Living in an oasis: Rapid transformations,resilience, and resistance in the North Water Area societies and ecosystems

Based on lake sediment data, archaeological findings, and historical records, we describe rapid transformations, resilience and resistance in societies and ecosystems, and their interactions in the past in the North Water area related to changes in climate and historical events. Examples are the formation of the polynya itself and the early arrival of people, ca. 4500 years ago, and later major human immigrations (different societies, cultural encounters, or abandonment) from other regions in the Arctic. While the early immigrations had relatively modest and localised effect on the ecosystem, the later-incoming culture in the early thirteenth century was marked by extensive migrations into and out of the area and abrupt shifts in hunting technologies. This has had long-lasting consequences for the local lake ecosystems. Large natural transformations in the ecosystems have also occurred over relatively short time periods related to changes in the polynya. Finally, we discuss the future perspectives for the North Water area given the many threats, but also opportunities.     

On the crucial importance of a small bird: The ecosystem services of the little auk (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alle alle</Emphasis>) population in Northwest Greenland in a long-term perspective

The little auk is the most numerous seabird in the North Atlantic and its most important breeding area is the eastern shores of the North Water polynya. Here, a population of an estimated 33 million pairs breeds in huge colonies and significantly shapes the ecosystem. Archaeological remains in the colonies document that the little auk has been harvested over millennia. Anthropological research discloses how the little auk has a role both as social engineer and as a significant resource for the Inughuit today. The hunting can be practiced without costly equipment, and has no gender and age discrimination in contrast to the dominant hunt for marine mammals. Little auks are ecological engineers in the sense that they transport vast amounts of nutrients from sea to land, where the nutrients are deposited as guano. Here, the fertilized vegetation provides important foraging opportunities for hares, geese, fox, reindeer, and the introduced muskox. We estimate that the relative muskox density is ten times higher within 1 km of little auk fertilized vegetation hotspots.     

A review of regulations and guidelines related to winter manure application

Winter manure application elevates nutrient losses and impairment of water quality as compared to manure applications in other seasons. In conjunction with reviewing global distribution of animal densities, we reviewed worldwide mandatory regulations and voluntary guidelines on efforts to reduce off-site nutrient losses associated with winter manure applications. Most of the developed countries implement regulations or guidelines to restrict winter manure application, which range from a regulative ban to guidelines based upon weather and field management conditions. In contrast, developing countries lack such official directives, despite an increasing animal production industry and concern over water quality. An analysis of five case studies reveals that directives are derived from a common rationale to reduce off-site manure nutrient losses, but they are also affected by local socio-economic and biophysical considerations. Successful programs combine site-specific management strategies along with expansion of manure storage to offer farmers greater flexibility in winter manure management.     

The search for an alternative to piped water and sewer systems in the Alaskan Arctic

Forty-two communities in rural Alaska are considered unserved or underserved with water and sewer infrastructure. Many challenges exist to provide centralized piped water and sewer infrastructure to the homes, and they are exacerbated by decreasing capital funding. Unserved communities in rural Alaska experience higher rates of disease, supporting the recommendation that sanitation infrastructure should be provided. Organizations are pursuing alternative solutions to conventional piped water and sewer in order to maximize water use and reuse for public health. This paper reviews initiatives led by the State of Alaska, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation to identify and develop potential long-term solutions appropriate and acceptable to rural communities. Future developments will likely evolve based on the lessons learned from the initiatives. Recommendations include Alaska-specific research needs, increased end-user participation in the design process, and integrated monitoring, evaluation, and information dissemination in future efforts.     

PCB exposure and potential future cancer incidence in Slovak children: an assessment from molecular finger printing by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA®) derived from experimental and epidemiological investigations

The risk of cancer due to PCB exposure in humans is highly debated. In eastern Slovakia, high exposure of the population to organochlorines (especially PCBs) was associated with various disease and disorder pathways, viz., endocrine disruption, metabolic disorder & diabetes, and cancer, thereby disturbing several cellular processes, including protein synthesis, stress response, and apoptosis. We have evaluated a Slovak cohort (45-month children, at lower and higher levels of PCB exposure from the environment) for disease and disorder development to develop early disease cancer biomarkers that could shed new light on possible mechanisms for the genesis of cancers under such chemical exposures, and identify potential avenues for prevention.

Microarray studies of global gene expression were conducted from the 45-month-old children on the Affymetrix platform followed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA®) to associate the affected genes with their mechanistic pathways. High-throughput qRT-PCR TaqMan low-density array (TLDA) was performed to further validate the selected genes on the whole blood cells of the most highly exposed children from the study cohort (n = 71).

TP53, MYC, BCL2, and LRP12 differential gene expressions suggested strong relationships between potential future tumor promotion and PCB exposure in Slovak children. The IPA analysis further detected the most important signaling pathways, including molecular mechanism of cancers, prostate cancer signaling, ovarian cancer signaling, P53 signaling, oncostatin M signaling, and their respective functions (viz., prostate cancer, breast cancer, progression of tumor, growth of tumor, and non-Hodgkin’s disease). The results suggest that PCB exposures, even at the early age of these children, may have lifelong consequences for the future development of chronic diseases.

     

Metal concentrations in used engine oils: Relevance to site assessments of soils

Used engine oils contain metals, which upon entering soils may pose risks to human health or the environment. In this study, previously published concentrations of 23 metals in 213 used engine oil samples from the early 1970s to the mid-1990s are statistically evaluated. Neat (100%) used engine oils were found to contain relatively high concentrations of lead, calcium, and zinc, attributable to piston blow-by of leaded gasoline, calcium salt detergent additives, and zinc-bearing anti-corrosion/anti-oxidation additives, respectively. Wear metal concentrations were lower. The lead concentration in used engine oils in the U.S. declined between the 1970s and early 1990s, potentially providing a basis to constrain the “age” of used engine oil(s) in soils. The concentrations of 23 metals in used engine oils were compared to soil risk benchmarks in 15 representative jurisdictions in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe. The maximum concentrations in neat (100%) used engine oil of eight metals – Be, Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, Ag, and Ti – were lower than their collective minimum benchmarks in soils for the jurisdictions surveyed, indicating their concentrations in soils could not be reasonably expected to exceed any soil benchmarks. Nine metals (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Sn, V and Zn), but particularly arsenic, cadmium, lead, tin, and zinc, were identified as potential contaminants of concern (PCOC) for soils from locations impacted with used engine oils, owing to their higher median concentrations (i.e., 2.5, 1.4, 1038, 5.0, and 922 mg/kg in oil, respectively) relative to most soil benchmarks. Site-specific benchmarks and metal concentrations at reasonable oil in soil concentrations require consideration when developing the suite of PCOC metal analytes for conducting site assessments of soils impacted by used engine oil.     

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization in Vertisol as mediated by type and placement method of residue

Selection of appropriate residue application method is essential for better use of biomass for soil and environmental health improvement. A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted for 75 days to investigate C and N mineralization of residues of soybean (Glycine max L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) placed on the soil surface and incorporated into the soil. The residue of soybean and chickpea had a greater decomposition rate than that of maize and wheat, despite of their placements. Higher rate of decomposition of the residue of soybean and chickpea was recorded when it was kept on the soil surface while soil incorporation of residue of wheat and maize resulted in faster decomposition. Therefore, these findings could be used as guidelines for management of crop residue application in farmland to improve soil and environmental quality.     

Treatment technologies for PAH-contaminated sites: a critical review

To reduce environmental and human health risks of contaminated sites, having a comprehensive knowledge about the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) removal processes is crucial. PAHs are contaminants which are highly recognized to pose threats to humans, animals, and plants. PAHs are hydrophobic and own two or more benzene rings, and hence are resistant to structural degradation. There are various techniques which have been developed to treat PAH-contaminated soil. Four distinct processes to remove PAHs in the contaminated soil, thought to be more effective techniques, are presented in this review: soil washing, chemical oxidation, electrokinetic, phytoremediation. In a surfactant-aided washing process, a removal rate of 90% was reported. Compost-amended phytoremediation treatment presented 58–99% removal of pyrene from the soil in 90 days. Chemical oxidation method was able to reach complete conversion for some PAHs. In electrokinetic treatment, researchers have achieved reliable results in removal of some specific PAHs. Researchers’ innovations in novel studies and advantages/disadvantages of the techniques are also investigated throughout the paper. Finally, it should be noted that an exclusive method or a combination of methods by themselves are not the key to be employed for remediation of every contaminated site but the field characteristics are also essential in selection of the most appropriate decontamination technique(s). The remedy for selection criteria is based on PAH concentrations, site characteristics, costs, shortcomings, and advantages.     

Reservoir water quality: a case from Jordan

Jordan relies heavily on reservoirs building and development to cope with water supply challenges, where monitoring and assessment of reservoir water quality are critically important for the sustainable use of these water supplies. Mujib Dam is an important water supply source in central western Jordan. Evaluation of water quality parameters and their spatial distributions (vertical and horizontal) showed near-neutral pH values with nearly similar values from surface to bottom. The vertical profile of DO and TDS in the dammed reservoir showed slight decreasing trends with increasing depth. Although Ca, Mg, Na, and K concentrations varied slightly with depths, their variations showed no trends. Similarly, the vertical and horizontal distribution patterns of Cl, SO₄, HCO₃, NO₃, and PO₄ in Mujib reservoir water showed insignificant variations in surface water layer and relatively unchanged values or decreasing trends through the water column. Higher values of TN have been observed, especially in the western part, suggesting that agricultural activities and livestock farming in the upstream catchment are impacting water quality. Results revealed that weathering and dissolution of rocks are the major source of water chemistry. The majority of trace metal levels (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Co, Ni, Sr, and B) in water showed relatively similar surface and bottom values. The concentrations of COD and BOD₅ in surface water were relatively low with higher concentrations observed in the northwestern corner, coincided with higher levels of chlorophyll a. The average ratio of TN to TP in surface water suggests that phosphorus is the limiting factor for the algal blooms, whereas the average chlorophyll a level in surface water indicates oligo-mesotrophic water.     

Seasonal and diurnal measurements of carbon monoxide and nonmethane hydrocarbons at Mt. Wilson,California: Indirect evidence of atomic Cl in the Los Angeles basin

We present a study of the seasonal and diurnal variability of carbon monoxide and selected volatile organic compounds in the Los Angeles area. Measurements were made during four different nine-day field campaigns in April/May, September, and November, 2007, and February, 2008, at the Mt. Wilson sampling site, which is located at an elevation of approximately 1700 m in the San Gabriel Mountains overlooking Pasadena and the Los Angeles basin. The results were used to characterize the Mt. Wilson site as a representative location for monitoring integrated Los Angeles basin emissions, and, by reference to carbon monoxide emissions, to estimate average annual emissions. The considerable seasonal variability of many hydrocarbons, in both their measured mixing ratios and their relationship to carbon monoxide, was indicative of variable source strengths. Most interestingly, perturbation of C₄ hydrocarbon ratios suggested an enhanced role for chlorine chemistry during the month of September, likely as the result of Los Angeles’ coastal location. Such coastal influence was confirmed by observations of enhanced mixing ratios of marine halocarbons, as well as air mass back trajectories.