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Hot weather and very high sea levels pose a serious threat to people living in coastal areas. The situation is also not improved by ongoing climate change. According to researchers, the solution to this problem may lie in modern forecasting technologies. Ecosystems whose natural processes are disrupted by harmful human activities are also in a difficult position. One example is coral reefs, whose degradation is caused, among other things, by ocean acidification. Another of the global challenges is the effective protection and proper management of ecosystems.
Scientists prove that such activities can affect not only natural resources and biodiversity, but also human health and economics. And since we mentioned health issues, it’s worth debunking a common myth. Many people think that seafood is a valuable source of protein and vitamins, so they eat it in large quantities. However, they forget that they may also contain toxins, increasing the risk of serious diseases. Negative impacts can also be in the opposite direction, as in the case of microplastics used by humans, when plastic residues become a huge threat to marine organisms, disrupting their normal development.
1. Patterns of Seafood Consumption Among New Hampshire Residents Suggest Potential Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
Crawford K.A., Gallagher L.G., Giffard N.G., Gardiner Ch.L., Keirns T., Fernando S., Holsen T.M., Petali J.M., Chen C.Y.. & Romano M.E. Patterns of Seafood Consumption Among New Hampshire Residents Suggest Potential Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. Exposure and Health (2024)
Eating fish and shellfish has many health benefits, but it is also a source of bioaccumulative environmental contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can cause adverse changes in the body. In humans, PFASs increase the risk of cancer, fetal abnormalities, elevated cholesterol levels, and thyroid and liver disorders.
US researchers conducted a population-based study among nearly 2,000. residents of the state of New Hampshire, USA, on the frequency of consumption, portion sizes, types and sources of seafood to determine exposure to 26 PFAS compounds. Consumers mainly consumed species that are readily available in retail stores and restaurants. Of these, shrimp and lobster reached the highest concentrations, averaging 1.74 and 3.30 nanograms per gram of meat, respectively, for some PFAS compounds.
The risk factors calculated by the researchers suggest that people who regularly consume large amounts of seafood may be at risk for elevated concentrations of PFAS (mainly PFOS and PFUnDA), which potentially pose a health risk. Seafood is an important food source, a part of cultural heritage and a food preference for many people in the US and around the world. Therefore, an adequate assessment of the risk of PFAS as a result of their consumption is crucial to the development of public health messages and the proper evaluation of the benefits and risks of their consumption.
2. the risk of concurrent heatwaves and extreme sea levels along the global coastline is increasing
Zhou M. & Wang S. The risk of concurrent heatwaves and extreme sea levels along the global coastline is increasing. Communications Earth & Environment 5, 144 (2024)
The simultaneous occurrence of extreme phenomena, such as hot weather and rising sea levels, can pose a serious threat to coastal communities. However, the spatio-temporal characteristics and dynamic evolution of these phenomena remain poorly understood. Researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University have used datasets and projection modeling to assess historical and future changes in the co-occurrence of heat waves and extreme sea levels. The findings, published in Communications Earth and Environment, warn that high temperatures and above-average water levels could have a negative impact on coastal communities.
Compared to the 1979-1998 period, the average duration of these phenomena increased by more than 3 days between 1998 and 2017. Increasing the intensity of the heat wave by 1 percent. is associated with an increase in the probability of simultaneous extremes of more than 2 percent. These projections are also based on the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, which amplify the whole phenomenon. Under the highest emissions climate change scenario (SSP585), extreme events are projected to coexist for 38 days per year between 2025 and 2049.
South America, West Africa and Southeast Asia will be most severely impacted by continued extreme weather events. Based on the research, it is clear that the key to reducing the effects of devastating storms and rising sea levels lies in measures aimed at mitigation and adaptation to climate change. In addition, coastal countries should invest in effective forecasting systems to warn coastal areas of impending danger.
3. natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: perspectives from rural households
Murage P., Asenga A., Tarimo A., Njunge T., van der Zaan T., Chiwanga F. Natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: Perspectives from rural households. PLOS Climate (2024)
Soil degradation and climate change are two global phenomena whose effects are intertwined and which have a huge impact on the loss of key ecosystem services. Solutions to regenerate agricultural land are essential to restore sustainable use of natural resources. One such solution is the innovative FMNR (Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration, translated as farmer-managed natural regeneration) technique, which involves encouraging farmers to restore a stand of native species from a bank of stems and roots preserved in the area. Unlike other agroforestry techniques, this practice does not require planting new trees or watering them, which is expensive, labor-intensive and results in low survival rates in dry areas.
The publication, which appeared this month in PLOS Climate, documents the experience of rural communities implementing the technique in semi-arid areas of central Tanzania. The study was conducted using in-depth interviews among residents of four villages in the Dodoma region, where the FMNR method was implemented for a period of 18 to 36 months. Respondents unanimously indicated that its use has reversed decades of soil degradation, resulting in health benefits, increased food security, improved air and water quality, income diversification and better adaptation to heat.
The FMNR technique has been hailed as the greatest positive environmental transformation on African soil because of its effectiveness in restoring natural resources at low cost. FMNR’s story is depicted in the film – in 2022. A documentary directed by Volker Schlöndorff titled The Creator of the Forest was released. The method worked well in Tanzania, maybe we should try it too?
4. Decline of a distinct coral reef holobiont community under ocean acidification
Williams J., Pettorelli N., Hartmann A.C., Quinn R.A., Plaisance L., O’Mahoney M., Meyer Ch.P., Fabricius K.E., Knowlton N. & Ransome E. Decline of a distinct coral reef holobiont community under ocean acidification. Microbiome 12, 75 (2024)
Another of the many papers that demonstrate the negative effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs was published this month in the journal Microbiome. A team of scientists studied how the reduced pH of ocean waters in Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea, at the heart of the Coral Triangle, contributes to desynchronization between holobionts and symbiotic microbes.
The phenomenon under study, called microbialization, involves an increase in the biomass of symbiotic microorganisms as a result of energy reallocation from the holobionts (hosts), and results from the different sensitivity to stress factors of the two groups of organisms. The researchers also showed a simplification and homogenization of the benthic autotroph community and increased abundance of macroalgae, consistent with the reef microbialization hypothesis. Microbialization and disruption of trophic macrobial networks are related responses to environmental stress, indicating undesirable and measurable disturbances in the coral reef ecosystem.
5. developmental toxicity of pre-production plastic pellets affects a large swathe of invertebrate taxa
Jimenez-Guri E., Paganos P., La Vecchia C., Annona G., Caccavale F., Molina M.D., Ferrández-Roldán A., Donnellan R.D., Salatiello F., Johnstone A., Eliso M.C., Spagnuolo A., Cañestro C., Albalat R., Martín-Durán J.M., Williams E.A., D’Aniello E., Arnone M.I. Developmental toxicity of pre-production plastic pellets affects a large swathe of invertebrate taxa. Chemosphere (2024)
Microplastics can pose a threat to marine organisms in very different ways. Animals are at risk of ingesting them, becoming entangled in them or being exposed to toxic substances and other contaminants that affect their vital functions. Pre-production plastic pellet residues have been proven to disrupt the development of sea urchins and mussels. A team of Italian zoologists investigated phenotypic abnormalities arising during development and asexual reproduction in a range of aquatic invertebrates exposed to leachate from pre-production plastics – nurdli (a pellet used in the manufacture of plastic products) and PVC pellets. Representative species of the aquatic ecosystem were studied, including mollusks, annelids, flatworms, crustaceans, echinoderms, tunicates and parasitoids.
The main processes affected by plastic leachates were axial embryo formation and cell specification, especially morphogenesis. Although the study used plastics in concentrations much higher than those found in the environment, the analyses conducted confirmed that new and pre-production pellets recovered from the environment can release enough chemicals to affect the growth and regeneration of many animals. Abnormalities in the development of organisms have been shown to result from the assimilation of harmful components released from plastics, among others. Zinc. The findings point to the potentially catastrophic effects that rising plastic concentrations in the oceans and other ecosystems could have on animal populations from all major taxonomic groups. The European Union is currently debating regulations to reduce emissions of pre-production plastic pellets into the oceans.
