlantic water and a reduction in sea ice cover. This environmental change forces the entire Barents Sea ecosystem to adapt and restructure and therefore changes in pelagic-benthic coupling, organic matter sedimentation and long-term carbon sequestration are expected. Here we combine new and existing organic and inorganic geochemical surface sediment data from the western Barents Sea and show a clear link between the modern ecosystem structure, sea ice cover and the organic carbon and CaCO3 contents in Barents Sea surface sediments. Furthermore, we discuss the sources of total and reactive iron phases and evaluate the spatial distribution of organic carbon bound to reactive iron. Consistent with a recent global estimate we find that on average 21.0 ± 8.3 per cent of the total organic carbon is associated to reactive iron (fOC-FeR) in Barents Sea surface sediments. The spatial distribution of fOC-FeR, however, seems to be unrelated to sea ice cover, Atlantic water inflow or proximity to land. Future Arctic warming might, therefore, neither increase nor decrease the burial rates of iron-associated organic carbon. However, our results also imply that ongoing sea ice reduction and the associated alteration of vertical carbon fluxes might cause accompanied shifts in the Barents Sea surface sedimentary organic carbon content, which might result in overall reduced carbon sequestration in the future. This article is part of the theme issue 'The changing Arctic Ocean: consequences for biological communities, biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functioning'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan C. Faust
- School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- e-mail:
| | - Mark A. Stevenson
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Geoffrey D. Abbott
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Jochen Knies
- Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, Norway
- CAGE – Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, Department of Geology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Allyson Tessin
- Department of Geology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Isobel Mannion
- School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Ailbe Ford
- School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Robert Hilton
- Department of Geography, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Jeffrey Peakall
- School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Christian März
- School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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20
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Morata N, Michaud E, Poullaouec MA, Devesa J, Le Goff M, Corvaisier R, Renaud PE. Climate change and diminishing seasonality in Arctic benthic processes. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2020; 378:20190369. [PMID: 32862805 PMCID: PMC7481667 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2019.0369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The iconic picture of Arctic marine ecosystems shows an intense pulse of biological productivity around the spring bloom that is sustained while fresh organic matter (OM) is available, after which ecosystem activity declines to basal levels in autumn and winter. We investigated seasonality in benthic biogeochemical cycling at three stations in a high Arctic fjord that has recently lost much of its seasonal ice-cover. Unlike observations from other Arctic locations, we find little seasonality in sediment community respiration and bioturbation rates, although different sediment reworking modes varied through the year. Nutrient fluxes did vary, suggesting that, although OM was processed at similar rates, seasonality in its quality led to spring/summer peaks in inorganic nitrogen and silicate fluxes. These patterns correspond to published information on seasonality in vertical flux at the stations. Largely ice-free Kongsfjorden has a considerable detrital pool in soft sediments which sustain benthic communities over the year. Sources of this include macroalgae and terrestrial runoff. Climate change leading to less ice cover, higher light availability and expanded benthic habitat may lead to more detrital carbon in the system, dampening the quantitative importance of seasonal pulses of phytodetritus to seafloor communities in some areas of the Arctic. This article is part of the theme issue 'The changing Arctic Ocean: consequences for biological communities, biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functioning'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Morata
- CNRS, Univ Brest, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, 29280 Plouzane, France
- Akvaplan-niva AS, Fram Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Emma Michaud
- CNRS, Univ Brest, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, 29280 Plouzane, France
- e-mail:
| | | | - Jérémy Devesa
- CNRS, Univ Brest, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, 29280 Plouzane, France
| | - Manon Le Goff
- CNRS, Univ Brest, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, 29280 Plouzane, France
| | | | - Paul E. Renaud
- Akvaplan-niva AS, Fram Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
- University Centre in Svalbard, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
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21
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Iglikowska A, Humphreys-Williams E, Przytarska J, Chełchowski M, Kukliński P. Minor and trace elements in skeletons of Arctic echinoderms. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 158:111377. [PMID: 32753172 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We report the ratios of minor (K/Ca, Na/Ca, P/Ca, S/Ca) and trace elements (Al/Ca, Ba/Ca, Fe/Ca, Mn/Ca and Zn/Ca) in skeletons of five Arctic echinoderm species representing three classes: Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Crinoidea. We found that skeletons of Arctic echinoderms show a unique, species-specific trace element composition that may suggest that incorporation of elements into the skeleton is biologically controlled by the organism. On the other hand, the concentration of some minor elements in skeletal parts exhibit patterns that are consistent with elemental concentrations in seawater, indicating that formation of echinoderm skeletons is environmentally controlled. Seawater is the main source of ions and compounds needed for skeletal formation and maintaining similar concentrations most likely reduces the biological cost related to selective uptake of ions. Additionally, Al, Ba, Fe, Mg and Mn showed station specific variation in elemental concentration which again suggests that accumulation of metals can be shaped by environmental concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Iglikowska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Biology, Department of Genetics and Biosystematics, Laboratory of Biosystematics and Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - E Humphreys-Williams
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - J Przytarska
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
| | - M Chełchowski
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
| | - P Kukliński
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
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22
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Hartill ÉC, Waller RG, Auster PJ. Deep coral habitats of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236945. [PMID: 32750086 PMCID: PMC7402505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in Southeast Alaska is a system of glaciated fjords with a unique and recent history of deglaciation. As such, it can serve as a natural laboratory for studying patterns of distribution in marine communities with proximity to glacial influence. In order to examine the changes in fjord-based coral communities, underwater photo-quadrats were collected during multipurpose dives with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in March of 2016. Ten sites were chosen to represent the geochronological and oceanographic gradients present in GBNPP. Each site was surveyed vertically between 100 and 420 meters depth and photo-quadrats were extracted from the video strip transects for analysis. The ROV was equipped with onboard CTD which recorded environmental data (temperature and salinity), in order to confirm the uniformity of these characteristics at depth across the fjords. The percent cover and diversity of species were lowest near the glaciated heads of the fjords and highest in the Central Channel and at the mouths of the fjords. Diversity is highest where characteristics such as low sedimentation and increased tidal currents are predominant. The diverse communities at the mouths of the fjords and in the Central Channel were dominated by large colonies of the Red Tree Coral, Primnoa pacifica, as well as sponges, brachiopods, multiple species of cnidarians, echinoderms, molluscs and arthropods. The communities at the heads of the fjords were heavily dominated by pioneering species such as brachiopoda, hydrozoan turf, the encrusting stoloniferan coral Sarcodyction incrustans, and smaller colonies of P. pacifica. This research documents a gradient of species dominance from the Central Channel to the heads of the glaciated fjords, which is hypothesized to be driven by a combination of physical and biological factors such as glacial sedimentation, nutrient availability, larval dispersal, and competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élise C. Hartill
- Darling Marine Center, School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Walpole, Maine United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Rhian G. Waller
- Darling Marine Center, School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Walpole, Maine United States of America
- Sven Lovén Centre, Tjärnö, University of Gothenburg, Strömstad, Sweden
| | - Peter J. Auster
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut, United States of America
- Mystic Aquarium–Sea Research Foundation, Mystic, Connecticut, United States of America
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23
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Ferrero L, Servetto N, Laudien J, Sahade R. Reproductive biology of the ascidians Styela rustica and Halocynthia pyriformis from Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Arctic. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02570-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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24
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Grzelak K, Sørensen MV. Diversity and community structure of kinorhynchs around Svalbard: First insights into spatial patterns and environmental drivers. ZOOL ANZ 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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25
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Rowe AG, Iken K, Blanchard AL, O'Brien DM, Døving Osvik R, Uradnikova M, Wooller MJ. Sources of primary production to Arctic bivalves identified using amino acid stable carbon isotope fingerprinting . ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 2019; 55:366-384. [PMID: 31185743 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2019.1620742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Benthic invertebrates are a crucial trophic link in Arctic marine food webs. However, estimates of the contribution of different primary production sources sustaining these organisms are not well characterised. We measured the stable carbon isotope values (δ13C) of essential amino acids (EAAs) in muscle tissue from two common bivalve genera (Macoma spp. and Astarte spp.) collected in Hanna Shoal in the northeastern Chukchi Sea. Mixing models comparing the δ13CEAA fingerprints of the bivalves to a suite of primary production endmembers revealed relatively high contributions of EAAs from phytoplankton and bacteria in both species. We also examined whether δ13CEAA fingerprints could be produced from the EAAs preserved in bivalve shells, which could allow primary production sources to be estimated from ancient bivalve shells. The δ13CEAA fingerprints from a suite of paired modern bivalve shells and muscle from Macoma calcarea from across the Chukchi Sea revealed a correspondence between the estimates of the dominant primary production source of EAAs derived from analyses of these two tissue types. Our findings indicate that δ13CEAA fingerprinting of marine bivalves can be used to examine dominant organic matter sources in the Arctic marine benthos in recent years as well as in deeper time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey G Rowe
- a Department of Marine Biology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska , USA
- b Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska , USA
| | - Katrin Iken
- a Department of Marine Biology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska , USA
| | - Arny L Blanchard
- a Department of Marine Biology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska , USA
| | - Diane M O'Brien
- c Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska , USA
| | - Renate Døving Osvik
- d The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT Norway's Arctic University , Tromsø , Norway
| | - Martina Uradnikova
- d The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT Norway's Arctic University , Tromsø , Norway
| | - Matthew J Wooller
- a Department of Marine Biology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska , USA
- b Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska , USA
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Pratte I, Braune BM, Hobson KA, Mallory ML. Variable sea-ice conditions influence trophic dynamics in an Arctic community of marine top predators. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:7639-7651. [PMID: 31346428 PMCID: PMC6635931 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea-ice coverage is a key abiotic driver of annual environmental conditions in Arctic marine ecosystems and could be a major factor affecting seabird trophic dynamics. Using stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in eggs of thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia), northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus), and black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), we investigated the trophic ecology of prebreeding seabirds nesting at Prince Leopold Island, Nunavut, and its relationship with sea-ice conditions. The seabird community of Prince Leopold Island had a broader isotopic niche during lower sea-ice conditions, thus having a more divergent diet, while the opposite was observed during years with more extensive sea-ice conditions. Species' trophic position was influenced by sea ice; in years of lower sea-ice concentration, gulls and kittiwakes foraged at higher trophic levels while the opposite was observed for murres and fulmars. For murres and fulmars over a longer time series, there was no evidence of the effect of sea-ice concentration on species' isotopic niche. Results suggest a high degree of adaptation in populations of high Arctic species that cope with harsh and unpredictable conditions. Such different responses of the community isotopic niche also show that the effect of variable sea-ice conditions, despite being subtle at the species level, might have larger implications when considering the trophic ecology of the larger seabird community. Species-specific responses in foraging patterns, in particular trophic position in relation to sea ice, are critical to understanding effects of ecosystem change predicted for a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Birgit M. Braune
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research CentreCarleton UniversityOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Department of BiologyUniversity of Western OntarioLondonUK
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Azovsky AI, Kokarev VN. Stable but fragile: long-term dynamics of arctic benthic macrofauna in Baydaratskaya Bay (the Kara Sea). Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02519-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Mikhaylova TA, Aristov DA, Naumov AD, Malavenda SS, Savchenko ON, Bijagov KL. Diversity and structure of epibenthic communities of the red algae zone in the White Sea. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02488-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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29
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Spatial variability of macrobenthic production in the Bering Sea. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-018-2414-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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30
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Hamilton CD, Kovacs KM, Lydersen C. Individual variability in diving, movement and activity patterns of adult bearded seals in Svalbard, Norway. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16988. [PMID: 30451906 PMCID: PMC6242851 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35306-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Bearded seals are one of the least studied Arctic marine mammals, despite their circumpolar distribution and importance as a resource to Inuit communities. In this study, adult bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) were equipped with GPS-Argos-CTD-SRDLs in Svalbard, Norway (2011-2012, n = 7) to document their diving, activity and movement patterns in a region where their habitat is changing rapidly. Five seals transmitted for > 8 months, sending 21,738 GPS-positions and 17,866 dives between July and April. The seals spent little time hauled out (≤ 5%). Diving, which occupied 74 ± 3% of their time, was generally shallow (24 ± 7 m, max: 391 m) and of short duration (6.6 ± 1.5 min, max: 24 min) with deeper, longer dives in winter/spring compared to summer. All seals occupied shallow, coastal areas and relatively small 50% home ranges (10-32 km2). However, individuals exhibited high degrees of specialization in their habitat use and diving behaviour, differing markedly with respect to proportions of benthic vs pelagic dives (range: 51-95% benthic dives), distance to glacier fronts (range: 3-22 km) and in the time spent at the bottom of dives (range: 43-77%). Having specialized strategies within a generalist population may help bearded seals adapt in a rapidly changing Arctic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
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31
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Xu Z, Zhang G, Sun S. Inter-annual variation of the summer zooplankton community in the Chukchi Sea: spatial heterogeneity during a decade of rapid ice decline. Polar Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-018-2324-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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32
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Zeng YX, Yu Y, Li HR, Luo W. Prokaryotic Community Composition in Arctic Kongsfjorden and Sub-Arctic Northern Bering Sea Sediments As Revealed by 454 Pyrosequencing. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2498. [PMID: 29312204 PMCID: PMC5732994 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fjords and continental shelves represent distinct marine ecosystems in the pan-arctic region. Kongsfjorden is a glacial fjord that is located on the west coast of Svalbard, and is influenced by both Atlantic and Arctic water masses. The Bering Sea consists of a huge continental shelf in the northeast and a deep ocean basin in the southwest, and is influenced by Pacific water. Microbial community compositions of Arctic sediment samples BJ4 from outer basin and BJ36 from inner basin of Kongsfjorden and sub-Arctic samples NEC5 from shallow shelf and DBS1 from deep basin region of the northern Bering Sea were investigated using 454 pyrosequencing of archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Most archaeal sequences in the sediments were related to Thaumarchaeota, though Euryarchaeota were more abundant in the Arctic glacier-influencing inner basin sediment BJ36. Thaumarchaeota Group C3 was the dominant archaeal population in all samples. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes dominated the sediment bacterial communities. Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria were also dominant in the northern Bering Sea samples. Alphaproteobacteria and Epsilonproteobacteria were the two main classes in Kongsfjorden sediment bacterial communities while Deltaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were dominant in the northern Bering Sea sediments. Differences in the presence and abundance of other dominant archaeal and bacterial populations were observed among sediment samples. In contrast to archaeal community differences that the Arctic BJ36 archaeal community was distinct from the sub-Arctic sediments and the Arctic outer basin sediment BJ4, cluster analysis based on bacterial OTU (operational taxonomic unit) distributions indicated that the Arctic and sub-Arctic bacterial communities segregated from one another. These results suggest that the sediment archaeal and bacterial community compositions can be driven by different environmental factors. Differences in the presence and abundance of particular archaeal species (e.g., Candidatus Nitrosopumilus and Methanococcoides) or bacterial species (e.g., Sulfurimonas, Sulfurovum, and Desulfobulbaceae) involved in biogeochemical cycles were also observed among sediment samples. At the same time, despite the community variation, some phylotypes (e.g., Marinicella) were dominant in all sediments. This study indicates diverse microbial communities inhabiting pan-arctic marine sediments, and highlights potential roles for Archaea and Bacteria in global biogeochemical cycles in these environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Xin Zeng
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science of State Oceanic Administration, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Yu
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science of State Oceanic Administration, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui-Rong Li
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science of State Oceanic Administration, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science of State Oceanic Administration, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, China
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Pawłowska J, Łącka M, Kucharska M, Szymańska N, Koziorowska K, Kuliński K, Zajączkowski M. Benthic foraminifera contribution to fjord modern carbon pools: A seasonal study in Adventfjorden, Spitsbergen. GEOBIOLOGY 2017; 15:704-714. [PMID: 28603946 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the amount of organic and inorganic carbon in foraminifera specimens and to provide quantitative data on the contribution of foraminifera to the sedimentary carbon pool in Adventfjorden. The investigation was based on three calcareous species that occur commonly in Svalbard fjords: Cassidulina reniforme, Elphidium excavatum and Nonionellina labradorica. Our results show that the species investigated did not contribute substantially to the organic carbon pool in Adventfjorden, because they represented only 0.37% of the organic carbon in the sediment. However, foraminiferal biomass could have been underestimated as it did not include arenaceous or monothalamous taxa. Foraminiferal carbonate constituted up to 38% of the inorganic carbon in the sediment, which supports the assumption that in fjords where non-calcifying organisms dominate the benthic fauna foraminifera are among the major producers of calcium carbonate and that they play crucial roles in the carbon burial process. The results presented in this study contribute to estimations of changes in foraminiferal carbon levels in contemporary environments and could be an important reference for palaeoceanographic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Pawłowska
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - M Łącka
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - M Kucharska
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - N Szymańska
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - K Koziorowska
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - K Kuliński
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - M Zajączkowski
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
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Mäkelä A, Witte U, Archambault P. Benthic macroinfaunal community structure, resource utilisation and trophic relationships in two Canadian Arctic Archipelago polynyas. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183034. [PMID: 28850574 PMCID: PMC5574606 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change driven alterations to patterns of Arctic marine primary production, with increasing phytoplankton- and decreasing ice algal production, have the potential to change the resource utilisation and trophic structure of the benthic communities relying on the algae for food. To predict the benthic responses to dietary changes, we studied the macroinfaunal community compositions, and used the faunal δ13C and δ15N signatures to investigate their main food sources and trophic positions in North Water (NOW) and Lancaster Sound (LS) polynyas in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Macroinfaunal density (10 952 ind. m-2) and biomass (3190 mg C m-2) recorded in NOW were higher than previously found in the Arctic at depths >500m, and significantly higher than in LS (8355 ind. m-2 and 2110 mg C m-2). This was attributed to higher particulate organic matter fluxes to seafloor in NOW. Polychaetes were significant taxa at both sites in terms of density and biomass, and in addition crustacean density in NOW and bivalve density in LS were high. Facultative filter and surface deposit feeders were highly prevalent at both sites, suggesting feeding plasticity is a successful strategy for accessing different food sources. The macrofaunal δ13C signatures reflected the signatures of pelagic particulate organic matter at the sites, and an isotope mixing model confirmed phytoplankton as the main food source for most taxa and feeding guilds. The food web length in LS was longer than in NOW (3.2 vs. 2.8 trophic levels). This was attributed to a larger reliance on reworked organic matter by the benthic community in LS, whereas the high export fluxes at the highly productive NOW resulted in higher rates of selective consumption of fresh algal matter. Despite studies suggesting that loss of ice algae from consumer diets in the Arctic might have a negative impact on the benthos, this study suggests that Arctic macrobenthic communities thrive using phytoplankton as their main food source and should thus be able to cope or even benefit from predicted changes to patterns of primary production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Mäkelä
- Oceanlab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Ursula Witte
- Oceanlab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
| | - Philippe Archambault
- Institut des Sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
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35
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Descamps S, Aars J, Fuglei E, Kovacs KM, Lydersen C, Pavlova O, Pedersen ÅØ, Ravolainen V, Strøm H. Climate change impacts on wildlife in a High Arctic archipelago - Svalbard, Norway. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:490-502. [PMID: 27250039 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is warming more rapidly than other region on the planet, and the northern Barents Sea, including the Svalbard Archipelago, is experiencing the fastest temperature increases within the circumpolar Arctic, along with the highest rate of sea ice loss. These physical changes are affecting a broad array of resident Arctic organisms as well as some migrants that occupy the region seasonally. Herein, evidence of climate change impacts on terrestrial and marine wildlife in Svalbard is reviewed, with a focus on bird and mammal species. In the terrestrial ecosystem, increased winter air temperatures and concomitant increases in the frequency of 'rain-on-snow' events are one of the most important facets of climate change with respect to impacts on flora and fauna. Winter rain creates ice that blocks access to food for herbivores and synchronizes the population dynamics of the herbivore-predator guild. In the marine ecosystem, increases in sea temperature and reductions in sea ice are influencing the entire food web. These changes are affecting the foraging and breeding ecology of most marine birds and mammals and are associated with an increase in abundance of several temperate fish, seabird and marine mammal species. Our review indicates that even though a few species are benefiting from a warming climate, most Arctic endemic species in Svalbard are experiencing negative consequences induced by the warming environment. Our review emphasizes the tight relationships between the marine and terrestrial ecosystems in this High Arctic archipelago. Detecting changes in trophic relationships within and between these ecosystems requires long-term (multidecadal) demographic, population- and ecosystem-based monitoring, the results of which are necessary to set appropriate conservation priorities in relation to climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon Aars
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | - Eva Fuglei
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | | | - Olga Pavlova
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | | | | | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
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36
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Tran D, Sow M, Camus L, Ciret P, Berge J, Massabuau JC. In the darkness of the polar night, scallops keep on a steady rhythm. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32435. [PMID: 27577847 PMCID: PMC5006026 DOI: 10.1038/srep32435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the prevailing paradigm has held that the polar night is a period of biological quiescence, recent studies have detected noticeable activity levels in marine organisms. In this study, we investigated the circadian rhythm of the scallop Chlamys islandica by continuously recording the animal's behaviour over 3 years in the Arctic (Svalbard). Our results showed that a circadian rhythm persists throughout the polar night and lasts for at least 4 months. Based on observations across three polar nights, we showed that the robustness and synchronicity of the rhythm depends on the angle of the sun below the horizon. The weakest rhythm occurred at the onset of the polar night during the nautical twilight. Surprisingly, the circadian behaviour began to recover during the darkest part of the polar night. Because active rhythms optimize the fitness of an organism, our study brings out that the scallops C. islandica remain active even during the polar night.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Tran
- CNRS, UMR 5805 EPOC. Place du Dr. Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France
- Bordeaux University, UMR EPOC 5805 Place du Dr. Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France
| | - Mohamedou Sow
- Bordeaux University, UMR EPOC 5805 Place du Dr. Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France
| | - Lionel Camus
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram center for Climate and the Environment, 9296 Tromso, Norway
- University Centre in Svalbard, Pb 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Pierre Ciret
- CNRS, UMR 5805 EPOC. Place du Dr. Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France
- Bordeaux University, UMR EPOC 5805 Place du Dr. Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France
| | - Jorgen Berge
- University Centre in Svalbard, Pb 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jean-Charles Massabuau
- CNRS, UMR 5805 EPOC. Place du Dr. Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France
- Bordeaux University, UMR EPOC 5805 Place du Dr. Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France
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Abstract
Cold-water conditions have excluded durophagous (skeleton-breaking) predators from the Antarctic seafloor for millions of years. Rapidly warming seas off the western Antarctic Peninsula could now facilitate their return to the continental shelf, with profound consequences for the endemic fauna. Among the likely first arrivals are king crabs (Lithodidae), which were discovered recently on the adjacent continental slope. During the austral summer of 2010 ‒ 2011, we used underwater imagery to survey a slope-dwelling population of the lithodid Paralomis birsteini off Marguerite Bay, western Antarctic Peninsula for environmental or trophic impediments to shoreward expansion. The population density averaged ∼ 4.5 individuals × 1,000 m(-2) within a depth range of 1,100 ‒ 1,500 m (overall observed depth range 841-2,266 m). Images of juveniles, discarded molts, and precopulatory behavior, as well as gravid females in a trapping study, suggested a reproductively viable population on the slope. At the time of the survey, there was no thermal barrier to prevent the lithodids from expanding upward and emerging on the outer shelf (400- to 550-m depth); however, near-surface temperatures remained too cold for them to survive in inner-shelf and coastal environments (<200 m). Ambient salinity, composition of the substrate, and the depth distribution of potential predators likewise indicated no barriers to expansion of lithodids onto the outer shelf. Primary food resources for lithodids--echinoderms and mollusks--were abundant on the upper slope (550-800 m) and outer shelf. As sea temperatures continue to rise, lithodids will likely play an increasingly important role in the trophic structure of subtidal communities closer to shore.
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Ravelo AM, Konar B, Bluhm BA. Spatial variability of epibenthic communities on the Alaska Beaufort Shelf. Polar Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1741-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ronowicz M, Kukliński P, Mapstone GM. Trends in the diversity, distribution and life history strategy of Arctic Hydrozoa (Cnidaria). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120204. [PMID: 25793294 PMCID: PMC4368823 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This is the first attempt to compile a comprehensive and updated species list for Hydrozoa in the Arctic, encompassing both hydroid and medusa stages and including Siphonophorae. We address the hypothesis that the presence of a pelagic stage (holo- or meroplanktonic) was not necessary to successfully recolonize the Arctic by Hydrozoa after the Last Glacial Maximum. Presence-absence data of Hydrozoa in the Arctic were prepared on the basis of historical and present-day literature. The Arctic was divided into ecoregions. Species were grouped into distributional categories according to their worldwide occurrences. Each species was classified according to life history strategy. The similarity of species composition among regions was calculated with the Bray-Curtis index. Average and variation in taxonomic distinctness were used to measure diversity at the taxonomic level. A total of 268 species were recorded. Arctic-boreal species were the most common and dominated each studied region. Nineteen percent of species were restricted to the Arctic. There was a predominance of benthic species over holo- and meroplanktonic species. Arctic, Arctic-Boreal and Boreal species were mostly benthic, while widely distributed species more frequently possessed a pelagic stage. Our results support hypothesis that the presence of a pelagic stage (holo- or meroplanktonic) was not necessary to successfully recolonize the Arctic. The predominance of benthic Hydrozoa suggests that the Arctic could have been colonised after the Last Glacial Maximum by hydroids rafting on floating substrata or recolonising from glacial refugia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Ronowicz
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Piotr Kukliński
- Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland; Life Science Department, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
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Sswat M, Gulliksen B, Menn I, Sweetman AK, Piepenburg D. Distribution and composition of the epibenthic megafauna north of Svalbard (Arctic). Polar Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1645-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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41
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Lønne OJ, Falk-Petersen S, Berge J. Introduction to the special issue on polar night studies conducted onboard RV Helmer Hanssen in the Svalbard area. Polar Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-014-1616-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Roy V, Iken K, Archambault P. Environmental drivers of the Canadian Arctic megabenthic communities. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100900. [PMID: 25019385 PMCID: PMC4096404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2013] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental gradients and their influence on benthic community structure vary over different spatial scales; yet, few studies in the Arctic have attempted to study the influence of environmental gradients of differing spatial scales on megabenthic communities across continental-scales. The current project studied for the first time how megabenthic community structure is related to several environmental factors over 2000 km of the Canadian Arctic, from the Beaufort Sea to northern Baffin Bay. Faunal trawl samples were collected between 2007 and 2011 at 78 stations from 30 to 1000 m depth and patterns in biomass, density, richness, diversity, and taxonomic composition were examined in relation to indirect/spatial gradients (e.g., depth), direct gradients (e.g., bottom oceanographic variables), and resource gradients (e.g., food supply proxies). Six benthic community types were defined based on their biomass-based taxonomic composition. Their distribution was significantly, but moderately, associated with large-scale (100–1000 km) environmental gradients defined by depth, physical water properties (e.g., bottom salinity), and meso-scale (10–100 km) environmental gradients defined by substrate type (hard vs. soft) and sediment organic carbon content. We did not observe a strong decline of bulk biomass, density and richness with depth or a strong increase of those community characteristics with food supply proxies, contrary to our hypothesis. We discuss how local- to meso-scale environmental conditions, such as bottom current regimes and polynyas, sustain biomass-rich communities at specific locations in oligotrophic and in deep regions of the Canadian Arctic. This study demonstrates the value of considering the scales of variability of environmental gradients when interpreting their relevance in structuring of communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Roy
- Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Katrin Iken
- School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Philippe Archambault
- Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
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Diversity, abundance and community structure of benthic macro- and megafauna on the Beaufort shelf and slope. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101556. [PMID: 25007347 PMCID: PMC4090152 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Diversity and community patterns of macro- and megafauna were compared on the Canadian Beaufort shelf and slope. Faunal sampling collected 247 taxa from 48 stations with box core and trawl gear over the summers of 2009–2011 between 50 and 1,000 m in depth. Of the 80 macrofaunal and 167 megafaunal taxa, 23% were uniques, present at only one station. Rare taxa were found to increase proportional to total taxa richness and differ between the shelf ( 100 m) where they tended to be sparse and the slope where they were relatively abundant. The macrofauna principally comprised polychaetes with nephtyid polychaetes dominant on the shelf and maldanid polychaetes (up to 92% in relative abundance/station) dominant on the slope. The megafauna principally comprised echinoderms with Ophiocten sp. (up to 90% in relative abundance/station) dominant on the shelf and Ophiopleura sp. dominant on the slope. Macro- and megafauna had divergent patterns of abundance, taxa richness ( diversity) and diversity. A greater degree of macrofaunal than megafaunal variation in abundance, richness and diversity was explained by confounding factors: location (east-west), sampling year and the timing of sampling with respect to sea-ice conditions. Change in megafaunal abundance, richness and diversity was greatest across the depth gradient, with total abundance and richness elevated on the shelf compared to the slope. We conclude that megafaunal slope taxa were differentiated from shelf taxa, as faunal replacement not nestedness appears to be the main driver of megafaunal diversity across the depth gradient.
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Whitehouse GA, Aydin K, Essington TE, Hunt GL. A trophic mass balance model of the eastern Chukchi Sea with comparisons to other high-latitude systems. Polar Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-014-1490-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Graham C, Oxtoby L, Wang SW, Budge SM, Wooller MJ. Sourcing fatty acids to juvenile polar cod (Boreogadus saida) in the Beaufort Sea using compound-specific stable carbon isotope analyses. Polar Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-014-1470-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Effects of hunting, fishing and climate change on the Hudson Bay marine ecosystem: I. Re-creating past changes 1970–2009. Ecol Modell 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Effects of hunting, fishing and climate change on the Hudson Bay marine ecosystem: II. Ecosystem model future projections. Ecol Modell 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Canion A, Prakash O, Green SJ, Jahnke L, Kuypers MMM, Kostka JE. Isolation and physiological characterization of psychrophilic denitrifying bacteria from permanently cold Arctic fjord sediments (Svalbard, Norway). Environ Microbiol 2013; 15:1606-18. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2012] [Revised: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andy Canion
- Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Science Department; Florida State University; Tallahassee; FL; USA
| | - Om Prakash
- Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Science Department; Florida State University; Tallahassee; FL; USA
| | | | - Linda Jahnke
- NASA Astrobiology Institute; Ames Research Center; Moffett Field; CA; USA
| | | | - Joel E. Kostka
- School of Biology; Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta; GA; USA
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Terrado R, Scarcella K, Thaler M, Vincent WF, Lovejoy C. Small phytoplankton in Arctic seas: vulnerability to climate change. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2012.704839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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