Resilience of epilithic algal assemblages in atmospherically and experimentally acidified boreal lakes

Algal assemblages can be highly responsive to environmental changes in recovering acidified lakes. We compared epilithic algal assemblages in boreal lakes during chemical recovery from atmospheric (Killarney Park, Ontario) and experimental (Lake 302S, Experimental Lakes Area, Ontario) acidification to assess the impact of spatial and temporal scale of severe acidification on taxonomic resilience (i.e. recovery rate). Resilience was measured as the distance traveled by lakes in ordination space during pH recovery based on canonical correspondence analysis. Resilience was relatively negligible in the Killarney lakes, suggesting that eight years of experimental acidification in Lake 302S had less impact on biological recovery than did decades of regional acidification. Increases in dissolved organic carbon, dissolved inorganic carbon, and calcium best explained temporal variance of epilithic species abundances in the recovering acidified lakes. In Lake 302S, contrasting trajectories of taxonomic resilience and resistance, i.e. displacement from reference conditions following a perturbation, indicated that ecological factors affecting epilithon differed at corresponding pH levels during recovery and acidification. Our findings reveal that modeling of ecosystem recovery from severe acidification must account for the spatial and temporal scale of the perturbation, and biological delay responses that result in differences between recovery and acidification trajectories.     

Managing Swedish forestry’s impact on mercury in fish: Defining the impact and mitigation measures

Inputs of anthropogenic mercury (Hg) to the environment have led to accumulation of Hg in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, contributing to fish Hg concentrations well above the European Union standards in large parts of Fennoscandia. Forestry operations have been reported to increase the concentrations and loads of Hg to surface waters by mobilizing Hg from the soil. This summary of available forestry effect studies reveals considerable variation in treatment effects on total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) at different sites, varying from no effect up to manifold concentration increases, especially for the bioavailable MeHg fraction. Since Hg biomagnification depends on trophic structures, forestry impacts on nutrient flows will also influence the Hg in fish. From this, we conclude that recommendations for best management practices in Swedish forestry operations are appropriate from the perspective of mercury contamination. However, the complexity of defining effective policies needs to be recognized.     

Effects on the function of Arctic ecosystems in the short- and long-term perspectives

Historically, the function of Arctic ecosystems in terms of cycles of nutrients and carbon has led to low levels of primary production and exchanges of energy, water and greenhouse gases have led to low local and regional cooling. Sequestration of carbon from atmospheric CO2, in extensive, cold organic soils and the high albedo from low, snow-covered vegetation have had impacts on regional climate. However, many aspects of the functioning of Arctic ecosystems are sensitive to changes in climate and its impacts on biodiversity. The current Arctic climate results in slow rates of organic matter decomposition. Arctic ecosystems therefore tend to accumulate organic matter and elements despite low inputs. As a result, soil-available elements like nitrogen and phosphorus are key limitations to increases in carbon fixation and further biomass and organic matter accumulation. Climate warming is expected to increase carbon and element turnover, particularly in soils, which may lead to initial losses of elements but eventual, slow recovery. Individual species and species diversity have clear impacts on element inputs and retention in Arctic ecosystems. Effects of increased CO2 and UV-B on whole ecosystems, on the other hand, are likely to be small although effects on plant tissue chemisty, decomposition and nitrogen fixation may become important in the long-term. Cycling of carbon in trace gas form is mainly as CO2 and CH4. Most carbon loss is in the form of CO2, produced by both plants and soil biota. Carbon emissions as methane from wet and moist tundra ecosystems are about 5% of emissions as CO2 and are responsive to warming in the absence of any other changes. Winter processes and vegetation type also affect CH4 emissions as well as exchanges of energy between biosphere and atmosphere. Arctic ecosystems exhibit the largest seasonal changes in energy exchange of any terrestrial ecosystem because of the large changes in albedo from late winter, when snow reflects most incoming radiation, to summer when the ecosystem absorbs most incoming radiation. Vegetation profoundly influences the water and energy exchange of Arctic ecosystems. Albedo during the period of snow cover declines from tundra to forest tundra to deciduous forest to evergreen forest. Shrubs and trees increase snow depth which in turn increases winter soil temperatures. Future changes in vegetation driven by climate change are therefore, very likely to profoundly alter regional climate.     

Current analyses do not resolve whether extra-pair paternity is male or female driven

Recent studies question the importance of indirect genetic effects in explaining female benefits of extra-pair matings in socially monogamous species. Compiling data on 14 wild bird species, Arnqvist and Kirkpatrick (Am Nat 165:S26–S37, 2005) estimated the average direct cost in terms or reduced parental care to be an order of magnitude larger than the potential effect of genetic benefits. This study has sparked a debate regarding potential confounding factors but no consensus appears to have been reached. Here we focus on the implicit assumption that all individuals face the same selective pressures and argue that this assumption is probably too strong in most cases. Using a theoretical model we show that when the amount of resources that a male provides depends on territory quality, his physical condition or prospects for alternative breeding opportunities, a female may respond to such differences by altering her mating behaviour. Such confounding factors may lead to direct fitness effects that result in negative correlations between paternal care and paternity even if females that produce extra-pair young experience a net benefit. Negative correlations can also result when males forcefully seek copulations and females resist them. We discuss the studies included in the analysis in this light, and conclude that current analyses on the net selective pressures remain uninformative. In addition to considering average effects across individuals and species we suggest giving attention to individual differences and the influence of ecological factors such as territory quality and predation pressures on female mating behaviour.     

Dynamics of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in a temperate calcareous forest soil

In temperate forest ecosystems, soil acts as a major sink for atmospheric N deposition. A (15)N labeling experiment in a hardwood forest on calcareous fluvisol was performed to study the processes involved. Low amounts of ammonium ((15)NH(4)(+)) or nitrate ((15)NO(3)(-)) were added to small plots. Soil samples were taken after periods ranging from 1 h to 1 yr. After 1 d, the litter layer retained approximately 28% of the (15)NH(4)(+) tracer and 19% of (15)NO(3)(-). The major fraction of deposited N went through the litter layer to reach the soil within the first hours following the tracer application. During the first day, a decrease in extractable (15)N in the soil was observed ((15)NH(4)(+): 50 to 5%; (15)NO(3)(-): 60 to 12%). During the same time, the amount of microbial (15)N remained almost constant and the (15)N immobilized in the soil (i.e., total (15)N recovered in the bulk soil minus extractable (15)N minus microbial (15)N) also decreased. Such results can therefore be understood as a net loss of (15)N from the soil. Such N loss is probably explained by NO(3)(-) leaching, which is enhanced by the well-developed soil structure. We presume that the N immobilization mainly occurs as an incorporation of deposited N into the soil organic matter. One year after the (15)N addition, recovery rates were similar and approximately three-quarters of the deposited N was recovered in the soil. We conclude that the processes relevant for the fate of atmospherically deposited N take place rapidly and that N recycling within the microbes-plants-soil organic matter (SOM) system prevents further losses in the long term.     

Identification of soil contamination hotspots with veterinary antibiotics using heavy metal concentrations and leaching data—a field study in China

In regions with high livestock densities, the usage of antibiotics and metals for veterinary purposes or as growth promoters poses a risk in manured soils. We investigated to which degree the concentrations and depth distributions of Cu, Zn, Cr and As could be used as a tracer to discover contaminations with sulfonamides, tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones. Besides, we estimated the potential vertical translocation of antibiotics and compared the results to measured data. In the peri-urban region of Beijing, China, soil was sampled from agricultural fields and a dry riverbed contaminated by organic waste disposal. The antibiotic concentrations reached 110 μg kg^?1 sulfamethazine, 111 μg kg^?1 chlortetracycline and 62 μg kg^?1 enrofloxacin in the topsoil of agricultural fields. Intriguingly, total concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cr and As were smaller than 65, 130, 36 and 10 mg kg^?1 in surface soil, respectively, therewith fulfilling Chinese quality standards. Correlations between sulfamethazine concentrations and Cu or Zn suggest that in regions with high manure applications, one might use the frequently existing monitoring data for metals to identify potential pollution hotspots for antibiotics in topsoils. In the subsoils, we found sulfamethazine down to ≥2 m depth on agricultural sites and down to ≥4 m depth in the riverbed. As no translocation of metals was observed, subsoil antibiotic contamination could not be predicted from metal data. Nevertheless, sulfonamide stocks in the subsoil could be estimated with an accuracy of 35–200 % from fertilisation data and potential leaching rates. While this may not be sufficient for precise prediction of antibiotic exposure, it may very well be useful for the pre-identification of risk hotspots for subsequent in-depth assessment studies.     

大气酸化和实验酸化的北方湖泊中石生藻类群落的复原能力

藻类群落对恢复中酸化湖泊的环境变化具有高度响应性.本文比较了北方湖泊的石生藻类群落从大气酸化(安大略省基拉尼公园)和实验酸化(南302湖,安大略省实验湖泊区)的化学恢复,以评价严重酸化的时空尺度对分类学复原能力(即恢复速率)的影响.复原能力以经过典型对应分析(CCA)湖泊在pH恢复过程中的排序空间上的位移来表示.基拉尼湖泊的复原能力相对而言几乎可以忽略,说明南303号湖8年时间酸化实验对生物恢复的影响要弱于几十年来的大气酸化作用.溶解性有机碳、溶解性无机碳以及钙的增长很好地解释了恢复过程中的酸化湖泊的石生物种丰度的时间变化.南302湖中观察到了相反的分类学复原能力和抗性的轨迹(抗性指扰动后自原来状态的偏离),显示在恢复和酸化过程中影响石生物种的生态因子随相应的pH值不同而不同.本文的发现揭示了在对严重酸化湖泊的生态系统恢复建立模型时,一定要考虑扰动的时空尺度以及引起恢复和酸化轨迹差异的生物滞后响应.