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- Elmhagen, Bodil, et al.
(author)
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Interacting effects of change in climate, human population, land use, and water use on biodiversity and ecosystem services
- 2015
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In: Ecology and Society. - 1708-3087. ; 20:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human population growth and resource use, mediated by changes in climate, land use, and water use, increasingly impact biodiversity and ecosystem services provision. However, impacts of these drivers on biodiversity and ecosystem services are rarely analyzed simultaneously and remain largely unknown. An emerging question is how science can improve the understanding of change in biodiversity and ecosystem service delivery and of potential feedback mechanisms of adaptive governance. We analyzed past and future change in drivers in south-central Sweden. We used the analysis to identify main research challenges and outline important research tasks. Since the 19th century, our study area has experienced substantial and interlinked changes; a 1.6 degrees C temperature increase, rapid population growth, urbanization, and massive changes in land use and water use. Considerable future changes are also projected until the mid-21st century. However, little is known about the impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services so far, and this in turn hampers future projections of such effects. Therefore, we urge scientists to explore interdisciplinary approaches designed to investigate change in multiple drivers, underlying mechanisms, and interactions over time, including assessment and analysis of matching-scale data from several disciplines. Such a perspective is needed for science to contribute to adaptive governance by constantly improving the understanding of linked change complexities and their impacts.
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3. |
- Pasanen, L., et al.
(author)
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Age-related changes in the local intestinal renin-angiotensin system in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats
- 2019
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In: Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. - : Polish Physiological Society. - 0867-5910 .- 1899-1505. ; 70:2, s. 199-208
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Local renin-angiotensin systems (RAS) are found in many tissues. The main physiological effects of RAS are driven by the balance between two pathways: the angiotensin-converting enzyme I - angiotensin II receptor type 1 (ACE1-AT1R) axis and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 - Mas-receptor (ACE2-MAS) axis. The local intestinal RAS functions both as a paracrine regulator and as a regulator of inflammation. The expression of local RAS is known to change with age in many tissues, but age-related changes in the intestinal RAS have not been studied comprehensively. The present study characterized age-related changes in two main pathways of local RAS in the jejunum and colon of young and adult rats, in normotensive and hypertensive strains. The main finding was that 33-week-old rats exhibit an increased ratio of ACE1/ACE2 activities and protein quantity ratios compared to young rats. As the relationship of ACE1 and ACE2 mediated pathways drives the total physiological effects of RAS, the results indicate that the function of intestinal RAS changes with age. It is possible that age-related increase in ACE1-AT1R axis introduces more pro-inflammatory and fibrogenic conditions in the intestine.
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- Ahokangas, E., et al.
(author)
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Seismic Imaging of Esker Sediments within the Satakunta Sandstone Depression in Köyliö, SW Finland
- 2016
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Satakunta sandstone depression infilled by the Pori-Koski interlobate esker sediments hosts a major high-quality groundwater reservoir in Köyliö, SW Finland. These up to 100 m thick sediments were delineated for the first time down to bedrock level by high-resolution reflection seismic method using a newly developed landstreamer consisting of 80-3C MEMs (micro electro mechanical) broadband sensors together with 50 wireless recorders connected to 10 Hz geophones to obtain greater depth penetrations. The 5-day survey resulted in about 5 km long seismic data (2-4 m receiver and shot spacing) and two profiles. Indications of crystalline basement are lacking in the tomography sections, implying that the (fractured) Rapakivi granite area extends further southeast than expected. The sandstone contact position was also ca. 500 m further to the east than expected. The sandstone depression and infilling esker sediments and the bedrock level were shown with good accuracy in both tomographic model and the reflection section. The hydraulically conductive esker core does not follow the sandstone contact and is underlain by older sediments. This case study illustrates the capability of high-resolution seismic surveys with the parameters used in this study for hydrogeological investigations and in particular in thick glacial sediments.
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6. |
- Lähivaara, T., et al.
(author)
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Full-waveform Seismic Inversion for Estimating Aquifer Dimensions and Hydrologic Parameters
- 2017
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study aims at developing computational tools to estimate aquifer dimensions and hydrologic parameters using seismic data. The poroelastic signature from an aquifer is simulated and using this signature we estimate water-table level and aquifer porosity, and infer the location of aquifer-basement boundary. We use discontinuous Galerkin method to solve the forward model that characterizes the propagation of seismic waves in coupled poroelastic-elastic media. The inverse problem is solved in a Bayesian framework, which enables to take into account modeling uncertainties. For the inverse problem, we use the Bayesian approximation error method, which reduces the overall computational demand. At this stage, results for a 2D synthetic model are presented to illustrate the potential of the algorithm for hydrogeological applications.
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7. |
- Pasanen-Mortensen, Marianne, et al.
(author)
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The changing contribution of top-down and bottom-up limitation of mesopredators during 220 years of land use and climate change
- 2017
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In: Journal of Animal Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0021-8790 .- 1365-2656. ; 86:3, s. 566-576
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Apex predators may buffer bottom-up driven ecosystem change, as top-down suppression may dampen herbivore and mesopredator responses to increased resource availability. However, theory suggests that for this buffering capacity to be realized, the equilibrium abundance of apex predators must increase. This raises the question: will apex predators maintain herbivore/mesopredator limitation, if bottom-up change relaxes resource constraints? Here, we explore changes in mesopredator (red fox Vulpes vulpes) abundance over 220years in response to eradication and recovery of an apex predator (Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx), and changes in land use and climate which are linked to resource availability. A three-step approach was used. First, recent data from Finland and Sweden were modelled to estimate linear effects of lynx density, land use and winter temperature on fox density. Second, lynx density, land use and winter temperature was estimated in a 22650km(2) focal area in boreal and boreo-nemoral Sweden in the years 1830, 1920, 2010 and 2050. Third, the models and estimates were used to project historic and future fox densities in the focal area. Projected fox density was lowest in 1830 when lynx density was high, winters cold and the proportion of cropland low. Fox density peaked in 1920 due to lynx eradication, a mesopredator release boosted by favourable bottom-up changes - milder winters and cropland expansion. By 2010, lynx recolonization had reduced fox density, but it remained higher than in 1830, partly due to the bottom-up changes. Comparing 1830 to 2010, the contribution of top-down limitation decreased, while environment enrichment relaxed bottom-up limitation. Future scenarios indicated that by 2050, lynx density would have to increase by 79% to compensate for a projected climate-driven increase in fox density. We highlight that although top-down limitation in theory can buffer bottom-up change, this requires compensatory changes in apex predator abundance. Hence apex predator recolonization/recovery to historical levels would not be sufficient to compensate for widespread changes in climate and land use, which have relaxed the resource constraints for many herbivores and mesopredators. Variation in bottom-up conditions may also contribute to context dependence in apex predator effects.
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- Salmenkari, Hanne, et al.
(author)
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The use of unlicensed bone marrow-derived platelet lysate-expanded mesenchymal stromal cells in colitis : a pre-clinical study
- 2019
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In: Cytotherapy. - : Elsevier. - 1465-3249 .- 1477-2566. ; 21:2, s. 175-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising candidate for treatment of inflammatory disorders, but their efficacy in human inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) has been inconsistent. Comparing the results from various preclinical and clinical IBD studies is also challenging due to a large variation in study designs.Methods: In this comparative pre-clinical study, we compared two administration routes and investigated the safety and feasibility of both fresh and cryo-preserved platelet-lysate-expanded human bone marrow-derived MSCs without additional licensing in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis mouse model both in the acute and regenerative phases of colitis. Body weight, macroscopic score for inflammation and colonic interleukin (IL)-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha concentrations were determined in both phases of colitis. Additionally, histopathology was assessed and Il-1 beta and Agtr1a messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) protein levels were measured in the colon in the regenerative phase of colitis.Results: Intravenously administered MSCs exhibited modest anti-inflammatory capacity in the acute phase of colitis by reducing IL-1 beta protein levels in the inflamed colon. There were no clear improvements in mice treated with fresh or cryopreserved unlicensed MSCs according to weight monitoring results, histopathology and macroscopic score results. Pro-inflammatory ACE protein expression and shedding were reduced by cryopreserved MSCs in the colon.Conclusions: In conclusion, we observed a good safety profile for bone marrow-derived platelet lysate-expanded MSCs in a mouse pre-clinical colitis model, but the therapeutic effect of MSCs prepared without additional licensing (i.e. such as MSCs are administered in graft-versus-host disease) was modest in the chosen in vivo model system and limited to biochemical improvements in cytokines without a clear benefit in histopathology or body weight development.
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