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Luarte T, Hirmas-Olivares A, Höfer J, Giesecke R, Mestre M, Guajardo-Leiva S, Castro-Nallar E, Pérez-Parada A, Chiang G, Lohmann R, Dachs J, Nash SB, Pulgar J, Pozo K, Přibylová PP, Martiník J, Galbán-Malagón C. Occurrence and diffusive air-seawater exchanges of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Fildes Bay, King George Island, Antarctica. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168323. [PMID: 37949125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168323] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
We report the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in seawater and air, and the air-sea dynamics through diffusive exchange analysis in Fildes Bay, King George Island, Antarctica, between November 2019 and January 30, 2020. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was the most abundant compound in both air and seawater with concentrations around 39 ± 2.1 pg m-3 and 3.2 ± 2.4 pg L-1 respectively. The most abundant PCB congener was PCB 11, with a mean of 3.16 ± 3.7 pg m-3 in air and 2.0 ± 1.1 pg L-1 in seawater. The fugacity gradient estimated for the OCP compounds indicate a predominance of net atmospheric deposition for HCB, α-HCH, γ-HCH, 4,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDE and close to equilibrium for the PeCB compound. The observed deposition of some OCs may be driven by high biodegradation rates and/or settling fluxes decreasing the concentration of these compounds in surface waters, which is supported by the capacity of microbial consortium to degrade some of these compounds. The estimated fugacity gradients for PCBs showed differences between congeners, with net volatilization predominating for PCB-9, a trend close to equilibrium for PCB congeners 11, 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, and 153, and deposition for PCB 180. Snow amplification may play an important role for less hydrophobic PCBs, with volatilization predominating after snow/glacier melting. As hydrophobicity increases, the biological pump decreases the concentration of PCBs in seawater, reversing the fugacity gradient to atmospheric deposition. This study highlights the potential impacts of climate change, through glacier retreat, on the biogeochemistry of POPs, remobilizing those compounds previously trapped within the cryosphere which in turn will transform the Antarctic cryosphere into a secondary source of the more volatile POPs in coastal areas, influenced by snow and ice melting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Luarte
- Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Facultad Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile; GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago 8580745, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Institute of Environment, Florida International University, University Park, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Andrea Hirmas-Olivares
- GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago 8580745, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile
| | - Juan Höfer
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile; Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ricardo Giesecke
- Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Independencia 631, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Mireia Mestre
- Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS COASTAL, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Sergio Guajardo-Leiva
- Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile; Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile; Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
| | - Andrés Pérez-Parada
- Departamento de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República, Ruta 9 y Ruta 15, Rocha 27000, Uruguay
| | - Gustavo Chiang
- Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile; Centro de Investigación para Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rainer Lohmann
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - Jordi Dachs
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona, Catalunya 08034, Spain
| | - Susan Bengtson Nash
- Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - José Pulgar
- Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile
| | - Karla Pozo
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Lientur 1457, Concepción, Chile; Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra P Přibylová
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Martiník
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Cristóbal Galbán-Malagón
- GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago 8580745, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Institute of Environment, Florida International University, University Park, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
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2
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Meredith MP, Povl Abrahamsen E, Alexander Haumann F, Leng MJ, Arrowsmith C, Barham M, Firing YL, King BA, Brown P, Alexander Brearley J, Meijers AJS, Sallée JB, Akhoudas C, Tarling GA. Tracing the impacts of recent rapid sea ice changes and the A68 megaberg on the surface freshwater balance of the Weddell and Scotia Seas. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2023; 381:20220162. [PMID: 37150196 PMCID: PMC10164467 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2022.0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The Southern Ocean upper-layer freshwater balance exerts a global climatic influence by modulating density stratification and biological productivity, and hence the exchange of heat and carbon between the atmosphere and the ocean interior. It is thus important to understand and quantify the time-varying freshwater inputs, which is challenging from measurements of salinity alone. Here we use seawater oxygen isotopes from samples collected between 2016 and 2021 along a transect spanning the Scotia and northern Weddell Seas to separate the freshwater contributions from sea ice and meteoric sources. The unprecedented retreat of sea ice in 2016 is evidenced as a strong increase in sea ice melt across the northern Weddell Sea, with surface values increasing approximately two percentage points between 2016 and 2018 and column inventories increasing approximately 1 to 2 m. Surface meteoric water concentrations exceeded 4% in early 2021 close to South Georgia due to meltwater from the A68 megaberg; smaller icebergs may influence meteoric water at other times also. Both these inputs highlight the importance of a changing cryosphere for upper-ocean freshening; potential future sea ice retreats and increases in iceberg calving would enhance the impacts of these freshwater sources on the ocean and climate. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Heat and carbon uptake in the Southern Ocean: the state of the art and future priorities'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Meredith
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - E Povl Abrahamsen
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - F Alexander Haumann
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
- Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program, Princeton University, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Melanie J Leng
- National Environmental Isotope Facility, British Geological Survey, NG12 5GG, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Carol Arrowsmith
- National Environmental Isotope Facility, British Geological Survey, NG12 5GG, UK
| | - Mark Barham
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Yvonne L Firing
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Brian A King
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Peter Brown
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | | | - Andrew J S Meijers
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Jean-Baptiste Sallée
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS/IRD/MNHN, Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat Expérimentations et, Approches Numériques (LOCEAN), Paris, 75005, France
| | - Camille Akhoudas
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS/IRD/MNHN, Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat Expérimentations et, Approches Numériques (LOCEAN), Paris, 75005, France
| | - Geraint A Tarling
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
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3
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Pinkerton MH, Boyd PW, Deppeler S, Hayward A, Höfer J, Moreau S. Evidence for the Impact of Climate Change on Primary Producers in the Southern Ocean. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.592027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the framework of the Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean (MEASO), this paper brings together analyses of recent trends in phytoplankton biomass, primary production and irradiance at the base of the mixed layer in the Southern Ocean and summarises future projections. Satellite observations suggest that phytoplankton biomass in the mixed-layer has increased over the last 20 years in most (but not all) parts of the Southern Ocean, whereas primary production at the base of the mixed-layer has likely decreased over the same period. Different satellite models of primary production (Vertically Generalised versus Carbon Based Production Models) give different patterns and directions of recent change in net primary production (NPP). At present, the satellite record is not long enough to distinguish between trends and climate-related cycles in primary production. Over the next 100 years, Earth system models project increasing NPP in the water column in the MEASO northern and Antarctic zones but decreases in the Subantarctic zone. Low confidence in these projections arises from: (1) the difficulty in mapping supply mechanisms for key nutrients (silicate, iron); and (2) understanding the effects of multiple stressors (including irradiance, nutrients, temperature, pCO2, pH, grazing) on different species of Antarctic phytoplankton. Notwithstanding these uncertainties, there are likely to be changes to the seasonal patterns of production and the microbial community present over the next 50–100 years and these changes will have ecological consequences across Southern Ocean food-webs, especially on key species such as Antarctic krill and silverfish.
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Gutt J, Isla E, Xavier JC, Adams BJ, Ahn IY, Cheng CHC, Colesie C, Cummings VJ, di Prisco G, Griffiths H, Hawes I, Hogg I, McIntyre T, Meiners KM, Pearce DA, Peck L, Piepenburg D, Reisinger RR, Saba GK, Schloss IR, Signori CN, Smith CR, Vacchi M, Verde C, Wall DH. Antarctic ecosystems in transition - life between stresses and opportunities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:798-821. [PMID: 33354897 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Important findings from the second decade of the 21st century on the impact of environmental change on biological processes in the Antarctic were synthesised by 26 international experts. Ten key messages emerged that have stakeholder-relevance and/or a high impact for the scientific community. They address (i) altered biogeochemical cycles, (ii) ocean acidification, (iii) climate change hotspots, (iv) unexpected dynamism in seabed-dwelling populations, (v) spatial range shifts, (vi) adaptation and thermal resilience, (vii) sea ice related biological fluctuations, (viii) pollution, (ix) endangered terrestrial endemism and (x) the discovery of unknown habitats. Most Antarctic biotas are exposed to multiple stresses and considered vulnerable to environmental change due to narrow tolerance ranges, rapid change, projected circumpolar impacts, low potential for timely genetic adaptation, and migration barriers. Important ecosystem functions, such as primary production and energy transfer between trophic levels, have already changed, and biodiversity patterns have shifted. A confidence assessment of the degree of 'scientific understanding' revealed an intermediate level for most of the more detailed sub-messages, indicating that process-oriented research has been successful in the past decade. Additional efforts are necessary, however, to achieve the level of robustness in scientific knowledge that is required to inform protection measures of the unique Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and their contributions to global biodiversity and ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Gutt
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstr., Bremerhaven, 27568, Germany
| | - Enrique Isla
- Institute of Marine Sciences-CSIC, Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta 37-49, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - José C Xavier
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Coimbra, Portugal.,British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K
| | - Byron J Adams
- Department of Biology and Monte L. Bean Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, U.S.A
| | - In-Young Ahn
- Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21990, South Korea
| | - C-H Christina Cheng
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, U.S.A
| | - Claudia Colesie
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, U.K
| | - Vonda J Cummings
- National Institute of Water and Atmosphere Research Ltd (NIWA), 301 Evans Bay Parade, Greta Point, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Guido di Prisco
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino 111, Naples, I-80131, Italy
| | - Huw Griffiths
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K
| | - Ian Hawes
- Coastal Marine Field Station, University of Waikato, 58 Cross Road, Tauranga, 3100, New Zealand
| | - Ian Hogg
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Canadian High Antarctic Research Station, Polar Knowledge Canada, PO Box 2150, Cambridge Bay, NU, X0B 0C0, Canada
| | - Trevor McIntyre
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, 1710, South Africa
| | - Klaus M Meiners
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, and Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, TAS, 7004, Australia
| | - David A Pearce
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K.,Department of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University at Newcastle, Northumberland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, U.K
| | - Lloyd Peck
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K
| | - Dieter Piepenburg
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstr., Bremerhaven, 27568, Germany
| | - Ryan R Reisinger
- Centre d'Etudes Biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360, France
| | - Grace K Saba
- Center for Ocean Observing Leadership, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, 71 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, U.S.A
| | - Irene R Schloss
- Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas, Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, CP V9410CAB, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, CP V9410CAB, Argentina
| | - Camila N Signori
- Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, CEP: 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Craig R Smith
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, U.S.A
| | - Marino Vacchi
- Institute for the Study of the Anthropic Impacts and the Sustainability of the Marine Environment (IAS), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via de Marini 6, Genoa, 16149, Italy
| | - Cinzia Verde
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino 111, Naples, I-80131, Italy
| | - Diana H Wall
- Department of Biology and School of Global Environmental Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
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5
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Hawkings JR, Skidmore ML, Wadham JL, Priscu JC, Morton PL, Hatton JE, Gardner CB, Kohler TJ, Stibal M, Bagshaw EA, Steigmeyer A, Barker J, Dore JE, Lyons WB, Tranter M, Spencer RGM. Enhanced trace element mobilization by Earth's ice sheets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:31648-31659. [PMID: 33229559 PMCID: PMC7749357 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014378117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Trace elements sustain biological productivity, yet the significance of trace element mobilization and export in subglacial runoff from ice sheets is poorly constrained at present. Here, we present size-fractionated (0.02, 0.22, and 0.45 µm) concentrations of trace elements in subglacial waters from the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). Concentrations of immobile trace elements (e.g., Al, Fe, Ti) far exceed global riverine and open ocean mean values and highlight the importance of subglacial aluminosilicate mineral weathering and lack of retention of these species in sediments. Concentrations are higher from the AIS than the GrIS, highlighting the geochemical consequences of prolonged water residence times and hydrological isolation that characterize the former. The enrichment of trace elements (e.g., Co, Fe, Mn, and Zn) in subglacial meltwaters compared with seawater and typical riverine systems, together with the likely sensitivity to future ice sheet melting, suggests that their export in glacial runoff is likely to be important for biological productivity. For example, our dissolved Fe concentration (20,900 nM) and associated flux values (1.4 Gmol y-1) from AIS to the Fe-deplete Southern Ocean exceed most previous estimates by an order of magnitude. The ultimate fate of these micronutrients will depend on the reactivity of the dominant colloidal size fraction (likely controlled by nanoparticulate Al and Fe oxyhydroxide minerals) and estuarine processing. We contend that ice sheets create highly geochemically reactive particulates in subglacial environments, which play a key role in trace elemental cycles, with potentially important consequences for global carbon cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon R Hawkings
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Geochemistry Group, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306;
- Interface Geochemistry, German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Mark L Skidmore
- Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717
| | - Jemma L Wadham
- School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1SS, United Kingdom
| | - John C Priscu
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Bozeman, Montana State University, MT 59717
| | - Peter L Morton
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Geochemistry Group, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Jade E Hatton
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1RL, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher B Gardner
- School of Earth Sciences, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Tyler J Kohler
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Marek Stibal
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, CZ-12844, Prague, Czechia
| | - Elizabeth A Bagshaw
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - August Steigmeyer
- Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717
| | - Joel Barker
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - John E Dore
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Bozeman, Montana State University, MT 59717
| | - W Berry Lyons
- School of Earth Sciences, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Martyn Tranter
- School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1SS, United Kingdom
| | - Robert G M Spencer
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Geochemistry Group, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
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6
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Sutherland WJ, Atkinson PW, Broad S, Brown S, Clout M, Dias MP, Dicks LV, Doran H, Fleishman E, Garratt EL, Gaston KJ, Hughes AC, Le Roux X, Lickorish FA, Maggs L, Palardy JE, Peck LS, Pettorelli N, Pretty J, Spalding MD, Tonneijck FH, Walpole M, Watson JEM, Wentworth J, Thornton A. A 2021 Horizon Scan of Emerging Global Biological Conservation Issues. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 36:87-97. [PMID: 33213887 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We present the results from our 12th annual horizon scan of issues likely to impact biological conservation in the future. From a list of 97 topics, our global panel of 25 scientists and practitioners identified the top 15 issues that we believe society may urgently need to address. These issues are either novel in the biological conservation sector or represent a substantial positive or negative step-change in impact at global or regional level. Six issues, such as coral reef deoxygenation and changes in polar coastal productivity, affect marine or coastal ecosystems and seven relate to human and ecosystem-level responses to climate change. Identification of potential forthcoming issues for biological conservation may enable increased preparedness by researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Sutherland
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK.
| | | | - Steven Broad
- TRAFFIC, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
| | - Sam Brown
- Environment Agency, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AH, UK
| | - Mick Clout
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, PB 90129 Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Maria P Dias
- BirdLife International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK; MARE Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA, Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lynn V Dicks
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Helen Doran
- Natural England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 8DR, UK
| | - Erica Fleishman
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Garratt
- UK Research and Innovation, Natural Environment Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1EU, UK
| | - Kevin J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Alice C Hughes
- Centre for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan 666303, PR China
| | - Xavier Le Roux
- Microbial Ecology Centre, UMR1418 INRAE, CNRS, University Lyon 1, VetAgroSup, 69622 Villeurbanne, France; BiodivERsA, Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversité, 195 rue Saint Jacques, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Fiona A Lickorish
- UK Research and Consultancy Services (RCS) Ltd, Valletts Cottage, Westhope, Hereford HR4 8BU, UK
| | - Luke Maggs
- Natural Resources Wales, Cambria House, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 0TP, UK
| | - James E Palardy
- The Pew Charitable Trusts, 901 E St NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
| | - Lloyd S Peck
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Nathalie Pettorelli
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Jules Pretty
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Mark D Spalding
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK; The Nature Conservancy, Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Pian dei Mantellini, Siena 53100, Italy
| | | | - Matt Walpole
- Fauna and Flora International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
| | - James E M Watson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia; Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
| | - Jonathan Wentworth
- Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 14 Tothill Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9NB, UK
| | - Ann Thornton
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
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7
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Thomsen S, Hansen MH, Lillethorup JP, Tirsgaard FS, Flytkjær A, Melvad C, Rysgaard S, Carlson DF. An affordable and miniature ice coring drill for rapid acquisition of small iceberg samples. HARDWAREX 2020; 7:e00101. [PMID: 35495204 PMCID: PMC9041166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Icebergs account for approximately half of the freshwater flux from the Greenland Ice Sheet and they can impact marine ecosystems by releasing nutrients and sediments into the ocean as they drift and melt. Parameterizing iceberg fluxes of nutrients and sediments to fjord and ocean waters remains a difficult task due to the complexity of ice-ocean interactions and is complicated by a lack of observations. Acquiring iceberg samples can be difficult and dangerous, as icebergs can break apart and roll without warning. Here we present open source design files for a small, lightweight ice coring drill that can be reproduced using modern computer numerical control (CNC) machining and 3D printing technology. This ice core drill can rapidly acquire small ice samples from icebergs and bergy bits using a standard commercial, off-the-shelf battery-operated hand drill. Design files and a recent field expedition to Northwest Greenland are described. Ice core collection required only 30 s, thereby minimizing risks to scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Adam Flytkjær
- School of Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Claus Melvad
- School of Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Søren Rysgaard
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Daniel F. Carlson
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
- Institute of Coastal Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Centre for Materials and Coastal Research, Geesthacht, Germany
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Carlson DF, Pavalko WJ, Petersen D, Olsen M, Hass AE. Maker Buoy Variants for Water Level Monitoring and Tracking Drifting Objects in Remote Areas of Greenland. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E1254. [PMID: 32106576 PMCID: PMC7085713 DOI: 10.3390/s20051254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Meltwater runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet changes water levels in glacial lakes and can lead to glacial lake outburst flooding (GLOF) events that threaten lives and property. Icebergs produced at Greenland's marine terminating glaciers drift into Baffin Bay and the North Atlantic, where they can threaten shipping and offshore installations. Thus, monitoring glacial lake water levels and the drift of icebergs can enhance safety and aid in the scientific studies of glacial hydrology and iceberg-ocean interactions. The Maker Buoy was originally designed as a low-cost and open source sensor to monitor surface ocean currents. The open source framework, low-cost components, rugged construction and affordable satellite data transmission capabilities make it easy to customize for environmental monitoring in remote areas and under harsh conditions. Here, we present two such Maker Buoy variants that were developed to monitor water level in an ice-infested glacial lake in southern Greenland and to track drifting icebergs and moorings in the Vaigat Strait (Northwest Greenland). We describe the construction of each design variant, methods to access data in the field without an internet connection, and deployments in Greenland in summer 2019. The successful deployments of each Maker Buoy variant suggest that they may also be useful in operational iceberg management strategies and in GLOF monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Carlson
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Coastal Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Centre for Materials and Coastal Research, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | | | - Dorthe Petersen
- Asiaq Greenland Survey, Qatserisut 8, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland; (D.P.); (M.O.); (A.E.H.)
| | - Martin Olsen
- Asiaq Greenland Survey, Qatserisut 8, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland; (D.P.); (M.O.); (A.E.H.)
| | - Andreas E. Hass
- Asiaq Greenland Survey, Qatserisut 8, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland; (D.P.); (M.O.); (A.E.H.)
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