Baltic Sea ecosystem-based management under climate change: Synthesis and future challenges

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) has emerged as the generally agreed strategy for managing ecosystems, with humans as integral parts of the managed system. Human activities have substantial effects on marine ecosystems, through overfishing, eutrophication, toxic pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. It is important to advance the scientific knowledge of the cumulative, integrative, and interacting effects of these diverse activities, to support effective implementation of EBM. Based on contributions to this special issue of AMBIO, we synthesize the scientific findings into four components: pollution and legal frameworks, ecosystem processes, scale-dependent effects, and innovative tools and methods. We conclude with challenges for the future, and identify the next steps needed for successful implementation of EBM in general and specifically for the Baltic Sea.     

Interannual variability of phyto-bacterioplankton biomass and production in coastal and offshore waters of the Baltic Sea

The microbial part of the pelagic food web is seldom characterized in models despite its major contribution to biogeochemical cycles. In the Baltic Sea, spatial and temporal high frequency sampling over three years revealed changes in heterotrophic bacteria and phytoplankton coupling (biomass and production) related to hydrographic properties of the ecosystem. Phyto- and bacterioplankton were bottom-up driven in both coastal and offshore areas. Cold winter temperature was essential for phytoplankton to conform to the successional sequence in temperate waters. In terms of annual carbon production, the loss of the spring bloom (diatoms and dinoflagellates) after mild winters tended not to be compensated for by other taxa, not even summer cyanobacteria. These results improve our ability to project Baltic Sea ecosystem response to short- and long-term environmental changes.     

Tissue localisation of tetra- and pentabromodiphenyl ether congeners (BDE-47, -85 and -99) in perinatal and adult C57BL mice

The distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners was followed in C57BL mice. The animals were subjected to whole-body autoradiography using (14)C-labelled 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47), 2,2',3,4,4'-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-85) and 2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99). Labelled BDE-85 and -99 were also used in quantitative studies on milk transfer and tissue concentrations during the neonatal period (12-15 days post partum), by use of liquid scintillation technique. The results show that in adult mice the studied PBDEs were effectively taken up, retained in fatty tissues and concentrated in some specific organs, i.e. the liver, adrenal cortex, ovary, lung and (initially) the brain. At longer post-injection time, the concentration in most tissues was considerably lower, and radioactivity was mainly found in fat depots and the liver. No significant difference in distribution between the three studied congeners was observed. Following maternal exposure, the foetal uptake was limited. On the other hand, during lactation a considerable fraction of the dose (about 20% of the studied penta-BDEs) given to the dam was transferred to the offspring. As in several cases the presently observed organ accumulation corresponds with earlier reports on PBDE effects in the same organs, the present results should be taken into consideration in the risk assessment of this compound group.     

The use of a sequential leaching procedure for assessing the heavy metal leachability in lime waste from the lime kiln at a caustizicing process of a pulp mill

A five-stage sequential leaching procedure was used to fractionate 13 heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Fe, Mn, Al, Ni, Co, As, V, Ba) and sulphur (S) in lime waste from the lime kiln at the causticizing plant of Stora Enso Oyj Veitsiluoto Pulp Mills at Kemi, Northern Finland, into the following fractions: (1) water-soluble fraction (H₂O), (2) exchangeable fraction (CH₃COOH), (3) easily reduced fraction (HONH₃Cl), (4) oxidizable fraction (H₂O₂ + CH₃COONH₄), and (5) residual fraction (HF + HNO₃ + HCl). Although metals were leachable in all fractions, the highest concentrations for most of the metals were observed in the residual fraction (stage 5). It was also notable that the total heavy metal concentrations in lime waste did not exceed the maximal allowable heavy metal concentrations for soil conditioner agents set by the ministry of the Agricultural and Forestry in Finland. The heavy metals concentrations in lime waste were also lower than the maximal allowable heavy metals concentrations of the European Union Directive 86/278/EEC on the protection of environment, and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture. The Ca concentration (420 g kg⁻¹; d.w.) was about 262 times higher than the typical value of 1.6 g kg⁻¹ (d.w.) in arable land in Central Finland. However, the concentration Mg (0.2 g kg⁻¹; d.w.) in lime waste was equal to the Mg concentration in arable land in the Central Finland. The lime waste has strongly alkaline pH (12.8) and a neutralizing value (i.e. liming effect) of 47.9% expressed as Ca equivalents (d.w.). This indicates lime waste to be a potential soil conditioner and improvement as well as a pH buffer.     

Biodegradation of chlorinated solvents in a water unsaturated topsoil

In order to investigate topsoils as potential sinks for chlorinated solvents from the atmosphere, the degradation of trichloromethane (CHCl(3)), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (CH(3)CCl(3)), tetrachloromethane (CCl(4)), trichloroethene (C(2)HCl(3)) and tetrachloroethene (C(2)Cl(4)) was studied in anoxic laboratory experiments designed to simulate denitrifying conditions in water unsaturated topsoil. Active denitrification was demonstrated by measuring the release of 15N in N(2) to the headspace from added 15N labeled nitrate. The degradation of chlorinated aliphatic compounds was followed by measuring their concentrations in the headspace above the soil.The headspace concentrations of all the chlorinated solvents except CH(3)CCl(3) were significantly (P相似文献   

Two-dimensional gap analysis: a tool for efficient conservation planning and biodiversity policy implementation

The maintenance of biodiversity by securing representative and well-connected habitat networks in managed landscapes requires a wise combination of protection, management, and restoration of habitats at several scales. We suggest that the integration of natural and social sciences in the form of "Two-dimensional gap analysis" is an efficient tool for the implementation of biodiversity policies. The tool links biologically relevant "horizontal" ecological issues with "vertical" issues related to institutions and other societal issues. Using forest biodiversity as an example, we illustrate how one can combine ecological and institutional aspects of biodiversity conservation, thus facilitating environmentally sustainable regional development. In particular, we use regional gap analysis for identification of focal forest types, habitat modelling for ascertaining the functional connectivity of "green infrastructures", as tools for the horizontal gap analysis. For the vertical dimension we suggest how the social sciences can be used for assessing the success in the implementation of biodiversity policies in real landscapes by identifying institutional obstacles while implementing policies. We argue that this interdisciplinary approach could be applied in a whole range of other environments including other terrestrial biota and aquatic ecosystems where functional habitat connectivity, nonlinear response to habitat loss and a multitude of economic and social interests co-occur in the same landscape.     

The use of a sequential leaching procedure for heavy metal fractionation in green liquor dregs from a causticizing process at a pulp mill

A five-stage sequential leaching procedure was used to fractionate heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, As, V, Ba and Ti) in green liquor dregs into the following fractions: (1) water-soluble fraction (H2O), (2) exchangeable fraction (CH3COOH), (3) easily reduced fraction (HONH3Cl), (4) oxidizable fraction (H2O2 + CH3COONH4), and (5) residual fraction (HF + HNO3 + HCl). The green liquor dregs were derived from a causticizing process at a pulp mill at Kemi, Northern Finland. According to the leaching studies, the leachability of heavy metals in the water-soluble fraction varied between 0.5 and 2 mg kg(-1) expressed on a dry weight (d.w.) basis, indicating relatively low bioavailability of the metals. However, the concentration of Mn (2065 mg kg(-1); d.w.) showed a strong and of Zn (17.6 mg kg(-1); d.w.), Ni (39.7 mg kg(-1); d.w.) and Ba (32.0 mg kg(-1); d.w.) slightly tendency to be extracted in the exchangeable fraction. In addition, Zn, Mn, Ni, Co, V and Ba showed clear leachability in the easily reduced fraction, as well as Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn, As and Ba in the oxidizable fraction. For Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn, Ni, Co, Ba and Ti, the sum of leachable heavy metal concentrations in fractions 1-5 agreed relatively well with the "total" heavy metal concentrations. Recoveries of the sum of fractions 1-5 were 84-56% of those obtained by the US EPA method 3052 (i.e. concentrations obtained after microwave oven digestion with a mixture of HF and HNO3).     

Learning About the History of Landscape Use for the Future: Consequences for Ecological and Social Systems in Swedish Bergslagen

Barriers and bridges to implement policies about sustainable development and sustainability commonly depend on the past development of social–ecological systems. Production of metals required integration of use of ore, streams for energy, and wood for bioenergy and construction, as well as of multiple societal actors. Focusing on the Swedish Bergslagen region as a case study we (1) describe the phases of natural resource use triggered by metallurgy, (2) the location and spatial extent of 22 definitions of Bergslagen divided into four zones as a proxy of cumulative pressure on landscapes, and (3) analyze the consequences for natural capital and society. We found clear gradients in industrial activity, stream alteration, and amount of natural forest from the core to the periphery of Bergslagen. Additionally, the legacy of top-down governance is linked to today’s poorly diversified business sector and thus municipal vulnerability. Comparing the Bergslagen case study with other similar regions in Russia and Germany, we discuss the usefulness of multiple case studies.     

Solving Problems in Social–Ecological Systems: Definition, Practice and Barriers of Transdisciplinary Research

Translating policies about sustainable development as a social process and sustainability outcomes into the real world of social–ecological systems involves several challenges. Hence, research policies advocate improved innovative problem-solving capacity. One approach is transdisciplinary research that integrates research disciplines, as well as researchers and practitioners. Drawing upon 14 experiences of problem-solving, we used group modeling to map perceived barriers and bridges for researchers’ and practitioners’ joint knowledge production and learning towards transdisciplinary research. The analysis indicated that the transdisciplinary research process is influenced by (1) the amount of traditional disciplinary formal and informal control, (2) adaptation of project applications to fill the transdisciplinary research agenda, (3) stakeholder participation, and (4) functional team building/development based on self-reflection and experienced leadership. Focusing on implementation of green infrastructure policy as a common denominator for the delivery of ecosystem services and human well-being, we discuss how to diagnose social–ecological systems, and use knowledge production and collaborative learning as treatments.     

Techniques for the stabilization and assessment of treated copper-, chromium-, and arsenic-contaminated soil

Remediation mainly based on excavation and burial of the contaminated soil is impractical with regard to the large numbers of sites identified as being in need of remediation. Therefore, alternative methods are needed for brownfield remediation. This study was conducted to assess a chemical stabilization procedure of CCA-contaminated soil using iron (Fe)-containing blaster sand (BS) or oxygen-scarfing granulate (OSG). The stabilization technique was assessed with regard to the feasibility of mixing ameliorants at an industrial scale and the efficiency of the stabilization under different redox conditions. The stability was investigated under natural conditions in 1-m3 lysimeters in a field experiment, and the effect of redox conditions was assessed in a laboratory experiment (10 L). The treatments with high additions of ameliorant (8% and 17%) were more successful in both the laboratory and field experiments, even though there was enough Fe on a stochiometric basis even at the lowest addition rates (0.1% and 1%). The particle size of the Fe and the mixing influenced the stabilization efficiency. The development of anaerobic conditions, simulated by water saturation, increases the fraction of arsenic (AsIII) and, consequently, As mobility. The use of high concentrations of OSG under aerobic conditions increased the concentrations of nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu) in the pore water. However, under anaerobic conditions, it decreased the As leaching compared with the untreated soil, and Ni and Cu leaching was not critical. The final destination of the treated soil should govern the amendment choice, that is, an OSG concentration of approximately 10% may be suitable if the soil is to be landfilled under anaerobic conditions. Alternatively, the soil mixed with 1% BS could be kept under aerobic conditions in a landfill cover or in situ at a brownfield site. In addition, the treatment with BS appeared to produce better effects in the long term than treatment with OSG.