Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander M. Jardine, Jennifer F. Provencher, Stephen J. Insley, Lila Tauzer, William D. Halliday, Madelaine P. T. Bourdages, Magali Houde, Derek Muir, Jesse C. Vermaire
Summary: Plastic pollution is a global threat, but the propensity for Canadian Arctic marine mammals to ingest and retain plastic remains unclear. This study provides the first assessment of plastic ingestion in ringed seals in the western Canadian Arctic, finding no evidence of microplastic retention in their stomachs. These results are consistent with previous studies on marine mammals in other regions.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Britta Schmidt, Julia Hollenbach, Christian Muehlfeld, Christiane Pfarrer, Sara Persson, Tina Kesselring, Christian Sonne, Frank Riget, Rune Dietz, Ursula Siebert
Summary: This study investigates the number of primordial follicles in ringed seals and finds that there are more follicles in the Gulf of Bothnia population compared to Greenland. This has implications for understanding population differences and environmental factors.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Irina S. Trukhanova, Elena M. Andrievskaya, Vyacheslav A. Alekseev, Maria V. Sokolovskaya
Summary: Hair samples of Ladoga ringed seals found stranded ashore on Lake Ladoga were analyzed for trace element concentrations. The study found lower levels of toxic elements compared to previous decades, suggesting improvement in environmental conditions. However, monitoring of trace elements in Ladoga seals is recommended to prevent potential physiological disorders.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Marja Niemi, Milaja Nykanen, Vincent Biard, Mika Kurkilahti, Mervi Kunnasranta
Summary: The timing and effect of various environmental factors on the annual molt of Lake Saimaa ringed seals were studied from 2013 to 2019. The results showed that photoperiod was the most significant factor affecting the molt, followed by air temperature and ice thickness for females. The main molt season lasted for about 16 days, but there were differences in the duration between years. Continued monitoring is important as changes in molt behavior may indicate changes in habitat or environmental conditions.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jade Vacquie-Garcia, Christian Lydersen, Espen Lydersen, Guttorm N. Christensen, Christophe Guinet, Kit M. Kovacs
Summary: Climate change is impacting ice-affiliated marine mammal habitats in the Arctic, with sea ice declines reducing traditional haul-out and breeding habitats while creating a demand for alternative usable areas. Ringed seals have been observed to spend time in coastal lagoons, potentially for feeding and resting, as documented in this study through tracking with satellite-linked GPS tags.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Tanya M. Brown, Wesley R. Ogloff, David J. Yurkowski, Juliana Coffey, Garry Stenson, Becky Sjare
Summary: Climate change and industrial activities are causing significant ecological changes in the Eastern Canadian Arctic, impacting top predators such as ringed seals. Limited understanding of their habitat use hinders understanding of the effects of these changes on this culturally valued species.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Juha Laakkonen, Alixia Vedrines
Summary: The anatomical architecture of the hip and stifle joints of the Saimaa ringed seal is similar to that of the Baltic ringed seal, allowing for more lateral movement during aquatic motion but less adaptation to terrestrial locomotion.
ANATOMIA HISTOLOGIA EMBRYOLOGIA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Wesley R. Ogloff, Steven H. Ferguson, Aaron T. Fisk, Marianne Marcoux, Nigel E. Hussey, Andrew Jaworenko, David J. Yurkowski
Summary: The study found that ringed seals in the eastern Canadian Arctic exhibit diverse migration pathways and diving behaviors during their migration, with some crossing central Baffin Bay and others moving along the Baffin Island coastline. These results provide important insights for spatial conservation and management priorities of this ecologically and culturally significant species.
Article
Biology
Holly Hermann-Sorensen, Nicole M. Thometz, Kathleen Woodie, Sophie Dennison-Gibby, Colleen Reichmuth
Summary: This study used biomedical imaging techniques to examine lung oxygen storage and respiratory parameters in living ringed seals, finding that in vivo measurements of lung oxygen stores are smaller than postmortem measurements. Additionally, the study showed that standard allometric relationships may overestimate total lung capacity for the smallest phocid seal species. Total body volume measurements revealed differences in body density and net vertical forces in the water column for free-ranging seals, which impact diving and foraging costs.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Donna D. W. Hauser, Kathryn J. Frost, John J. Burns
Summary: The study describes historic field records from spring 1983 and 1984 in two regions of the eastern Chukchi Sea, Kotzebue Sound and Ledyard Bay, to quantify ringed seal breeding habitat and map the distribution of ringed seal structures. Results show differences in the distribution, density, and configuration of pup lairs between the two regions.
Article
Ecology
Marja Niemi, Milaja Nykanen, Vincent Biard, Mervi Kunnasranta
Summary: Seasonal changes in the diel haul-out patterns of the Saimaa ringed seal were studied using satellite telemetry and camera traps. Results showed that the seals' haul-out activity varied seasonally, with peak activity occurring at midnight during the winter period and in the early morning during the postmolt season. The spring molt was the only period when a difference in haul-out behavior between sexes was observed.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Magnus Andersen, Kit M. Kovacs, Christian Lydersen
Summary: The study found that although the breeding habitat of ringed seals in Svalbard has significantly declined in recent decades, demographic parameters appear to be largely unaffected. Life-history plasticity coupled with small-scale regional variation in environmental conditions may explain the lack of changes in demography over time.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cody G. Carlyle, James D. Roth, David J. Yurkowski, Doreen Kohlbach, Brent G. Young, Thomas A. Brown, Frank F. Riget, Rune Dietz, Steven H. Ferguson
Summary: Anthropogenic climate change is causing changes to the Arctic sea-ice system, which in turn affects the diet and trophic dynamics of ringed seals. This study investigated spatial variation in carbon source use and trophic position of ringed seals across latitudes in the Arctic using stable isotope analysis and lipid biomarker measurements. The results revealed that higher latitude ringed seals had a higher proportion of ice-associated carbon in their diet and a higher trophic position compared to lower latitude seals. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the impact of climate change on Arctic food webs.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Kit M. Kovacs, John Citta, Tanya Brown, Rune Dietz, Steve Ferguson, Lois Harwood, Magali Houde, Ellen Lea, Lori Quakenbush, Frank Riget, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Tom G. Smith, Vladimir Svetochev, Olga Svetocheva, Christian Lydersen
Summary: The study revealed significant variations in body size and age-at-maturity of ringed seals among different locations, as well as differences between sexes. The largest ringed seals were found in western Greenland and eastern Canada, while the smallest were in Alaska and the White Sea. Genetic studies are needed to determine potential distinct ecotypes, and further research is necessary to understand the ecological linkages and adaptation to climate change implications.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
A. R. Lang, P. Boveng, L. Quakenbush, K. Robertson, M. Lauf, K. D. Rode, H. Ziel, B. L. Taylor
Summary: The study found that Arctic ringed seals in different breeding areas exhibit important population structure, increasing the risk of declines in the number of seals breeding in areas most negatively affected by environmental warming.
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Toshimi Nakajima, Mao Kuragano, Makoto Yamada, Ryo Sugimoto
Summary: This study compared the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to river nutrient budgets at nearshore and embayment scales, and found that SGD-derived nutrients become more important at larger spatial scales.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Liu, Lei Zhang, Chongyang Zhang, Ziguang Chen, Jingguang Li
Summary: NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves used for household heating have become a significant source of indoor pollution in Chinese urban areas. The high indoor concentration of NO2 poses potential health risks to residents. It is urgently necessary to establish relevant regulations and implement emission reduction technologies to reduce NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Letter
Environmental Sciences
Hans Peter H. Arp, Raoul Wolf, Sarah E. Hale, Sivani Baskaran, Juliane Gluege, Martin Scheringer, Xenia Trier, Ian T. Cousins, Harrie Timmer, Roberta Hofman-Caris, Anna Lennquist, Andre D. Bannink, Gerard J. Stroomberg, Rosa M. A. Sjerps, Rosa Montes, Rosario Rodil, Jose Benito Quintana, Daniel Zahn, Herve Gallard, Tobias Mohr, Ivo Schliebner, Michael Neumann
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philomina Onyedikachi Peter, Binessi Edouard Ifon, Francois Nkinahamira, Kayode Hassan Lasisi, Jiangwei Li, Anyi Hu, Chang-Ping Yu
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in sediments from Yundang Lagoon, China. The results show four distinct fluorescent components, with protein-like substances being the most prevalent. Additionally, the total fluorescence intensity and LREE concentrations exhibit a synchronized increase from Outer to Inner to Songbai Lake core sediments. The findings demonstrate a strong correlation between DOM content and pollution levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Surya Gupta, Pasquale Borrelli, Panos Panagos, Christine Alewell
Summary: The objective of this study is to incorporate soil hydraulic properties into the erodibility factor (K) of USLE-type models. By modifying and improving the existing equations for soil texture and permeability, the study successfully included information on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) into the calculation of K factor. Using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm, two independent K factor maps with different spatial resolutions were generated. The results show that the decrease in K factor values has a positive impact on the modeling of soil erosion rates.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesmin Akter, Wendy J. M. Smith, Yawen Liu, Ilho Kim, Stuart L. Simpson, Phong Thai, Asja Korajkic, Warish Ahmed
Summary: The choice of workflow in wastewater surveillance has a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, while having minimal effects on HF183 and no effect on HAdV 40/41 concentrations. Certain components in the workflow can be interchangeable, but factors such as buffer type, chloroform, and homogenization speed can affect the recovery of viruses and bacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Luo, Xueting Yang, Diwei Wang, Hongmei Xu, Hongai Zhang, Shasha Huang, Qiyuan Wang, Ningning Zhang, Junji Cao, Zhenxing Shen
Summary: Atmospheric PM2.5, which can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), is associated with cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. The study found that both the mass concentration of PM2.5 and the DTT activity were higher during the heating season than during the nonheating season. Combustion sources were the primary contributors to DTT activity during the heating season, while secondary formation dominated during the nonheating season. The study also revealed that biomass burning had the highest inherent oxidation potential among all sources investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin L. Murphy, Leah R. Gerber, Chelsea M. Rochman, Beth Polidoro
Summary: Plastic pollution has devastating consequences for marine organisms. This study uses a trait-based framework to develop a vulnerability index for marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles in Hawai'i. The index ranks 63 study species based on their vulnerability to macroplastic pollution, providing valuable information for species monitoring and management priorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kenji Maurice, Amelia Bourceret, Sami Youssef, Stephane Boivin, Liam Laurent-Webb, Coraline Damasio, Hassan Boukcim, Marc-Andre Selosse, Marc Ducousso
Summary: Growing pressure from climate change and agricultural land use is destabilizing soil microbial community interactions. Little is known about microbial community resistance and adaptation to disturbances, hindering our understanding of recovery latency and implications for ecosystem functioning. This study found that anthropic disturbance and natural disturbance have different effects on the topology and stability of soil microbial networks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunhao Li, Yali Feng, Haoran Li, Yisong Yao, Chenglong Xu, Jinrong Ju, Ruiyu Ma, Haoyu Wang, Shiwei Jiang
Summary: Deep-sea mining poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and human health by disturbing sediment and transmitting metal ions through the food chain. This study developed a new regenerative adsorption material, OMN@SA, which effectively removes metal ions. The adsorption mechanism and performance of the material for metal ion fixation were investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Medici, Margherita Lavorgna, Marina Isidori, Chiara Russo, Elena Orlo, Giovanni Luongo, Giovanni Di Fabio, Armando Zarrelli
Summary: Valsartan, a widely used antihypertensive drug, has been detected in high concentrations in surface waters due to its unchanged excretion and incomplete degradation in wastewater treatment plants. This study investigated the degradation of valsartan and identified 14 degradation byproducts. The acute and chronic toxicity of these byproducts were evaluated in key organisms in the freshwater trophic chain.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Lin, Lianbao Chi, Qing Yuan, Busu Li, Mingbao Feng
Summary: This study investigated the photodegradation behavior and product formation of two representative pharmaceuticals in simulated estuary water. The study found that the formed transformation products of these pharmaceuticals have potential toxicity on marine organisms, including oxidative stress and damage to cellular components.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hua Fang, Dongdong Jiang, Ye He, Siyi Wu, Yuehong Li, Ziqi Zhang, Haoting Chen, Zixin Zheng, Yan Sun, Wenxiang Wang
Summary: This study revealed that exposure to lower levels of air pollutants led to decreased pregnancy rates, with PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO emerging as the four most prominent pollutants. Individuals aged 35 and above exhibited heightened susceptibility to pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ali Shaan Manzoor Ghumman, Rashid Shamsuddin, Amin Abbasi, Mohaira Ahmad, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Abdul Sami, Hamad Almohamadi
Summary: In this study, inverse vulcanized polysulfides (IVP) were synthesized by reacting molten sulfur with 4-vinyl benzyl chloride, and then functionalized using N-methyl D-glucamine (NMDG). The functionalized IVP showed a high mercury adsorption capacity and a machine learning model was developed to predict the amount of mercury removed. Furthermore, the functionalized IVP can be regenerated and reused, providing a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rita Bonfiglio, Renata Sisto, Stefano Casciardi, Valeria Palumbo, Maria Paola Scioli, Erica Giacobbi, Francesca Servadei, Gerry Melino, Alessandro Mauriello, Manuel Scimeca
Summary: This study investigated the presence of aluminum in human colon cancer samples and its potential association with biological processes involved in cancer progression. Aluminum was found in tumor areas of 24% of patients and was associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell death. Additional analyses revealed higher tumor mutational burden and mutations in genes related to EMT and apoptosis in aluminum-positive colon cancers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of aluminum toxicity may improve strategies for the management of colon cancer patients.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)