Found 9883 publications. Showing page 391 of 396:
2025
2025
A case study of the effect of permafrost peat on fires in the Arctic using Sentinel-5P data
Elsevier
2025
2025
Marine plastic litter is subject to different abiotic and biotic forces that lead to its degradation, the main driver being UV-induced photodegradation. Since UV-exposure leads to both physical and chemical degradation of plastic, leading to a release of micro- and nanoplastics as well as leaching of chemicals and degradation products – it is expected to have radical impacts on plastics fate and effects in the marine environment. The number of laboratory studies investigating the mechanisms of plastic UV-degradation in seawater has increased significantly in the past 10 years, but are the exposures designed in a manner that allow observations to be extrapolated to environmental fate? Most studies to date focus on quantifying plastic fragmentation and surface changes, but is this relevant for impact assessments? Here, we provide a review of the current scientific literature on UV-degradation of plastic under marine conditions. Plastic fragmentation processes and surface changes as well as implications of UV-degradation of plastics on additive leaching and the toxicity of UV-weathered versus non-weathered plastics are highlighted. Furthermore, experimental set-ups are critically inspected and recommendations for future studies are issued.
Elsevier
2025
Citizen-operated low-cost sensors for estimating outdoor particulate matter infiltration
Fine particulates observed indoors exhibit high variability, influenced by both indoor emission sources and the infiltration of outdoor particles through open spaces and the incomplete building insulation. This study examines the relationship between indoor and outdoor PM2.5 levels in Legionowo, Poland, using data from low-cost air quality sensors operated by citizens. The indoor PM2.5 was lower than outdoor levels (median PM2.5: 1.9–17.3 μg m–3 indoors and 6.7–27.9 μg m–3 outdoors), with occasional peaks attributed to potential indoor emission sources. Statistical analysis identified emission events—particularly during cooking and household-heating periods—occurring more frequently from October to April. During this period, nearly 17% of indoor PM2.5 measurements were attributed to indoor emission sources after 18:00 LT, representing a 7% increase compared to the May–September period. In the absence of indoor sources, outdoor particles accounted for 29% to 75% of indoor concentrations, highlighting the significance of infiltration. This research emphasizes how citizen-generated data using low-cost sensors, after post-processing, can provide decision-ready information as for example outdoor particles’ infiltration factors for each building. The knowledge of the infiltration factor enables the determination of the contribution of indoor and outdoor sources to each resident’s exposure to airborne PM. This information can help decision-makers in devising interventions such as prioritizing indoor ventilation, reducing indoor activities resulting in increased exposure, and addressing outdoor pollution sources.
Springer
2025
2025
VKM has assessed the positive and negative effects on biodiversity were sterile salmon to be used in Norwegian aquaculture. Triploidisation is assessed as the most effective method for sterilising fish, but it can affect the welfare and health of the fish.
Several other techniques for producing sterile salmon are being tested, but it is too early to determine whether they can be used in large-scale farming.
This is the key message in a knowledge summary VKM has prepared for the Norwegian Environment Agency.
Background
Escaped farmed salmon poses a major threat to wild salmon in Norway. hey can interbreed with wild salmon, genetically alter them, and make the populations less adaptable and more vulnerable to disease and environmental changes. A possible solution to the problem may be to use sterile salmon in farming.
To date, only triploidisation has been tested. Newly fertilised eggs are given a hydrostatic pressure shock, thereby retaining an extra set of chromosomes which render the fish sterile. This method is currently the only one tested on a large scale. Triploidisation is effective but can also pose health and welfare challenges to fish.
Methods
VKM has reviewed available scientific literature regarding methods that can be used to produce sterile salmon. VKM has assessed whether these methods work as well, or better, than triploidy and whether they are likely to have fewer negative effects on fish welfare. Assessments have also been made of whether farmed fish treated with other sterilisation methods pose a greater or lesser threat to wild salmon than traditional farmed salmon.
VKM has looked at the possibilities for further development of the triploidisation technique and has also assessed various methods currently being tested for producing sterile fish. Some of these are still at the laboratory-testing stage, while others are approaching trials with release into sea-pens. VKM has grouped the different methods based on whether they cause permanent changes in the genome (so-called "knock-out" of important genes) or whether the changes only result in temporary blocking or downregulation of gene expression (so-called "knock-down").
Results
VKM concludes that triploidisation remains the most effective method and that there are possibilities to further develop this methodology through targeted breeding and adjustments in how the fish are kept. These measures can potentially solve the challenges for fish health and welfare. Using pure triploid female lines can also reduce some of the other challenges by preventing spawning interactions in rivers and reducing disease transmission to wild salmon.
Alternative sterilisation methods, such as gene editing, vaccination, and temporary downregulation of proteins for gonad development using antisense oligomers and egg immersion, are promising but still under development.
VKM assesses that methods causing permanent changes in the genome of diploid fish have a higher inherent risk than methods that only affect gene expression.
Hope in egg-bathing
Perhaps the most promising technique for safe production of sterile salmon is to add synthetic oligonucleotides to the eggs at an early stage, thereby preventing germ cell development without causing any inheritable changes. Such oligonucleotides can be injected into the eggs or absorbed by the eggs through bathing (immersion) in a special solution.
"Especially the method involving targeted 'tools,' such as oligonucleotides that prevent germ cell development and can be added to the eggs in a water bath, seems promising," says Johanna Bodin, member of the Panel for Genetically Modified organisms and spokesperson for the report.
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2025
Skogens helsetilstand i Norge. Resultater fra skogskadeovervåkingen i 2023
Skogens helsetilstand påvirkes i stor grad av klima og værforhold, enten direkte ved tørke, frost og vind, eller indirekte ved at klimaet påvirker omfanget av soppsykdommer og insektangrep. Klimaendringene og den forventede økningen i klimarelaterte skogskader gir store utfordringer for forvaltningen av framtidas skogressurser. Det samme gjør invaderende skadegjørere, både allerede etablerte arter og nye som kan komme til Norge i nær framtid. I denne rapporten presenteres resultater fra skogskadeovervåkingen i Norge i 2023 og trender over tid for følgende temaer:
(i) Landsrepresentativ skogovervåking;
(ii) Intensiv skogovervåking;
(iii) Overvåking av bjørkemålere i Troms og Finnmark;
(iv) Barkbilleovervåkingen 2023: økende fangster – særlig i stormrammede områder;
(v) Søk etter Ips-arter utenfor det nordvestlige hjørnet av granas utbredelse i Europa;
(vi) Askeskuddsyke;
(vii) Andre spesielle skogskader i 2023.
NIBIO
2025
2025
2025
Røyk fra skogbranner i Canada skaper dårlig luftkvalitet i flere europeiske byer
Norges forskningsråd
2025
Atmospheric ammonia (NH3) is a key transboundary air pollutant that contributes to the impacts of nitrogen and acidity on terrestrial ecosystems. Ammonia also contributes to the atmospheric aerosol that affects air quality. Emission inventories indicate that NH3 was predominantly emitted by agriculture over the 19th and 20th centuries but, up to now, these estimates have not been compared to long-term observations. To document past atmospheric NH3 pollution in south-eastern Europe, ammonium (NH) was analysed along an ice core extracted from Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus, Russia. The NH ice-core record indicates a 3.5-fold increase in concentrations between 1750 and 1990 CE. Remaining moderate prior to 1950 CE, the increase then accelerated to reach a maximum in 1989 CE. Comparison between ice-core trends and estimated past emissions using state-of-the-art atmospheric transport modelling of submicron-scale aerosols (FLEXPART (FLEXible PARTicle dispersion) model) indicates good agreement with the course of estimated NH3 emissions from south-eastern Europe since ∼ 1750 CE, with the main contributions from south European Russia, Türkiye, Georgia, and Ukraine. Examination of ice deposited prior to 1850 CE, when agricultural activities remained limited, suggests an NH ice concentration related to natural soil emissions representing ∼ 20 % of the 1980–2009 CE NH level, a level mainly related to current agricultural emissions that almost completely outweigh biogenic emissions from natural soil. These findings on historical NH3 emission trends represent a significant contribution to the understanding of ammonia emissions in Europe over the last 250 years.
2025
Metaller, PCB, PAH og dioksiner i mose i Sør-Varanger. Moseundersøkelser 2008, 2015 og 2020
I 2008 samlet Svanhovd Miljøsenter inn mose ved 11 lokaliteter i grenseområdene mot Russland som NILU analyserte for 11 metaller, PCB, PAH og dioksiner. Formålet var å undersøke om det var andre kilder til forurensning i grenseområdene enn gruvedrift og smelteverksindustri. Prøvetaking og analyse ble gjentatt av NILU i 2015 og 2020, men kun for 60 (2015) og 56 (2020) metaller. For spormetallene Ni, Cu, Co og As er det et klart mønster med forhøyede konsentrasjoner nedstrøms Nikel og Zapolyarnyj. Organiske miljøgifter viser lave konsentrasjoner.
NILU
2025
Climatic feedbacks and ecosystem impacts related to dust in the Arctic include direct radiative forcing (absorption and scattering), indirect radiative forcing (via clouds and cryosphere), semi-direct effects of dust on meteorological parameters, effects on atmospheric chemistry, as well as impacts on terrestrial, marine, freshwater, and cryospheric ecosystems. This review discusses our recent understanding on dust emissions and their long-range transport routes, deposition, and ecosystem effects in the Arctic. Furthermore, it demonstrates feedback mechanisms and interactions between climate change, atmospheric dust, and Arctic ecosystems.
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025
2025
Monitoring of long-range transported air pollutants in Norway. Annual Report 2024
This report presents results from the monitoring of atmospheric composition and deposition of air pollution in 2024, and focuses on main components in air and precipitation, particulate and gaseous phase of inorganic constituents, particulate carbonaceous matter, ground level ozone and particulate matter.
NILU
2025
2025