Article
Environmental Sciences
Afonso Ferreira, Ana C. Brito, Carlos R. B. Mendes, Vanda Brotas, Raul R. Costa, Catarina V. Guerreiro, Carolina Sa, Thomas Jackson
Summary: This study evaluates the performance of global and regional satellite algorithms in the Western Antarctic Peninsula and investigates the factors contributing to Chl-a underestimation. The results show that the global algorithm underestimates in-situ Chl-a by an average of ~59%, with higher underestimation in waters with greater Chl-a concentrations. No clear link was found between Chl-a underestimation and pigment packaging effect, phytoplankton community composition, or sea ice contamination. A new satellite Chl-a algorithm, OC4-SO, is proposed based on multi-sensor satellite data and the most comprehensive in-situ dataset collected from the Western Antarctic Peninsula.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tristyn N. Garza, David K. A. Barnes, James D. Scourse, Justine M. Whitaker, Alexis M. Janosik
Summary: Microplastics are found everywhere, including the Southern Ocean, coastal sediments, and Antarctic marine organisms. However, there is a lack of data on microplastics in Antarctic waters. This study focused on fjord habitats on the Western Antarctic Peninsula and found that microplastics were present in all sampled fjords each year and their concentrations increased from 2017 to 2020.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Hannah L. Joy-Warren, Anne-Carlijn Alderkamp, Gert L. van Dijken, Loay Jabre, Erin M. Bertrand, Evan N. Baldonado, Molly W. Glickman, Kate M. Lewis, Rob Middag, Kyyas Seyitmuhammedov, Kate E. Lowry, Willem van de Poll, Kevin R. Arrigo
Summary: Light and iron availability are interconnected in controlling Southern Ocean primary production. Changes in light and iron can affect phytoplankton species composition and nutrient cycling. Light limits growth while iron does not, despite overall low iron concentrations.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Raul Rodrigo Costa, Afonso Ferreira, Marcio S. de Souza, Virginia M. Tavano, Rodrigo Kerr, Eduardo R. Secchi, Vanda Brotas, Tiago S. Dotto, Ana C. Brito, Carlos Rafael B. Mendes
Summary: The Northern Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing shifts in phytoplankton distribution and composition due to warming marine ecosystems. However, little attention has been given to the seasonal succession of phytoplankton and the distribution patterns of emerging taxa along the peninsula. In this study, we collected data on phytoplankton and physico-chemical variables during spring and summer seasons from 2013 to 2015. We found that emerging taxa, such as dinoflagellates and cryptophytes, had different distribution patterns and environmental preferences compared to centric and pennate diatoms. The relationship between sea ice concentration/duration and phytoplankton biomass was not consistent, suggesting the presence of top-down control on phytoplankton in the region.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanpei Zhuang, Haiyan Jin, Wei-Jun Cai, Hongliang Li, Meibing Jin, Di Qi, Jianfang Chen
Summary: The rapid warming and sea-ice loss in the Arctic Ocean have led to a decrease in nutrient concentrations, especially nitrate and phosphate, in surface waters over the past three decades. This phenomenon may be attributed to the decreased resupply of nutrients from subsurface waters and increased biological consumption of nutrients due to changes in light availability caused by sea-ice loss.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
David J. Burdige, John P. Christensen
Summary: This study investigated iron biogeochemistry in continental margin sediments along the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, revealing variations in iron oxide content and properties at different depths, which are crucial for the support of primary productivity in the Southern Ocean.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ji-Hoon Oh, Kyung Min Noh, Hyung-Gyu Lim, Emilia Kyung Jin, Sang-Yoon Jun, Jong-Seong Kug
Summary: This study examines the impacts of Antarctic meltwater on surface phytoplankton biomass in the Southern Ocean. It finds that the enhanced stratification due to the meltwater leads to changes in surface nutrient concentrations, particularly a decrease in nitrate concentration and an increase in dissolved iron concentration. These changes can shift the nutrient availability in the ocean and impact the biomass of phytoplankton.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
H. M. Dawson, E. Connors, N. G. Erazo, J. S. Sacks, V. Mierzejewski, S. M. Rundell, L. T. Carlson, J. W. Deming, A. E. Ingalls, J. S. Bowman, J. N. Young
Summary: Seasonal cycles in polar regions have a significant impact on microbial abundance and physiology, but the combined effects of temperature and salinity change on microbial community structure and composition during transitions between seawater and sea ice are not well understood.
Review
Oceanography
Brendon Yuri Damini, Raul Rodrigo Costa, Tiago S. Dotto, Carlos Rafael Borges Mendes, Marina do V. C. Azaneu, Mauricio M. Mata, Rodrigo Kerr
Summary: The study investigated the characteristics of sea-air CO2 dynamics through the investigation of an anticyclonic stationary eddy called the Antarctica Slope Front bifurcation (ASFb) eddy, located south of Clarence Island in the eastern basin of Bransfield Strait. The results revealed that the ASFb eddy acts as a CO2 outgassing structure with a core consisting of carbon-rich waters. These findings provide important insights into the behavior of mesoscale features influencing sea-air CO2 exchanges in polar environments.
PROGRESS IN OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. C. Antacli, M. P. Hernando, M. De Troch, G. Malanga, M. Mendiolar, D. R. Hernandez, D. E. Varela, J. Antoni, R. J. Sahade, I. R. Schloss
Summary: This study investigated the individual and combined effects of increased seawater temperature and decreased salinity on natural phytoplankton assemblages in Antarctica. The findings showed that lipid damage was detected mainly under low salinity and high temperature conditions, and the production of the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol played a role in decreasing lipid damage. Additionally, the concentration of omega 3 fatty acids increased under the combined stressors of low salinity and high temperature, potentially leading to higher-quality fatty acid composition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
K. M. Bisson, B. B. Cael
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between Southern Ocean sea ice and under-ice phytoplankton characteristics using a distributional approach. The results showed significant correlations between Argo float data and freeboard variance, lead fraction, and mixed layer depth, indicating that sea ice dynamics play a key role in modulating the amount of light available to phytoplankton. The study highlights the importance of diagnostic models and field studies to further understand the processes influencing under-ice phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yajuan Lin, Carly Moreno, Adrian Marchetti, Hugh Ducklow, Oscar Schofield, Erwan Delage, Michael Meredith, Zuchuan Li, Damien Eveillard, Samuel Chaffron, Nicolas Cassar
Summary: This study investigates how interannual variability in sea-ice conditions impacts biodiversity and biological carbon fluxes in the Western Antarctic Peninsula using a 5-year DNA metabarcoding dataset. The results indicate that sea-ice extent is a dominant factor influencing eukaryotic plankton community composition, biodiversity, and net community production, with species richness and evenness decreasing with an increase in sea surface temperature. The study concludes that eukaryotic plankton diversity and carbon cycling in the Western Antarctic Peninsula are strongly linked to sea-ice conditions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ricardo S. Matias, Hugo R. Guimaro, Paco Bustamante, Jose Seco, Nesho Chipev, Joana Fragao, Silvia Tavares, Filipe R. Ceia, Maria E. Pereira, Andres Barbosa, Jose C. Xavier
Summary: Under the context of climate change, warming Southern Ocean waters may lead to increased bioavailability of mercury (Hg) in the Antarctic marine food web. This study examined the biomagnification of Hg in the food web of the Antarctic Peninsula and found that Hg concentrations increased with trophic levels. These results suggest that trophic interaction is the major pathway for Hg biomagnification in Southern Ocean ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Thiago Monteiro, Sian F. Henley, Ricardo Cesar Goncalves Pollery, Carlos Rafael Borges Mendes, Mauricio Mata, Virginia Maria Tavano, Carlos Alberto Eiras Garcia, Rodrigo Kerr
Summary: The northern Antarctic Peninsula plays a crucial role in the Southern Ocean, and understanding the spatiotemporal variability of macronutrients is vital for the ecosystem and climate change response in this region.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kenza Himmich, Martin Vancoppenolle, Gurvan Madec, Jean-Baptiste Sallee, Paul R. Holland, Marion Lebrun
Summary: This study investigates the processes driving the onset of the Antarctic sea ice season using remote sensing and in situ observations. The findings show that seawater freezing and drifting ice import are key factors for the advance of sea ice. The timing of sea ice retreat plays a crucial role in determining the heat stored in the summer ocean mixed layer, which is tightly linked to the advance dates.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Andres Garcia-Ruiz, Manuel Carpio, Ricardo Giesecke, Maria Bermudez, Manuel Diez-Minguito
Summary: This study focuses on the estuarine regimes and subtidal circulation in the Valdivia River Estuary in southern Chile, and how they impact the distribution of Suspended Meso-Zooplankton Carcasses (SMZC). Field campaigns were conducted in 2014 and 2015, and time series of metocean forcings span from 2012 to 2018. The research highlights the importance of circulation-stratification relationships in controlling SMZC trapping mechanisms and identifying hotspots of benthic biomass in mid-latitude estuaries.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leila R. Kittu, Allanah J. Paul, Mar Fernandez-Mendez, Mark J. Hopwood, Ulf Riebesell
Summary: This study investigates the spatial distribution of nitrogen fixation rates in the northern Humboldt Upwelling System (HUS) off Peru. Despite high concentrations of phosphate and iron, nitrogen fixation rates were generally low and could not be explained by these factors. The results suggest that nitrogen fixation does not significantly contribute to nitrogen supply for phytoplankton growth in this region.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Rhonda L. L. Wilson, Oliver Higgins, Jacob Atem, Andrea E. E. Donaldson, Frederik Alkier Gildberg, Mary Hooper, Mark Hopwood, Silvia Rosado, Bernadette Solomon, Katrina Ward, Brandi Welsh
Summary: There has been a global increase in online, digital, and telehealth mental health services, with a focus on implementing and integrating technological innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) to improve clinical decision-making. However, there is limited engagement and leadership from mental health nurses (MHNs) on this topic. This article aims to provide an overview of AI in mental health and stimulate discussion on its rapidity and trustworthiness, emphasizing the importance of MHN advocacy and leadership to prioritize the safety and inclusion of end users in mental health services.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ernesto Pino-Cortes, Katherine Gomez, Fernando Gonzalez Taboada, Joshua S. Fu, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Juan Hofer
Summary: This study describes a method to adapt the CAMS-GLOB-OCE dataset for use in the preprocessor software SMOKE. The method involves updating file attributes and bilinear interpolation of compound emission fields. Testing the method with halocarbon and DMS emissions fields around Antarctica showed its potential for including marine emissions in air quality studies.
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
A. E. Stuart-Lee, J. Mortensen, T. Juul-Pedersen, J. J. Middelburg, K. Soetaert, M. J. Hopwood, A. Engel, L. Meire
Summary: The release of meltwater from marine-terminating glaciers influences primary production in fjords along Greenland's coastline. However, it is still unclear how local ecosystems will adapt and how it will affect hydrography as these glaciers retreat onto land. In this study, we examined how marine- and land-terminating glaciers respectively influence bloom dynamics in two fjords in west Greenland.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hilde Oliver, Donald Slater, Dustin Carroll, Michael Wood, Mathieu Morlighem, Mark J. Hopwood
Summary: Subglacial discharge from Greenland's marine-terminating glaciers drives nutrient supply and stimulates phytoplankton growth. The nitrate fluxes are concentrated in a few critical systems, with 14% of glaciers accounting for half of the total flux anomaly. The largest flux occurs at Jakobshavn Isbr AE in Disko Bay, where subglacial discharge is highest. Subglacial discharge and nitrate flux anomaly also contribute to temporal variability in summer satellite chlorophyll a (Chl) near Greenland's coast.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kechen Zhu, Eric P. Achterberg, Nicholas R. Bates, Loes J. A. Gerringa, Rob Middag, Mark J. Hopwood, Martha Gledhill
Summary: An insufficient supply of iron limits phytoplankton growth in the ocean. We calculated the solubility of iron at equilibrium under ambient conditions and compared it to measured dissolved iron in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Our results showed that the solubility of iron was higher than the observed dissolved iron at different depths. We found that changes in solubility of iron, driven by changes in ambient pH and temperature, underlie the vertical distributions of dissolved iron.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Irene R. Schloss, Gemita Pizarro, Andreana M. Cadaillon, Ricardo Giesecke, Marcelo P. Hernando, Gaston O. Almandoz, Maite P. Latorre, Andrea Malits, Ximena Flores-Melo, Leonardo A. Saravia, Jacobo Martin, Leonardo Guzman, Clara M. Iachetti, Cristian Ruiz
Summary: The Beagle Channel is an interoceanic passage connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Harmful algal blooms and toxic outbreaks have been monitored along the channel for the last two decades, but the toxins do not propagate from west to east as expected. Instead, smaller-scale patterns and local dynamics influence the presence of harmful algal blooms in different areas along the channel.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daniel O. Bruno, Constanza Valencia-Carrascoco, Maria A. Paci, Ezequiel Leonarduzzi, Leonardo Castro, Luciana Riccialdelli, Clara M. Iachetti, Andreana Cadaillon, Ricardo Giesecke, Irene R. Schloss, Carla F. Berghoff, Jacobo Martin, Mariano Diez, Ariel Cabreira, Maria L. Presta, Fabiana L. Capitanio, Claudia C. Boy
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the energy density of different plankton fractions using a micro-bomb calorimeter, and compare their differences in two micro-basins of the Beagle Channel with different hydrography. The results showed that the energy density of plankton fractions varied among different sites, layers, and sampling time, and the plankton community in the micro-basin with depleted-in-nutrients waters had lower and more homogeneous energy density values.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jacobo Martin, Guadalupe Alonso, Walter Dragani, Jens Meyerjuergens, Ricardo Giesecke, Andrea Cucco, Harold Fenco
Summary: This article analyzes the tidal wave and water flow in the Beagle Channel, based on current and sea-level data. It highlights the narrowness of the channel and its contribution to the eastward surface flow, facilitating the transport of water and properties from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The article also proposes the existence of a semi-permanent sea-level tilt as the main driver for the along-channel current.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
John E. E. Hallsworth, Zulema Udaondo, Carlos Pedros-Alio, Juan Hofer, Kathleen C. C. Benison, Karen G. G. Lloyd, Radames J. B. Cordero, Claudia B. L. de Campos, Michail M. M. Yakimov, Ricardo Amils
Summary: Practical experiments drive important scientific discoveries in biology, but theory-based research also contributes important and innovative findings. This article discusses the roles of theory-based approaches in various wet-biology research areas, including microbial growth and survival, cell physiology, host-pathogen interactions, and competitive or symbiotic interactions. It also highlights the importance of thought and theory in the research process, the limitations and potential of artificial intelligence technologies, and the value of theory-based science in education and epistemology. The article emphasizes the need for human engagement in scientific innovation and addresses issues such as biases in language and the importance of theory-based science in addressing global challenges.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jana Krause, Xunchi Zhu, Juan Hofer, Eric P. Achterberg, Anja Engel, Lorenz Meire, Alice E. Stuart-Lee, Mark J. Hopwood
Summary: Studies have shown that concentrations of dissolved lead (dPb) are consistently higher than expected along glaciated coastlines, suggesting a net release of dPb from glacier-derived sediments. The distribution of dPb across salinity gradient is unique and implies a reversible exchange between dissolved and labile particulate Pb. The net release of dPb into seawater is predominantly influenced by sediment loading, but temperature also plays a role.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Andreana Cadaillon, Clara M. Iachetti, Ricardo Giesecke, Valeska Vasquez Lepio, Andrea Malits, Irene R. Schloss
Summary: A joint Chilean-Argentinian research cruise in the Beagle Channel revealed spatial and temporal heterogeneity of plankton abundance and composition. Plankton assemblages varied with bathymetry, water temperature, and nutrient availability. The easternmost sector of the channel had the highest total cell abundances and a diverse mix of small and large diatoms.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jing Wang, Xueqi Ma, Xiang Gao, Qing Liu, Yongfang Wang, Wangxiao Xia, Xiaoyu Hua, Jishun Yang, Juan Hoefer, Marina Pozzolini, Yuxin Shen, Liang Xiao, Ruirong Hao
Summary: Copper (Cu) is a trace element that plays important roles in physiological processes. Excessive Cu exposure can lead to damage in organisms, but it is unclear if the response mechanisms to Cu2+ are conserved among different species. In this study, Cu2+ exposure was assessed in Aurelia coerulea polyps and mice models, and the molecular composition and response mechanisms were analyzed. The results showed that Cu2+ exposure had toxic effects on both A. coerulea polyps and mice, with organ damage observed in both species. Glutathione metabolism was found to be a conserved response mechanism to copper stress in both A. coerulea polyps and mice. However, mammals have a more complex regulatory network in copper-induced cell death.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)