Brage NP
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Notes on the geology of Prins Karls Forland: review and results of geological mapping and investigations in 2012-14
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First assessment of pollutant exposure in two balaenopterid whale populations sampled in the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway
Full text linkPollutant concentrations are poorly known for the largest animals on Earth, blue whales Balaenoptera musculus and fin whales Balaenoptera physalus. In this study, concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were determined in blubber biopsies and stable isotope values for nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) were measured using skin biopsies for 18 blue whales and 12 fin whales sampled in waters surrounding the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway. The samples were collected in summer during the period 2014-2018. POPs were dominated by DDTs, PCBs and toxaphenes, with median concentrations in blue/fin whales being 208/341, 127/275 and 133/233 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Linear models indicated that pollutant concentrations were 1.6-3 times higher in fin whales than in blue whales, which is likely related to the higher trophic positions of fin whales, as indicated by their higher δ15N. Lower δ13C in fin whales suggests that they feed at higher latitudes than blue whales; these values were not correlated with pollutant concentrations. Pollutant levels were approximately twice as high in males compared to females (intraspecifically), which indicates that females of these species offload pollutants to their offspring during gestation and lactation, similar to many other mammalian species. Pollutant concentrations in balaenopterid whales from Svalbard waters were generally much lower than in conspecific whales from the Mediterranean Sea or the Gulf of California, but higher than those in conspecifics from the Antarctic Peninsula.publishedVersio
Circumpolar status of Arctic ptarmigan: population dynamics and trends
Full text linkRock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) and willow ptarmigan (L. lagopus) are Arctic birds with a circumpolar distribution but there is limited knowledge about their status and trends across their circumpolar distribution. Here, we compiled information from 90 ptarmigan study sites from 7 Arctic countries, where almost half of the sites are still monitored. Rock ptarmigan showed an overall negative trend on Iceland and Greenland, while Svalbard and Newfoundland had positive trends, and no significant trends in Alaska. For willow ptarmigan, there was a negative trend in mid-Sweden and eastern Russia, while northern Fennoscandia, North America and Newfoundland had no significant trends. Both species displayed some periods with population cycles (short 3–6 years and long 9–12 years), but cyclicity changed through time for both species. We propose that simple, cost-efficient systematic surveys that capture the main feature of ptarmigan population dynamics can form the basis for citizen science efforts in order to fill knowledge gaps for the many regions that lack systematic ptarmigan monitoring programs.acceptedVersio
Seabird-Transported Contaminants Are Reflected in the Arctic Tundra, But Not in Its Soil-Dwelling Springtails (Collembola)
Full text linkArctic-breeding seabirds contain high levels of many anthropogenic contaminants, which they deposit through guano to the tundra near their colonies. Nutrient-rich soil in vicinity to seabird colonies are favorable habitats for soil invertebrates, such as springtails (Collembola), which may result in exposure to seabird-derived contaminants. We quantified a wide range of lipid-soluble and protein-associated environmental contaminants in two springtail species (Megaphorura arctica and Hypogastrura viatica) and their respective habitats (soil/moss) collected underneath seabird cliffs. Although springtails are commonly used in laboratory toxicity tests, this is the first study to measure concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg) in springtails from the field, and to study biotransportation of contaminants by seabirds to soil fauna. We categorized the sites a priori as of low, medium, or high seabird influence, based on the seabird abundance and species composition. This ranking was reflected in increasing δ15N values in soil/moss and springtails with increasing seabird influence. We found clear indications of seabirds impacting the terrestrial soil environments with organic contaminants, and that concentrations were higher in soil and moss close to the bird cliff, compared to farther away. However, we did not find a relationship between contaminant concentration in springtails and the concentrations in soil/moss, or with level of seabird influence. Our study indicates a low uptake of contaminants in the soil fauna, despite seabird-derived contamination of their habitat.publishedVersio