| 1. |
- Callaghan, Terry, et al.
(författare)
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Multi-Decadal Changes in Tundra Environments and Ecosystems : Synthesis of the International Polar Year-Back to the Future Project (IPY-BTF)
- 2011
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Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 40:6, s. 705-716
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Understanding the responses of tundra systemsto global change has global implications. Most tundraregions lack sustained environmental monitoring and oneof the only ways to document multi-decadal change is toresample historic research sites. The International PolarYear (IPY) provided a unique opportunity for such researchthrough the Back to the Future (BTF) project (IPY project#512). This article synthesizes the results from 13 paperswithin this Ambio Special Issue. Abiotic changes includeglacial recession in the Altai Mountains, Russia; increasedsnow depth and hardness, permafrost warming, andincreased growing season length in sub-arctic Sweden;drying of ponds in Greenland; increased nutrient availabilityin Alaskan tundra ponds, and warming at mostlocations studied. Biotic changes ranged from relativelyminor plant community change at two sites in Greenland tomoderate change in the Yukon, and to dramatic increasesin shrub and tree density on Herschel Island, and in subarcticSweden. The population of geese tripled at one sitein northeast Greenland where biomass in non-grazed plotsdoubled. A model parameterized using results from a BTFstudy forecasts substantial declines in all snowbeds andincreases in shrub tundra on Niwot Ridge, Colorado overthe next century. In general, results support and provideimproved capacities for validating experimental manipulation,remote sensing, and modeling studies.
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| 2. |
- Jönsson, K. Ingemar, et al.
(författare)
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Tolerance to X-rays and Heavy Ions (Fe, He) in the Tardigrade Richtersius coronifer and the Bdelloid Rotifer Mniobia russeola
- 2017
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Ingår i: Astrobiology. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1531-1074 .- 1557-8070. ; 17:2, s. 163-167
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to analyze tolerance to heavy ions in desiccated animals of the eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer and the bdelloid rotifer Mniobia russeola within the STARLIFE project. Both species were exposed to iron (Fe) and helium (He) ions at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) in Chiba, Japan, and to X-rays at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne, Germany. Results show no effect of Fe and He on viability up to 7 days post-rehydration in both R. coronifer and M. russeola, while X-rays tended to reduce viability in R. coronifer at the highest doses. Mean egg production rate tended to decline with higher doses in R. coronifer for all radiation types, but the pattern was not statistically confirmed. In M. russeola, there was no such tendency for a dose response in egg production rate. These results confirm the previously reported high tolerance to high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation in tardigrades and show for the first time that bdelloid rotifers are also very tolerant to high-LET radiation. These animal phyla represent the most desiccation-and radiation-tolerant animals on Earth and provide excellent eukaryotic models for astrobiological research.
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| 3. |
- Stedt, Kristoffer, 1991, et al.
(författare)
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Post-harvest cultivation with seafood process waters improves protein levels of Ulva fenestrata while retaining important food sensory attributes
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-7745.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seaweed aquaculture can provide the growing human population with a sustainable source of proteins. Sea-based cultivation is an effective method for farming seaweeds on a large scale and can yield high biomass output. However, the quality and biochemical composition of the biomass is seasonally dependent, which limits the harvests to certain periods of the year. Here we show the possibility to extend the sea-based cultivation season of Ulva fenestrata when aiming for high protein levels, by post-harvest treatment in herring production process waters. We harvested U. fenestrata at an optimal period in terms of yield, but suboptimal in terms of protein content. We then cultivated the seaweed in onshore tank systems with the nutrient-rich process waters for 14 days. We monitored biomass yield, crude protein content, amino acid composition, and content of the health concerning metals arsenic, mercury, lead, and cadmium, as well as the sensory properties of the dried biomass. After cultivation in the process waters, biomass yields were 30 - 40% higher (210 – 230 g fresh weight) compared to in seawater (160 g fresh weight). Also, the crude protein and amino acid content increased three to five times in the process waters, reaching 12 - 17 and 15 – 21% dry weight, respectively. The protein enriched biomass followed food graded standards for heavy metal content, and consumption of the biomass does not exceed health based reference points. Additionally, no sensory attributes regarded as negative were found. This rapid, post-harvest treatment can help extend the cultivation season of sea-based seaweed farms, maximizing their output of sustainable proteins.
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| 4. |
- Trigo, Joao Pedro, et al.
(författare)
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Sensory quality of emulsions prepared with the seaweed Ulva spp. or a derived protein ingredient
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Future Foods. - : Beijing Academy of Food Sciences. - 2772-5669. ; 9, s. 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The sensory quality of seaweed, whether as a whole biomass or as a protein ingredient, plays a crucial role in its successful commercialization. This study explored the effect of different Ulva species, biomass washing, and pH shift-based protein extraction on the sensory quality of emulsions with 0, 5, and 10 % oil. A trained panel assessed the sensory profile, complemented by analyses of volatile compounds, total ash, and amino acids. Saltiness emerged as the primary distinction between emulsions with unwashed U. linza and U. fenestrata, due to higher ash in the former. Washing U. fenestrata retained sensory qualities despite reduced ash and increased content of the lipid oxidation-marker pentanal. Protein extraction up-concentrated total amino acids 2.9-fold, and yielded emulsions with reduced particle sensation and grassy flavor, while bitterness, sourness, dark color, pentanal, hexanal, and 2-ethylfuran increased. Increased oil content of emulsions lowered their grassy odor which correlated with reduced hexanal content. Overall, these findings can contribute to the development of food products containing seaweed or protein ingredients thereof that match consumer preferences.
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| 5. |
- Trigo, João Pedro, 1995, et al.
(författare)
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Sensory quality of emulsions prepared with the seaweed Ulva spp. or a derived protein ingredient
- 2024
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Ingår i: Future Foods. - : Beijing Academy of Food Sciences. - 2666-8335. ; 9, s. 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The sensory quality of seaweed, whether as a whole biomass or as a protein ingredient, plays a crucial role in its successful commercialization. This study explored the effect of different Ulva species, biomass washing, and pH-shift-based protein extraction on the sensory quality of emulsions with 0, 5, and 10 % oil. A trained panel assessed the sensory profile, complemented by analyses of volatile compounds, total ash, and amino acids. Saltiness emerged as the primary distinction between emulsions with unwashed U. linza and U. fenestrata, due to higher ash in the former. Washing U. fenestrata retained sensory qualities despite reduced ash and increased content of the lipid oxidation-marker pentanal. Protein extraction up-concentrated total amino acids 2.9-fold, and yielded emulsions with reduced particle sensation and grassy flavor, while bitterness, sourness, dark color, pentanal, hexanal, and 2-ethylfuran increased. Increased oil content of emulsions lowered their grassy odor which correlated with reduced hexanal content. Overall, these findings can contribute to the development of food products containing seaweed or protein ingredients thereof that match consumer preferences.
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| 6. |
- Elmberg, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Climate change-induced shifts in survival and size of the worlds' northernmost oviparous snake : A 68-year study
- 2024
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 19:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Because of their dependence on ambient temperature ectothermic animals can serve as sentinels of conservation problems related to global warming. Reptiles in temperate areas are especially well suited to study such effects, as their annual and daily activity patterns directly depend on ambient temperature. This study is based on annual data spanning 68 years from a fringe population of Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix), which is the world's northernmost oviparous (egg-laying) reptile, and known to be constrained by temperature for reproduction, morphology, and behavior. Mark-recapture analyses showed that survival probability was generally higher in males than in females, and that it increased with body length. Body condition (scaled mass index) and body length increased over time, indicative of a longer annual activity period. Monthly survival was generally higher during winter (i.e., hibernation) than over the summer season. Summer survival increased over time, whilst winter survival decreased, especially duringrecent decades. Winter survival was lower when annual maximum snow depth was less than 15 cm, implying a negative effect of milder winters with less insulating snow cover. Our study demonstrates long-term shifts in body length, body condition and seasonal survival associated with a warming climate. Although the seasonal changes in survival ran in opposite directions and though changes were small in absolute terms, the trends did not cancel out, but total annual survival decreased. We conclude that effects of a warming climate can be diverse and pose a threat for thermophilic species in temperate regions, and that future studies should consider survival change by season, preferably in a long-term approach.
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| 7. |
- Bengtsson, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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Movements, Home-Range Size and Habitat Selection of Mallards during Autumn Migration
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a focal species in game management, epidemiology and ornithology, but comparably little research has focused on the ecology of the migration seasons. We studied habitat use, time-budgets, home-range sizes, habitat selection, and movements based on spatial data collected with GPS devices attached to wild mallards trapped at an autumn stopover site in the Northwest European flyway. Sixteen individuals (13 males, 3 females) were followed for 15-38 days in October to December 2010. Forty-nine percent (SD = 8.4%) of the ducks' total time, and 85% of the day-time (SD = 28.3%), was spent at sheltered reefs and bays on the coast. Two ducks used ponds, rather than coast, as day-roosts instead. Mallards spent most of the night (76% of total time, SD = 15.8%) on wetlands, mainly on alvar steppe, or in various flooded areas (e.g. coastal meadows). Crop fields with maize were also selectively utilized. Movements between roosting and foraging areas mainly took place at dawn and dusk, and the home-ranges observed in our study are among the largest ever documented for mallards (mean = 6,859 ha; SD = 5,872 ha). This study provides insights into relatively unknown aspects of mallard ecology. The fact that autumn-staging migratory mallards have a well-developed diel activity pattern tightly linked to the use of specific habitats has implications for wetland management, hunting and conservation, as well as for the epidemiology of diseases shared between wildlife and domestic animals.
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| 8. |
- Elmberg, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Movements and habitat choice of resident and translocated adult female Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix) during the egg-laying period
- 2019
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Ingår i: Herpetological Journal. - : BRITISH HERPETOL SOC. - 0268-0130. ; 29:4, s. 244-250
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We used externally applied transmitters to study movements of female grass snakes (Natrix natrix) during the egg-laying period in a near-urban landscape in Sweden. Half of the studied snakes were residents while the other half were translocated individuals with no previous experience of the area. As predicted, resident females moved more goal-oriented and shorter distances than did translocated individuals. Habitat use did not differ between resident and translocated snakes; they were typically found in bushes, reeds, and tall vegetation. Habitat preference (use in relation to availability) showed that bushy habitats, tall grassy vegetation and reedbeds were over-used in proportion to availability, whereas forest and open grass lawns were used less than expected based on availability. Our study highlights the importance of preserving and restoring linear habitat components providing shelter and connectivity in conservation of grass snakes. We suggest that externally applied transmitters are a better option than surgically implanted ones in movement studies of grass snakes, and that translocation as a conservation method for snakes has drawbacks.
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| 9. |
- Gunnarsson, Gunnar, et al.
(författare)
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Zero Prevalence of Influenza A Virus in Two Raptor Species by Standard Screening
- 2010
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Ingår i: Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1530-3667 .- 1557-7759. ; 10:4, s. 387-390
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Disease can have sever impact on animal populations, especially in rare species. Baseline data for atypical host species are missing for a range of infectious diseases, although such hosts are potentially more affected than the normal vectors and reservoir species. If highly pathogenic avian influenza strikes rare birds of prey, this may have crucial impact on the predator species itself, but also on the food web in which it interacts. Here we present the first large-scale screening of raptors that regularly consume birds belonging to the natural reservoir of influenza A viruses. Influenza A virus prevalence was studied in two rare raptors, the white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). Nestlings were screened for active (181 white-tailed sea eagles and 168 peregrine falcons) and past (123 white-tailed sea eagles and 6 peregrine falcons) infection in 2006-2007, and an additional 20 succumbed adult white-tailed sea eagles were sampled in 2003-2006. Neither high- nor low-pathogenic influnza infections were found in our sample, but this does not rule out that the former may have major impact on rare raptors and their food webs.
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| 10. |
- Hernroth, Bodil, 1951, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of ocean acidification on antimicrobial activity in gills of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)
- 2016
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Ingår i: Fish and Shellfish Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1050-4648 .- 1095-9947. ; 55, s. 452-459
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Here, we aimed to investigate potential effects of ocean acidification on antimicrobial peptide (AMP) activity in the gills of Mytilus edulis, as gills are directly facing seawater and the changing pH (predicted to be reduced from ∼8.1 to ∼7.7 by 2100). The AMP activity of gill and haemocyte extracts was compared at pH 6.0, 7.7 and 8.1, with a radial diffusion assay against Escherichia coli. The activity of the gill extracts was not affected by pH, while it was significantly reduced with increasing pH in the haemocyte extracts. Gill extracts were also tested against different species of Vibrio (V. parahaemolyticus, V. tubiashii, V. splendidus, V. alginolyticus) at pH 7.7 and 8.1. The metabolic activity of the bacteria decreased by ∼65–90%, depending on species of bacteria, but was, as in the radial diffusion assay, not affected by pH. The results indicated that AMPs from gills are efficient in a broad pH-range. However, when mussels were pre-exposed for pH 7.7 for four month the gill extracts presented significantly lower inhibit of bacterial growth. A full in-depth proteome investigation of gill extracts, using LC-Orbitrap MS/MS technique, showed that among previously described AMPs from haemocytes of Mytilus, myticin A was found up-regulated in response to lipopolysaccharide, 3 h post injection. Sporadic occurrence of other immune related peptides/proteins also pointed to a rapid response (0.5–3 h p.i.). Altogether, our results indicate that the gills of blue mussels constitute an important first line defence adapted to act at the pH of seawater. The antimicrobial activity of the gills is however modulated when mussels are under the pressure of ocean acidification, which may give future advantages for invading pathogens.
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