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Kołtonik K, Zawierucha K, Wojciechowski K, Mróz T, Niedzielski P, Souza-Kasprzyk J, Wierzgoń M, Olabode K, Cwanek A, Sala D, Yde JC, Wachniew P, Łokas E. Glacier mice as a temporary sink for fallout radionuclides and heavy metals on the Norwegian glacier Austerdalsbreen. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175109. [PMID: 39074753 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175109] [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: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Glacier mice are peculiar rolling or stationary moss balls found on the surface of some glaciers. They may harbour an ecological habitat for cold-adapted invertebrates and microorganisms, but little is known about their potential to accumulate and disseminate harmful elements and substances. In this study, we investigate the presence of fallout radionuclides (137Cs, 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, 210Pb) and heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd) in glacier mice and compare the results to bryophytes from adjacent glacier ecosystems. Samples were collected at Austerdalsbreen, a Norwegian outlet glacier from Jostedalsbreen ice cap. Maximum activity concentrations for bryophytes are 552 ± 12 Bq kg-1 for 137Cs, 3485 ± 138 Bq kg-1 for 210Pb, 0.0223 ± 0.065 Bq kg-1 for 238Pu and 4.34 ± 0.43 Bq kg-1 for 239+240Pu while maximum heavy metals concentrations are 70.5 mg kg-1 for Pb, 1.0 mg kg-1 for As, 1.6 mg kg-1 for Hg and 0.13 mg kg-1 for Cd. Maximum activity concentrations in cryconite are 1973.4 ± 5.0 Bq kg-1 for 137Cs, 3632 ± 593 Bq kg-1 for 210Pb, 0.51 ± 0.11 Bq kg-1 for 238Pu and 13.1 ± 1.4 Bq kg-1 for 239+240Pu and maximum heavy metal concentrations are 50.4 mg kg-1 for Pb, 3.4 mg kg-1 for As, 1.5 mg kg-1 for Hg and 0.082 mg kg-1 for Cd. We find that glacier mice show lower activity concentrations of radionuclides compared to cryoconite. The major source of plutonium isotopes is related to global fallout, whereas detected radio-cesium may be additionally affected by post-Chernobyl fallout to an unknown extent. Comparison between glacier surface and adjacent glacial habitats shows higher concentrations of heavy metals in glacier mice on the glacier ice surface and medial moraines compared to bryophytes in the glacier forefield. Glacier mice exported from a receding glacier may affect the cycling of radioactive and metal pollutants in developing proglacial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Kołtonik
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Kamil Wojciechowski
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Tomasz Mróz
- Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | | | | | - Mariusz Wierzgoń
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Kayode Olabode
- Department of Environmental Remote Sensing and Soil Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Anna Cwanek
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Dariusz Sala
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jacob Clement Yde
- Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway
| | - Przemysław Wachniew
- Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
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Buda J, Błażej S, Ambrosini R, Scotti R, Pittino F, Sala D, Zawierucha K, Łokas E. The surface of small glaciers as radioactive hotspots: Concentration of radioisotopes during predicted intensive melting in the Alps. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135083. [PMID: 38976963 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Glaciers are considered secondary sources of pollutants, including radioisotopes such as Cesium or Plutonium, with heightened concentrations compared to other ecosystems. The predicted melting of glaciers poses a substantial risk of releasing stored radioisotopes, yet understanding the glacier-specific factors influencing their concentration remains limited. This study investigates the relationship between glacier altitude, surface area, organic matter content in dark supraglacial sediment (cryoconite), precipitation, and activity concentrations of natural (210Pb) and anthropogenic radionuclides (137Cs and 241Am) across 19 Alpine glaciers. Results indicate that radioisotope concentrations depend on organic matter content in the cryoconite, highlighting the role of biotic-abiotic interactions in pollutant accumulation on glaciers. Moreover, 210Pb activity concentration decreases with glacier altitude, likely due to atmospheric variations in 222Rn. Water precipitation events, such as during peaks in 137Cs deposition and after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster, do not impact current activity concentrations. Importantly, radioisotope concentrations in cryoconite are higher on smaller glaciers. This directly supports the hypothesis that the cryoconite retains a significant share of radioisotopes stored in the ice during intensive melting. Since many small glaciers in the Alps are predicted to disappear within the next 50 years, we anticipate release of radioisotopes to mountain ecosystems might be higher than previously forecasted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland.
| | - Sylwia Błażej
- Department of Nuclear Physical Chemistry, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Scotti
- Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo - Glaciological Service of Lombardy, Italy
| | - Francesca Pittino
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - Dariusz Sala
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
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3
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Łokas E, Baccolo G, Cwanek A, Buda J, Kołtonik K, Takeuchi N, Wachniew P, Clason C, Zawierucha K, Beard DB, Ambrosini R, Pittino F, Franzetti A, Owens PN, Nastasi M, Sisti M, Di Mauro B. Isotopic signature of plutonium accumulated in cryoconite on glaciers worldwide. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175356. [PMID: 39122024 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Glaciers are recognized as repositories for atmospheric pollutants, however, due to climate change and enhanced melting rates, they are rapidly transitioning from being repositories to secondary sources of such apollutants. Artificial radionuclides are one of the pollutants found on glaciers that efficiently accumulate onto glacier surfaces within cryoconite deposits; a dark, often biogenic sediment. This work provides information about the accumulation, distribution and sources of plutonium (Pu) isotopes in cryoconite samples from glaciers worldwide. Plutonium is an artificial radionuclide spread into the environment in the last decades as a consequence of nuclear test explosions, accidents and nuclear fuel re-processing. Samples collected from 49 glaciers across nine regions of Earth are considered. Activity concentrations of plutonium in cryoconite are orders of magnitude higher than in other environmental matrices typically used for environmental monitoring (e.g. lichens, mosses, soils and sediments), particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. Isotopic ratios indicate that plutonium contamination of cryoconite is dominated by the global signal of stratospheric fallout related to atmospheric nuclear tests. However, specific glaciers in Svalbard reveal a signature compatible with a contribution from the re-entry of the SNAP-9A satellite in 1964, which was equipped with a 238Pu radioisotope thermoelectric generator. Similarly, an excess of 238Pu is observed in cryoconite from the Exploradores Glacier (Chile). This could be associated with the November 1996 crash of the automatic Interplanetary Station "Mars '96" which was carrying a 238Pu thermoelectric generator. This is the first time ever that an isotopic evidence for this event is reported. These findings highlight the role that cryoconite can play in reconstructing the radioactive contamination history of different glaciated regions of the Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland.
| | | | - Anna Cwanek
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kołtonik
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Nozomu Takeuchi
- Department of Earth Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Przemysław Wachniew
- Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Dylan Bodhi Beard
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Philip N Owens
- Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, Canada
| | - Massimiliano Nastasi
- Physics Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy; INFN section of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Biagio Di Mauro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council, Milan, Italy
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Buda J, Łokas E, Błażej S, Gorzkiewicz K, Buda K, Ambrosini R, Franzetti A, Pittino F, Crosta A, Klimaszyk P, Zawierucha K. Unveiling threats to glacier biota: Bioaccumulation, mobility, and interactions of radioisotopes with key biological components. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 348:140738. [PMID: 37979801 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140738] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary melting glaciers are considered a secondary source of pollutants including radionuclides. Cryoconite - biogenic sediment on the glacier surface - exhibits high concentrations of natural and anthrophogenic radioisotopes. Understanding the interactions between radioisotopes and organisms is essential for evaluating their potential impact on glacier-related ecosystems. Using a multidimensional approach and intensive sampling (17 glaciers), we investigated the relationships between activity concentrations of 137Cs and 210Pb and various biotic components of cryoconite such as the amount of organic matter, chlorophyll concentration, the ratio of cyanobacteria to all bacteria, and size of cryoconite granules. Additionally, to better understand the bioavailability and fate of radioisotopes in this ecosystem, we measured the uptake ratio of 137Cs, 210Pb, 238Pu, and 239+240Pu in the top consumers, and examined the mobility of radioisotopes by measuring 137Cs and 210Pb activity concentrations after a parallel extraction using media with different specific ion exchange capacities. The activity concentrations of both 137Cs and 210Pb showed a large variability reaching 5.8 kBq kg-1 and 7.2 kBq kg-1, respectively. Their activity concentrations were positively related to the amount of organic matter, however, the 210Pb also increased with the chlorophyll concentration. This might be due to the difference in the deposition of both elements: lead, being deposited constantly, binds also to currently developing communities, while caesium deposition peaked in the 1960s. The mobility analysis revealed that the loosely bound fraction of 210Pb was more strongly related to organic-metallic complexes than 137Cs. Firmly bound radioisotope fractions (anhydrous interlayer sites of minerals) were three times higher for 137Cs than for 210Pb. The median uptake ratios of radioisotopes were determined as 0.07-0.111 for 137Cs, 0.177 for 210Pb, 0.07 for 239+240Pu. Our findings emphasize the importance of organisms in the accumulation of radioisotopes on glaciers and suggest an impact of radionuclides on glacier organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland.
| | - Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
| | - Sylwia Błażej
- Department of Nuclear Physical Chemistry, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Gorzkiewicz
- Department of Nuclear Physical Chemistry, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
| | - Kinga Buda
- Deparment of Behavioural Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Franzetti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), Università Degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - Francesca Pittino
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), Università Degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - Arianna Crosta
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Piotr Klimaszyk
- Department of Water Protection, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
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Two new tardigrade genera from New Zealand's Southern Alp glaciers display morphological stasis and parallel evolution. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 178:107634. [PMID: 36208696 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Tardigrada is an invertebrate phylum that often constitutes a dominant micrometazoan group on glaciers worldwide. We investigated tardigrades residing in surface ice above the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) on three temperate glaciers of New Zealand's Southern Alps. Morphological, morphometric and multilocus DNA analyses (CO1, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2) revealed two new genera comprising four species, of which two are formally described here: Kopakaius gen. nov. nicolae sp. nov. and Kararehius gen. nov. gregorii sp. nov. The former is represented by three genetically distinct phyletic lineages akin to species. According to CO1, Kopakaius gen. nov. nicolae sp. nov. inhabits Whataroa Glacier only while the remaining two Kopakaius species occur on Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers, suggesting low dispersal capabilities. Although morphological characteristics of the new genera could indicate affinity with the subfamily Itaquasconinae, phylogenetic analysis placed them confidently in the subfamily Diphasconinae. Kopakaius gen. nov. lack placoids in the pharynx similar with some Itaquasconinae, whereas dark pigmentation and claw shape aligns them with the glacier-obligate genus, Cryobiotus (subfamily Hypsibiinae), which is an example of parallel evolution. The second genus, Kararehius gen nov. could be classified as Adropion-like (subfamily Itaquasconinae), but differs greatly by genetics (placed in the subfamily Diphasconinae) as well as morphology (e.g., lack of septulum), exemplify deep stasis in Hypsibiidae. Our results suggest that glacier fragmentation during the Pleistocene triggered tardigrade speciation, making it a suitable model for studies on allopatric divergence in glacier meiofauna.
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6
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Łokas E, Wachniew P, Baccolo G, Gaca P, Janko K, Milton A, Buda J, Komędera K, Zawierucha K. Unveiling the extreme environmental radioactivity of cryoconite from a Norwegian glacier. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 814:152656. [PMID: 34954174 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study is a first survey of the occurrence of artificial (137Cs, 241Am, 207Bi, Pu isotopes) and natural (210Pb, 228Ac, 214Bi, 40K) radionuclides in Norwegian cryoconite. Cryoconite samples were collected before (12 samples) and after (5 samples) a rainfall event, after which 7 cryoconite holes dissapeared. The concentrations of radionuclides in cryoconite samples from the Blåisen Glacier are compared with data from the Arctic and Alpine glaciers. Cryoconite samples from the studied glacier had extremely high activity concentrations of 137Cs, 241Am, 207Bi and 239+240Pu (up to 25,000 Bq/kg, 58 Bq/kg, 13 Bq/kg and 131 Bq/kg, respectively) and also high concentrations of organic matter (OM), comparing to other Scandinavian and Arctic glaciers, reaching up to ~40% of total mass. The outstandingly high concentrations of 137Cs, 241Am, Pu isotopes, and 207Bi on the Blåisen Glacier are primarily related to bioaccumulation of radionuclides in organic-rich cryoconite and might be enhanced by additional transfers of contamination from the tundra by lemmings during their population peaks. The presumed influence of intense rainfall on radionuclide concentrations in the cryoconite was not confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Przemysław Wachniew
- Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland
| | - Giovanni Baccolo
- Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Paweł Gaca
- GAU-Radioanalytical Laboratories, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Karel Janko
- Laboratory of Fish Genetics, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Libechov, Czech Republic; Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew Milton
- GAU-Radioanalytical Laboratories, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz Unversity, Poznań, Poland
| | - Kamila Komędera
- Mössbauer Spectroscopy Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Pedagogical University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz Unversity, Poznań, Poland
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7
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Rozwalak P, Podkowa P, Buda J, Niedzielski P, Kawecki S, Ambrosini R, Azzoni RS, Baccolo G, Ceballos JL, Cook J, Di Mauro B, Ficetola GF, Franzetti A, Ignatiuk D, Klimaszyk P, Łokas E, Ono M, Parnikoza I, Pietryka M, Pittino F, Poniecka E, Porazinska DL, Richter D, Schmidt SK, Sommers P, Souza-Kasprzyk J, Stibal M, Szczuciński W, Uetake J, Wejnerowski Ł, Yde JC, Takeuchi N, Zawierucha K. Cryoconite - From minerals and organic matter to bioengineered sediments on glacier's surfaces. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150874. [PMID: 34627905 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cryoconite is a mixture of mineral and organic material covering glacial ice, playing important roles in biogeochemical cycles and lowering the albedo of a glacier surface. Understanding the differences in structure of cryoconite across the globe can be important in recognizing past and future changes in supraglacial environments and ice-organisms-minerals interactions. Despite the worldwide distribution and over a century of studies, the basic characteristics of cryoconite, including its forms and geochemistry, remain poorly studied. The major purpose of our study is the presentation and description of morphological diversity, chemical and photoautotrophs composition, and organic matter content of cryoconite sampled from 33 polar and mountain glaciers around the globe. Observations revealed that cryoconite is represented by various morphologies including loose and granular forms. Granular cryoconite includes smooth, rounded, or irregularly shaped forms; with some having their surfaces covered by cyanobacteria filaments. The occurrence of granules increased with the organic matter content in cryoconite. Moreover, a major driver of cryoconite colouring was the concentration of organic matter and its interplay with minerals. The structure of cyanobacteria and algae communities in cryoconite differs between glaciers, but representatives of cyanobacteria families Pseudanabaenaceae and Phormidiaceae, and algae families Mesotaeniaceae and Ulotrichaceae were the most common. The most of detected cyanobacterial taxa are known to produce polymeric substances (EPS) that may cement granules. Organic matter content in cryoconite varied between glaciers, ranging from 1% to 38%. The geochemistry of all the investigated samples reflected local sediment sources, except of highly concentrated Pb and Hg in cryoconite collected from European glaciers near industrialized regions, corroborating cryoconite as element-specific collector and potential environmental indicator of anthropogenic activity. Our work supports a notion that cryoconite may be more than just simple sediment and instead exhibits complex structure with relevance for biodiversity and the functioning of glacial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Rozwalak
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland; Geohazards Research Unit, Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Paweł Podkowa
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Przemysław Niedzielski
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | | | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto S Azzoni
- Department of Earth Sciences, "Ardito Desio", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Baccolo
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Jorge L Ceballos
- Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies, IDEAM, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Joseph Cook
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Biagio Di Mauro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council, Venice, Italy
| | - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, University Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Andrea Franzetti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Dariusz Ignatiuk
- University of Silesia in Katowice, Institute of Earth Sciences, Bedzinska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Piotr Klimaszyk
- Department of Water Protection, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Masato Ono
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ivan Parnikoza
- State Institution National Antarctic Center of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine; Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Mirosława Pietryka
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Science, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Francesca Pittino
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Ewa Poniecka
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota L Porazinska
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Dorota Richter
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Science, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Steven K Schmidt
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Pacifica Sommers
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Juliana Souza-Kasprzyk
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marek Stibal
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Witold Szczuciński
- Geohazards Research Unit, Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jun Uetake
- Field Research Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Łukasz Wejnerowski
- Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Jacob C Yde
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway
| | - Nozomu Takeuchi
- Department of Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.
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8
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Chen Y, Liu Y, Liu K, Ji M, Li Y. Snowstorm Enhanced the Deterministic Processes of the Microbial Community in Cryoconite at Laohugou Glacier, Tibetan Plateau. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:784273. [PMID: 35154026 PMCID: PMC8829297 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.784273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryoconites harbor diverse microbial communities and are the metabolic hotspot in the glacial ecosystem. Glacial ecosystems are subjected to frequent climate disturbances such as precipitation (snowing), but little is known about whether microbial communities in cryoconite can maintain stability under such disturbance. Here, we investigated the bacterial community in supraglacial cryoconite before and after a snowfall event on the Laohugou Glacier (Tibetan Plateau), based on Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Our results showed that the diversity of the microbial community significantly decreased, and the structure of the microbial community changed significantly after the disturbance of snowfall. This was partly due to the relative abundance increased of cold-tolerant bacterial taxa, which turned from rare into abundant sub-communities. After snowfall disturbance, the contribution of the deterministic process increased from 38 to 67%, which is likely due to the enhancement of environmental filtering caused by nitrogen limitation. These findings enhanced our understanding of the distribution patterns and assembly mechanisms of cryoconite bacterial communities on mountain glaciers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Keshao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mukan Ji
- Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yang Li
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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9
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Pusz W, Urbaniak J. Airborne fungi in Longyearbyen area (Svalbard, Norway) - case study. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:290. [PMID: 33890180 PMCID: PMC8062393 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09090-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Studies on the presence of atmospheric fungi in both Arctic and Antarctic polar areas are rare, and many of them were carried out briefly. Currently, when climate change is a fact, polar areas may be subject to various changes and fluctuations, negatively affecting sensitive polar ecosystems. The paper presents the results of tests on presence of fungi in the air over 30 years after the last investigations at the Svalbard Archipelago. A total of fifteen taxa of fungi were isolated in area of Longyearbyen, the majority of which were saprotrophic fungi of the genus Cladosporium that are associated with dead organic matter. Therefore, the presence of this taxon may be a good bioindicator of changes occurring in the Arctic environment, indirectly indicating the melting of glaciers and exposing increasingly larger areas inhabited by microorganisms, including fungi, which increase in number in the air. Additionally, the number of tourists visiting Longyearbyen is increasing, which may significantly affect the number and type of fungi in the air.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Pusz
- Department of Plant Protection, Division of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzki Sq. 24a, 50-363, Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Jacek Urbaniak
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzki Sq. 24a, 50-363, Wroclaw, Poland
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10
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Snow algae blooms are beneficial for microinvertebrates assemblages (Tardigrada and Rotifera) on seasonal snow patches in Japan. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5973. [PMID: 33727649 PMCID: PMC7971028 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Although studies on snow algae and macroinvertebrates have been frequently conducted on snow patches, only few surveys have been focused on microinvertebrates which reach high biomass and play various trophic roles in other cold habitats. The aims of this study were (1) to search for microinvertebrates in seasonal surface snow patches located on the slope of Mt. Gassan, in northern Japan, and (2) to identify factors determining their distribution associated with snow algal blooms of various colorations (orange, green, and golden-brown) collected from the same sampling site over two seasons (2018, 2019). Microscopic observation revealed presence of two major groups of microinvertebrates: Tardigrada and Rotifera. They were concentrated in green snow colored by blooms of Chloromonas sp. in comparison to orange or golden-brown snow and only a few were found in white snow. Mean body length of tardigrades increased throughout the melt season, their intestine content was green and they laid eggs on colored snow. These results suggest that tardigrades preferentially grew and reproduced on green snow patches. Population densities of tardigrades, rotifers and concentration of chlorophyll a were significantly correlated. Our study indicates that green snow patches in temperate mountainous forests constitute important and unique low-temperature ecosystems for microinvertebrates. Snow covered by algae is an unrecognized novel habitats for tardigrades and rotifers.
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11
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High Latitude Dust Transport Altitude Pattern Revealed from Deposition on Snow, Svalbard. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11121318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
High Latitude Dust (HLD) deposition in the surface snow layer in two distant locations in Svalbard (Hornsund and Pyramiden) were collected during the June/July 2019 field campaign and examined in the laboratory. Despite the differences in their climate and topography, both locations are characterised by very similar spatial patterns of the deposition. On the one hand, strong linear negative relationship between the altitude of the sample taken and its concentration was found in low altitude (below 300 m a.s.l.), suggesting a strong influence of local HLD sources. On the other hand, almost constant concentrations were found at higher elevated sampling sites (above 300 m a.s.l.). This suggests a predominantly long-range transport in high altitude areas. The importance of local sources in the lower altitude corresponds well with the generally higher concentrations of HLD in the Pyramiden area. This region has a drier, continental climate and more deglaciated bare land surfaces, which favour more sediment to be uplifted in comparison with the more maritime climate of Hornsund area in the southern part of Svalbard. The spatial division between the local and long-range transport is supported by the proportion of certain lithophile elements in the altitude gradient.
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12
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Zawierucha K, Buda J, Jaromerska TN, Janko K, Gąsiorek P. Integrative approach reveals new species of water bears (Pilatobius, Grevenius, and Acutuncus) from Arctic cryoconite holes, with the discovery of hidden lineages of Hypsibius. ZOOL ANZ 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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13
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Zawierucha K, Porazinska DL, Ficetola GF, Ambrosini R, Baccolo G, Buda J, Ceballos JL, Devetter M, Dial R, Franzetti A, Fuglewicz U, Gielly L, Łokas E, Janko K, Novotna Jaromerska T, Kościński A, Kozłowska A, Ono M, Parnikoza I, Pittino F, Poniecka E, Sommers P, Schmidt SK, Shain D, Sikorska S, Uetake J, Takeuchi N. A hole in the nematosphere: tardigrades and rotifers dominate the cryoconite hole environment, whereas nematodes are missing. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - D. L. Porazinska
- Department of Entomology and Nematology University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - G. F. Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan Milan Italy
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine University Grenoble Alpes Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc CNRS LECA Grenoble France
| | - R. Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan Milan Italy
| | - G. Baccolo
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department University of Milano‐Bicocca Milan Italy
| | - J. Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - J. L. Ceballos
- Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies IDEAM Bogota' Colombia
| | - M. Devetter
- Institute of soil Biology Biology Centre CAS České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Centre for Polar Ecology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - R. Dial
- Institute of Culture and the Environment Alaska Pacific University Anchorage AK USA
| | - A. Franzetti
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department University of Milano‐Bicocca Milan Italy
| | | | - L. Gielly
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine University Grenoble Alpes Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc CNRS LECA Grenoble France
| | - E. Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectroscopy Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences Kraków Poland
| | - K. Janko
- Laboratory of Fish Genetics Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Libechov Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology Faculty of Science University of Ostrava Ostrava Czech Republic
| | | | | | - A. Kozłowska
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - M. Ono
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering Chiba University Chiba Japan
| | - I. Parnikoza
- State Institution National Antarctic Center of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Kyiv Ukraine
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Kyiv Ukraine
| | - F. Pittino
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department University of Milano‐Bicocca Milan Italy
| | - E. Poniecka
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK
| | - P. Sommers
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - S. K. Schmidt
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - D. Shain
- Biology Department Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Camden NJ USA
| | - S. Sikorska
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - J. Uetake
- The Arctic Environment Research Center National Institute of Polar Research Tachikawa Japan
| | - N. Takeuchi
- Department of Earth Sciences Graduate School of Science Chiba University Chiba Japan
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14
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Makowska N, Zawierucha K, Nadobna P, Piątek-Bajan K, Krajewska A, Szwedyk J, Iwasieczko P, Mokracka J, Koczura R. Occurrence of integrons and antibiotic resistance genes in cryoconite and ice of Svalbard, Greenland, and the Caucasus glaciers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 716:137022. [PMID: 32059297 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of integrons and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a serious threat for public health in the new millennium. Although commonly detected in sites affected by strong anthropogenic pressure, in remote areas their occurrence, dissemination, and transfer to other ecosystems is poorly recognized. Remote sites are considered as a benchmark for human-induced contamination on Earth. For years glaciers were considered pristine, now they are regarded as reservoirs of contaminants, thus studies on contamination of glaciers, which may be released to other ecosystems, are highly needed. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the occurrence and frequency of clinically relevant ARGs and resistance integrons in the genomes of culturable bacteria and class 1 integron-integrase gene copy number in the metagenome of cryoconite, ice and supraglacial gravel collected on two Arctic (South-West Greenland and Svalbard) and two High Mountain (the Caucasus) glaciers. Altogether, 36 strains with intI1 integron-integrase gene were isolated. Presence of class 1 integron-integrase gene was also recorded in metagenomic DNA from all sampling localities. The mean values of relative abundance of intI1 gene varied among samples and ranged from 0.7% in cryoconite from Adishi Glacier (the Caucasus) to 16.3% in cryoconite from Greenland. Moreover, antibiotic-resistant strains were isolated from all regions. Genes conferring resistance to β-lactams (blaSHV, blaTEM, blaOXA, blaCMY), fluoroquinolones (qepA, qnrC), and chloramphenicol (cat, cmr) were detected in the genomes of bacterial isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Makowska
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Paulina Nadobna
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Kinga Piątek-Bajan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Anna Krajewska
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Jagoda Szwedyk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Patryk Iwasieczko
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Joanna Mokracka
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Ryszard Koczura
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland.
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