Climate change impact on water quality: model results from southern Sweden

Starting from six regional climate change scenarios, nitrogen leaching from arable-soil, water discharge, and nitrogen retention was modeled in the R?nne? catchment. Additionally, biological response was modeled in the eutrophic Lake Ringsj?n. The results are compared with similar studies on other catchments. All scenarios gave similar impact on water quality but varied in quantities. However, one scenario resulted in a different transport pattern due to less-pronounced seasonal variations in the hydrology. On average, the study shows that, in a future climate, we might expect: i) increased concentrations of nitrogen in the arable root zone (+50%) and in the river (+13%); ii) increased annual load of nitrogen from land to sea (+22%) due to more pronounced winter high flow; moreover, remote areas in the catchment may start to contribute to the outlet load; iii) radical changes in lake biochemistry with increased concentrations of total phosphorus (+50%), total nitrogen (+20%), and planktonic algae such as cyanobacteria (+80%).     

Distribution of PCNs, PCBs, and other POPs together with soot and other organic matter in the marine environment of the Grenlandsfjords, Norway

The apparently dissolved concentration of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and three planar polychlorinated biphenyls (pPCBs) were sampled and analysed in the water column of a marine fjord system. We also measured how much of these persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were associated with suspended particles. The field observations showed that an unexpectedly high portion of the pollutants were particle-associated. The factor of deviation from model predictions had positive linear regression on the soot carbon:particulate organic carbon ratio of the particles, and on estimates of the soot-water distribution coefficient for the PCNs. The spatial distribution of surface sediment concentrations of PCNs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were found to consistently follow the sediment content of soot (f(SC)) to a larger extent than the bulk organic matter (f(OC)). There were no systematic differences in the strength of correlation of sediments concentrations of other POPs, i.e. octachlorostyrene and organochlorine pesticides with sediment concentration to f(SC) and f(OC). Mechanisms possible of generating these types of observations, e.g. adsorption to soot carbon in the marine particle, are discussed.     

Stereoisomeric composition of the sex pheromone of the pine sawfly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microdiprion pallipes</Emphasis> (Hym., Diprionidae)

Summary. The basic chemical structure of the sex pheromone of the pine sawfly Microdiprion pallipes (Fallén) has earlier been identified as the propionate ester of (2S,3S,7R/S,11R/S)/(2R,3R,7R/S,11R/S)-3,7,11- trimethyl-2-tridecanol. We now report the results from further investigations on the male response to individual stereoisomers and to blends of stereoisomers, both in electroantennographic (EAG) recordings and in field trapping experiments. We also present our attempts to determine the stereochemistry of the compounds present in females of M. pallipes. By comparing gas chromatograms and mass spectra obtained from natural extracts with those from synthetic compounds it was found that the females contain one or more of the four (2S,3S,7R/S,11R/S)-3,7,11-trimethyl-2- tridecanol isomers (SS++-1). The active pheromone component is the corresponding propionate ester 2. In EAG experiments, males responded most strongly to five propionate ester samples, namely two four-isomer blends: SS++-2 and SR++-2, and three individual stereoisomers: SSSR-, SRRR- and SRSR-2. In a series of field trapping experiments it was found that males were attracted to the SR++-2 four-isomer blend and to the individual isomer SSSR-2. Based on the EAG-recordings and field responses of males and the stereoisomers found in the females, we suggest that the propionate ester of (2S,3S,7S,11R)-3,7,11-trimethyl-2- tridecanol (SSSR-2) is used as a main component of the sex pheromone in M. pallipes. Apparently the males react to other stereoisomers in addition to that or those produced by the females.     

Reconnecting to the Biosphere

Humanity has emerged as a major force in the operation of the biosphere, with a significant imprint on the Earth System, challenging social-ecological resilience. This new situation calls for a fundamental shift in perspectives, world views, and institutions. Human development and progress must be reconnected to the capacity of the biosphere and essential ecosystem services to be sustained. Governance challenges include a highly interconnected and faster world, cascading social-ecological interactions and planetary boundaries that create vulnerabilities but also opportunities for social-ecological change and transformation. Tipping points and thresholds highlight the importance of understanding and managing resilience. New modes of flexible governance are emerging. A central challenge is to reconnect these efforts to the changing preconditions for societal development as active stewards of the Earth System. We suggest that the Millennium Development Goals need to be reframed in such a planetary stewardship context combined with a call for a new social contract on global sustainability. The ongoing mind shift in human relations with Earth and its boundaries provides exciting opportunities for societal development in collaboration with the biosphere--a global sustainability agenda for humanity.     

Low accessibility and chemical activity of PAHs restrict bioremediation and risk of exposure in a manufactured gas plant soil

Composting of manufactured gas plant soil by a commercial enterprise had removed most of its polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but concentrations remained above regulatory threshold levels. Several amendments and treatments were first tested to restart the PAH degradation, albeit with little success. The working hypothesis was then that PAHs were “stuck” due to strong sorption to black carbon. Accessibility was measured with cyclodextrin extractions and on average only 4% of the PAHs were accessible. Chemical activity of the PAHs was measured by equilibrium sampling, which confirmed a low exposure level. These results are consistent with strong sorption to black carbon (BC), which constituted 59% of the total organic carbon. Composting failed to remove the PAHs, but it succeeded to minimize PAH accessibility and chemical activity. This adds to accumulating evidence that current regulatory thresholds based on bulk concentrations are questionable and alternative approaches probing actual risk should be considered.     

Mobility of chloroaromatic compounds in soil: case studies of Swedish chlorophenol-contaminated sawmill sites

This paper summarizes recent studies on the environmental fate of chloroaromatic compounds in chlorophenol (CP)-contaminated soil and groundwater at Swedish sawmill sites. Relative proportions of CPs, polychlorinated phenoxy phenols (PCPPs), polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in preservatives, particulate organic matter (POM), dissolved organic matter (DOM), groundwater, and particles filtered from groundwater. All compound classes were found in the different compartments. The fraction of PCPPs, PCDEs, PCDDs, and PCDFs had increased in the soil samples relative to the proportions in the preservatives. This increase showed correlation with the hydrophobicity, that is, PCDDs had the largest increase. Similar correlation was found between hydrophobicity and the importance of partitioning to POM over DOM. The more water soluble compound group, CP, was found equally distributed between POM and DOM. For PCPPs, PCDEs, PCDDs, and PCDFs, the relative partitioning to POM increased with increased hydrophobicity. Despite the relative partitioning towards POM, compared with DOM, cotransport with DOM and suspended colloidal fractions was found to substantially increase the transport of these compounds in the groundwater samples.     

Critical Anthropomorphism and Animal Ethics

Anthropomorphism has long been considered a cardinal error when describing animals. Ethicists have feared the consequences of misrepresenting animals in their reasoning. Recent research within human-animal studies, however, has sophisticated the notion of anthropomorphism. It is suggested that avoiding anthropomorphism merely creates other morphisms, such as mechanomorphism. Instead of avoiding anthropomorphism, it is argued that it is a communicative strategy that should be used critically. Instances of anthropomorphism in animal ethics are analyzed in this paper. Some analogies made between people and non-human animals in present theories of animal ethics are clear instances of psychological anthropomorphism. Other analogies are implicit cases of cultural anthropomorphism. It is argued that animal ethics needs to take the wider discourse of critical anthropomorphism into account in order to sophisticate the understanding and use of anthropomorphic projections. Anthropomorphism is an efficient tool of communication, and it may be made an adequate one as well.     

Socio-ecological implications of modifying rotation lengths in forestry

The rotation length is a key component of even-aged forest management systems. Using Fennoscandian forestry as a case, we review the socio-ecological implications of modifying rotation lengths relative to current practice by evaluating effects on a range of ecosystem services and on biodiversity conservation. The effects of shortening rotations on provisioning services are expected to be mostly negative to neutral (e.g. production of wood, bilberries, reindeer forage), while those of extending rotations would be more varied. Shortening rotations may help limit damage by some of today’s major damaging agents (e.g. root rot, cambium-feeding insects), but may also increase other damage types (e.g. regeneration pests) and impede climate mitigation. Supporting (water, soil nutrients) and cultural (aesthetics, cultural heritage) ecosystem services would generally be affected negatively by shortened rotations and positively by extended rotations, as would most biodiversity indicators. Several effect modifiers, such as changes to thinning regimes, could alter these patterns.     

An Experiment with Forced Oxygenation of the Deepwater of the Anoxic By Fjord,Western Sweden

In a 2.5-year-long environmental engineering experiment in the By Fjord, surface water was pumped into the deepwater where the frequency of deepwater renewals increased by a factor of 10. During the experiment, the deepwater became long-term oxic, and nitrate became the dominating dissolved inorganic nitrogen component. The amount of phosphate in the water column decreased by a factor of 5 due to the increase in flushing and reduction in the leakage of phosphate from the sediments when the sediment surface became oxidized. Oxygenation of the sediments did not increase the leakage of toxic metals and organic pollutants. The bacterial community was the first to show changes after the oxygenation, with aerobic bacteria also thriving in the deepwater. The earlier azoic deepwater bottom sediments were colonized by animals. No structural difference between the phytoplankton communities in the By Fjord and the adjacent Havsten Fjord, with oxygenated deepwater, could be detected during the experiment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-014-0524-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.