Amalie Vigdel Ask, Bjørn Munro Jenssen, Sabrina Tartu, Frédéric Angelier, Olivier Chastel, Geir Wing Gabrielsen. (2021). Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Are Positively Associated with Thyroid Hormones in an Arctic Seabird (Vol. 40).
Abstract: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with several disrupted physiological and endocrine parameters. Regarding endocrine mechanisms, laboratory studies suggest that PFAS could disrupt the thyroid hormone system and alter circulating thyroid hormone concentrations. Thyroid hormones play a ubiquitous role—controlling thermoregulation, metabolism, and reproduction. However, evidence for disruption of thyroid hormones by PFAS remains scarce in wildlife. The present study investigated the associations between concentrations of PFAS, thyroid hormones, and body condition in an arctic seabird, the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). We collected blood from kittiwakes sampled in Svalbard, Norway (2013 and 2014). Plasma samples were analyzed for total thyroxine (TT4) and total triiodothyronine (TT3) concentrations; detected PFAS included branched and linear (lin) C8 perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (i.e., perfluoroctane sulfonate [PFOS]) and C9-C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs). The dominant PFAS in the kittiwakes were linPFOS and C11- and C13-PFCAs. Generally, male kittiwakes had higher concentrations of PFAS than females. We observed positive correlations between linPFOS, C10-PFCA, and TT4 in males, whereas in females C12-14-PFCAs were positively correlated to TT3. Interestingly, we observed contrasted correlations between PFAS and body condition; the direction of the relationship was sex-dependent. Although these results show relationships between PFAS and circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in kittiwakes, the study design does not allow for concluding on causal relationships related to effects of PFAS on the thyroid hormone system. Future experimental research is required to quantify this impact of PFAS on the biology of kittiwakes. The apparently different associations among PFAS and body condition for males and females are puzzling, and more research is required. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:820–831. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Keywords: Avian toxicity Ecotoxicology Endocrine-disrupting compounds Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance Thyroid hormones
Programme: 330
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Alain Royer, Florent Domine, Alexandre Roy, Alexandre Langlois, Nicolas Marchand, Gautier Davesne. (2021). New northern snowpack classification linked to vegetation cover on a latitudinal mega-transect across northeastern Canada.
Abstract: Changes in mass, extent, duration, and physical properties of snow are key elements for studying associated climate change feedbacks in northern regions. In this study, we analyzed snowpack physical properties along a ‘mega’ transect from 47°N to 83°N (4,000 km) in northeastern Canada, which includes marked transitions between ecozones from boreal forest to subarctic and arctic ecosystems. Our unique dataset of 391 detailed snowpits acquired over the last 20 years, complemented with snow data from weather stations, shows that snowpack properties such as snow water equivalent, snow depth, density, grain size and basal depth hoar fraction (DHF) are strongly linked to vegetation type. Based on these results, we propose an updated classification of snow types in three classes: boreal forest snow (47–58°N), tundra snow (58–74°N) and polar desert snow (74–83°N), which is more appropriate to the study area than the general north hemisphere classification commonly used. We also show that shrub presence along the transect contributes to a significant increase in DHF development which contributes most strongly to the thermal insulation properties of the snowpack. Overall, our analysis suggests that snow–vegetation interactions have a positive feedback effect on warming at northern latitudes.
Keywords: classification de la couverture de neige Gradient latitudinal interactions neige-végétation Latitudinal gradient propriétés de la neige snow cover classification snow–vegetation interaction snowpack properties
Programme: 1042
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Elena Angulo, Christophe Diagne, Liliana Ballesteros-Mejia, Tasnime Adamjy, Danish A. Ahmed, Evgeny Akulov, Achyut K. Banerjee, César Capinha, Cheikh A. K. M. Dia, Gauthier Dobigny, Virginia G. Duboscq-Carra, Marina Golivets, Phillip J. Haubrock, Gustavo Heringer, Natalia Kirichenko, Melina Kourantidou, Chunlong Liu, Martin A. Nuñez, David Renault, David Roiz, Ahmed Taheri, Laura N. H. Verbrugge, Yuya Watari, Wen Xiong, Franck Courchamp. (2021). Non-English languages enrich scientific knowledge: The example of economic costs of biological invasions (Vol. 775).
Abstract: We contend that the exclusive focus on the English language in scientific research might hinder effective communication between scientists and practitioners or policy makers whose mother tongue is non-English. This barrier in scientific knowledge and data transfer likely leads to significant knowledge gaps and may create biases when providing global patterns in many fields of science. To demonstrate this, we compiled data on the global economic costs of invasive alien species reported in 15 non-English languages. We compared it with equivalent data from English documents (i.e., the InvaCost database, the most up-to-date repository of invasion costs globally). The comparison of both databases (~7500 entries in total) revealed that non-English sources: (i) capture a greater amount of data than English sources alone (2500 vs. 2396 cost entries respectively); (ii) add 249 invasive species and 15 countries to those reported by English literature, and (iii) increase the global cost estimate of invasions by 16.6% (i.e., US$ 214 billion added to 1.288 trillion estimated from the English database). Additionally, 2712 cost entries — not directly comparable to the English database — were directly obtained from practitioners, revealing the value of communication between scientists and practitioners. Moreover, we demonstrated how gaps caused by overlooking non-English data resulted in significant biases in the distribution of costs across space, taxonomic groups, types of cost, and impacted sectors. Specifically, costs from Europe, at the local scale, and particularly pertaining to management, were largely under-represented in the English database. Thus, combining scientific data from English and non-English sources proves fundamental and enhances data completeness. Considering non-English sources helps alleviate biases in understanding invasion costs at a global scale. Finally, it also holds strong potential for improving management performance, coordination among experts (scientists and practitioners), and collaborative actions across countries. Note: non-English versions of the abstract and figures are provided in Appendix S5 in 12 languages.
Keywords: Ecological bias InvaCost Knowledge gaps Management Native languages Stakeholders
Programme: 136
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Barbora Chattová, Marc Lebouvier, Vít Syrovátka, Bart Van de Vijver. (2021). Moss-inhabiting diatom communities from Ile Amsterdam (TAAF, southern Indian Ocean) (Vol. 154).
Abstract: Background and aims – Despite the ongoing taxonomical revision of the entire (sub)-Antarctic diatom flora, our knowledge on the ecology and community associations of moss-inhabiting diatoms is still rather limited. In the present study, our research aim was to survey the diversity together with the environmental factors structuring the epiphytic moss diatom communities on Ile Amsterdam (TAAF), a small volcanic island in the southern Indian Ocean.Material and methods – A morphology-based dataset and (physico)chemical measurements were used for the ecological and biogeographical analysis of moss-inhabiting diatom flora from Ile Amsterdam. In total, 148 moss samples were examined using light microscopy.Key results – The analysis revealed the presence of 125 diatom taxa belonging to 38 genera. The uniqueness of the Ile Amsterdam diatom flora is mainly reflected by the species composition of the dominant genera Pinnularia, Nitzschia, Humidophila, and Luticola, with a large number of unknown and often new species. This highly specific diatom flora, together with differences in the habitats sampled and the isolated position of the island, resulted in very low similarity values between Ile Amsterdam and the other islands of the Southern Ocean. From a biogeographical point of view, 40% of the taxa have a typical cosmopolitan distribution, whereas 22% of all observed species can be considered endemic to Ile Amsterdam, with another 17% species showing a restricted sub-Antarctic distribution. The NMDS analysis, based on a cluster dendrogram, divides the samples into six main groups. For each group, indicator species were determined. Both environmental data and diatom distributions indicate that apart from elevation, specific conductance, pH, and moisture are the major factors determining the structure of moss-inhabiting diatom communities on Ile Amsterdam.Conclusion – The isolated geographic position and unique climatological and geological features of the island shaped the presence of a unique diatom flora, characterised by many endemic species. The results of the study are of prime importance for further (palaeo-)ecological and biogeographical research.
Keywords: Bacillariophyta diatoms ecology Ile Amsterdam mosses southern Indian Ocean sub-Antarctic region
Programme: 136
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Simon Véron, Carlos Rodrigues-Vaz, Elise Lebreton, Claudine Ah-Peng, Vincent Boullet, Hervé Chevillotte, Stephan Robbert Gradstein, Joël Jérémie, Elisabeth Lavocat Bernard, Marc Lebouvier, Jean-Yves Meyer, Jérôme Munzinger, Odile Poncy, Louis Thouvenot, Guillaume Viscardi, Guillaume Léotard, Olivier Gargominy, Sébastien Leblond, Marc Pignal, Germinal Rouhan, Sandrine Tercerie, Vanessa Invernon, Serge Muller. (2021). An assessment of the endemic spermatophytes, pteridophytes and bryophytes of the French Overseas Territories: towards a better conservation outlook (Vol. 30).
Abstract: A broad range of climatic and biogeographical conditions are represented in the French Overseas Territories, from sub-polar to equatorial, resulting in a high diversity of endemic species. We mobilized data from herbaria, floras, checklists, literature, the expertise of botanists and plant ecologists to compile the most complete dataset on endemic vascular plants and bryophytes in the 15 French Overseas Territories. To date, 3748 spermatophytes (seed plants), 244 pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes) and 448 bryophytes are strictly endemic to the overseas territories. New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Réunion harbour the highest numbers of strictly endemic species, yet French Guiana and the French Antilles harbour high numbers of regional endemic species due to their proximity with other territories. The endemic flora of these territories is highly threatened. In particular, 51% of strictly endemic spermatophytes are threatened and many species at risk belong to Rubiaceae and Orchidaceae families. Around 82% and 69% of strict and regional endemic spermatophytes and pteridophytes are found in the Paris herbaria. Only 34% of endemic bryophytes have their label information fully databased so that their total number in Paris herbaria is not known. Databasing the remaining specimens in the collection will greatly enhance future research and conservation projects. To facilitate the use of the information we compiled, we provide a publicly searchable dataset of the checklist. This study not only provides a picture of the flora of French overseas territories; it also identifies gaps in knowledge on which future research efforts in systematics, ecology and conservation could focus.
Programme: 136
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C. Albert, V. S. Bråthen, S. Descamps, T. Anker-Nilssen, A. Cherenkov, S. Christensen-Dalsgaard, J. Danielsen, K. E. Erikstad, M. Gavrilo, S. A. Hanssen, H. H. Helgason, J. E. Jónsson, Y. Kolbeinsson, Y. Krasnov, M. Langset, E. Lorentzen, B. Olsen, T. K. Reiertsen, H. Strøm, G. H. Systad, G. Tertitski, P. M. Thompson, T. L. Thórarinsson, P. Bustamante, B. Moe, J. Fort. (2021). Inter-annual variation in winter distribution affects individual seabird contamination with mercury (Vol. 676).
Abstract: Migratory seabirds are exposed to various pollutants throughout their annual cycle. Among them, mercury (Hg) is of particular concern given its large impact on animal health. Recent studies suggest that winter is a critical period for seabirds when contamination by Hg can be higher than at other times of year. However, individuals within and between species can have different migration strategies and winter distributions that could affect their exposure. Here, we combined multi-year individual tracking data and Hg measurements from 6 Arctic seabird species. We investigated whether inter-annual variations in individual winter contamination with Hg was related to seabird fidelity to a wintering site over years. First, our results show that Hg concentrations above the toxicity threshold (i.e. 5 µg g-1 dry weight in feathers) were observed in variable proportions according to species (from 2% of northern fulmars to 37% of Brünnich’s guillemots). Second, individuals with high fidelity to a wintering ground had more similar Hg concentrations among years compared to individuals with low fidelity, suggesting an effect of their migratory strategy on Hg contamination. Further, we found that the directional change in wintering areas among years influenced seabird Hg contamination, highlighting an additional effect of seabirds’ winter distribution. More specifically, individuals migrating to the northwest direction of a previous wintering ground tended to be more contaminated compared to those moving to eastern directions. These results confirm spatial differences in Hg concentration throughout the North Atlantic-Arctic and an east-west gradient increase in Hg concentrations. Verifying this trend will require more large-scale ecotoxicological studies at smaller spatial resolution.
Keywords: Biologging Feathers Migration North Atlantic-Arctic Pollutant
Programme: 388
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Alice Bernard, Ana S. L. Rodrigues, Victor Cazalis, David Grémillet. (2021). Toward a global strategy for seabird tracking (Vol. 14).
Abstract: Electronic tracking technologies revolutionized wildlife ecology, notably for studying the movements of elusive species such as seabirds. Those advances are key to seabird conservation, for example in guiding the design of marine protected areas for this highly threatened group. Tracking data are also boosting scientific understanding of marine ecosystem dynamics in the context of global change. To optimize future tracking efforts, we performed a global assessment of seabird tracking data. We identified and mined 689 seabird tracking studies, reporting on > 28,000 individuals of 216 species from 17 families over the last four decades. We found substantial knowledge gaps, reflecting a historical neglect of tropical seabird ecology, with biases toward species that are heavier, oceanic, and from high-latitude regions. Conservation status had little influence on seabird tracking propensity. We identified 54 threatened species for which we did not find published tracking records, and 19 with very little data. Additionally, much of the existing tracking data are not yet available to other researchers and decision-makers in online databases. We highlight priority species and regions for future tracking efforts. More broadly, we provide guidance toward an ethical, rational, and efficient global tracking program for seabirds, as a contribution to their conservation.
Keywords: biogeography biologging biotelemetry ecological monitoring marine conservation oceanography spatial planning threatened species
Programme: 388
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Peter S. Ungar, Blaire Van Valkenburgh, Alexandria S. Peterson, Aleksandr A. Sokolov, Natalia A. Sokolova, Dorothee Ehrich, Ivan A. Fufachev, Olivier Gilg, Alexandra Terekhina, Alexander Volkovitskiy, Viktor Shtro. (2021). Dental evidence for variation in diet over time and space in the Arctic fox, Vulpes lagopus (Vol. 44).
Abstract: Studies of the effects of variation in resource availability are important for understanding the ecology of high-latitude mammals. This paper examines the potential of dental evidence (tooth wear and breakage) as a proxy for diet and food choice in Vulpes lagopus, the Arctic fox. It presents a preliminary study of dental microwear, gross wear score, and tooth breakage in a sample (n = 78 individuals) from the Yamal Peninsula of the Russian Arctic. While these measures have each been associated with feeding ecology in larger carnivorans (e.g., proportion of bone in the diet), they have yet to be combined in any study and have rarely been applied to smaller species or those from high latitudes. Arctic foxes from the north and south of the peninsula, and those from rodent peak and trough density periods, are compared to assess impact of changes in food availability across space and time. Results indicate that microwear textures vary in dispersion, with more variation in texture complexity, including higher values (suggesting more consumption of bone), in the rodent-poor period in the north of Yamal. Gross wear scores and tooth breakage are also significantly higher for the north of Yamal than the south. These data together suggest that dental evidence can provide important insights into variation in the feeding ecology of Arctic foxes and potentially into the impacts of changes in food abundance across space and time.
Programme: 1036
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Jana Maresova, Alena Suchackova Bartonova, Martin Konvicka, Toke T. Høye, Olivier Gilg, Jean-Claude Kresse, Nazar A. Shapoval, Roman V. Yakovlev, Zdenek Faltynek Fric. (2021). The story of endurance: Biogeography and the evolutionary history of four Holarctic butterflies with different habitat requirements (Vol. 48).
Abstract: Aim Biogeographical studies on the entire ranges of widely distributed species can change our perception of species’ range dynamics. We studied the effects of Pleistocene glacial cycles on current butterfly species distributions, aiming to uncover complex biogeographic patterns in the Holarctic, a region dramatically affected by Cenozoic climate change. Location Eurasia and North America. Taxon Boloria chariclea, Agriades optilete, Carterocephalus palaemon, Oeneis jutta. Methods We reconstructed the biogeographic history of four butterfly species differing in habitat preferences (B. chariclea – tundra, A. optilete – bogs, C. palaemon – temperate grasslands, O. jutta – taiga), using one mitochondrial and two nuclear DNA markers and species distribution modelling. Results Except for B. chariclea, all species originated in Eurasia. The open habitat species A. optilete and C. palaemon formed widely distributed east-west genetic clusters in continental Asia and clusters separated from them in Europe. Genetic clusters of the taiga species O. jutta were not geographically separated in Eurasia, suggesting Pleistocene fragmentation and recent reconnection. The glaciated North America was recolonized from Beringian and southerly situated refugia by all four species. Main conclusions The Pleistocene mammoth steppe allowed a widespread continuous distribution of open habitat butterflies, while in contrast the distribution of a taiga-specialist species was more limited. In the mostly flat and continental North Asia, the butterflies of various types of open habitats survived ice age in widely distributed east-west belts. In the mountainous and oceanic regions of Europe, Beringia and west North America, all four species persisted in contracted areas during the glacials. After deglaciation, they expanded their ranges and formed contact zones among populations. To conclude, the harsh climate of the glacials did not represent an obstacle for butterflies. Instead, different habitat specialists selected their own ways to thrive in the dynamic conditions of Quaternary glacial periods.
Keywords: COI Ef-1α insect Lepidoptera mammoth steppe Pleistocene Quaternary RpS5 species distribution modelling
Programme: 1036
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Rune Dietz, Jérôme Fort, Christian Sonne, Céline Albert, Jan Ove Bustnes, Thomas Kjær Christensen, Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski, Jóhannis Danielsen, Sam Dastnai, Marcel Eens, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Anders Galatius, Svend-Erik Garbus, Olivier Gilg, Sveinn Are Hanssen, Björn Helander, Morten Helberg, Veerle L. B. Jaspers, Bjørn Munro Jenssen, Jón Einar Jónsson, Kaarina Kauhala, Yann Kolbeinsson, Line Anker Kyhn, Aili Lage Labansen, Martin Mørk Larsen, Ulf Lindstøm, Tone K. Reiertsen, Frank F. Rigét, Anna Roos, Jakob Strand, Hallvard Strøm, Signe Sveegaard, Jens Søndergaard, Jiachen Sun, Jonas Teilmann, Ole Roland Therkildsen, Thorkell Lindberg Thórarinsson, Rune Skjold Tjørnløv, Simon Wilson, Igor Eulaers. (2021). A risk assessment of the effects of mercury on Baltic Sea, Greater North Sea and North Atlantic wildlife, fish and bivalves (Vol. 146).
Abstract: A wide range of species, including marine mammals, seabirds, birds of prey, fish and bivalves, were investigated for potential population health risks resulting from contemporary (post 2000) mercury (Hg) exposure, using novel risk thresholds based on literature and de novo contamination data. The main geographic focus is on the Baltic Sea, while data from the same species in adjacent waters, such as the Greater North Sea and North Atlantic, were included for comparative purposes. For marine mammals, 23% of the groups, each composing individuals of a specific sex and maturity from the same species in a specific study region, showed Hg-concentrations within the High Risk Category (HRC) and Severe Risk Category (SRC). The corresponding percentages for seabirds, fish and bivalves were 2.7%, 25% and 8.0%, respectively, although fish and bivalves were not represented in the SRC. Juveniles from all species showed to be at no or low risk. In comparison to the same species in the adjacent waters, i.e. the Greater North Sea and the North Atlantic, the estimated risk for Baltic populations is not considerably higher. These findings suggest that over the past few decades the Baltic Sea has improved considerably with respect to presenting Hg exposure to its local species, while it does still carry a legacy of elevated Hg levels resulting from high neighbouring industrial and agricultural activity and slow water turnover regime.
Keywords: Biological effect Bird of prey Hg Marine mammal Risk threshold Seabird
Programme: 1036
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