Article
Environmental Sciences
Howard E. Epstein, Donald A. Walker, Gerald Frost, Martha K. Raynolds, Uma Bhatt, Ronald Daanen, Bruce Forbes, Jozsef Geml, Elina Kaarlejarvi, Olga Khitun, Artem Khomutov, Patrick Kuss, Marina Leibman, Georgy Matyshak, Nataliya Moskalenko, Pavel Orekhov, Vladimir E. Romanovsky, Ina Timling
Summary: Field sampling along the Eurasia Arctic Transect in northwestern Siberia showed that aboveground vegetation biomass, NDVI, and LAI all increased with the summer warmth index. Different soil types influenced the spatial patterns of these vegetation properties. Shrub biomass increased non-linearly with summer warmth index, while moss and lichen biomass responded differently to the increase in temperature.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jaehyun Lee, Jeongeun Yun, Yerang Yang, Ji Young Jung, Yoo Kyung Lee, Junji Yuan, Weixin Ding, Chris Freeman, Hojeong Kang
Summary: The uncertainty of CH4 emission in the Arctic is due to the lack of understanding of the processes involved. The oxidation of CH4 in Arctic soil is crucial, as it can remove up to 90% of CH4 produced before it reaches the atmosphere. Previous studies have focused on the impact of temperature on CH4 oxidation, but the effects of inorganic nitrogen (N) have been less studied in this N-limited system. However, recent reports of increased available N caused by climate change and anthropogenic activities may lead to a significant change in CH4 oxidation in Arctic soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Wenyi Xu, Anders Prieme, Elisabeth J. Cooper, Martin Alfons Morsdorf, Philipp Semenchuk, Bo Elberling, Paul Grogan, Per Lennart Ambus
Summary: Climate change is causing an increase in winter snowfall in many Arctic regions, leading to deeper snow that enhances soil microbial nitrogen cycle processes and nutrient availability. The effects of deepened snow on stimulating microbial N cycling activities are most pronounced in relatively moist tundra ecosystems, altering biogeochemical cycles and nutrient availability for plant growth. The study suggests that while increased N availability during the growing season may promote plant growth, it may also lead to increased N losses through water and gaseous pathways, affecting overall nutrient status.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Taniya Roy Chowdhury, Erin C. Berns, Ji-Won Moon, Baohua Gu, Liyuan Liang, Stan D. Wullschleger, David E. Graham
Summary: As temperatures warm in Arctic continuous permafrost zones, changes in hydrological and geochemical soil conditions are expected, impacting heterotrophic microbial carbon cycling. Results from this study show that HCP soils exhibit varying CO2 and CH4 production patterns in response to different water content levels, with organic soils producing more CH4 with increased water content. This knowledge is crucial for constraining uncertainties in predictive climate models regarding microbial C mineralization rates in Arctic soils.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Manuel Gabriel Velasquez Ramirez, Claudia Maribel Vega Ruiz, Ronald Corvera Gomringer, Martin Pillaca, Evert Thomas, Paul Michael Stewart, Luis Alfredo Gamarra Miranda, Francisco Roman Danobeytia, Juan Antonio Guerrero Barrantes, Midori Chinen Gushiken, Joel Vasquez Bardales, Miles Silman, Luis Fernandez, Cesar Ascorra, Dennis del Castillo Torres
Summary: Gold mining is the largest source of mercury pollution globally, particularly in the Peruvian Amazon region. Despite higher mercury concentrations in untouched old-growth forests bordering mine spoils, efforts to restore soil conditions and develop sustainable land uses can proceed. It is crucial to stop using mercury in mining operations to reduce human and environmental risks.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adria Descals, David L. A. Gaveau, Aleixandre Verger, Douglas Sheil, Daisuke Naito, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Arctic fires can release large amounts of carbon from permafrost peatlands. Recent decades have seen an increase in temperature-related fire factors, which have a near-exponential relationship with annual burned area. With climactic warming, large fires in the Arctic are likely to occur before mid-century.
Article
Entomology
Mikhail V. Kozlov, Vitali Zverev, Elena L. Zvereva
Summary: Industrial pollution in polar regions does not significantly affect the overall abundance of moths and butterflies, but does lead to a decline in their diversity. Different species have varying responses to pollution. This study reveals the unexpected tolerance of arctic communities of moths and butterflies to industrial pollution.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ashu Dastoor, Helene Angot, Johannes Bieser, Jesper H. Christensen, Thomas A. Douglas, Lars-Eric Heimburger-Boavida, Martin Jiskra, Robert P. Mason, David S. McLagan, Daniel Obrist, Peter M. Outridge, Mariia Petrova, Andrei Ryjkov, Kyra A. St Pierre, Amina T. Schartup, Anne L. Soerensen, Kenjiro Toyota, Oleg Travnikov, Simon J. Wilson, Christian Zdanowicz
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive assessment of the present-day total mercury mass balance in the Arctic. The majority of mercury is transported to the Arctic via air and ocean transport, and the deposition mainly occurs in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in soils. Rivers and coastal erosion transfer a significant amount of terrestrial mercury to the Arctic Ocean, in approximate balance with net terrestrial mercury deposition. The revised Arctic Ocean mercury mass balance suggests that the deposition to the ocean and mercury burial in inner-shelf sediments are underestimated, calling for the need for seasonal observations.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jason A. Clark, Ken D. Tape, Jessica M. Young-Robertson
Summary: Vegetation water content is crucial for ecosystem water balance and plant physiology, especially in relation to drought resistance. This study utilized time-domain reflectometry to continuously measure shrub water content and established calibration equations for different shrub species. The findings revealed seasonal variations in stem water content, highlighting the dependence of shrubs on soil moisture availability.
ECOHYDROLOGY & HYDROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kevin M. Fraley, Carolyn R. Hamman, Trent M. Sutton, Martin D. Robards, Tahzay Jones, Alex Whiting
Summary: This study assessed the concentrations of PFAS and mercury in fish species from the nearshore areas of Arctic Alaska. Low levels of PFAS compounds were found in certain fish species, but these levels were below the threshold triggering fish consumption guidelines. There was no evidence of PFAS or mercury exposure to people who harvest these fish species.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenyi Xu, Anders Lambaek, Signe Skjold Holm, Annesofie Furbo-Halken, Bo Elberling, Per Lennart Ambus
Summary: The study found that fire has significant effects on soil biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas emissions in Arctic tundra regions, leading to substantial increases in soil nitrates, ammonium, and phosphate post-fire. Additionally, fire may decrease the temperature response in soil respiration, weakening the positive feedback to climate change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Wojciech Szymanski, Klaudia Jagi, Marek Drewnik, Lukasz Musielok, Mateusz Stolarczyk, Magdalena Gus-Stolarczyk, Sebastian Sikora
Summary: The study aims to determine the variability of topsoil temperature under different types of tundra vegetation in the Arctic region. The results show that wet sites with marsh and moss tundra vegetation have higher topsoil temperatures, while sites with Arctic meadow and heath tundra vegetation have lower temperatures. The topsoil temperature is highly correlated with air temperature, with variations in different seasons.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leon Nill, Inge Grunberg, Tobias Ullmann, Matthias Gessner, Julia Boike, Patrick Hostert
Summary: This study successfully estimated the fractional cover of shrubs and other surface components in the Arctic tundra using satellite observations and synthetic training data. The results showed an increase in shrub cover and a decline in herbaceous plant and lichen cover, indicating a replacement and homogenisation of Arctic vegetation communities. The proposed method provides new opportunities for quantitatively estimating the fractional cover of tundra vegetation and advancing our understanding of shrub expansion.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Opoku Gyamfi, Peter Borgen Sorensen, Godfred Darko, Eugene Ansah, Katrin Vorkamp, Jesper Leth Bak
Summary: This study evaluated the potential risk of mercury pollution in soils in Gbani, a artisanal gold mining community in Ghana, and found that the soils in this area were moderately to extremely severely contaminated with mercury, especially near active mining sites. Residents may face the largest risk of non-cancer effects through air-borne exposure pathways.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cynthia H. Whaley, Kathy S. Law, Jens Liengaard Hjorth, Henrik Skov, Stephen R. Arnold, Joakim Langner, Jakob Boyd Pernov, Garance Bergeron, Ilann Bourgeois, Jesper H. Christensen, Rong-You Chien, Makoto Deushi, Xinyi Dong, Peter Effertz, Gregory Faluvegi, Mark Flanner, Joshua S. Fu, Michael Gauss, Greg Huey, Ulas Im, Rigel Kivi, Louis Marelle, Tatsuo Onishi, Naga Oshima, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Jeff Peischl, David A. Plummer, Luca Pozzoli, Jean-Christophe Raut, Tom Ryerson, Ragnhild Skeie, Sverre Solberg, Manu A. Thomas, Chelsea Thompson, Kostas Tsigaridis, Svetlana Tsyro, Steven T. Turnock, Knut von Salzen, David W. Tarasick
Summary: This study summarizes recent research on the observations and modeling of tropospheric ozone in the Arctic, revealing significant differences in the seasonal cycles of surface ozone at different locations. The 12 state-of-the-art models used in this study lack the necessary surface halogen chemistry to accurately simulate coastal Arctic surface ozone depletion. The multi-model median underestimates Arctic surface ozone by 5% to 15% depending on the location, and there is a wide variability among the models.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Oleg Travnikov, Jeroen E. Sonke, Colin P. Thackray, Daniel J. Jacob, Javier Carmona-Garcia, Antonio Frances-Monerris, Daniel Roca-Sanjuan, A. Ulises Acuna, Juan Z. Davalos, Carlos A. Cuevas, Martin Jiskra, Feiyue Wang, Johannes Bieser, John M. C. Plane, Joseph S. Francisco
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cristiano Ballabio, Martin Jiskra, Stefan Osterwalder, Pasquale Borrelli, Luca Montanarella, Panos Panagos
Summary: Mapping of surface soil mercury concentrations at continental scale using Deep Neural Network models revealed an increase in mercury concentrations with latitude and altitude in European soils. The study found correlations between soil mercury concentrations and vegetation activity, NDVI, and soil organic carbon content, indicating the importance of atmospheric uptake by plants and soil organic matter on mercury distribution. Additionally, the research identified hotspots of mercury contamination, with some associated with mining areas and others potentially related to unmined geological mercury or industrial pollution.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xuewu Fu, Martin Jiskra, Xu Yang, Nicolas Marusczak, Maxime Enrico, Jerome Chmeleff, Lars-Eric Heimburger-Boavida, Francois Gheusi, Jeroen E. Sonke
Summary: This study reveals that oxidized Hg at high altitudes exhibits even isotopic fractionation characteristics, while rainfall Hg shows both even and odd isotopic fractionation, possibly due to photo-reduction of Hg-II in clouds. Observations of MIF in free tropospheric Hg-0 indicate that oxidation of Hg-0 in high-altitude air masses produces opposite even- and odd-MIF in Hg-0 and oxidized Hg-II.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. Osterwalder, M. Nerentorp, W. Zhu, M. Jiskra, E. Nilsson, M. B. Nilsson, A. Rutgersson, A. L. Soerensen, J. Sommar, M. B. Wallin, I Wangberg, K. Bishop
Summary: Air-sea exchange of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg-0) is not well constrained, and lack of Hg-0 flux measurements contributes to this uncertainty. This study measured Hg-0 flux on the Baltic Sea coast using micrometeorological methods and gas exchange models, showing coastal waters were typically supersaturated with Hg-0 compared to the atmosphere. The study suggests that more measurements using micrometeorological techniques would improve our understanding of air-sea Hg exchange.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Panos Panagos, Martin Jiskra, Pasquale Borrelli, Leonidas Liakos, Cristiano Ballabio
Summary: This study investigates the distribution and sources of mercury in EU soils, highlighting mining activities and chlor-alkali industries as major anthropogenic factors contributing to mercury hotspots. It discusses mercury loss due to water erosion, sediment distribution, and the severity of mercury pollution in the Mediterranean Sea region. The research provides valuable insights to support the EU's efforts in reducing soil pollution as part of the Zero Pollution Action Plan and Sustainable Development Goals.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Letter
Engineering, Environmental
Jan G. Wiederhold, Martin Jiskra
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Martin Jiskra, Lars-Eric Heimburger-Boavida, Marie-Maelle Desgranges, Mariia Petrova, Aurelie Dufour, Beatriz Ferreira-Araujo, Jeremy Masbou, Jerome Chmeleff, Melilotus Thyssen, David Point, Jeroen E. Sonke
Summary: Mercury exposure through consumption of seafood is a significant pathway for human exposure. Earth system models suggest that mercury in marine ecosystems mainly comes from atmospheric wet and dry deposition of Hg(II), with a smaller contribution from gaseous Hg(0) uptake. Studies on marine Hg deposition and gas exchange are limited, but stable isotope measurements in Atlantic and Mediterranean seawater indicate a significant contribution of atmospheric Hg and gaseous elemental mercury uptake to ocean mercury levels.
Article
Plant Sciences
Emanuel Glauser, Lena Wohlgemuth, Franz Conen, Martin Jiskra
Summary: We investigated the accumulation of mercury in maize plants grown in non-contaminated conditions on a farm in Switzerland. We found that the concentrations of mercury in leaves and husk followed the same temporal pattern as their mass growth. However, mercury accumulation in silk and tassel increased almost linearly over time until harvest. The concentration of mercury was highest in tassel, followed by leaves and silk.
JOURNAL OF PLANT INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Sebastian P. Sitkiewicz, Daniel Roca-Sanjuan, Josep M. Oliva-Enrich, Juan Z. Davalos, Rafael Notario, Martin Jiskra, Yang Xu, Feiyue Wang, Colin P. Thackray, Elsie M. Sunderland, Daniel J. Jacob, Oleg Travnikov, Carlos A. Cuevas, A. Ulises Acuna, Daniel Rivero, John M. C. Plane, Douglas E. Kinnison, Jeroen E. Sonke
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Martin Jiskra, Stephane Guedron, Julie Tolu, Sherilyn C. Fritz, Paul A. Baker, Jeroen E. Sonke
Summary: This study investigated the Hg stable isotopes in a sediment core of Lake Titicaca, revealing the changes in Hg deposition during the early and mid-late Holocene. The findings showed that high Hg deposition rates were induced by watershed erosion during the early Holocene, while atmospheric deposition dominated during the mid-late Holocene. Moreover, photochemical reduction and re-emission from the lake surface played an important role in Hg deposition.
ACS EARTH AND SPACE CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Aryeh Feinberg, Thandolwethu Dlamini, Martin Jiskra, Viral Shah, Noelle E. Selin
Summary: Recent studies have found that vegetation uptake of atmospheric mercury and subsequent release to the soil may be an important pathway for mercury pollution. The global magnitude of this process, however, is still highly uncertain. By comparing model simulations with measurements from forested sites, researchers were able to refine the model and improve its accuracy in predicting vegetation uptake of mercury.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Lena Wohlgemuth, Pasi Rautio, Bernd Ahrends, Alexander Russ, Lars Vesterdal, Peter Waldner, Volkmar Timmermann, Nadine Eickenscheidt, Alfred Fuerst, Martin Greve, Peter Roskams, Anne Thimonier, Manuel Nicolas, Anna Kowalska, Morten Ingerslev, Paivi Merila, Sue Benham, Carmen Iacoban, Guenter Hoch, Christine Alewell, Martin Jiskra
Summary: This study investigates the factors controlling stomatal uptake of atmospheric gaseous elemental mercury (Hg(0)) by tree foliage, using foliage samples from across Europe. The study finds that the functional group of trees and the nutrient content of the leaves significantly impact foliar stomatal Hg uptake, while water vapor pressure deficit and soil water content also play a role in regulating Hg uptake. These findings suggest the need to consider tree physiological activity and stomatal response in models of Hg cycling in the future.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ashu Dastoor, Helene Angot, Johannes Bieser, Jesper H. Christensen, Thomas A. Douglas, Lars-Eric Heimburger-Boavida, Martin Jiskra, Robert P. Mason, David S. McLagan, Daniel Obrist, Peter M. Outridge, Mariia Petrova, Andrei Ryjkov, Kyra A. St Pierre, Amina T. Schartup, Anne L. Soerensen, Kenjiro Toyota, Oleg Travnikov, Simon J. Wilson, Christian Zdanowicz
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive assessment of the present-day total mercury mass balance in the Arctic. The majority of mercury is transported to the Arctic via air and ocean transport, and the deposition mainly occurs in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in soils. Rivers and coastal erosion transfer a significant amount of terrestrial mercury to the Arctic Ocean, in approximate balance with net terrestrial mercury deposition. The revised Arctic Ocean mercury mass balance suggests that the deposition to the ocean and mercury burial in inner-shelf sediments are underestimated, calling for the need for seasonal observations.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Oleg Travnikov, Jeroen E. Sonke, Colin P. Thackray, Daniel J. Jacob, Javier Carmona-Garcia, Antonio Frances-Monerris, Daniel Roca-Sanjuan, A. Ulises Acuna, Juan Z. Davalos, Carlos A. Cuevas, Martin Jiskra, Feiyue Wang, Johannes Bieser, John M. C. Plane, Joseph S. Francisco
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jun Zhou, Daniel Obrist, Ashu Dastoor, Martin Jiskra, Andrei Ryjkov
Summary: Mercury, a global pollutant emitted through human activities and natural sources, is partly absorbed by vegetation and deposited into soil. The vegetation uptake of mercury plays a significant role in terrestrial mercury deposition globally.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)