Early Holocene history of the Baltic Sea, as reflected in coastal sediments in Blekinge, southeastern Sweden

Integrated palaeoecological studies of two fiord sediment sequences in the province of Blekinge, SE Sweden, covering the time span 11,000–5000 cal BP, reveal the timing and the environment for the Ancylus Lake/Littorina Sea transition 9800–8500 cal BP. The first ingression of saline water into the Baltic Sea through the Danish Straits occurred earlier than formerly assumed. New evidence, particularly mineral magnetic and palaeobotanical analyses, demonstrate that on the general trend of the eustatically caused Littorina transgression several minor fluctuations of the water level can be identified between 8500 and 5000 cal years BP. A distinct regression phase around 8100 cal BP is correlated with the Greenland ice-core cold event dated to 8200 ice-core years BP. This is described as a regional climatic catastrophe for the Baltic Sea region. The coastal stratigraphy is compared with the offshore stratigraphy earlier studied. A tentative shore displacement curve for Early and Middle Holocene is presented.     

The Keisarhjelmen detachment records Silurian–Devonian extensional collapse in Northern Svalbard

At the junction of the Atlantic and Arctic margins, the crustal‐scale Keisarhjelmen detachment of north‐west Svalbard records previously unrecognised magnitudes of extension. The detachment separates a corrugated metamorphic core complex in the footwall from a mantling Devonian supradetachment basin in the hangingwall. The detachment has a top‐N displacement of more than 50 km, which is aligned with the map‐scale corrugations, and an upwards ductile to brittle transition with shear related footwall retrogression. This configuration has striking similarities to extensional collapse detachments in the paired Scandinavian–Greenland Caledonides, but orientation and position link the detachment with the Ellesmerian orogen.     

Using 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O and δ2H isotopes along with major chemical composition to assess groundwater salinization in lower Shire valley,Malawi

Groundwater resources in some parts of the lower section of Shire River valley, Malawi, are not useable for rural domestic water supply due to high salinity. In this study, a combined assessment of isotopic (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ¹⁸O and δ²H) and major ion composition was conducted in order to identify the hydro-geochemical evolution of the groundwater and thereby the causes of salinity. Three major end-members (representing fresh- and saline groundwater, and evaporated recharge) were identified based on major ion and isotopic composition. The saline groundwater is inferred to result from dissolution of evaporitic salts (halite) and the fresh groundwater shows influence of silicate weathering. Conservative mixing models show that brackish groundwater samples result from a three component mixture comprising the identified end-members. Hence their salinity is interpreted to result from mixing of fresh groundwater with evaporated recharge and saline groundwater. On the other hand, the groundwater with low TDS, found at some distance from areas of high salinity, is influenced by mixing of evaporated recharge and fresh groundwater only. Close to the Shire marshes, where there is shallow groundwater, composition of stable isotopes of water indicates that evaporation may also be an important factor.     

Managing organizational change in an international scientific network: A study of ICES reform processes

Organizations involved in the governance of natural resources are challenged to adjust to the call for more holistic management approaches. This often necessitates organizational change. Here change processes in the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) during the years 1998–2009 are investigated using semi-structured interviews combined with observations and review of documents. Several organizational reforms were implemented during the time period studied. The major drivers were the need to improve efficiency and a striving for better integration between different components within the organization. The reform processes were driven forward by individuals who navigated between opportunities and constrains embedded in the network structure of ICES. This required good leadership and communication skills. Broad consultations were important to ensure support within the ICES community. By increasing the understanding of the dynamics of change in organizations, which operate at the science–policy interface developments in desired directions can be facilitated.     

Acidic compounds in biodegraded petroleum

Twelve oil samples have been characterised by titration, FT-IR and chromatographic analysis to determine the differences between the organic acid composition of biodegraded and non-biodegraded oils. The biodegraded oils have higher total acid and total base contents, both by titration and extraction. The molecular weight ranges of the extracted acids are lowest in the biodegraded oils, and the equivalent weight calculations indicate a dominance of multi-functional molecules. Gel permeation chromatography gives a molecular weight range with most of the molecules between 300 and 500 g/mol. FT-IR shows that the extracted acids from biodegraded oils are more carboxylic and aliphatic while the non-degraded oils are more phenolic. Molecular analysis of the derivatised extracts give UCM envelopes for biodegraded oils, and no molecular identification. The results indicate that the acidic constituents in biodegraded oils are a product of the biodegradation, as the composition is very different from the non-biodegraded oils.     

Sorption and anaerobic biodegradation of soluble aromatic compounds during groundwater transport. 2. Computer modeling

. The natural attenuation of a binary mixture of toluene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, which was previously experimentally demonstrated in anaerobic column experiments, was simulated with the newly-developed PHREEQC model to reveal the biogeochemical processes involved. The processes considered in this model include advection, diffusion, sorption, redox reactions (e.g., oxidation of toluene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene coupled to the reduction of microbial ferric iron), precipitation of secondary minerals such as siderite and magnetite, and dissolution of hydrous ferric oxides, as well as other thermodynamic equilibrium reactions. The functions of advection and diffusion built into the PHREEQC were conventionally simulated. The sorption was kinetically simulated based on a bicontinuum model, whereas biodegradation was described using a multiple-term Monod model. The processes mentioned above were coupled with a geochemical equilibrium model. The consistency between the experimental and modeling results indicates that the processes defined and the controlling parameters chosen could describe the coupled interactions between transport and biogeochemical reactions for the studied system. The discrepancy between modeling and experimental observations, however, also revealed the limitation of the modeling approach. In general, the model approach, which incorporates simplified mathematical representations of the true physico-chemical dynamics of the sorption and biodegradation processes of toluene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene under anaerobic conditions is a very efficient and good predictive tool in management and remediation of contaminant groundwater aquifers.     

Reindeer management during the colonization of Sami lands: A long-term perspective of vulnerability and adaptation strategies

Reindeer husbandry's strong connection to the land, together with the ongoing climate-change debate, has generated growing interest in its socio-ecological resilience and vulnerability. The ability of indigenous societies and their activities to respond to change is widely recognized to be dependent on several factors, such as socioeconomic forces and aspects of governance, all of which have long historical backgrounds. However, although historians constantly address questions about human societies, there have been very few historical studies on their resilience, vulnerability and adaptation strategies. Here, using historical sources, we analyze the vulnerability of reindeer husbandry (and the Sami societies that depended on it) in Sweden during the 19th century. We demonstrate that although reindeer management was a much more diverse enterprise at that time than it is now, the major adaptation strategy and constraining forces were similar to those of today. The foremost adaptation strategy was, and still is, the flexible use of pasture area, and the clearest constraints during the 19th century were the loss of authority over the land and the imposed regulation of reindeer management-both of which were strongly connected to the process of colonization.

Terminology

Throughout this paper we use the terms reindeer management and reindeer pastoralism interchangeably. Sami reindeer pastoralism has been described as a complex system with two different aspects of management: herding and husbandry. Husbandry has been defined as the accumulations of profit whereas herding has been defined as the control of the animals in the terrain (Paine, 1970, p. 53). In a Swedish context husbandry questions concerning slaughter and castration of reindeer were discussed within the household and herding matters were resolved jointly within the traditional working community Siida. The Siida consisted of households working together on traditional pasturelands and these constellations were grouped together into administrative reindeer pasture districts (Sami villages) ( [Ingold, 1978], [Fellman, 1910] and [Beach, 1981]).     

Role of effective permeability distribution in estimating overpressure using basin modelling

Overpressure generation is a function of the rates of sedimentation, compaction, fluid generation from kerogen and dehydration of minerals, and most importantly the lateral distribution of permeability within a basin as this controls lateral drainage. Sedimentary basins, however, are typically highly heterogeneous with respect to primary sedimentary facies, diagenesis and tectonic development. While fluid flow models based on idealised homogeneous basins may further our understanding of the processes that influence overpressure development, the results are very sensitive to the distribution of rock properties, particularly permeability. The absolute permeability of sedimentary rocks varies from more than 1 Darcy to less than 0.01 nanodarcy (nD) (10⁻¹¹ Darcy).     

Patterns and Levels of Organochlorines (DDTs, PCBs, non-ortho PCBs and PCDD/Fs) in Male Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Baltic Sea, the Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas and the West Coast of Norway

Patterns and levels of chlorinated aromatic contaminants (DDTs, PCBs, non-ortho PCBs and PCDD/Fs) in blubber tissue were compared among six sample groups of male harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Baltic Sea, the Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas and the west coast of Norway. A principal component and classification analysis showed that mature harbour porpoises from the Baltic had significantly different contaminant patterns than animals from the Kattegat-Skagerrak and Norway. ANOVAs showed that mature porpoises from the Baltic had higher levels of ΣPCB and several individual PCBs and PCDD/Fs than the Kattegat-Skagerrak and the Norwegian samples and higher ΣDDT than the Norwegian. A comparison between immature porpoises showed that Baltic animals had higher levels of ΣPCDD/F than the corresponding sample from the Kattegat-Skagerrak. The levels of ΣDDT, ΣPCB and Σnon-ortho PCB were significantly higher in animals collected during 1978–81 compared to animals collected in 1988–90 indicating a temporal decline of these organochlorines in the Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas. The contaminant levels recorded in the Baltic Sea are a serious cause for concern and could have management implications for the already threatened harbour porpoises in this area.