| 1. |
- Aguzzi, Jacopo, et al.
(författare)
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Developing technological synergies between deep-sea and space research
- 2022
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Ingår i: Elementa. - 2325-1026. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent advances in robotic design, autonomy and sensor integration create solutions for the exploration of deep-sea environments, transferable to the oceans of icy moons. Marine platforms do not yet have the mission autonomy capacity of their space counterparts (e.g., the state of the art Mars Perseverance rover mission), although different levels of autonomous navigation and mapping, as well as sampling, are an extant capability. In this setting their increasingly biomimicked designs may allow access to complex environmental scenarios, with novel, highly-integrated life-detecting, oceanographic and geochemical sensor packages. Here, we lay an outlook for the upcoming advances in deep-sea robotics through synergies with space technologies within three major research areas: biomimetic structure and propulsion (including power storage and generation), artificial intelligence and cooperative networks, and life-detecting instrument design. New morphological and material designs, with miniaturized and more diffuse sensor packages, will advance robotic sensing systems. Artificial intelligence algorithms controlling navigation and communications will allow the further development of the behavioral biomimicking by cooperating networks. Solutions will have to be tested within infrastructural networks of cabled observatories, neutrino telescopes, and off-shore industry sites with agendas and modalities that are beyond the scope of our work, but could draw inspiration on the proposed examples for the operational combination of fixed and mobile platforms.
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| 2. |
- Angeler, David
(författare)
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The emergence of convergence
- 2023
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Ingår i: Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene. - 2325-1026. ; 11
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Science is increasingly a collaborative pursuit. Although the modern scientific enterprise owes much to individuals working at the core of their field, humanity is increasingly confronted by highly complex problems that require the integration of a variety of disciplinary and methodological expertise. In 2016, the U.S. National Science Foundation launched an initiative prioritizing support for convergence research as a means of "solving vexing research problems, in particular, complex problems focusing on societal needs." We discuss our understanding of the objectives of convergence research and describe in detail the conditions and processes likely to generate successful convergence research. We use our recent experience as participants in a convergence workshop series focused on resilience in the Arctic to highlight key points. The emergence of resilience science over the past 50 years is presented as a successful contemporary example of the emergence of convergence. We close by describing some of the challenges to the development of convergence research, such as timescales and discounting the future, appropriate metrics of success, allocation issues, and funding agency requirements.
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| 3. |
- Asplund, Therese, Dr., et al.
(författare)
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Creative arts for sustainability transformations : Exploring children’s theater for the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- 2023
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Ingår i: Elementa. - : University of California Press. - 2325-1026. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article responds to recent calls for more creative expressions of climate and sustainability transformations. In particular, research literature argues that the formulation of new narratives of sustainable societies may function as a prominent intervention for system changes. Yet, few empirical studies exist on how creative climate and sustainability storytelling elicit varying levels of awareness and engagement. With the intention to advance scholarship in the role of narratives to create engagement with sustainability transformations, this study investigates children’s theater for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as one research site. By analyzing the interactive children’s theater play “Esmeralda and the Dragon—The Global Sustainability Goals,” we show that creative storytelling can offer a meaningful space for engagement with Agenda 2030 and the UN SDGs. In particular, we find that (1) children’s cognitive and emotional associations and experiences shape the meaning of and responses to the SDGs and (2) the play’s fictional elements resonate with children’s emotional frameworks. Based on the results, we argue that new stories are needed for sustainability transformations and that there is transformative power in the creative and performance arts in this respect, and we call for further exploration of various publics engagements with sustainability storytelling.
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| 4. |
- Chamberlain, E. J., et al.
(författare)
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Impacts of sea ice melting procedures on measurements of microbial community structure
- 2022
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Ingår i: Elementa. - : University of California Press. - 2325-1026. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Microorganisms play critical roles in sea ice biogeochemical processes. However, microbes living within sea ice can be challenging to sample for scientific study. Because most techniques for microbial analysis are optimized for liquid samples, sea ice samples are typically melted first, often applying a buffering method to mitigate osmotic lysis. Here, we tested commonly used melting procedures on three different ice horizons of springtime, first year, land-fast Arctic sea ice to investigate potential methodological impacts on resulting measurements of cell abundance, photophysiology, and microbial community structure as determined by 16S and 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Specifically, we compared two buffering methods using NaCl solutions (“seawater,” melting the ice in an equal volume of 35-ppt solution, and “isohaline,” melting with a small volume of 250-ppt solution calculated to yield meltwater at estimated in situ brine salinity) to direct ice melting (no buffer addition) on both mechanically “shaved” and “non-shaved” samples. Shaving the ice shortened the melting process, with no significant impacts on the resulting measurements. The seawater buffer was best at minimizing cell lysis for this ice type, retaining the highest number of cells and chlorophyll a concentration. Comparative measurements of bacterial (16S) community structure highlighted ecologically relevant subsets of the community that were significantly more abundant in the buffered samples. The results for eukaryotic (18S) community structure were less conclusive. Taken together, our results suggest that an equivalent-volume seawater-salinity buffered melt is best at minimizing cell loss due to osmotic stress for springtime Arctic sea ice, but that either buffer will reduce bias in community composition when compared to direct melting. Overall, these findings indicate potential methodological biases that should be considered before developing a sea ice melting protocol for microbiological studies and afterwards, when interpreting biogeochemical or ecological meaning of the results.
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| 5. |
- Chen, Shiyin, et al.
(författare)
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Tree-ring recorded variations of 10 heavy metal elements over the past 168 years in southeastern China
- 2021
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Ingår i: Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene. - : University of California Press. - 2325-1026. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heavy metal pollution is a serious concern in the urban area of China. Understanding metal pollution history is crucial for setting up appropriate measures for pollution control. Herein, we report a record of concentrations of 10 heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, Co, and Sr) in Pinus massoniana tree rings from Fuzhou City over the past 168 years, which represents the longest tree-ring chronology of heavy metals in China. The studied metals displayed contrasting distribution patterns. Among them, Mn and Sr showed the strongest migration trend with peak concentrations at the pith. Co, Cd, and Pb also showed distinctively high concentrations near the boundary between heartwood and sapwood. Ni, Cu, Cr, and Fe showed an increasing trend possibly due to migration toward bark caused by physiological activities and increasing tourism activities and traffic pollution. The other elements (Cr, Fe, and Zn) with low migration revealed the historical pollution possibly discharged by the Fuzhou Shipping Bureau and other anthropogenic activities. Strong correlations between Cu content and temperature were found, which provides an alternative tree-ring proxy for climate reconstruction. This study provides a long-term perspective of the joint impacts of physiological, environmental, and climatological factors on the concentrations of heavy metals in southeastern China.
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| 6. |
- Childers, Daniel L., et al.
(författare)
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Urban Ecological Infrastructure: An inclusive concept for the non-built urban environment
- 2019
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Ingår i: Elementa. - : UNIV CALIFORNIA PRESS. - 2325-1026. ; 7
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is likely that half of the urban areas that will exist in 2050 have not yet been designed and built. This provides tremendous opportunities for enhancing urban sustainability, and using "nature in cities" is critical to more resilient solutions to urban challenges. Terms for "urban nature" include Green Infrastructure (GI), Green-Blue Infrastructure (GBI), Urban Green Space (UGS), and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). These terms, and the concepts they represent, are incomplete because they tend to reduce the importance of non-terrestrial ecological features in cities. We argue that the concept of Urban Ecological Infrastructure (UEI), which came from a 2013 forum held in Beijing and from several subsequent 2017 publications, is a more inclusive alternative. In this paper we refine the 2013 definition of UEI and link the concept more directly to urban ecosystem services. In our refined definition, UEI comprises all parts of a city that support ecological structures and functions, as well as the ecosystem services provided by UEI that directly affect human outcomes and wellbeing. UEI often includes aspects of the built environment, and we discuss examples of this "hybrid infrastructure". We distinguish terrestrial, aquatic, and wetland UEI because each type provides different ecosystem services. We present several examples of both "accidental" UEI and UEI that was explicitly designed and managed, with an emphasis on wetland UEI because these ecotonal ecosystems are uniquely both terrestrial and aquatic. We show how both accidental and planned UEI produces unexpected ecosystem services, which justifies recognizing and maintaining both purposeful and serendipitous types of UEI in cities. Finally, we posit that by incorporating both "ecological" and "infrastructure", UEI also helps to bridge urban scientists and urban practitioners in a more transdisciplinary partnership to build more resilient and sustainable cities.
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| 7. |
- Dickson-Hoyle, Sarah, et al.
(författare)
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Towards meaningful youth participation in science-policy processes : A case study of the Youth in Landscapes Initiative
- 2018
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Ingår i: Elementa. - : University of California Press. - 2325-1026. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the context of complex intergenerational challenges such as climate change and sustainable development, it is increasingly important for scientists and policy-makers to actively engage with and support the meaningful participation of youth in policy and decision-making. This research evaluates the effectiveness and impact of the Youth in Landscapes Initiative in supporting the active participation and leadership development of youth (aged 18-30 years old) participants at the 2014 Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), an international science-policy forum. This 'youth program' comprised a Youth Session, skills workshops and mentoring programs to empower youth through leadership and capacity building opportunities. Results show a high demand for youth participation: 34% of GLF conference delegates expressed interest to attend the Youth Session, over 22% of GLF session organisers requested youth to take on leadership roles, and the youth program itself received over 770 applications for the 'facilitator' and 'pitcher' leadership positions. The skills-based 'masterclasses' successfully built the confidence and knowledge of youth participants, as shown by post-evaluation survey responses. This translated into active and substantive youth participation throughout the forum. Senior professionals connected to the program praised it highly, seeing it as an opportunity for mutual, intergenerational learning. The Youth in Landscape Initiative is presented as a model and distilled into a framework to inform future youth engagement strategies in international conferences and associated science-policy processes.
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| 8. |
- Fischer, Klara
(författare)
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The knowledge politics of genome editing in Africa
- 2023
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Ingår i: Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene. - 2325-1026. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- How is the promise of crop genome editing viewed by scientists working with or aspiring to work with the technology, by development experts seeking to mold public perceptions and policy attitudes toward genome editing, and by donors that provide funds for genome-editing research for agricultural applications in sub-Saharan Africa? In this article, we present data from interviews with these stakeholders to shed light on their aspirations, concerns, and expectations. Previous scholarship on genome editing in relation to African agriculture has focused on the technical capabilities of genome editing techniques and surveys of current research and development activities in this field. This article contextualizes and reflects critically on expectations that genome editing can or will deliver benefits for African scientists and farmers. The interviews reveal excitement around genome editing and anticipation for what it could achieve, but also a sober realism and frustration regarding the political-economic hurdles that constrain African scientists and research institutions and the generation of public goods forAfrican farmers and societies. These insights, we show, challenge extant narratives related to genome editing and accessibility. As such, we center and interrogate the politics of knowledge surrounding the emergence of genome editing in Africa.
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| 9. |
- Fleming, Zoe L., et al.
(författare)
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Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report: Present-day ozone distribution and trends relevant to human health
- 2018
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Ingår i: Elementa. - : University of California Press. - 2325-1026. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study quantifies the present-day global and regional distributions (2010-2014) and trends (2000-2014) for five ozone metrics relevant for short-term and long-term human exposure. These metrics, calculated by the Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report, are: 4th highest daily maximum 8-hour ozone (4MDA8); number of days with MDA8 > 70 ppb (NDGT70), SOMO35 (annual Sum of Ozone Means Over 35 ppb) and two seasonally averaged metrics (3MMDA1; AVGMDA8). These metrics were explored at ozone monitoring sites worldwide, which were classified as urban or non-urban based on population and nighttime lights data. Present-day distributions of 4MDA8 and NDGT70, determined predominantly by peak values, are similar with highest levels in western North America, southern Europe and East Asia. For the other three metrics, distributions are similar with North-South gradients more prominent across Europe and Japan. Between 2000 and 2014, significant negative trends in 4MDA8 and NDGT70 occur at most US and some European sites. In contrast, significant positive trends are found at many sites in South Korea and Hong Kong, with mixed trends across Japan. The other three metrics have similar, negative trends for many non-urban North American and some European and Japanese sites, and positive trends across much of East Asia. Globally, metrics at many sites exhibit non-significant trends. At 59% of all sites there is a common direction and significance in the trend across all five metrics, whilst 4MDA8 and NDGT70 have a common trend at similar to 80% of all sites. Sensitivity analysis shows AVGMDA8 trends differ with averaging period (warm season or annual). Trends are unchanged at many sites when a 1995-2014 period is used; although fewer sites exhibit non-significant trends. Over the longer period 1970-2014, most Japanese sites exhibit positive 4MDA8/SOMO35 trends. Insufficient data exist to characterize ozone trends for the rest of Asia and other world regions.
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| 10. |
- Fripiat, F., et al.
(författare)
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Macro-nutrient concentrations in Antarctic pack ice: Overall patterns and overlooked processes
- 2017
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Ingår i: Elementa. - : University of California Press. - 2325-1026. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Antarctic pack ice is inhabited by a diverse and active microbial community reliant on nutrients for growth. Seeking patterns and overlooked processes, we performed a large-scale compilation of macro-nutrient data (hereafter termed nutrients) in Antarctic pack ice (306 ice-cores collected from 19 research cruises). Dissolved inorganic nitrogen and silicic acid concentrations change with time, as expected from a seasonally productive ecosystem. In winter, salinity-normalized nitrate and silicic acid concentrations (C∗) in sea ice are close to seawater concentrations (Cw), indicating little or no biological activity. In spring, nitrate and silicic acid concentrations become partially depleted with respect to seawater (C∗ < Cw), commensurate with the seasonal build-up of ice microalgae promoted by increased insolation. Stronger and earlier nitrate than silicic acid consumption suggests that a significant fraction of the primary productivity in sea ice is sustained by flagellates. By both consuming and producing ammonium and nitrite, the microbial community maintains these nutrients at relatively low concentrations in spring. With the decrease in insolation beginning in late summer, dissolved inorganic nitrogen and silicic acid concentrations increase, indicating imbalance between their production (increasing or unchanged) and consumption (decreasing) in sea ice. Unlike the depleted concentrations of both nitrate and silicic acid from spring to summer, phosphate accumulates in sea ice (C∗ > Cw). The phosphate excess could be explained by a greater allocation to phosphorus-rich biomolecules during ice algal blooms coupled with convective loss of excess dissolved nitrogen, preferential remineralization of phosphorus, and/or phosphate adsorption onto metal-organic complexes. Ammonium also appears to be efficiently adsorbed onto organic matter, with likely consequences to nitrogen mobility and availability. This dataset supports the view that the sea ice microbial community is highly efficient at processing nutrients but with a dynamic quite different from that in oceanic surface waters calling for focused future investigations. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s).
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