Chlorophenols in lake bottom sediments: A retrospective study of drinking water contamination

Lake and brook bottom sediments were analyzed for chlorophenols to provide historical data of exposure assessment, after the water intake plant of a Finnish village had been found to be contaminated in 1987, and subsequently elevated non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk was detected. Highly elevated 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol levels were found in all four lake sediment cores investigated. The distribution was uneven with much higher concentrations in the estuary, in contrast to PCB compounds which were more evenly distributed within the basin. The inlet origin of the chlorophenols in the sediments was further supported by the regional distribution pattern of these compounds in the sediment and water along transects of the inlet and its tributaries. The composition of chlorophenol congeners in the sediments was similar to that in a commercial fungicide used by a local sawmill, but different from other sediment analyses reported in Finland, also implying a local source. Dating of three cores by Pb-210 and soot ball chronology indicated that the contamination of the watercourse started in the early 1970s at the latest but possibly earlier. This would provide the latency time required for tumour appearance in the 1970s and 1980s.     

Reproductive effort in relation to maternal social rank in reindeer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rangifer tarandus</Emphasis>)

In polygynous mammals, high-quality females may increase their fitness by providing superior care to their offspring. Based on the agonistic interactions of female reindeer in an experimental herd during two consecutive years (1997 and 1998), we tested whether maternal social rank influenced: (1) winter body-mass change of females, (2) preparturition reproductive effort (measured as fecundity, the birth mass and the birth date of their calves), (3) preweaning maternal effort (measured as calves preweaning mortality, early preweaning and late preweaning growth rate and September body mass of calves), and (4) postweaning maternal effort (measured as calves body-mass change during their first winter). In the models, we included September females body mass as a covariate to separate the effects of maternal rank and body mass. We also tested whether the effect of social rank on maternal efforts was dependent on offspring sex. High-ranked females gained body mass whereas low-ranked females lost weight during the winter. Fecundity was higher and date of birth was earlier in high-ranked females than in subordinates, whereas no effect of females rank on birth mass of calves was found. Early preweaning growth rate and September body mass of calves increased with increasing females social rank, whereas late preweaning daily growth rate of calves was not influenced by females rank. Calves preweaning mortality was only influenced by year, which also explained most of the variance in the winter body-mass change of calves. The effects of females rank on the reproductive-efforts parameters studied were not specific to offspring sex. These findings suggest that females rank influences reproductive effort during the preparturition, as well as the preweaning, period, the effect being sex independent.Communicated by R. Gibson     

Pilot investigations of surface parts of three closed landfills and factors affecting them

Aftercare of closed sanitary landfills in a major environmentalproblem. Rehabilitation of the landfill with vegetation and reducing leachate production are two issues that must be dealt.For this reason, Finnish Environment Institute has conducted several projects on closed landfills. This research aims atdetermining the physical and chemical properties of the soils atthree closed landfills in Helsinki, Finland. Research was conducted to understand the impact by studying the following properties: Chemical, nutrient metal, gamma and radon analysis of surface soils of three closed landfills in Helsinki area.     

Organizational antecedents and outcomes of job insecurity: a longitudinal study in three organizations in Finland

The aim of the study was to examine perceived job insecurity and its organizational antecedents and outcomes within a one‐year time period. The study was carried out by means of questionnaires, which were responded to twice, in 1995 (Time 1) and 1996 (Time 2), by employees in three organizations: a factory, a bank, and a municipal social and health care department. The present article is based on the data of those employees (n=210) who participated in the study in both years. The results indicated that perceived job insecurity varied with gender and organization, but not with time. In particular, female employees in the bank reported a high level of job insecurity compared with men. The use of a restorative strategy by management at Time 1 decreased job insecurity at Time 2, whereas job insecurity at Time 1 weakened the quality of human relations and perceived efficiency within the organizations at Time 2. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Male age structure influences females’ mass change during rut in a polygynous ungulate: the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

The manipulation of the sex ratio and age structure in many managed ungulate populations calls for a better understanding of their potential consequences on females’ condition and behavior during rut. During 1996–2002, we manipulated the male age structure and male percentage (nine treatments during 7 years) within an experimental herd of semidomestic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and investigated their influence on both the body mass change and the behavior of females during rut. On average, the females lost body mass (−0.95±SE 0.18 kg) during rut, which we contend to reflect somatic costs. The females’ losses increased as the percentage of male decreased, but this was certainly ascribed to one treatment with high male percentage (27.7%) as compared to the others (ranging from 3.9 to 12.2%). Female losses were highest for treatments including both young and adult males as compared to only adult or only young males, and higher for treatments including only young compared to only adult males. This is supported by (1) the higher female harassment frequency when females are exposed to only young or a mixture of young and adult males as compared to only adults, (2) the higher female harassment frequency by young males as compared to adults in the mixed treatments, and (3) the reduced females’ feeding activity in treatments including both young and adult males. We conclude that the male age structure during rut will influence the females’ behavior and mass change and may have implications for females’ life history and for population dynamics.     

Both reindeer management and several other land use factors explain the reduction in ground lichens (Cladonia spp.) in pastures grazed by semi-domesticated reindeer in Finland

Roles of intensive reindeer grazing and several additional land use factors in the reduction in ground lichens (Cladonia spp.) in pastures grazed by the semi-domesticated reindeer have been argued in Finland. Our analysis showed that several factors and processes explain the standing biomass of lichens (during 2005–2008) and the recent changes in this biomass (after 1995–1996) on lichen pastures located in the 20 northernmost herding districts in Finland. The higher the long-term reindeer densities on the lichen pastures the lower was the lichen biomass. The lichen biomass was also strongly affected by the grazing system; the lowest biomass values of lichens were measured in all grazing areas that were used in the snow-free seasons. The lichen biomass in pine forests less than 80 years old and in all mountain type lichen pastures was lower than that in mature and old pine forests. The lichen biomass also decreased as the proportion of arboreal lichen pastures within a district decreased and the proportion of human infrastructure increased. The aerial drift of heavy metals from the Kola Peninsula appeared to reduce lichens in a small north-eastern part of the study area. Increases in summer precipitation and winter temperatures increased the amount of lichens, but increases in summer temperatures and winter precipitation had the opposite effect. Reindeer densities, grazing system, pasture type and the previous abiotic factors were also associated with the reduction in lichen biomass between the inventories. We conclude that several local, regional and even global factors and processes affect the state of reindeer pastures in large and complex grazing ecosystems. Therefore, more comprehensive research and management strategies for the entire reindeer herding environment are needed.     

Fluxes of methane,carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in boreal lakes and potential anthropogenic effects on the aquatic greenhouse gas emissions

We have examined how some major catchment disturbances may affect the aquatic greenhouse gas fluxes in the boreal zone, using gas flux data from studies made in 1994-1999 in the pelagic regions of seven lakes and two reservoirs in Finland. The highest pelagic seasonal average methane (CH(4)) emissions were up to 12 mmol x m(-2) x d(-1) from eutrophied lakes with agricultural catchments. Nutrient loading increases autochthonous primary production in lakes, promoting oxygen consumption and anaerobic decomposition in the sediments and this can lead to increased CH(4) release from lakes to the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide (CO(2)) fluxes were higher from reservoirs and lakes whose catchment areas were rich in peatlands or managed forests, and from eutrophied lakes in comparison to oligotrophic and mesotrophic sites. However, all these sites were net sources of CO(2) to the atmosphere. The pelagic CH(4) emissions were generally lower than those from the littoral zone. The fluxes of nitrous oxide (N(2)O) were negligible in the pelagic regions, apparently due to low nitrate inputs and/or low nitrification activity. However, the littoral zone, acting as a buffer for leached nitrogen, did release N(2)O. Anthropogenic disturbances of boreal lakes, such as increasing eutrophication, can change the aquatic greenhouse gas balance, but also the gas exchange in the littoral zone should be included in any assessment of the overall effect. It seems that autochthonous and allochthonous carbon sources, which contribute to the CH(4) and CO(2) production in lakes, also have importance in the greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and biphenyls in the general population in Finland

We measured adipose tissue concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 420 general Finns living in southern Finland. The mean (median) concentrations of WHO(PCDD/F)-TEQ and WHO(PCB)-TEQ were 29.0 (24.1) and 20.7 (16.7) pg g-1 fat, respectively. The concentrations clearly correlated with age. Expressing the concentrations as a function of subject's ages revealed that the exposure of Finns has declined over the last 30 years. A downward gradient was found in the concentrations from the Baltic Sea coast to inland areas in Finland, and this was assessed to be due to consumption of the Baltic Sea fish, especially Baltic herring. Linear regression models for natural logarithm WHO(PCDD/F)-TEQ, natural logarithm WHO(PCB)-TEQ, and natural logarithm WHO(total)-TEQ, explained 70%, 69%, and 72% of the variability, respectively. Age, lactation, place of residence, and fish consumption frequencies were significant predictors in the models.     

PCDD, PCDF, AND PCB concentrations in human milk from two areas in Finland

Concentrations of 17 toxic 2,3,7,8-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and of 36 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) were analyzed from 167 randomly sampled human milk samples from Southern (77 samples) and Eastern (90) Finland. The level of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in human milk in Southern Finland was about 25% higher than those from Eastern Finland. The level of PCDD/Fs in human milk in Finland was the same as in Sweden, 30–50 % lower than in milk from Central Europe but about 45% higher than values from Norway or Russia. The PCB concentrations in Southern Finland were at the same level as in the Netherlands, and in Eastern Finland at the same level as in Norway. The levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs decreased with increasing number of children: the third child was exposed to about 70% of the amount of PCDD/Fs and PCBs as compared with the first child, and the eighth to tenth child to about 20%. The congener patterns of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Finnish human milk were similar to the countries of Central Europe, however, the levels of penta- and heptachlorinated furans were slightly higher than in milk from other countries.