Local and regional variability in snow conditions in northern Finland: A reindeer herding perspective

Weather station measurements were used to force the SNOWPACK snow model and combined with reindeer herders’ experiences to study the local and regional variations in snow conditions in a Finnish reindeer herding area for the 1981–2010 period. Winter conditions varied significantly between the four selected herding districts and between open and forest environments within the districts. The highest snow depths and densities, the thicknesses of ground ice, and the lengths of snow cover period were generally found in the northernmost districts. The snow depths showed the strongest regional coherence, whereas the thicknesses of ground ice were weakly correlated among the districts. The local variation in snow depths was higher than the regional variation and limits for rare or exceptional events varied notably between different districts and environments. The results highlight that forests diversify snow and foraging conditions, e.g., ground ice rarely forms simultaneously in different environments. Sufficient and diverse forest pastures are important during the critical winter season if reindeer herding is pursued on natural grazing grounds also in the future.     

Suitability of passive sampling for the monitoring of pharmaceuticals in Finnish surface waters

The occurrence of five pharmaceuticals, consisting of four anti-inflammatory and one antiepileptic drug, was studied by passive sampling and grab sampling in northern Lake Päijänne and River Vantaa. The passive sampling was performed by using Chemcatcher® sampler with a SDB-RPS Empore disk as a receiving phase. In Lake Päijänne, the sampling was conducted during summer 2013 at four locations near the discharge point of a wastewater treatment plant and in the years 2013 and 2015 at four locations along River Vantaa. The samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The concentrations of carbamazepine, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen in Lake Päijänne determined by passive sampling ranged between 1.4–2.9 ng L^?1, 15–35 ng L^?1, 13–31 ng L^?1, 16–27 ng L^?1, and 3.3–32 ng L^?1, respectively. Similarly, the results in River Vantaa ranged between 1.2–40 ng L^?1, 15–65 ng L^?1, 13–33 ng L^?1, 16–31 ng L^?1, and 3.3–6.4 ng L^?1. The results suggest that the Chemcatcher passive samplers are suitable for detecting pharmaceuticals in lake and river waters.     

Storms impact on morphodynamics of human controlled coastal features in western France: the prevailing role of local management practices

On the western coast of France some storms have a dramatic impact while others have almost none. Some sites were insensitive to storms until the 50ies and are, today, retreating. This paper tries to explain why. First we sort out which storms are responsible for retreat and second we search for any change in management practices on the sites. The erosive storms are not always the most powerful ones (high wind speeds or high waves) but the ones which occur during the peak of high spring tides and have long period waves. The sites which retreat are the ones which, during the 20th Century; were maintained and rebuild, for economic reasons after each small storm event. Today they are left to themselves as they have no more economic activities and are turned into “natural areas”. Therefore the sensitivity of these sites to storm is human-induced. Though, they may be even more sensitive if the observed evolution in storminess (namely the increasing frequency of clusters of storms) appears to be a real trend.     

Community-level and species-specific responses of coastal phytoplankton to the presence of two mesozooplanktonic grazers

The response of phytoplankton to the presence of two mesozooplanktonic grazers was studied in a 44-h laboratory experiment from the phytoplankton perspective. The <45-μm-filtered plankton community, as well as females of the copepod Eurytemora affinis and nauplii of the barnacle Balanus improvisus originated from the northern Baltic Sea. The phytoplankton community was dominated by the dinoflagellate Heterocapsa triquetra, which was preferred as food by the mesozooplanktonic grazers, especially E. affinis. Cryptophytes were eaten by the B. improvisus nauplii, while heterotrophic nanoflagellates increased in the presence of B. improvisus nauplii, and colonial cyanobacteria increased in the presence of E. affinis. Because of the strong selective feeding on the dominant, large-sized phytoplankton species, the negative effect of the mesozooplanktonic grazers on total chlorophyll a was stronger than any cascade effect releasing phytoplankton from protozoan grazing.     

Overview of passive Chemcatcher sampling with SPE pretreatment suitable for the analysis of NPEOs and NPs

The European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC) is an important piece of environmental legislation that protects rivers, lakes, coastal waters and groundwaters (EC 2000). The implementation of the WFD requires the establishment and use of novel and low-cost monitoring programmes, and several methods, e.g. passive sampling, have been developed to make the sampling process more representative compared to spot sampling. This review considers passive sampling methods focusing mainly on a passive sampler named Chemcatcher®, which has been used for monitoring several harmful compounds in aquatic environments. Also, the sample treatment and analysis of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) and nonylphenol (NPs) from water using solid phase extraction (SPE) is briefly summarized. The procedure of Chemcatcher passive sampling is quite similar to that of the SPE extraction since it concentrates the studied compounds from water as well. After sampling, the accumulated substances are extracted from the receiving phase of the sampler. The concentrations of NPEOs and NPs are currently monitored by taking conventional spot samples; SPE can be successfully used as a pretreatment procedure. Chemcatcher® passive sampling technique is a simple and useful monitoring tool and can be applied to new chemicals, such as NPEOs and NPs in aquatic environments.     

Stable carbon isotope reconstructions of diet and paleoenvironment from the late Middle Pleistocene Snake Cave in Northeastern Thailand

Thailand’s geographical location in the tropics and almost complete, relatively uninterrupted forest cover makes it valuable for paleodiet and paleoclimate research. We present the first dietary and environmental reconstructions in Northeastern Thailand, using stable isotope abundances in mammalian tooth enamel from the late Middle Pleistocene locality, Tham Wiman Nakin (Snake Cave), which reflect a much higher (over 70%) than modern (13%) occurrence of C4 plants. Bovids and cervids appear to have had almost entirely a C4 plant diet. Carnivores consumed a mixture of C3 (suids) and C4 (bovids, cervids) consumers. Rhinoceroses and orangutan appear to have maintained their preference through time for forested or open C3 environment, respectively. ¹³C/¹²C from bone bioapatite, horn and hair of modern Southeast Asian mammals almost exclusively demonstrate C3 vegetation dominance. C4 consumption is rare in analysed modern species and it could be related to anthropogenic influences such as ingestion of domestic crops or livestock. Interesting implications emerge in the C4 vegetation distribution in southern Eurasian ecosystems, indicating that Southeast Asia, south of the Tibet, could be part of the global C4 vegetation spread, which occurred around 7 Ma. However, the C4 percentage in ecosystems varied geographically. Despite modern reversal towards C3 habitats due to factors such as increasing CO₂, we think that anthropological influences may be responsible for habitat and dietary changes in extant species. Bovids demonstrate the most significant shift in diet and habitat through time, from C4-dominated open habitats to C3-dominated habitats indicative of dense forest understory.     

Correlation of foliar MT2b expression with Cd and Zn concentrations in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides) grown in contaminated soil

Metal uptake and its effect on foliar metallothionein 2b (MT2b) mRNA levels were studied in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides) in field conditions. The trees were planted on a site contaminated with several metals, including cadmium (mean 5.1 mg kg⁻¹), chromium (80 mg kg⁻¹), copper (180 mg kg⁻¹), nickel (81 mg kg⁻¹), vanadium (240 mg kg⁻¹) and zinc (520 mg kg⁻¹). Of the ten trace elements analyzed, only Cd and Zn accumulated in the leaves with maximal foliar concentrations of 35 and 2400 mg kg⁻¹ (dry weight), respectively. There was a strong correlation between Cd and Zn concentrations and bioaccumulation factors (concentration in plant/soil) in the leaves, branches and roots, suggesting similar transport mechanisms for these two metals. The levels of MT2b correlated with Cd and Zn concentrations in the leaves, demonstrating that increased MT2b expression is one of the responses of hybrid aspen to chronic metal exposure.     

Carbon footprint of food - approaches from national input-output statistics and a LCA of a food portion

The aim of the study, on which this paper is based, was to provide guidance to consumers to make environmentally responsible choices in their food consumption, to assist food supply chain stakeholders to identify the key areas for environmental improvements, and to provide policy makers with a tool for monitoring the potential impacts on climate change resulting from developments within the food sector. At the macro level, the EIO-LCA model was developed specifically for the Finnish food chain; at the micro level, LCAs were performed on 30 lunch portions. The contribution of the Finnish food chain to climate change was 14%, which comprised 40% CO₂ emissions, 25% CH₄ emissions, and 34% N₂O emissions. The share of impacts from domestic agricultural processes was the highest, at 69%. The impact of a single lunch portion ranged between 0.65 and 3.80 kg of equivalent CO₂. According to the EIO-LCA model, the average impact was 7.7 kg CO₂ eq/person daily. The consumer phase accounted for between 8 and 47% of the climate change impacts for homemade portions. In ready-to-eat portions industry and retail phases were emphasized, representing 25-38% of climate change impacts. We present an approach to steer the Finnish food sector onto an environmentally sustainable path; practical tools for consumers and farmers will especially need to be developed further.     

Study of organochlorine pollutants in snow at North Pole and comparison to the snow at north, central and south Finland

Organic pollutants, especially polychlorinated hydrocarbons, phenols, guaiacols and catechols have been studied by analyses of snow samples from North Pole, May 1984. All of these pollutants were below the limit of determination which was estimated to be as fallout 0.1–0.05 μg/m² for individual compounds. For comparison, snow samples from Central Finland and South Finland 1983–1985 also showed non-detectable levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons but well measurable levels of chlorophenol compounds which were significantly higher at urban (heavy traffic) than rural and higher at South than Central Finnish places, respectively. One sample from Lapland, North Finland 1985, however, had no measurable amounts of chlorophenols like the North Pole sample.