Arctic ecosystems

Bunch, J.N. (1987) Effects of petroleum releases on bacterial numbers and micro-heterotrophic activity in the water and sediment of an Arctic marine ecosystem. Arctic 40, 172-183. 

Figure 4.3. 5 C and 8 N values of bone collagen of herbivores, carnivores and bears in arctic and temperate ecosystems.

Fig. 9. Effect of SO2 fumigation on productivity and subsequent photosynthetic recovery of an arctic lichen ecosystem. Fumigation occurred in 1978 for a six-day period (after Moser et al., 1983).

These gases deposit rapidly due to their reactivity with surfaces, and exhibit elevated dry deposition velocities rapid dry deposition has been confirmed in recent field studies in forests and the Arctic (Lindberg and Stratton 1998 Lindberg et al. 2002). At concentrations typical of raral or remote ecosystems, the dry deposition of RGHg and Hg(0) are far greater than PHg, although this species may be of importance under dry conditions near sources (Pirrone et al. 2000). 

Jenkins, C. E. and Hanson, W. C. (1969). Radionuclide distribution in the Alaskan arctic ecosystem, page 14 in Pacific Northwest Laboratory Annual Report for 1968 to the USAEC Division of Biology and Medicine. Volume II. Physical Sciences. Part 2. Radiological Sciences, Report No. BNWL-1051, Part 2, Nielsen, J. M., Ed. (National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia). 

Hanson, W.C. 1976. Studies of transuranic elements in Arctic ecosystems. Pages 28-39 in C.E. Cushing (ed.). Radioecology and Energy Resources. Proceedings of the Fourth National Symposium on Radioecology. 12-14 May 1975, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR. Ecol. Soc. Amer., Spec. Publ. No. 1. 

Miettinen, J.K. 1969. Enrichment of radioactivity by Arctic ecosystems in Finnish Lapland. Pages 23-31 in D.J. Nelson and F.C. Evans (eds.). Symposium on Radioecology. Proceedings of the Second National Symposium. Available as CONF-670503 from The Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Natl. Bur. Standards, Springfield, VA 22151. 

In the Northern Hemisphere the area of arctic and tundra landscapes with plant species ecosystems is 3,756,000 km2. In the Southern Hemisphere similar landscapes are completely absent. Most of these landscapes occur in northern Eurasia (Russia, Fennoscandia), Greenland, Alaska, and Canada. 

On the wide shore terraces of fjords and on the slopes of hills and low mountains, the Arctic Tundra ecosystems occur. The mosses and lichens are predominant with... 

We can see that the content of trace metals in water extraction is very low. This means that the direct involvement of these metals in biogeochemical cycles is very restricted. The significant increase of metal contents in acid-soluble form was shown only for Fe, Mn and, partly, for Zn. These data testify the importance of atmospheric deposition for the Arctic ecosystems as a source of nutrients. 

The tundra zone and corresponding tundra ecosystems occupy the northernmost strip of the continental area of Eurasia and North America bathed by the seas of the Arctic basin. The climate conditions of the tundra zone provide for a higher productivity of ecosystems and higher activity of biogeochemical cycles of various elements as compared with the Arctic ecosystems. The mosses, lichens, and herbaceous plant species are predominant in the northern part of the Tundra ecosystems and shrubs are prevalent in the southern part. 

Eurasia is the biggest continent of the World. Because of the huge size of Eurasia, all types of ecosystems and climatic belts are represented, from arctic deserts up to tropical rain forests. Accordingly, some characteristic examples will be given here with special attention to biogeochemical provinces where biogeochemical exposure pathways induce the relevant diseases. 

POPs. For example, seabirds in the Arctic appear to be conveying Hg, HCBs, and DDT to their rookeries via guano deposition. Similarly, salmon contaminate upland streams following their death after spawning as their body burden of toxicants is eventually released to the terrestrial ecosystem. 

Horowitz, A. Atlas, R. M. (1977b). Response of microorganisms to an accidental gasoline spillage in an Arctic freshwater ecosystem. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 33, 1252-8. 

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