Ecosystems anthropogenic contaminants

Figure 1. Conceptual model illustrating examples of major anthropogenic contaminant sources and contaminants, their distribution within the abiotic environmental media, their movement into biota with potential food chain contamination, and potential effects at the organismal, population, conmiunity and ecosystem level of organization.

Bard S. (1999) Global transport of anthropogenic contaminants and the consequences for the Arctic marine ecosystems. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 38(5), 356-379. 

Over the past few decades the Black Sea has been seriously perturbed by climatic change and intensive anthropogenic contamination. Some nutrients have increased (e.g., NO3 due to eutrophication) while others have decreased (e.g., Si due to Danube river dams construction) [22]. Organisms imported as part of international shipping (e.g., Mnemiopsis and Beroe) have contributed to modification of the natural ecosystem. Understanding the natural temporal variability of the hydrochemistry of the Black Sea is important when trying to determine the effects of these anthropogenic perturbations. 

Many metal pollutants (e.g. mercury, cadmium, lead, nickel and zinc) are hazardous to human health and terrestrial ecosystems. The determination of metals in contaminated soils may be carried out for a variety of reasons, such as measurement of total or defined extractable content, which provides knowledge of soil components in respect of changes in soil composition produced by natural or anthropogenic contamination. In addition, the analysis may be designed to investigate and categorise degrees of contamination of land for current or intended use. An environmental survey of a polluted site may be undertaken to obtain information about the nature, quantity, distribution and behaviour of contaminants and, if necessary, to select the most appropriate use of the site (Hester Harrison 2001 Kibblewhite 2001). 

Bard, S. M. Global Transport of Anthropogenic Contaminants and the Consequences for the Arctic Marine Ecosystem. Marine Pollution Bulletin 38 (1999) 359-79. 

Environmental contamination, either from diffuse or point sources, may compromise the ability of ecosystems to provide society with those goods and services that we require. Contamination is also linked to other widely recognised anthropogenic threats to sustainable functioning of our planet, such as the loss of biodiversity. As many soil properties and processes are conferred by soil biota, it is currently widely agreed that biological characteristics should be taken into account when evaluating the quality, or health, of soil [13, 16]. 

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