Effects of rising temperature on pelagic biogeochemistry in mesocosm systems: a comparative analysis of the AQUASHIFT Kiel experiments

A comparative analysis of data, obtained during four indoor-mesocosm experiments with natural spring plankton communities from the Baltic Sea, was conducted to investigate whether biogeochemical cycling is affected by an increase in water temperature of up to 6?°C above present-day conditions. In all experiments, warming stimulated in particular heterotrophic bacterial processes and had an accelerating effect on the temporal development of phytoplankton blooms. This was also mirrored in the build-up and partitioning of organic matter between particulate and dissolved phases. Thus, warming increased both the magnitude and rate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) build-up, whereas the accumulation of particulate organic carbon (POC) and phosphorus (POP) decreased with rising temperature. In concert, the observed temperature-mediated changes in biogeochemical components suggest strong shifts in the functioning of marine pelagic food webs and the ocean’s biological carbon pump, hence providing potential feedback mechanisms to Earth’s climate system.     

A farewell to Dr Thomas Knacker (* 29.04.1951 – ? 30.10.2011): scientific contributions and personal memories

Background

The bioaccumulation potential of chemical substances is commonly determined in flow-through fish tests according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) technical guideline (TG) 305, aiming at the determination of bioconcentration factors (BCF). Investigations on aquatic organisms have shown a significant positive correlation between the accumulation of a chemical and the lipid content of organisms. Residue levels can thus differ between individuals, species, and size groups depending on their lipid content. BCF values can be normalized by lipid content; however, this requires the use of appropriate extraction techniques to ensure the complete extraction of total lipids from fish/tissue samples. The OECD TG 305 is currently under revision. A literature review was carried out to select preferred methods which shall be included in the updated OECD TG 305 along with a sampling schedule for lipid measurement in fish.

Results

An overview and appraisal of a broad range of lipid extraction methods is presented. Extraction procedures applied in bioaccumulation studies described in the literature and procedures currently used for such studies by governmental, academic, and industrial labs are surveyed. Possible impacts of unsuitable extraction techniques on lipid normalized BCF results were assessed. Default values for BCF normalization commonly used in bioaccumulation studies are described. The effect of differences in residue distribution over different organs and/or lipids on the normalization of BCF values is discussed.

Conclusions

A broad range of procedures for lipid extraction are available. However, only the use of suitable extraction techniques guarantees the complete extraction of total lipids from fish samples in bioaccumulation studies which is required to ensure the correct lipid normalization of BCF values. Preferred methods for inclusion in the updated OECD 305 test guideline as well as a standard schedule for lipid measurements are suggested.     

Untersuchungen zur Aufnahme von HCB und Pyren durch den KompostwurmEisenia fetida und ausgew?hlte Regenwurmwildarten

Zusammenfassung  Ziel der beschriebenen Untersuchungen war die praktische überprüfung eines Methodenentwurfs zur Erfassung der Bioakkumulation von Umweltchemikalien mitEisenia fetida, der Eignung vonE. fetida als Modellorganismus und des OECD-Kunstbodens als Standardsubstrat. Als Testorganismen wurden aus eigener Zucht der KompostwurmEisenia fetida und nach FeldentnahmeAllolobophora caliginosa, Allolobophora chlorotica, Allolobophora longa undLumbricus rubellus eingesetzt. Testb?den waren der OECD-Kunstboden und ein Boden vom Versuchsfeld der BBA in Berlin-Dahlem. Beiden B?den wurden die Testsubstanzen Hexachlorbenzol und Pyren in einer Konzentration von 10 mg/kg Bodentrockengewicht zugemischt. Die Expositionszeit der Regenwürmer betrug 4 Wochen bei w?chentlicher Bestimmung der Konzentrationen der Testsubstanzen in den Würmern und B?den. Die fürE. fetida sowie die Wildarten errechneten Anreicherungsfaktoren (AF) beliefen sich bei HCB in Abh?ngigkeit des verwendeten Bodens auf Werte zwischen 10 und 17 und bei Pyren auf Werte zwischen 0,9 und 1,7. Durch Umrechnung der Bodenkonzentrationen auf Gehalte in der Wasserphase und Ableitung der entsprechenden Anreicherungsfaktoren kann ein Vergleich mit BCF-Werten, die aus QSAR’S anderer Regenwurmarten und Fischen berechnet wurden, hergestellt werden. Die Ergebnisse lassen den Schluss zu, dass der Regenwurmtest mitE. fetida (OECD 1984, ISO 1998) für die Untersuchung der Bioakkumulation geeignet ist. OnlineFirst: 31. 05. 2002     

Testing the priority-of-access model in a seasonally breeding primate species

In mammals, when females are clumped in space, male access to receptive females is usually determined by a dominance hierarchy based on fighting ability. In polygynandrous primates, as opposed to most mammalian species, the strength of the relationship between male social status and reproductive success varies greatly. It has been proposed that the degree to which paternity is determined by male rank decreases with increasing female reproductive synchrony. The priority-of-access model (PoA) predicts male reproductive success based on female synchrony and male dominance rank. To date, most tests of the PoA using paternity data involved nonseasonally breeding species. Here, we examine whether the PoA explains the relatively low reproductive skew in relation to dominance rank reported in the rhesus macaque, a strictly seasonal species. We collected behavioral, genetic, and hormonal data on one group of the free-ranging population on Cayo Santiago (Puerto Rico) for 2 years. The PoA correctly predicted the steepness of male reproductive skew, but not its relationship to male dominance: the most successful sire, fathering one third of the infants, was high but not top ranking. In contrast, mating success was not significantly skewed, suggesting that other mechanisms than social status contributed to male reproductive success. Dominance may be less important for paternity in rhesus macaques than in other primate species because it is reached through queuing rather than contest, leading to alpha males not necessarily being the strongest or most attractive male. More work is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms determining paternity in rhesus macaques.     

Incorporating stakeholders’ preferences into a multi-criteria framework for planning large-scale Nature-Based Solutions

Hydro-meteorological risks are a growing issue for societies, economies and environments around the world. An effective, sustainable response to such risks and their future uncertainty requires a paradigm shift in our research and practical efforts. In this respect, Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) offer the potential to achieve a more effective and flexible response to hydro-meteorological risks while also enhancing human well-being and biodiversity. The present paper describes a new methodology that incorporates stakeholders’ preferences into a multi-criteria analysis framework, as part of a tool for selecting risk mitigation measures. The methodology has been applied to Tamnava river basin in Serbia and Nangang river basin in Taiwan within the EC-funded RECONECT project. The results highlight the importance of involving stakeholders in the early stages of projects in order to achieve successful implementation of NBSs. The methodology can assist decision-makers in formulating desirable benefits and co-benefits and can enable a systematic and transparent NBSs planning process.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01419-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.