| 1. |
- Griffiths, Jennifer R., et al.
(author)
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The importance of benthic-pelagic coupling for marine ecosystem functioning in a changing world
- 2017
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In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 23:6, s. 2179-2196
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Benthic-pelagic coupling is manifested as the exchange of energy, mass, or nutrients between benthic and pelagic habitats. It plays a prominent role in aquatic ecosystems, and it is crucial to functions from nutrient cycling to energy transfer in food webs. Coastal and estuarine ecosystem structure and function are strongly affected by anthropogenic pressures; however, there are large gaps in our understanding of the responses of inorganic nutrient and organic matter fluxes between benthic habitats and the water column. We illustrate the varied nature of physical and biological benthic-pelagic coupling processes and their potential sensitivity to three anthropogenic pressures - climate change, nutrient loading, and fishing - using the Baltic Sea as a case study and summarize current knowledge on the exchange of inorganic nutrients and organic material between habitats. Traditionally measured benthic-pelagic coupling processes (e.g., nutrient exchange and sedimentation of organic material) are to some extent quantifiable, but the magnitude and variability of biological processes are rarely assessed, preventing quantitative comparisons. Changing oxygen conditions will continue to have widespread effects on the processes that govern inorganic and organic matter exchange among habitats while climate change and nutrient load reductions may have large effects on organic matter sedimentation. Many biological processes (predation, bioturbation) are expected to be sensitive to anthropogenic drivers, but the outcomes for ecosystem function are largely unknown. We emphasize how improved empirical and experimental understanding of benthic-pelagic coupling processes and their variability are necessary to inform models that can quantify the feedbacks among processes and ecosystem responses to a changing world.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, C, et al.
(author)
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Barrier properties and heat sealability/failure mechanisms of dispersion coated paperboard
- 2002
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In: Packaging technology & science. - 0894-3214 .- 1099-1522. ; 15, s. 209-224
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Plate-like fillers are often added to improve barrier properties and to prevent blocking of dispersion coatings on paper and board. We have studied the effects of clay addition, neutralizing agent and drying conditions on water vapour permeability, water absorption, oxygen permeability and heat sealability of carboxylated styrene/butyl acrylate dispersion coatings on a pilot scale. The barrier dispersions were applied on a pre-coated side of a three-ply board, using a pre-metering roll coater. Coated strips were sealed under specified conditions of temperature, time and pressure and the sealability was assessed by measuring the peak load necessary to break the joints. The surface composition of the barrier-coated board was analysed and the mode of failure was characterized by ESCA. The occurrence of pinholes in the barrier coatings was assessed by both staining tests and ESEM/EDX analysis of the surface topography. The resulting barrier properties were satisfactory as far as resistance to water transport in both liquid and vapour form is concerned. The oxygen permeability was similar to that of similar amorphous polymers. Heat-sealing tests showed that the mode of failure was mainly cohesive in nature, as fibre tear occurred when sealed strips were separated. Neutralization with sodium hydroxide gave poor adhesion and had a negative effect on the seal strength. Barrier measurements and ESEM/EDX analysis both showed that the pinholes present extended only through the barrier coating
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| 3. |
- Bernard, Guillaume, et al.
(author)
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Quantifying bioturbation across coastal seascapes : Habitat characteristics modify effects of macrofaunal communities
- 2019
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In: Journal of Sea Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1385-1101 .- 1873-1414. ; 152
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bioturbation by benthic macrofauna communities plays a significant role in the setting and maintenance of important ecosystem functions and the delivery of associated ecosystem services. We investigated the context dependence of bioturbation performed by natural benthic communities in the coastal northern Baltic Sea by quantifying three bioturbation metrics (particle mixing intensity, surface sediment reworking and bioturbation depth) across 18 sites ranging from cohesive muddy sediments to non-cohesive coarse sands, while accounting for the complexity of natural communities and habitat characteristics. We identified two distinct patterns of bioturbation; in fine sediments bioturbation rates were highly variable and in coarse sediments bioturbation rates were less variable and characterized by lower maximal values. Using distance-based linear multiple regressions, we found that 75.5% of the variance in bioturbation rates in fine sediment could be explained by key functional groups/species abundance and/or biomass (i.e. biomass of the gallery-diffusors and abundances of biodiffusors, surface modifiers, conveyors and gallery diffusors, respectively). In coarse sediment, 47.8% of the variance in bioturbation rates could be explained by a combination of environmental factors (grain size, organic matter content, buried plant material) and faunal functional groups, although fauna alone explained only 13% of this variance. Bioturbation in fine sediments was therefore more predictable based on the composition of benthic fauna. In coarse sediment, the bioturbation activities of benthic fauna were strongly modified by habitat characteristics (including the presence of buried plant material, sediment organic content and grain size) whereas in fine sediments this was not the case. Our results therefore highlight that variability in spatial patterns of bioturbation is a result of complex relationships between macrofauna community structure, sediment type and other habitat characteristics, likely modifying bioturbation performance of individual fauna.
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| 4. |
- Gammal, Johanna, et al.
(author)
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Environmental Context Mediates Biodiversity–Ecosystem Functioning Relationships in Coastal Soft-sediment Habitats
- 2019
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In: Ecosystems (New York. Print). - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-9840 .- 1435-0629. ; 22:1, s. 137-151
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The ongoing loss of biodiversity and global environmental changes severely affect the structure of coastal ecosystems. Consequences, in terms of ecosystem functioning, are, however, difficult to predict because the context dependency of the biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships within these heterogeneous seascapes is poorly understood. To assess the effects of biological and environmental factors in mediating ecosystem functioning (nutrient cycling) in different natural habitats, intact sediment cores were collected at 18 sites on a grain size gradient from coarse sand to silt, with varying organic matter content and vegetation. To assess ecosystem functioning, solute fluxes (O2, NH4+, PO43−, Si) across the sediment–water interface were measured. The macrofaunal communities changed along the grain size gradient with higher abundance, biomass and number of species in coarser sediments and in habitats with more vegetation. Across the whole gradient, the macrofauna cumulatively accounted for 25% of the variability in the multivariate solute fluxes, whereas environmental variables cumulatively accounted for 20%. Only the biomass and abundance of a few of the most dominant macrofauna species, not the number of species, appeared to contribute significantly to the nutrient recycling processes. Closer analyses of different sediment types (grouped into coarse, medium and fine sediment) showed that the macrofauna was an important predictor in all sediment types, but had the largest impact in fine and medium sediments. The results imply that even if the ecosystem functioning is similar in different sediment types, the underpinning mechanisms are different, which makes it challenging to generalize patterns of functioning across the heterogeneous shallow coastal zones.
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| 5. |
- Javed, Asif, 1982-, et al.
(author)
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Study of starch and starch-PVOH blends and effects of plasticizers on mechanical and barrier properties of coated paperboard
- 2016
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In: Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal. - : Swedish Association of Pulp and Paper Engineers. - 0283-2631 .- 2000-0669. ; 31:3, s. 499-510
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The mechanical properties of self-supporting films based on starch-plasticizer and starch-PVOH-plasticizer and the barrier properties of paperboard coated with solutions of these polymers have been studied. The plasticizers used were glycerol, polyethylene glycol and citric acid. It was shown that the addition of a plasticizer and PVOH to starch substantially increases the flexibility of starch films. It was seen that curing the self-supporting films led to a decrease in flexibility. After heat-treatment, a substantial increase in storage modulus was observed only in the starch-PVOH-citric-acid blend films. Tensile tests on the films indicate that citric acid did not cause any noticeable phase separation. Citric acid acted as a compatibilizer for starch-PVOH blends even though a similar enrichment of PVOH at the air-solid interface was observed with both citric acid and polyethylene glycol as plasticizer. The properties of barrier coatings greatly reflected the compatibility of starch-PVOH blends containing citric acid. The only plasticizer that resulted in a lower water vapour transmission rate through the starch and starch-PVOH coatings was citric acid, which suggests that cross-linking took place. With four layers, coatings based of starch-PVOH possessed the same oxygen- transmission rate with citric acid as without citric acid.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Mesic, Beko, et al.
(author)
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Film formation and barrier performance of latex based coating : Impact of drying temperature in a flexographic process
- 2019
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In: Progress in organic coatings. - : Elsevier. - 0300-9440 .- 1873-331X. ; 129, s. 43-51
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The post-application behaviour of aqueous dispersion barrier coatings is investigated. We have adapted a dispersion formulation initially optimised for rod coating, for application to linerboard by a flexographic press. The clay/talc/wax/poly(styrene-butadiene) latex dispersion coatings demonstrated a 60% reduction in water vapour transport rate across the barrier, and a 75% reduction in direct water uptake when the applied film was dried at 75 degrees C. Multi-layer coatings with a combined application rate of 7 g m(-2) exhibited Cobb(120) direct water uptake of 16.3 +/- 3.7g m(-2) (120s water contact duration) and a water vapour transport rate of 140 +/- 12g m(-2) d(-1) (23 degrees C, 50% RH). Investigation of the post-coating curing regime demonstrated a decrease in the prevalence of crack defects within the cured film, and corresponding improvement in barrier properties when higher drying temperatures were employed. Dynamic mechanical analysis of the cured films indicated improvements in homogeneity and a greater extent of intermolecular interactions in the coating formulations cured at elevated temperatures.
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| 8. |
- Virta, Leena, et al.
(author)
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The diversity of benthic diatoms affects ecosystem productivity in heterogeneous coastal environments
- 2019
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In: Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0012-9658 .- 1939-9170. ; 100:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The current decrease in biodiversity affects all ecosystems, and the impacts of diversity on ecosystem functioning need to be resolved. So far, marine studies about diversity-ecosystem productivity-relationships have concentrated on small-scale, controlled experiments, with often limited relevance to natural ecosystems. Here, we provide a real-world study on the effects of microorganismal diversity (measured as the diversity of benthic diatom communities) on ecosystem productivity (using chlorophyll a concentration as a surrogate) in a heterogeneous marine coastal archipelago. We collected 78 sediment cores at 17 sites in the northern Baltic Sea and found exceptionally high diatom diversity (328 observed species). We used structural equation models and quantile regression to explore relationships between diatom diversity and productivity. Previous studies have found contradictory results in the relationship between microorganismal diversity and ecosystem productivity, but we showed a linear and positive basal relationship between diatom diversity and productivity, which indicates that diatom diversity most likely forms the lowest boundary for productivity. Thus, although productivity can be high even when diatom diversity is low, high diatom diversity supports high productivity. The trait composition was more effective than taxonomical composition in showing such a relationship, which could be due to niche complementarity. Our results also indicated that environmental heterogeneity leads to substantial patchiness in the diversity of benthic diatom communities, mainly induced by the variation in sediment organic matter content. Therefore, future changes in precipitation and river runoff and associated changes in the quality and quantity of organic matter in the sea, will also affect diatom communities and, hence, ecosystem productivity. Our study suggests that benthic microorganisms are vital for ecosystem productivity, and together with the substantial heterogeneity of coastal ecosystems, they should be considered when evaluating the potential productivity of coastal areas.
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