Diversity of hard-bottom fauna relative to environmental gradients in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard

A baseline study of hard-bottom zoobenthos in relation to environmental gradients in Kongsfjorden, a glacial fjord in Svalbard, is presented, based on collections from 1996 to 1998. The total species richness in 62 samples from 0 to 30 m depth along five transects was 403 species. Because 32 taxa could not be identified to species level and because 11 species are probably new to science, the total number of identified species was 360. Of these, 47 species are new for Svalbard waters. Bryozoa was the most diverse group. Biogeographic composition revealed features of both Arctic and sub-Arctic properties of the fauna. Species richness, frequency of species occurrence, mean abundance and biomass generally decreased towards the tidal glaciers in inner Kongsfjorden. Among eight environmental factors, depth was most important for explaining variance in the composition of the zoobenthos. The diversity was consistently low at shallow depths, whereas the non-linear patterns of species composition of deeper samples indicated a transitional zone between surface and deeper water masses at 15–20 m depth. Groups of “colonial” and “non-colonial” species differed in diversity, biogeographic composition and distribution by location and depth as well as in relation to other environmental factors. “Non-colonial” species made a greater contribution than “colonial” species to total species richness, total occurrence and biomass in samples, and were more influenced by the depth gradient. Biogeographic composition was sensitive to variation of zoobenthic characteristics over the studied depth range. A list of recorded species and a description of sampling sites are presented

Forms of metals in bottom sediments from some estuaries of the basins of the White and Barents seas

The abundances of exchangeable, organic-bonded, and strongly bonded mineral species of Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Co were determined in samples of bottom sediments from five estuaries of the basins of the White and Barents Seas by using a modified sequential extraction method, which was initially purposed for use in soils. The speciation of the heavy metals in the examined estuarine bottom sediments is dominated by strongly bonded mineral species, which account for 60–100% of the overall metal abundance. The preferred coprecipitation of metals with iron and manganese hydroxides seems to be responsible for this. Elevated abun- dances of heavy metals and organic carbon were measured in the estuaries of the Pechora River and, especially, of the Northern Dvina River. This allows the provisional inference to be made that these aquatic systems are anthropogenically polluted.

Trace metals in suspended particulate matter and sediments from the Severnaya Dvina estuary, Russian Arctic

A geochemical study of the Severnaya Dvina estuary was carried out during two oceanographic cruises to the White Sea. The amount and distribution of trace (Mn, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and major (Al and Fe) elements in suspended particulate matter and sediments were determined. The main source of most metals studied was river discharge. A metal speciation study showed that the prevailing form is in the estuarine sediments, the minerals of which incorporated 60–99% of the total metal contents. Two zones of metal accumulation were found in sediments that were considered as local geochemical barriers within the major river–sea barrier.

Nasjonal innsjøundersøkelse 2004-2006, DEL III:AMAP. Status for metaller og miljøgifter i innsjøer og fisk i den norske del av AMAP regionen

Årsliste 200

Continental-scale patterns in benthic invertebrate diversity: insights from the MacroBen database

Latitudinal clines in species diversity in limnic and terrestrial habitats have been noted for well over a century and are consistent across many taxonomic groups. However, studies in marine systems over the past 2 to 3 decades have yielded equivocal results. We conducted initial analyses of the MarBEF (EU Network of Excellence for Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function) database to test for trends in local and regional diversity over the latitudinal extent of European continental-shelf waters (36° to 81°N). Soft-sediment benthic macrofauna exhibit little evidence of a latitudinal cline in local (α-) diversity measures. Relationships with water depth were relatively strong and complex. Statistically significant latitudinal trends were small and positive, suggesting a modest increase in diversity with latitude once water-depth covariates were removed. These results are consistent regardless of whether subsets of the database were used, replicates were pooled, or component taxonomical groups were evaluated separately. Local and regional diversity measures were significantly and positively correlated. Scientific cooperation through data-sharing is a powerful tool with which to address fundamental ecological and evolutionary questions relating to large-scale patterns and processes

ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Picornaviridae.

The family Picornaviridae comprises small non-enveloped viruses with RNA genomes of 6.7 to 10.1 kb, and contains >30 genera and >75 species. Most of the known picornaviruses infect mammals and birds, but some have also been detected in reptiles, amphibians and fish. Many picornaviruses are important human and veterinary pathogens and may cause diseases of the central nervous system, heart, liver, skin, gastrointestinal tract or upper respiratory tract. Most picornaviruses are transmitted by the faecal-oral or respiratory routes. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the taxonomy of the Picornaviridae, which is available at www.ictv.global/report/picornaviridae