Veileder til startpakkene for kartlegging av marint biologisk mangfold - Sør-Trøndelag

Den foreliggende rapporten utgjør en veileder til Sør-Trøndelags digitale startpakke, med oversikt over hvilke informasjon som er inkludert i startpakken, status for kartleggingen for de ulike naturtypene, og et forslag til prioritering av framtidig innsats for å få kartlagt de gjenstående viktigste forekomstene

Veileder til startpakkene for kartlegging av marint biologisk mangfold - Troms

Den foreliggende rapporten utgjør en veileder til Troms sin digitale startpakke, med oversikt over hvilke informasjon som er inkludert i startpakken, status for kartleggingen for de ulike naturtypene, og et forslag til prioritering av framtidig innsats for å få kartlagt de gjenstående viktigste forekomstene

Genetic diversity of the NE Atlantic sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis unveils chaotic genetic patchiness possibly linked to local selective pressure

We compared the genetic differentiation in the green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis from discrete populations on the NE Atlantic coast. By using eight recently developed microsatellite markers, genetic structure was compared between populations from the Danish Strait in the south to the Barents Sea in the north (56–79°N). Urchins are spread by pelagic larvae and may be transported long distances by northwards-going ocean currents. Two main superimposed patterns were identified. The first showed a subtle but significant genetic differentiation from the southernmost to the northernmost of the studied populations and could be explained by an isolation by distance model. The second pattern included two coastal populations in mid-Norway (65°N), NH and NS, as well as the northernmost population of continental Norway (71°N) FV. They showed a high degree of differentiation from all other populations. The explanation to the second pattern is most likely chaotic genetic patchiness caused by introgression from another species, S. pallidus, into S. droebachiensis resulting from selective pressure. Ongoing sea urchin collapse and kelp forests recovery are observed in the area of NH, NS and FV populations. High gene flow between populations spanning more than 22° in latitude suggests a high risk of new grazing events to occur rapidly in the future if conditions for sea urchins are favourable. On the other hand, the possibility of hybridization in association with collapsing populations may be used as an early warning indicator for monitoring purposes.publishedVersio

Veileder til startpakkene for kartlegging av marint biologisk mangfold - Troms

Den foreliggende rapporten utgjør en veileder til Troms sin digitale startpakke, med oversikt over hvilke informasjon som er inkludert i startpakken, status for kartleggingen for de ulike naturtypene, og et forslag til prioritering av framtidig innsats for å få kartlagt de gjenstående viktigste forekomstene.Direktoratet for naturforvaltning, Fiskeridirektoratet, Statens forurensingstilsyn, Forsvarsbyg

Veileder til startpakkene for kartlegging av marint biologisk mangfold - Buskerud

Den foreliggende rapporten utgjør en veileder til Buskeruds digitale startpakke, med oversikt over hvilke informasjon som er inkludert i startpakken, status for kartleggingen for de ulike naturtypene, og et forslag til prioritering av framtidig innsats for å få kartlagt de gjenstående viktigste forekomstene.Direktoratet for naturforvaltning(DN

Ecosystem-level effects of large-scale disturbance in kelp forests

publishedVersio

Global regime shift dynamics of catastrophic sea urchin overgrazing

A pronounced, widespread and persistent regime shift among marine ecosystems is observable on temperate rocky reefs as a result of sea urchin overgrazing. Here, we empirically define regime-shift dynamics for this grazing system which transitions between productive macroalgal beds and impoverished urchin barrens. Catastrophic in nature, urchin overgrazing in a well-studied Australian system demonstrates a discontinuous regime shift, which is of particular management concern as recovery of desirable macroalgal beds requires reducing grazers to well below the initial threshold of overgrazing. Generality of this regime-shift dynamic is explored across 13 rocky reef systems (spanning 11 different regions from both hemispheres) by compiling available survey data (totalling 10 901 quadrats surveyed in situ) plus experimental regime-shift responses (observed during a total of 57 in situ manipulations). The emergent and globally coherent pattern shows urchin grazing to cause a discontinuous ‘catastrophic’ regime shift, with hysteresis effect of approximately one order of magnitude in urchin biomass between critical thresholds of overgrazing and recovery. Different life-history traits appear to create asymmetry in the pace of overgrazing versus recovery. Once shifted, strong feedback mechanisms provide resilience for each alternative state thus defining the catastrophic nature of this regime shift. Importantly, human-derived stressors can act to erode resilience of desirable macroalgal beds while strengthening resilience of urchin barrens, thus exacerbating the risk, spatial extent and irreversibility of an unwanted regime shift for marine ecosystems.Peer reviewe

Langtidsovervåking av miljøkvaliteten i kystområdene av Norge. Kystovervåkingsprogrammet. Årsrapport for 2009

Sammendrag Rapporten beskriver miljøkvaliteten i kystområdene av Sør-Norge i 2009, med spesiell fokus på tilstand og utvikling i næringssalttilførsler, vannkvalitet og det biologiske mangfoldet i plankton-, bløt- og hardbunns­samfunn. NAO-indeksen for vinteren 2009 var negativ, på grunn av kaldt klima i februar. Eutrofiutviklingen har vært positiv de siste årene. Vannføringen i Glomma var noe større enn normalt i 2009, men tilførslene av næringsalter fra elver har gått noe ned. Vannkvaliteten i Skagerrak var i 2009 i klasse God eller Meget god med hensyn til N, P, siktdyp og klorofyll, unntatt i Ytre Oslofjord hvor hvor det ble registrert tot-P og siktdyp i klasse Mindre god. For hele perioden er det i Skagerrak en tendens til avtakende risiko for opp­blom­string av skadelige alger. Økende oksygenforbruk i Risørfjorden og avtagende oksygen­konsentrasjoner i kystvannet generelt, gjenspeiler økt organisk belastning langs kysten. I 2009 var siktdypet som gjennomsnittet for 1991-2005, men i februar var sikten dårligere langs Skagerrakkysten. Det kan skyldes våroppblomstringen og innstrømmende vann fra Kattegat. 2009 var det åttende året på rad med lav algemengde. En kraftig våroppblomstring kom i februar. Lite alger kan være årsaken til nedgang i biomassen av kopepoder. Det ble registrert flere sørlige arter i våre områder i 2009. Tilstanden for bunndyr, både på bløtbunn og hardbunn, var generelt god i 2009, men tilstanden for tare har vært dårligere de siste to år.Klima- og forurensningsdirektoratet (Klif

Accounting Problems Under the Excess Profits Tax

DNA vaccines based on subunits from pathogens have several advantages over other vaccine strategies. DNA vaccines can easily be modified, they show good safety profiles, are stable and inexpensive to produce, and the immune response can be focused to the antigen of interest. However, the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines which is generally quite low needs to be improved. Electroporation and co-delivery of genetically encoded immune adjuvants are two strategies aiming at increasing the efficacy of DNA vaccines. Here, we have examined whether targeting to antigen-presenting cells (APC) could increase the immune response to surface envelope glycoprotein (Env) gp120 from Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV- 1). To target APC, we utilized a homodimeric vaccine format denoted vaccibody, which enables covalent fusion of gp120 to molecules that can target APC. Two molecules were tested for their efficiency as targeting units: the antibody-derived single chain Fragment variable (scFv) specific for the major histocompatilibility complex (MHC) class II I-E molecules, and the CC chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3). The vaccines were delivered as DNA into muscle of mice with or without electroporation. Targeting of gp120 to MHC class II molecules induced antibodies that neutralized HIV-1 and that persisted for more than a year after one single immunization with electroporation. Targeting by CCL3 significantly increased the number of HIV-1 gp120-reactive CD8(+) T cells compared to non-targeted vaccines and gp120 delivered alone in the absence of electroporation. The data suggest that chemokines are promising molecular adjuvants because small amounts can attract immune cells and promote immune responses without advanced equipment such as electroporation.Funding Agencies|Research Council of Norway; Odd Fellow</p

Local flexibility in feeding behaviour and contrasting microhabitat use of an omnivore across latitudes

As the environment is getting warmer and species are redistributed, consumers can be forced to adjust their interactions with available prey, and this could have cascading effects within food webs. To better understand the capacity for foraging flexibility, our study aimed to determine the diet variability of an ectotherm omnivore inhabiting kelp forests, the sea urchin Echinus esculentus, along its entire latitudinal distribution in the northeast Atlantic. Using a combination of gut content and stable isotope analyses, we determined the diet and trophic position of sea urchins at sites in Portugal (42° N), France (49° N), southern Norway (63° N), and northern Norway (70° N), and related these results to the local abundance and distribution of putative food items. With mean estimated trophic levels ranging from 2.4 to 4.6, omnivory and diet varied substantially within and between sites but not across latitudes. Diet composition generally reflected prey availability within epiphyte or understorey assemblages, with local affinities demonstrating that the sea urchin adjusts its foraging to match the small-scale distribution of food items. A net “preference” for epiphytic food sources was found in northern Norway, where understorey food was limited compared to other regions. We conclude that diet change may occur in response to food source redistribution at multiple spatial scales (microhabitats, sites, regions). Across these scales, the way that key consumers alter their foraging in response to food availability can have important implication for food web dynamics and ecosystem functions along current and future environmental gradients