Article
Environmental Sciences
Urszula Kwasigroch, Magdalena Beldowska, Agnieszka Jedruch, Katarzyna Lukawska-Matuszewska
Summary: The study investigated the levels of mercury and its forms in surface sediments of the Baltic Sea, finding that Hg concentrations were highest in industrialized areas and regions affected by historical activities. Labile Hg fractions, mainly organic compounds, were found to be dominant and potentially release into the water column, impacting the trophic chain. Despite reduced Hg emissions, surface sediments remain a significant secondary Hg source in the Baltic Sea ecosystem.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Olaf Dellwig, Antje Wegwerth, Helge W. Arz
Summary: The study found that Major Baltic Inflows have a limited impact on the water column P inventory and eutrophication level of the Gotland Basin, as insufficient Fe availability prevents efficient trapping of phosphate. The fast recovery of reducing conditions only allows short-term storage of Mn-Fe-P mineral phases in the surface sediment. Trace metals such as V and W show intermittent depletion in the water column, but are released back into the water column due to re-establishing reducing conditions.
CONTINENTAL SHELF RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eva Kumar, Jani Koponen, Panu Rantakokko, Riikka Airaksinen, Paivi Ruokojarvi, Hannu Kiviranta, Pekka J. Vuorinen, Timo Myllyla, Marja Keina, Jari Raitaniemi, Jaakko Mannio, Ville Junttila, Janne Nieminen, Eija-Riitta Vena, Marika Jestoi
Summary: Occurrence and distribution of PFAAs are widespread in the environment, especially in fish meat. The concentration of PFAAs differs between fish from the Baltic Sea and Finnish lakes. Moderate consumption of Baltic Sea fish may result in PFAAs exposure exceeding safety thresholds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kathrin Fisch, Berit Brockmeyer, Wolfgang Gerwinski, Detlef E. Schulz-Bull, Norbert Theobald
Summary: Thirteen surveys conducted in the Baltic Sea from 2001 to 2014 revealed the presence of various micropollutants, mainly herbicides, perfluoroalkyl substances, and pharmaceuticals. While most micropollutants showed a relatively homogeneous spatial distribution, some herbicides exhibited higher concentrations in certain regions, with seasonal variations observed. Additionally, both upward and downward trends were identified for some herbicides and perfluorinated compounds, with a low-risk quotient calculated for most compounds except for carbendazim, which potentially poses a higher risk to the Baltic Sea.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Fange Yue, Zhouqing Xie, Jinpei Yan, Yanxu Zhang, Bei Jiang
Summary: Antarctica and the surrounding Southern Ocean play a crucial role in the global mercury cycle, with varying levels of atmospheric mercury species observed in different land surface types, likely due to local oxidation processes and the influence of sea-salt aerosols.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Viktor V. Kalinchuk
Summary: Continuous measurements of atmospheric mercury concentration and sea-air GEM evasion fluxes were conducted in the marginal seas of the northwestern Pacific, revealing the influence of latitude gradient and seasonal variations on GEM concentration and evasion fluxes. The potential source areas were identified.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Ellen R. Salamon Slater, Kendra A. Turk-Kubo, Soren Hallstrom, Katharina Kesy, Peeter Laas, Jonathan Magasin, Jonathan P. Zehr, Matthias Labrenz, Lasse Riemann
Summary: Nitrogen fixation rates in the Baltic Sea are high, but knowledge about the composition and distribution of diazotrophs is limited. This study reveals that Pseudanabaena and non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs dominate the composition, while filamentous heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria account for most of the nitrogenase gene expression. Salinity has some influence on the composition, and different diazotrophs show varying expression levels at different salinities.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Irina Chubarenko, Elena Esiukova, Mikhail Zobkov, Igor Isachenko
Summary: This study analyzed the abundance of microplastic particles in bottom sediments of the Baltic Sea. The content of microplastics varied with water depth, with fibers being the most common type. The distributions of fibers, fragments, and films differed significantly from different types of bottom sediments. An erosion/transition/accumulation pattern for fibers in the Baltic Sea was outlined. The distribution principles of other microplastics remain uncertain.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ing-Marie Gren, Andreas Brutemark, Annika Jagerbrand
Summary: Shipping plays a significant role in the incidence of aquatic non-indigenous species in the Baltic Sea and can account for a portion of the total number of these species.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juris Aigars, Marta Barone, Natalija Suhareva, Ieva Putna-Nimane, Inta Dimante-Deimantovica
Summary: This study compared the distribution and composition of microplastic debris in the Gulf of Riga and the Eastern Gotland Basin in the Baltic Sea. The researchers found that the abundance of microplastic particles varied among different stations, with fibers and fragments being the predominant types, and polyethylene and polypropylene being the main polymer types encountered. The concentrations of micro-debris observed fell within the reported range of values from other regions in the Baltic Sea.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cesar Augusto Barrios-Rodriguez, Luiz Drude de Lacerda, Moises Fernandes-Bezerra
Summary: This study investigated the influence of morphology and growth on mercury concentrations in scutes of four species of sea turtles. The results showed higher Hg concentrations in the vertebral scutes of Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata, suggesting variation in growth rates of different carapace areas. However, no differences were observed in Caretta caretta and Lepidochelys olivacea. Vertebral scutes may be suitable for monitoring Hg in C. mydas and E. imbricata, but further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.
BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marco Capodiferro, Esther Marco, Joan O. Grimalt
Summary: A study analyzed 1345 specimens of wild fish and seafood from the western Mediterranean Sea to assess mercury levels and determine which species meet EU recommendations for human consumption. Only 13 species were found to have mercury levels below the recommended threshold. These species, including sardines, anchovies, and squid, have lower mercury concentrations compared to others in the same environment. It is important for health authorities to pay attention to species that do not meet EU thresholds and provide appropriate health recommendations, especially for pregnant women and children.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Review
Oceanography
Shuang Gao, Solfrid Saetre Hjollo, Tone Falkenhaug, Espen Strand, Martin Edwards, Morten D. Skogen
Summary: Calanoid copepods are crucial for fish stocks in the North Sea, with this study using a model to explore population parameters, indicating a reliance on influxes from neighboring areas. The study suggests that C. finmarchicus in the North Sea is not self-sustained and depends on inflows from the Faroe-Shetland Channel and south of the Norwegian Sea.
PROGRESS IN OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Fange Yue, Zhouqing Xie, Yanxu Zhang, Jinpei Yan, Shuhui Zhao
Summary: The role of the tropical western Pacific in shaping the latitudinal distribution of atmospheric mercury is significant. Factors such as the doldrums, Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and wet deposition contribute to the accumulation of elemental mercury (GEM) and dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) in this area.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
R. Dietz, C. Sonne, B. M. Jenssen, K. Das, C. A. de Wit, K. C. Harding, U. Siebert, M. T. Olsen
Summary: This introductory chapter of our Environment International VSI outlines the recommendations for future research, emphasizing the role of waterbirds as food web sentinels, the dynamics of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea food web, and the potential impacts of climate change. It also highlights the need to further develop new frameworks within the BALTHEALTH project for energy and contaminant transfer at the population level and their long-term effects on top predators in the Baltic Sea.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Natalie Loick-Wilde, Igor Fernandez-Urruzola, Elvita Eglite, Iris Liskow, Monika Nausch, Detlef Schulz-Bull, Dirk Wodarg, Norbert Wasmund, Volker Mohrholz
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Oceanography
Tim Junker, Volker Mohrholz, Martin Schmidt, Lydia Siegfried, Anja van der Plas
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lydia Siegfried, Martin Schmidt, Volker Mohrholz, Hans Pogrzeba, Pascal Nardini, Michael Boettinger, Gerik Scheuermann
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yanxu Zhang, Hannah Horowitz, Jiancheng Wang, Zhouqing Xie, Joachim Kuss, Anne L. Soerensen
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
William D. Orsi, Aurele Vuillemin, Paula Rodriguez, Oemer K. Coskun, Gonzalo Gomez-Saez, Gaute Lavik, Volker Morholz, Timothy G. Ferdelman
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Correction
Microbiology
William D. Orsi, Aurele Vuillemin, Paula Rodriguez, Omer K. Coskun, Gonzalo V. Gomez-Saez, Gaute Lavik, Volker Mohrholz, Timothy G. Ferdelman
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Joachim Kuss, Gunther Nausch, Clemens Engelke, Mario von Weber, Hannah Lutterbeck, Michael Naumann, Joanna J. Waniek, Detief E. Schulz-Bull
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Christian Katlein, Volker Mohrholz, Igor Sheikin, Polona Itkin, Dmitry Divine, Julienne Stroeve, Arttu Jutila, Daniela Krampe, Egor Shimanchuk, Ian Raphael, Benjamin Rabe, Ivan Kuznetov, Maria Mallet, Hailong Liu, Mario Hoppmann, Adela Dumitrascu, Stefanie Arndt, Philipp Anhaus, Marcel Nicolaus, Ilkka Matero, Marc Oggier, Hajo Eicken, Christian Haas
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2020)
Article
Oceanography
Kirstin Schulz, Markus Janout, Yueng-Djern Lenn, Eugenio Ruiz-Castillo, Igor Polyakov, Volker Mohrholz, Sandra Tippenhauer, Krissy Anne Reeve, Jens Hoelemann, Benjamin Rabe, Myriel Vredenborg
Summary: This study quantifies oceanic heat fluxes along the continental slope of the Eurasian part of the Arctic Ocean, focusing on the fate of warm Atlantic Water and the observed heat loss of the Arctic Boundary Current (ABC). The results show that mixing with colder water along the continental margins is a significant contribution to AW heat loss, and the importance of both surface warming and increased vertical mixing in a future ice-free Arctic Ocean in summer is highlighted.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
William D. Orsi, Aurele Vuillemin, Omer K. Coskun, Paula Rodriguez, Yanik Oertel, Jutta Niggemann, Volker Mohrholz, Gonzalo Gomez-Saez
Summary: This study investigated the role of fungi in the marine carbon cycle using C-13 DNA stable isotope probing and phylogenetic analysis. The findings showed that saprotrophic fungi related to the yeast Malassezia were the main fungal foragers of pelagic dEPS, while fungi in sulfidic sediments assimilated more carbon from chemosynthetic bacteria. The research reveals the functional relevance of fungal diversity in structuring carbon flow in marine ecosystems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joachim Kuss, Helena C. Frazao, Detlef E. Schulz-Bull, Yisen Zhong, Yonghui Gao, Joanna J. Waniek
Summary: The study on the impact of Typhoon Mangkhut in the northern South China Sea revealed significant differences between on-shelf, shelf edge, and deep-sea stations in terms of nutrient availability and organic matter changes. The typhoon's passage led to important changes in the upper 100m water column, resulting in an increase in organic carbon inventory. The findings also showed that contact between surface and bottom waters was enabled on the shelf during the typhoon, leading to alterations in nutrient levels.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Aurore Receveur, Martina Bleil, Steffen Funk, Sven Stoetera, Ulf Graewe, Michael Naumann, Cyril Dutheil, Uwe Krumme
Summary: The western Baltic Sea cod (WBC) stock is at historically low levels due to overfishing and low recruitment. While stable stock assessment metrics suggest potential for recovery with appropriate fisheries management, changing environmental conditions may negatively impact WBC and pose challenges for resource management.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kirstin Schulz, Volker Mohrholz, Ilker Fer, Markus Janout, Mario Hoppmann, Janin Schaffer, Zoe Koenig
Summary: This study obtained unprecedented data on turbulent mixing in the Arctic Ocean, providing valuable information on the vertical profiles of turbulent dissipation rate and water column properties. The data set allows for a systematic assessment of upper ocean mixing and can help improve turbulence parameterizations in ocean circulation models.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Michael Kossack, Florian Scholz, Chloe H. Anderson, Paul Vosteen, Chih-Chieh Su, Volker Mohrholz, Matthias Zabel
Summary: In this study, the influence of spatially and seasonally contrasting redox conditions on the formation of authigenic Mo and U enrichments in organic carbon (TOC) rich mud belt sediments on the Namibian shelf was investigated. The results emphasize the importance of short-term redox fluctuations in the bottom waters and underlying sediments, as well as lateral sediment transport for the authigenic enrichment of redox-sensitive trace metals in reducing shelf sediments.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Volker Mohrholz
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2018)