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de la Vega C, Kershaw J, Stenson GB, Frie AK, Biuw M, Haug T, Norman L, Mahaffey C, Smout S, Jeffreys RM. Multi-decadal trends in biomarkers in harp seal teeth from the North Atlantic reveal the influence of prey availability on seal trophic position. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:5582-5595. [PMID: 37477068 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16889] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Arctic food webs are being impacted by borealisation and environmental change. To quantify the impact of these multiple forcings, it is crucial to accurately determine the temporal change in key ecosystem metrics, such as trophic position of top predators. Here, we measured stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15 N) in amino acids in harp seal teeth from across the North Atlantic spanning a period of 60 years to robustly assess multi-decadal trends in harp seal trophic position, accounting for changes in δ15 N at the base of the food web. We reveal long-term variations in trophic position of harp seals which are likely to reflect fluctuations in prey availability, specifically fish- or invertebrate-dominated diets. We show that the temporal trends in harp seal trophic position differ between the Northwest Atlantic, Greenland Sea and Barents Sea, suggesting divergent changes in each local ecosystem. Our results provide invaluable data for population dynamic and ecotoxicology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille de la Vega
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Joanna Kershaw
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Garry B Stenson
- Science Branch, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | | | - Martin Biuw
- Institute of Marine Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Tore Haug
- Institute of Marine Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Louisa Norman
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Claire Mahaffey
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sophie Smout
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Rachel M Jeffreys
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Dvoretsky VG, Venger MP, Vashchenko AV, Vodopianova VV, Pastukhov IA, Maksimovskaya TM. Marine Plankton during the Polar Night: Environmental Predictors of Spatial Variability. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:368. [PMID: 36979060 PMCID: PMC10044718 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
We studied the spatial patterns of the planktonic ecosystems at two Arctic sites strongly affected by Atlantic Inflow (FS, the Fram Strait; and BS, the Barents Sea). A high degree of similarity in the bacterial abundance (mean: 3.1 × 105 cells mL-1 in FS vs. 3.5 × 105 cells mL-1 in BS) was found, while other plankton characteristics were different. Bacterial biomass reached a maximum in BS (3.2-7.9 mg C m-3), while viral abundances tended to be higher in FS (2.0-5.7 × 106 particles mL-1). Larger bacterial cells were found in BS, suggesting the presence of different bacterial populations at both locations. The virus-to-bacteria ratio was significantly higher in FS than in BS (13.5 vs. 4.7). Chlorophyll a concentration was extremely low (<0.25 mg m-3). The highest zooplankton abundance was in the surface layer (919 individuals m-3 in FS vs. 602 ind. m-3 in BS). Zooplankton biomass strongly varied (1-39 mg C m-3), with the maximum in BS. High proportions of boreal taxa in the total zooplankton abundance indicate the Atlantification of pelagic ecosystems in the Arctic. Plankton indicators are correlated with temperature, salinity, and sampling depth. Strong intercorrelations were found between major plankton groups, suggesting tight links in the studied plankton ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir G. Dvoretsky
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MMBI RAS), 183010 Murmansk, Russia
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Sanders T, Fiencke C, Fuchs M, Haugk C, Juhls B, Mollenhauer G, Ogneva O, Overduin P, Palmtag J, Povazhniy V, Strauss J, Tuerena R, Zell N, Dähnke K. Seasonal nitrogen fluxes of the Lena River Delta. AMBIO 2022; 51:423-438. [PMID: 34914031 PMCID: PMC8692507 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01665-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is nutrient limited, particularly by nitrogen, and is impacted by anthropogenic global warming which occurs approximately twice as fast compared to the global average. Arctic warming intensifies thawing of permafrost-affected soils releasing their large organic nitrogen reservoir. This organic nitrogen reaches hydrological systems, is remineralized to reactive inorganic nitrogen, and is transported to the Arctic Ocean via large rivers. We estimate the load of nitrogen supplied from terrestrial sources into the Arctic Ocean by sampling in the Lena River and its Delta. We took water samples along one of the major deltaic channels in winter and summer in 2019 and sampling station in the central delta over a one-year cycle. Additionally, we investigate the potential release of reactive nitrogen, including nitrous oxide from soils in the Delta. We found that the Lena transported nitrogen as dissolved organic nitrogen to the coastal Arctic Ocean and that eroded soils are sources of reactive inorganic nitrogen such as ammonium and nitrate. The Lena and the Deltaic region apparently are considerable sources of nitrogen to nearshore coastal zone. The potential higher availability of inorganic nitrogen might be a source to enhance nitrous oxide emissions from terrestrial and aquatic sources to the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Sanders
- Institute for Carbon Cycles, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Claudia Fiencke
- Institute of Soil Science, Universität Hamburg, Allende-Platz 2, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Universität Hamburg, Allende-Platz 2, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Fuchs
- Permafrost Research Section, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Telegrafenberg A 45, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Charlotte Haugk
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bennet Juhls
- Permafrost Research Section, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Telegrafenberg A 45, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Gesine Mollenhauer
- Marine Geochemistry Section, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Olga Ogneva
- Marine Geochemistry Section, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Paul Overduin
- Permafrost Research Section, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Telegrafenberg A 45, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Juri Palmtag
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST UK
| | - Vasily Povazhniy
- Otto Schmidt Laboratory for Polar and Marine Research, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Beringa 38, Saint Petersburg, Russia 199397
| | - Jens Strauss
- Permafrost Research Section, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Telegrafenberg A 45, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Robyn Tuerena
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunstaffnage, Oban PA37 1QA UK
| | - Nadine Zell
- Institute of Soil Science, Universität Hamburg, Allende-Platz 2, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Universität Hamburg, Allende-Platz 2, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kirstin Dähnke
- Institute for Carbon Cycles, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany
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Thomas DN, Arévalo-Martínez DL, Crocket KC, Große F, Grosse J, Schulz K, Sühring R, Tessin A. A changing Arctic Ocean. AMBIO 2022; 51:293-297. [PMID: 34843100 PMCID: PMC8692628 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David N. Thomas
- University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, P.O. Box 65, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | - Fabian Große
- Department of Microbiology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | | | - Kirstin Schulz
- 201 E. 24th Street, Stop C0200, Austin, TX 78712-1229 USA
| | - Roxana Sühring
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3 Canada
| | - Allyson Tessin
- Department of Geology, Kent State University, 800 E Summit St, Kent, OH 44240 USA
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