Ground water and vegetation in two peat bogs in northern Minnesota

Treesearch

Roger R. Bay

1967-01-01

Plant cover and water quality of bog waters are related to the surrounding ground-water flow systems in two bogs--one perched above and isolated from the regional ground-water system, the other nonperched and continuous with the regional system. The nonperched bog has higher pH, higher specific conductivity, and greater variety in plant cover than the perched bog....

Biogeochemistry of aquatic humic substances in Thoreau's Bog, Concord, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKnight, Diane M.; Thurman, E. Michael; Wershaw, Robert L.; Hemond, Herold

1985-01-01

Thoreau's Bog is an ombrotrophic floating—mat Sphagnum bog developed in a glacial kettlehole and surrounded by a red maple swamp. Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in the porewater of the bog average 36 mg/L and are greatest near the surface, especially during late summer. This distribution suggest that the upper layer of living and dead Sphagnum and moderately humified peat is the major site of dissolved organic material production in the bog. The dissolved organic material consists mainly of aquatic fulvic acid (67%) and hydrophilic acids (20%); these organic acids control the pH (typically 4 or somewhat lower) of the bogwater. The elemental, amino acid, carbohydrate, and carboxylic acid contents of fulvic acid from the bog are similar to those of aquatic fulvic acid from the nearby Shawsheen River, although the phenolic hydroxyl content of fulvic acid from Thoreau's Bog is higher. The hydrophilic acids have greater amino acid, carbohydrate, and carboxylic acid contents than the fulvic acid, consistent with the hypothesis that hydrophilic acids are more labile intermediate compounds in the formation of fulvic acid.

Can a bog drained for forestry be a stronger carbon sink than a natural bog forest?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hommeltenberg, J.; Schmid, H. P.; Drösler, M.; Werle, P.

2014-07-01

This study compares the CO2 exchange of a natural bog forest, and of a bog drained for forestry in the pre-Alpine region of southern Germany. The sites are separated by only 10 km, they share the same soil formation history and are exposed to the same climate and weather conditions. In contrast, they differ in land use history: at the Schechenfilz site a natural bog-pine forest (Pinus mugo ssp. rotundata) grows on an undisturbed, about 5 m thick peat layer; at Mooseurach a planted spruce forest (Picea abies) grows on drained and degraded peat (3.4 m). The net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) at both sites has been investigated for 2 years (July 2010-June 2012), using the eddy covariance technique. Our results indicate that the drained, forested bog at Mooseurach is a much stronger carbon dioxide sink (-130 ± 31 and -300 ± 66 g C m-2 a-1 in the first and second year, respectively) than the natural bog forest at Schechenfilz (-53 ± 28 and -73 ± 38 g C m-2 a-1). The strong net CO2 uptake can be explained by the high gross primary productivity of the 44-year old spruces that over-compensates the two-times stronger ecosystem respiration at the drained site. The larger productivity of the spruces can be clearly attributed to the larger plant area index (PAI) of the spruce site. However, even though current flux measurements indicate strong CO2 uptake of the drained spruce forest, the site is a strong net CO2 source when the whole life-cycle since forest planting is considered. It is important to access this result in terms of the long-term biome balance. To do so, we used historical data to estimate the difference between carbon fixation by the spruces and the carbon loss from the peat due to drainage since forest planting. This rough estimate indicates a strong carbon release of +134 t C ha-1 within the last 44 years. Thus, the spruces would need to grow for another 100 years at about the current rate, to compensate the potential peat loss of the former years. In

Rain increases methane production and methane oxidation in a boreal thermokarst bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, R. B.; Moorberg, C.; Turner, J.; Wong, A.; Waldrop, M. P.; Euskirchen, E. S.; Edgar, C.; Turetsky, M. R.

2017-12-01

Bottom-up biogeochemical models of wetland methane emissions simulate the response of methane production, oxidation and transport to wetland conditions and environmental forcings. One reason for mismatches between bottom-up and top-down estimates of emissions is incomplete knowledge of factors and processes that control microbial rates and methane transport. To advance mechanistic understanding of wetland methane emissions, we conducted a multi-year field investigation and plant manipulation experiment in a thermokarst bog located near Fairbanks, Alaska. The edge of the bog is experiencing active permafrost thaw, while the center of the bog thawed 50 to 100 years ago. Our study, which captured both an average year and two of the wettest years on record, revealed how rain interacts with vascular vegetation and recently thawed permafrost to affect methane emissions. In the floating bog, rain water warmed and oxygenated the subsurface, but did not alter soil saturation. The warmer peat temperatures increased both microbial methane production and plant productivity at the edge of the bog near the actively thawing margin, but minimally altered microbial and plant activity in the center of the bog. These responses indicate processes at the edge of the bog were temperature limited while those in the center were not. The compounding effect of increased microbial activity and plant productivity at the edge of the bog doubled methane emissions from treatments with vascular vegetation during rainy years. In contrast, methane emissions from vegetated treatments in the center of the bog did not change with rain. The oxygenating influence of rain facilitated greater methane oxidation in treatments without vascular vegetation, which offset warming-induced increases in methane production at the edge of the bog and decreased methane emissions in the center of the bog. These results elucidate the complex and spatially variable response of methane production and oxidation in

SPRUCE S1 Bog Fine-root Production and Standing Crop Assessed With Minirhizotrons in the Southern and Northern Ends of the S1 Bog

DOE Data Explorer

Iversen, C. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA; Childs, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA; Norby, R. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA; Garrett, A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA; Martin, A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA; Spence, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA; Ontl, T. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

2017-01-01

This data set reports fine-root peak growth and standing crop measurements from a forested, ombrotrophic bog as determined using non-destructive minirhizotron technology. Minirhizotron images were collected throughout the growing seasons of 2011 and 2012 at the southern and northern ends of the S1 bog across gradients of tree density in paired hummock and hollow microtopography. The dominant woody species in the bog, and focus of the investigation, were trees Picea mariana and Larix laricina, and ericaceous shrubs Rhododendron groenlandicum and Chamaedaphne calyculata.

Anthropogenic degradation of mountainous raised bogs. Case study of the Polish Carpathians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lajczak, Adam

2016-04-01

Publications on the human impact on peat bogs pay a lot of attention to peat erosion, peat burning and changes in the physical and chemical properties of peat deposits that indicate pollution in the environment, but a more detailed analysis of current changes in the peat bog relief as a result of peat deposit extraction and drying is omitted. Compared to other areas of the world, the level of knowledge on anthropogenic changes in the relief of peat bogs in some areas of Poland may be considered advanced. This applies not only to peat bogs in northern Poland but also southern Poland, where peat bogs in the Carpathians and the Sudetes are also found. The best analyzed peat bogs in southern Poland are the raised bogs in the Orawsko-Nowotarska Basin (Western Carpathians) and in valleys in the Bieszczady Mts. (Eastern Carpathians). Both areas are impacted by deep precipitation shadow. The purpose of this paper is: (1) to assess the rate of shrinkage in the surface area of peat domes in the mentioned areas, (2) to describe the rate of growth in the surface area of older and younger post-peat areas, (3) to explain current changes in peat bogs morphology, (4) to explain changes in water retention in peat deposit, (5) to separate phases in peat bogs relief changes. With that in mind, the direction and rate of change of landforms typical of younger post-peat areas, such as peat extraction scarps, post-extraction hollows, drainage systems including ditches and regulated stream channels, were analyzed. A special emphasis was placed on the period of time when the restoration of such areas has taken place. The paper is based on an analysis of maps produced over the last 230 years as well as on aerial photographs taken since 1965 and on LiDAR data. Fieldwork included the geomorphological and hydrographic mapping of specified landforms within peat bogs using GPS methods. In period prior to human activity peat domes were larger than today and were surrounded by lagg fens and were

Bog iron formation in the Nassawango Creek watershed, Maryland, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bricker, O.P.; Newell, Wayne L.; Simon, N.S.; ,

2004-01-01

The Nassawango bog ores in the modern environment for surficial geochemical processes were studied. The formation of Nassawango bog ores was suggested to be due to inorganic oxidation when groundwater rich in ferrous iron emerges into the oxic, surficial environment. It was suggested that the process, providing a phosphorus sink, may be an unrecognized benefit for mitigating nutrient loading from agricultural lands. It is found that without the effect of iron fixing bacteria, bog deposites could not form at significant rates.

SPRUCE S1-Bog Phenology Movies, 2010-2016

DOE Data Explorer

Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Riggs, J. S. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hook, L. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Nettles, W. R. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2015-01-01

This data set provides annual movies created from daily and twice daily images of vegetation stands in the S1 Bog showing the seasonal changes of vegetation and appearance and disappearance of snow for the period June 2010 through December 2015. Compiled movies are useful for examining the phenology of the bog and the changes to the landscape as experimental facilities have been constructed.

Functional diversity, succession, and human-mediated disturbances in raised bog vegetation.

PubMed

Dyderski, Marcin K; Czapiewska, Natalia; Zajdler, Mateusz; Tyborski, Jarosław; Jagodziński, Andrzej M

2016-08-15

Raised and transitional bogs are one of the most threatened types of ecosystem, due to high specialisation of biota, associated with adaptations to severe environmental conditions. The aim of the study was to characterize the relationships between functional diversity (reflecting ecosystem-shaping processes) of raised bog plant communities and successional gradients (expressed as tree dimensions) and to show how impacts of former clear cuts may alter these relationships in two raised bogs in 'Bory Tucholskie' National Park (N Poland). Herbaceous layers of the plant communities were examined by floristic relevés (25m(2)) on systematically established transects. We also assessed patterns of tree ring widths. There were no relationships between vegetation functional diversity components and successional progress: only functional dispersion was negatively, but weakly, correlated with median DBH. Lack of these relationships may be connected with lack of prevalence of habitat filtering and low level of competition over all the successional phases. Former clear cuts, indicated by peaks of tree ring width, influenced the growth of trees in the bogs studied. In the bog with more intensive clear cuts we found more species with higher trophic requirements, which may indicate nutrient influx. However, we did not observe differences in vegetation patterns, functional traits or functional diversity indices between the two bogs studied. We also did not find an influence of clear cut intensity on relationships between functional diversity indices and successional progress. Thus, we found that alteration of the ecosystems studied by neighbourhood clear cuts did not affect the bogs strongly, as the vegetation was resilient to these impacts. Knowledge of vegetation resilience after clear cuts may be crucial for conservation planning in raised bog ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microform-related community patterns of methane-cycling microbes in boreal Sphagnum bogs are site specific.

PubMed

Juottonen, Heli; Kotiaho, Mirkka; Robinson, Devin; Merilä, Päivi; Fritze, Hannu; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina

2015-09-01

Vegetation and water table are important regulators of methane emission in peatlands. Microform variation encompasses these factors in small-scale topographic gradients of dry hummocks, intermediate lawns and wet hollows. We examined methane production and oxidization among microforms in four boreal bogs that showed more variation of vegetation within a bog with microform than between the bogs. Potential methane production was low and differed among bogs but not consistently with microform. Methane oxidation followed water table position with microform, showing higher rates closer to surface in lawns and hollows than in hummocks. Methanogen community, analysed by mcrA terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and dominated by Methanoregulaceae or 'Methanoflorentaceae', varied strongly with bog. The extent of microform-related variation of methanogens depended on the bog. Methanotrophs identified as Methylocystis spp. in pmoA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis similarly showed effect of bog, and microform patterns were stronger within individual bogs. Our results suggest that methane-cycling microbes in boreal Sphagnum bogs with seemingly uniform environmental conditions may show strong site-dependent variation. The bog-intrinsic factor may be related to carbon availability but contrary to expectations appears to be unrelated to current surface vegetation, calling attention to the origin of carbon substrates for microbes in bogs. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

SPRUCE S1 Bog Vegetation Survey and Peat Depth Data: 2009

DOE Data Explorer

Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A

2009-12-31

This data set reports the results of a field survey of the S1 Bog to characterize the vegetation and to determine peat depth. The survey was conducted on September 21 and 22, 2009. The initial survey of vegetation and peat depth characteristics of the target bog was conducted to evaluate the logical locations for installing replicated experimental blocks for SPRUCE. The goal was to identify multiple locations of uniform aboveground vegetation and belowground peat depth for positioning experimental units within the bog.

Animal and vegetation patterns in natural and man-made bog pools: implications for restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mazerolle, M.J.; Poulin, M.; Lavoie, C.; Rochefort, L.; Desrochers, A.; Drolet, B.

2006-01-01

1. Peatlands have suffered great losses following drainage for agriculture, forestry, urbanisation, or peat mining, near inhabited areas. We evaluated the faunal and vegetation patterns after restoration of a peatland formerly mined for peat. We assessed whether bog pools created during restoration are similar to natural bog pools in terms of water chemistry, vegetation structure and composition, as well as amphibian and arthropod occurrence patterns. 2. Both avian species richness and peatland vegetation cover at the site increased following restoration. Within bog pools, however, the vegetation composition differed between natural and man-made pools. The cover of low shrubs, Sphagnum moss, submerged, emergent and floating vegetation in man-made pools was lower than in natural pools, whereas pH was higher than in typical bog pools. Dominant plant species also differed between man-made and natural pools. 3. Amphibian tadpoles, juveniles and adults occurred more often in man-made pools than natural bog pools. Although some arthropods, including Coleoptera bog specialists, readily colonised the pools, their abundance was two to 26 times lower than in natural bog pools. Plant introduction in bog pools, at the stocking densities we applied, had no effect on the occurrence of most groups. 4. We conclude that our restoration efforts were partially successful. Peatland-wide vegetation patterns following restoration mimicked those of natural peatlands, but 4 years were not sufficient for man-made pools to fully emulate the characteristics of natural bog pools.

Rabies in Estonia: situation before and after the first campaigns of oral vaccination of wildlife with SAG2 vaccine bait.

PubMed

Niin, Enel; Laine, M; Guiot, A L; Demerson, J M; Cliquet, F

2008-07-04

Despite the extermination of stray animals and the compulsory vaccination of companion animals, rabies has been widely distributed over Estonia for more than 30 years. The red fox and the raccoon dog are the rabies virus reservoirs. Through a PHARE project, successive oral vaccination campaigns, using Rabidog SAG2 baits, were implemented in the autumn of 2005 in North Estonia, and in the spring and autumn 2006 throughout the whole territory. After the autumn 2005 campaign, 73.5% of the raccoon dogs and foxes were positive for the tetracycline biomarker. After the campaigns of 2006, the seroconversion rate for rabies virus was 64% in both species. After the vaccination campaigns of 2005 and 2006, the incidence of rabies cases dramatically decreased. Of the 97 cases diagnosed in the whole of Estonia until the end of May 2006, 16 cases (16.5%) occurred within the vaccinated area. Only 17 cases were diagnosed between 1 June and 31 December 2006. In 2007, by the end of May, only two rabies cases have been registered.

SPRUCE S1 Bog and SPRUCE Experiment Location Survey Results, 2015

DOE Data Explorer

Griffiths, Natalie A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hook, L. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2016-01-01

This data set provides a record of the horizontal and vertical survey results of SPRUCE experimental infrastructure and measurement locations on the S1-Bog on the Marcell Experimental Forest and the SPRUCE experimental site within the S1-Bog.

Water exchange in raised bogs: revised views especially in relation to biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirin, Andrey; Kravchenko, Irina; Yurova, Alla; Markina, Anastasiya

2017-04-01

Raised bogs are one of the most common and exciting mire type within the boreal zone and appear in the other zones including mountain regions in the tropics. They receive water and nutrients from the atmosphere and pore water stored in their domes is spaced above the surrounding area (up to 10 m in height). Traditionally it is assumed that water flow occurs mainly in a peat layer near to the surface and water transport is negligible in deeper layers (lvanov, 1981; Ingram, 1982; etc.). The «acrotelm/catotelm» paradigm on active and inert horizons for the peat above and below the lowest water level is still widely spread in peatland hydrology. However, recent studies have shown that deep water movement is much more dynamic in raised bogs than was previously thought (Sirin et al., 1997, Reeve et al., 2000; etc.). Relying on isotope studies we conclude that all the mounded strata of the raised bogs have relatively active water exchange although water residence time changes with depth. The study included two raised bogs, representing different typical hydrological conditions (underlain by outwash sands and moraine clay) at the Zapadnaya Dvina Peatland Field Station of the Institute of Forest Science RAS located 400 km west of Moscow (56 N, 32 E). Peatlands, among which raised bogs dominate, constitute > 30% of the area, and maximum peat thickness exceeds 7 m. To evaluate water residence time in peat strata specially determined mathematical model which include the equations of water mass and tritium balance, imbedded in a conceptual framework of water dynamics within a raised bog peat body, have been developed and tested. The results from isotope studies (3H, 18O, 2H) were additionally supported by geochemical (pH, Eh, electrical conductivity) and temperature long term monitoring, as well as dissolved CO2 and CH4 monitoring within vertical profiles of the studied raised bogs (Sirin et al., 1998). Later it was also supported by microbiology data of methane cycle in the

Interactions between Nitrogen Fixation and Methane Cycling in Northern Minnesota Peat Bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, M. J.; Gaby, J. C.; Lin, X.; Morton, P. L.; Kostka, J. E.; Glass, J. B.

2014-12-01

Peatlands cover only 3% of the Earth's surface, yet store a third of soil carbon. Increasing global temperatures have the potential to change peatlands from a net sink to a net source of atmospheric carbon. N is a limiting nutrient in oligotrophic Sphagnum-dominated peatlands and biological N2 fixation likely supplies a significant but unknown fraction of N inputs. Moreover, environmental controls on diazotrophic community composition in N-limited peatlands are poorly constrained. Thus, improved understanding of feedbacks between the CH4 and N cycles is critical for predicting future changes to CH4 flux from peat bogs. We coupled measurements of N2 fixation activity measured by the acetylene (C2H2) reduction assay (ARA) with molecular analyses of expression and diversity of nifH genes encoding the molybdenum (Mo)-containing nitrogenase from two peat bogs in the Marcell Experimental Forest, Minnesota, USA. The top 10 cm of peat was sampled from the high CH4 flux S1 bog and the low CH4 flux Zim bog in April and June 2014. Despite similar N concentrations in the top 10 cm of both bogs (0.5-1.0 μM NO2-+NO3- and 2-3 μM NH4+), the S1 bog displayed variable ARA activity (1-100 nmol C2H4 h-1 g-1) whereas the Zim bog had consistently low ARA activity (<1 nmol C2H4 h-1 g-1). Highest ARA activity was measured in June from S1 bog hollows with higher moisture content incubated without O2 in the light (20-100 nmol C2H4 h-1 g-1). Dissolved Fe (1-25 μM) was higher in hollow vs. hummock samples, and at S1 vs. Zim bog, while dissolved V (4-14 nM) was consistently higher than Mo (1-4 nM), suggesting that alternative V or Fe-containing nitrogenases might be present in these bogs. In contrast, Cu, an essential micronutrient for aerobic methanotrophs, was higher in hummocks (25-48 nM) than hollows (6-17 nM). The facultative methanotroph Methylocella was the dominant diazotroph in the S1 bog based on high throughput next generation sequencing of nifH cDNA amplicons. Given previous

SPRUCE S1 Bog Tree Basal Area and Understory Community Composition Assessed in the Southern and Northern Ends of the S1 Bog

DOE Data Explorer

Iversen, C. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Garrett, A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Martin, A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Turetsky, M. R. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Norby, R. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Childs, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Ontl, T. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A

2017-01-01

The composition and cover of woody and understory species, along with the timing of stem growth, were characterized near minirhizotron installations at the south and north ends of the S1 bog in order to understand the relationship between root dynamics and the surrounding plant communities. There are three data streams: (1) Woody species basal area -- the number, basal area, and distance from the center point of all trees within a 5-m radius of each minirhizotron pair, which were quantified in 2011, (2) Understory cover -- the understory vascular plant community composition and percent cover, which were surveyed in 1 m2 areas at four cardinal directions adjacent to each pair of minirhizotrons in June 2011, and (3) Stem growth -- the basal area increment (stem growth) of nearby trees, which was quantified using automated or manual dendrobands in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Late Holocene palaeoclimate variability: The significance of bog pine dendrochronology related to peat stratigraphy. The Puścizna Wielka raised bog case study (Orawa - Nowy Targ Basin, Polish Inner Carpathians)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krąpiec, Marek; Margielewski, Włodzimierz; Korzeń, Katarzyna; Szychowska-Krąpiec, Elżbieta; Nalepka, Dorota; Łajczak, Adam

2016-09-01

The results of dendrochronological and palynological analyses of subfossil pine trees occurring in the peat deposits of the Puścizna Wielka raised bog (Polish Carpathians, Southern Poland) - the only site with numerous subfossil pine trees in the mountainous regions of Central Europe presently known - indicate that the majority of the tree populations grew in the peat bog during the periods ca 5415-3940 cal BP and 3050-2560 cal BP. Several forestless episodes, dated to 5245-5155 cal BP, 4525-4395 cal BP and 3940-3050 cal BP, were preceded by tree dying-off phases caused by an extreme periodical increase in humidity and general climate cooling trends. These events are documented based on analyses of pollen and non-pollen palynomorph assemblages, dendrochronological analyses of the trees, as well as numerous radiocarbon datings of the sediment horizons occurring within the peat bog profile. The phases of germinations, and, in turn, of tree and shrub invasions of the peat bog areas have been closely connected to drying and occasional warming of the regional climate. The last of the forestless periods began about 2600 years ago and continued up to the very recent times. Currently, as a result of desiccation of the peat bog and the lowering of the groundwater level (due to improved water drainage system), pine trees have returned the peat bog again. These results demonstrate that studies of subfossil bog-pine trees are quite effective in documenting and reconstructing periods of humidity fluctuation that occurred within the Carpathian region over the last several millennia.

CO2 and CH4 fluxes of contrasting pristine bogs in southern Patagonia (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Münchberger, Wiebke; Blodau, Christian; Kleinebecker, Till; Pancotto, Veronica

2015-04-01

South Patagonian peatlands cover a wide range of the southern terrestrial area and thus are an important component of the terrestrial global carbon cycle. These extremely southern ecosystems have been accumulating organic material since the last glaciation up to now and are - in contrast to northern hemisphere bogs - virtually unaffected by human activities. So far, little attention has been given to these pristine ecosystems and great carbon reservoirs which will potentially be affected by climate change. We aim to fill the knowledge gap in the quantity of carbon released from these bogs and in what controls their fluxes. We study the temporal and spatial variability of carbon fluxes in two contrasting bog ecosystems in southern Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego. Sphagnum-dominated bog ecosystems in Tierra del Fuego are similar to the ones on the northern hemisphere, while cushion plant-dominated bogs can almost exclusively be found in southern Patagonia. These unique cushion plant-dominated bogs are found close to the coast and their occurrence changes gradually to Sphagnum-dominated bogs with increasing distance from the coast. We conduct closed chamber measurements and record relevant environmental variables for CO2 and CH4 fluxes during two austral vegetation periods from December to April. Chamber measurements are performed on microforms representing the main vegetation units of the studied bogs. Gas concentrations are measured with a fast analyzer (Los Gatos Ultraportable Greenhouse Gas Analyzer) allowing to accurately record CH4 fluxes in the ppm range. We present preliminary results of the carbon flux variability from south Patagonian peat bogs and give insights into their environmental controls. Carbon fluxes of these two bog types appear to be highly different. In contrast to Sphagnum-dominated bogs, cushion plant-dominated bogs release almost no CH4 while their CO2 flux in both, photosynthesis and respiration, can be twice as high as for Sphagnum

Microbial communities and transformation of carbon compounds in bog soils of the taiga zone (Tomsk oblast)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grodnitskaya, I. D.; Trusova, M. Yu.

2009-09-01

Two types of bogs were studied in Tomsk oblast—Maloe Zhukovskoe (an eutrophic peat low-moor bog) and Ozernoe (an oligotrophic peat high-moor bog). The gram-negative forms of Proteobacteria were found to be dominant and amounted to more than 40% of the total population of the microorganisms investigated. In the peat bogs, the population and diversity of the hydrolytic microbial complex, especially of the number of micromycetes, were lower than those in the mineral soils. The changes in the quantitative indices of the total microbiological activity of the bogs were established. The microbial biomass and the intensity of its respiration differed and were also related to the depth of the sampling. In the Zhukovskoe peat low-moor bog, the maximal biomass of heterotrophic microorganisms (154 μg of C/g of peat) was found in the aerobic zone at a depth of 0 to 10 cm. In the Ozernoe bog, the maximal biomass was determined in the zone of anaerobiosis at a depth of 300 cm (1947 μ g of C/g of peat). The molecular-genetic method was used for the determination of the spectrum of the methanogens. Seven unidentified dominant forms were revealed. The species diversity of the methanogens was higher in the oligotrophic high-moor bog than in the eutrophic low-moor bog.

Background Study on Employment and Labour Market in Estonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eamets, Raul; Philips, Kaia; Annus, Tiina

During the years 1989-1997 in Estonia, employment has decreased; unemployment and inactivity have increased. Females have tended to move to inactivity while males have become unemployed. The wage patterns are very flat relative to those in market economies. Estonia has opted for very low levels of unemployment benefits, pensions, and a low minimum…

SPRUCE S1 Bog Porewater, Groundwater, and Stream Chemistry Data: 2011-2013

DOE Data Explorer

Griffiths, N. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Sebestyen, S. D. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2016-01-01

This data set reports the chemistry of S1 Bog porewater, outlet stream water, and groundwater from upland wells from 2011 through 2013. These data provide information for studies of the biogeochemical status of the bog and surrounding groundwater aquifer.

Sexually transmitted infections in Estonia.

PubMed

Põder, A; Bingham, J S

1999-10-01

Estonia, one of the Baltic countries, regained its independence in 1991, after the collapse of the USSR. This process led to great changes in every sphere of life--in politics, in the economy and in medicine. The service providing care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was involved in the process of these changes, too. However, freedom was followed not only by great happiness, but also by social destabilization and transformation of the old moral norms, the most evident features of which were the dramatic rise in crime, a sexual revolution and public prostitution. These 2 great simultaneous transformations in the STI care system and public mores led to the rapid increase of STIs in Estonia in the first half of the 1990s. Now some stabilization, and even a fall in incidence has occurred.

Correlation between the morphogenetic types of litter and their properties in bog birch forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efremova, T. T.; Efremov, S. P.; Avrova, A. F.

2010-08-01

A formalized arrangement of morphogenetic types of litter according to the physicochemical parameters provided their significant grouping in three genetic associations. The litter group (highly decomposed + moderately decomposed) is confined to the tall-grass group of bog birch forests. The rhizomatous (roughly decomposed) litter is formed in the sedge-reed grass bog birch forests. The litter group (peaty + peatified + peat) is associated with the bog-herbaceous-moss group of forest types. The genetic associations of the litters (a) reliably characterize the edaphic conditions of bog birch forests and (b)correspond to formation of the peat of certain ecological groups. We found highly informative the acid-base parameters, the exchangeable cations (Ca2+ + Mg2+) and the total potential acidity, which differentiated the genetic associations of litter practically with 100% probability. The expediency of studying litters under groups of forest types rather than under separate types of bog birch forests was demonstrated.

Education Policy Outlook: Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraccola, Sylvain; Field, Simon; Figueroa, Diana Toledo; Peterka, Judith; Jankova, Bojana; Golden, Gillian

2016-01-01

This policy profile on education in Estonia is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectoral knowledge base, the series offers a comparative outlook on education policy by providing…

Annual greenhouse gas budget for a bog ecosystem undergoing restoration by rewetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sung-Ching; Christen, Andreas; Black, Andrew T.; Johnson, Mark S.; Jassal, Rachhpal S.; Ketler, Rick; Nesic, Zoran; Merkens, Markus

2017-06-01

Many peatlands have been drained and harvested for peat mining, agriculture, and other purposes, which has turned them from carbon (C) sinks into C emitters. Rewetting of disturbed peatlands facilitates their ecological recovery and may help them revert to carbon dioxide (CO2) sinks. However, rewetting may also cause substantial emissions of the more potent greenhouse gas (GHG) methane (CH4). Our knowledge of the exchange of CO2 and CH4 following rewetting during restoration of disturbed peatlands is currently limited. This study quantifies annual fluxes of CO2 and CH4 in a disturbed and rewetted area located in the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area in Delta, BC, Canada. Burns Bog is recognized as the largest raised bog ecosystem on North America's west coast. Burns Bog was substantially reduced in size and degraded by peat mining and agriculture. Since 2005, the bog has been declared a conservancy area, with restoration efforts focusing on rewetting disturbed ecosystems to recover Sphagnum and suppress fires. Using the eddy covariance (EC) technique, we measured year-round (16 June 2015 to 15 June 2016) turbulent fluxes of CO2 and CH4 from a tower platform in an area rewetted for the last 8 years. The study area, dominated by sedges and Sphagnum, experienced a varying water table position that ranged between 7.7 (inundation) and -26.5 cm from the surface during the study year. The annual CO2 budget of the rewetted area was -179 ± 26.2 g CO2-C m-2 yr-1 (CO2 sink) and the annual CH4 budget was 17 ± 1.0 g CH4-C m-2 yr-1 (CH4 source). Gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) exceeded ecosystem respiration (Re) during summer months (June-August), causing a net CO2 uptake. In summer, high CH4 emissions (121 mg CH4-C m-2 day-1) were measured. In winter (December-February), while roughly equal magnitudes of GEP and Re made the study area CO2 neutral, very low CH4 emissions (9 mg CH4-C m-2 day-1) were observed. The key environmental factors controlling the seasonality of

The core microbiome bonds the Alpine bog vegetation to a transkingdom metacommunity.

PubMed

Bragina, Anastasia; Berg, Christian; Berg, Gabriele

2015-09-01

Bog ecosystems fulfil important functions in Earth's carbon and water turnover. While plant communities and their keystone species Sphagnum have been well studied, less is known about the microbial communities associated with them. To study our hypothesis that bog plants share an essential core of their microbiome despite their different phylogenetic origins, we analysed four plant community plots with 24 bryophytes, vascular plants and lichen species in two Alpine bogs in Austria by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing followed by bioinformatic analyses. The overall bog microbiome was classified into 32 microbial phyla, while Proteobacteria (30.8%), Verrucomicrobia (20.3%) and Planctomycetes (15.1%) belonged to the most abundant groups. Interestingly, the archaeal phylum Euryarcheota represented 7.2% of total microbial abundance. However, a high portion of micro-organisms remained unassigned at phylum and class level, respectively. The core microbiome of the bog vegetation contained 177 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) (150 526 seq.) and contributed to 49.5% of the total microbial abundance. Only a minor portion of associated core micro-organisms was host specific for examined plant groups (5.9-11.6%). Using our new approach to analyse plant-microbial communities in an integral framework of ecosystem, vegetation and microbiome, we demonstrated that bog vegetation harboured a core microbiome that is shared between plants and lichens over the whole ecosystem and formed a transkingdom metacommunity. All micro- and macro-organisms are connected to keystone Sphagnum mosses via set of microbial species, for example Burkholderia bryophila which was found associated with a wide spectrum of host plants and is known for a beneficial plant-microbe interaction. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Geography Olympiads in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liiber, Ulle; Roosaare, Juri

2007-01-01

The Olympiad movement has a long history in Estonia, and the national system developed several decades ago. The first Olympiad for gifted and talented students was held in mathematics in 1950. Now there are more than 20 different fields of competition for basic school and gymnasium students. In 2005/2006, Estonian teams participated in 18…

Comparisons of soil nitrogen mass balances for an ombrotrophic bog and a minerotrophic fen in northern Minnesota

EPA Science Inventory

We compared the N budgets of an ombrotrophic bog and a minerotrophic fen to quantify the importance of denitrification in peatlands and their watersheds. We also compared the watershed upland mineral soils to bog/fen peat; lagg and transition zone peat to central bog/fen peat; an...

Two Years Necessary for Successful Natural Seeding in Nonbrushy Black Spruce Bogs

Treesearch

Elon S. Verry; Arthur E. Elling

1978-01-01

Natural seeding in a strip-cut black spruce bog was adequate, averaging 1,800 stems per acre and 80 percent milacre stocking. natural seeding in a completely cut bog was inadequate, averaging 630 stems per acre and 40 percent milacre stocking. Slash was removed to expose sphagnum seedbeds in both cases. Progressive cutting every other year is recommended.

Increased tree establishment in Lithuanian peat bogs--insights from field and remotely sensed approaches.

PubMed

Edvardsson, Johannes; Šimanauskienė, Rasa; Taminskas, Julius; Baužienė, Ieva; Stoffel, Markus

2015-02-01

Over the past century an ongoing establishment of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), sometimes at accelerating rates, is noted at three studied Lithuanian peat bogs, namely Kerėplis, Rėkyva and Aukštumala, all representing different degrees of tree coverage and geographic settings. Present establishment rates seem to depend on tree density on the bog surface and are most significant at sparsely covered sites where about three-fourth of the trees have established since the mid-1990s, whereas the initial establishment in general was during the early to mid-19th century. Three methods were used to detect, compare and describe tree establishment: (1) tree counts in small plots, (2) dendrochronological dating of bog pine trees, and (3) interpretation of aerial photographs and historical maps of the study areas. In combination, the different approaches provide complimentary information but also weigh up each other's drawbacks. Tree counts in plots provided a reasonable overview of age class distributions and enabled capturing of the most recently established trees with ages less than 50 years. The dendrochronological analysis yielded accurate tree ages and a good temporal resolution of long-term changes. Tree establishment and spread interpreted from aerial photographs and historical maps provided a good overview of tree spread and total affected area. It also helped to verify the results obtained with the other methods and an upscaling of findings to the entire peat bogs. The ongoing spread of trees in predominantly undisturbed peat bogs is related to warmer and/or drier climatic conditions, and to a minor degree to land-use changes. Our results therefore provide valuable insights into vegetation changes in peat bogs, also with respect to bog response to ongoing and future climatic changes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of raized bogs on export of carbon and river water chemical composition in Western Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voistinova, Elena

2010-05-01

Bogs play an important role in functioning of the biosphere. Specific geochemical environment of the bogs results in formation of the special biogeochemical cycle of the elements. Processes of decay and transformation of organic material define the reductive conditions of bog water, form and migratory mobility of the chemical elements. Particular interest in recent years is aroused by the question of content and dynamics of the carbon in bog and river water according to indicated natural and climatic changes on the territory. The most important parts of the carbon balance in bog ecosystems together with processes of exhalation from deposit surface in the form of CO2 is its export with river water. The results of research carried out in scientific station "Vasyugansky" in south taiga subzone of Western Siberia showed that chemical composition of raised bog water includes high amounts of total iron (2,13 mg/l), ammonium ions (5,33 mg/l), humic and fulvic acids (5,21 mg/l and 45,8 mg/l), dissolved organic carbon (69,1 mg/l), COD (236,93 mgO/l), there are low mineralization and indicators of pH. Carbon comes in bog water in organic compounds: carboxylic acids, phenols, aromatic and paraffin hydrocarbons, organic phosphates, phthalates and other compounds. Formation of river waters composition in the Western Siberia takes place in the following context: high level of bogged river catchments (sometimes up to 70%), excess humidification and low heat provision. Basing on the results of study of hydrochemical runoff in small and medium rivers with different levels of bogged in river catchments (Chaya, Bakchar, Klyuch, Gavrilovka) it was noted that raised bog influence on river waters chemical composition shows in ion runoff decrease, organic substances runoff increase, increase of amounts of total iron, ammonium irons and water pH indicators decrease. Study of humic matters migration is very important in the context of formation of flexible complexes of humic and fulvic

Nutrient availability at Mer Bleue bog measured by PRSTM probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, M.; Moore, T. R.; Talbot, J.

2015-12-01

Bogs, covering ~0.7 million km2 in Canada, store a large amount of C and N. As nutrient deficient ecosystems, it's critical to examine the nutrient availabilities and seasonal dynamics. We used Plant Root Simulators (PRSTM) at Mer Bleue bog to provide some baseline data on nutrient availability and its variability. In particular, we focused on ammonium, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and potassium, iron, sulphate and aluminum. We placed PRS probes at a depth of 5 - 15 cm in pristine plots and plots with long term N, P and K fertilization for 4 weeks and determined the availability of these nutrients, from spring through to fall. Probes were also placed beneath the water table in hummock and hollow microtopography and along a transect including part of the bog which had been drained through the creation of a ditch 80 years ago. The result showed that there was limited available ammonium, nitrate and phosphate in the bog, the seasonal variation of nutrient availabilities probably due to mineralization, an increase in the availability of some nutrients between different water table depths or as a result of drainage, and the relative availability of nutrients compared to the input from fertilization. We suggest that PRS probes could be a useful tool to examine nutrient availability and dynamics in wetlands, with careful consideration of installing condition, for example, proper exposure period, depth relative to water table etc.

Community analysis of pitcher plant bogs of the Little River Canyon National Preserve, Alabama

Treesearch

Robert Carter; Terry Boyer; Heather McCoy; Andrew J. Londo

2006-01-01

Pitcher plant bogs of the Little River Canyon National Preserve in northern Alabama contain the federally endangered green pitcher plant [Sarracenia oreophila (Kearney) Wherry]. Multivariate analysis of the bog vegetation and environmental variables revealed three communities with unique species compositions and soil characteristics. The significant...

EVALUATING CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF DISTURBANCE ON THE HYDROLOGIC FUNCTION OF BOGS, FENS, AND MIRES

EPA Science Inventory

Few quantitative studies have been done on the hydrology of fens, bogs and mires, and consequently any predictions of the cumulative impacts of disturbances on their hydrologic functions is extremely difficult. or example, few data are available on the role of bogs and fens with ...

Factors Controlling Diffusive CO2 Transport and Production in the Cedarburg Bog, Saukville, Wisconsin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joynt, E.; Grundl, T.; Han, W. S.; Gulbranson, E. L.

2016-12-01

Wetlands are vital components of the carbon cycle containing an estimated 20-30% of the global soil carbon store. The Cedarburg Bog of southeastern Wisconsin contains multiple wetland types, including the southernmost string bog found in North America. Carbon dioxide (CO2) behavior in wetland systems respond to multiple interdependent variables that are collectively not well understood. Modeling CO2 behavior in wetland environments requires a detailed representation of these variables. In 2014 a LI-COR 8100A automated soil gas flux system was installed in the string bog, measuring CO2 concentration and flux. Groundwater data, soil temperature, and weather data (temperature, pressure, precipitation, etc.) were included to reveal correlations between soil CO2 flux/concentration and external forces. In 2015 field data were complemented with soil moisture data and depth profiles of pore water chemistry and stable carbon isotopes from peat and soil gas to discern source and evolution of CO2 at depth. Initial gaseous δ13C(CO2) average -18‰ and deplete overnight suggesting increasing microbial metabolic efficiency. δ13C soil microbial biomass measure roughly -21‰ to -22‰. LI-COR data show diurnal and seasonal trends; CO2 concentration builds overnight while flux increases during the day. CO2 flux magnitude and CO2 concentration range peak in mid-summer, but frequency of increased CO2 flux events varies seasonally each year. Flux averages 7.55 mgCO2/min-m2 during the day but reaches 530 mgCO2/min-m2. Increased atmospheric and soil temperatures and decreasing atmospheric pressure prelude increasing CO2 flux intensity, though correlation strengths vary. Water level may influence CO2 flux, but observations suggest a mobile peat surface with the water table. 2016 imagery from trail cameras will determine extent of peat/well casing movement with water level changes. Further interpretation of data trends will utilize HYDRUS-1D to quantify relationships under changing

Measuring restoration progress using pore- and surface-water chemistry across a chronosequence of formerly afforested blanket bogs.

PubMed

Gaffney, Paul P J; Hancock, Mark H; Taggart, Mark A; Andersen, Roxane

2018-08-01

During the restoration of degraded bogs and other peatlands, both habitat and functional recovery can be closely linked with nutrient cycling, which is reflected in pore- and surface-water chemistry. Several peatland restoration studies have shown that the time required for recovery of target conditions is slow (>10 years); for heavily-impacted, drained and afforested peatlands of northern Scotland, recovery time is unknown. We monitored pore- and surface-water chemistry across a chronosequence of formerly drained, afforested bog restoration sites spanning 0-17 years, using a space-for-time substitution, and compared them with open blanket bog control sites. Our aims were to measure rate of recovery towards bog conditions and to identify the best suite of water chemistry variables to indicate recovery. Our results show progress in recovery towards bog conditions over a 0-17 year period post-restoration. Elements scavenged by trees (Mg, Na, S) completely recovered within that period. Many water chemistry variables were affected by the restoration process itself, but recovered within 11 years, except ammonium (NH 4 + ), Zn and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) which remained elevated (when compared to control bogs) 17 years post restoration. Other variables did not completely recover (water table depth (WTD), pH), exhibiting what we term "legacy" effects of drainage and afforestation. Excess N and a lowered WTD are likely to slow the recovery of bog vegetation including key bog plants such as Sphagnum mosses. Over 17 years, we measured near-complete recovery in the chemistry of surface-water and deep pore-water but limited progress in shallow pore-water. Our results suggest that at least >17 years are required for complete recovery of water chemistry to bog conditions. However, we expect that newer restoration methods including conifer harvesting (stem plus brash) and the blocking of plough furrows (to increase the WTD) are likely to accelerate the restoration process

Greenhouse gas balance of blanket peat bog restoration from forestry in the Flow Country, Scotland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermans, Renée; Subke, Jens-Arne; Cowie, Neil; Arn Teh, Yit; Andersen, Roxane

2017-04-01

The Flow country in the far north of Scotland has the largest expanse of blanket peat bog in Europe. With peat depths of up to several metres, this area represents a significant carbon store. Large parts of the Flows were drained for afforestation with non-native conifers during the 1980s, which resulted in considerable damage to the peat, leading to significant carbon loss. To restore the peatland, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) started in the late 1990s to fell trees and block drains. Over 2200 ha of forestry are felled. The main objective of this study is to measure the impact of forest removal on the budget of three main greenhouse gases, CO2, CH4 and N2O. Local variations in fluxes were measured using dark closed chambers. In order to capture abiotic conditions likely to determine microbial activity and therefor CO2, CH4 and N2O production, I record water table depth as well as soil moisture and soil temperature (both measured at 5 and 20 cm deep). These measurements are done in near pristine bog (control plot), in forest (control plot), in recently felled areas and in areas that were felled up to 19 years ago, creating a chronosequence to follow the effects of restoration. Results indicate only small differences in annual CO2 flux to the atmosphere between sites, with only the 19-year old restored site showing higher fluxes than forest control plots. However some seasonal differences in CO2 flux between land cover are evident. CH4 fluxes from forest are significantly lower than from bog and the site restored 17 years ago, and N2O fluxes are very low in all sites with no significant differences between sites. Sites where forests were removed recently (< 1 year previously) show a high degree of variability in CH4 fluxes, indicating potential flux spikes from disturbance. There is a positive correlation between soil temperature and CO2 and CH4 flux. Soil moisture varies a lot between bog, restored sites and forest, however there does not

Geochemical characteristics of peat from two raised bogs of Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mezhibor, A. M.

2016-11-01

Peat has a wide range of applications in different spheres of human activity, and this is a reason for a comprehensive study. This research represents the results of an ICP-MS study of moss and peat samples from two raised bogs of Germany. Because of the wide use of sphagnum moss and peat, determining their geochemical characteristics is an important issue. According to the results obtained, we can resume that the moss samples from Germany are rich in Cu, As, Y, Zr, Nb, and REE. The geochemical composition of the bogs reflects the regional environmental features and anthropogenic influence.

Can restoration convert a degraded bog in southern Bavaria to a carbon sink and climate cooler?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Förster, Christoph; Drösler, Matthias

2014-05-01

The peatland area of Germany is about 14.000 km² (Succow & Joosten 2001) with 8% natural like bogs and 4% natural like fens (Höper 2006). All other peatland areas are more or less intensively used and thus, lost their sink function for carbon. If, theoretically, all German peatlands would be rewetted, this restoration would lead to a carbon mitigation of 9.5 Mio. t CO2-C equivalents (Freibauer et al. 2009). In test areas like the studied bog, the viability and potential of peatland restoration for climate mitigation can be proofed. The investigated bog is situated close to the Bavarian Alps; one part of this bog is extensively used and had been rewetted in 1993 except of a small stripe; management was stopped totally at another stripe. The second part of this bog had been drained without any further use. Here a Calluna heath established, accompanied by Pine trees. The restoration of this bog heath was done in two time steps; here a chronosequence of succession after restoration at different water table levels was investigated. To get to the greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of CO2 CH4 and N2O, gas flux measurements were done for two years using the chamber technique of Drösler (2005). At both areas, the degraded sites were sources for GHG (+203 to +736 g CO2-C-equiv m-2 a-1). Restoration reduced these emissions depending on water table and succession of bog species (-51 to +557 g CO2-C-equiv m-2 a-1). Depending on the vegetation's vitality GHG balances of already established natural like sites varied in between the years (-189 to +264 g CO2-C-equiv m-2 a-1) mainly driven by the oscillation of their water table. Stop of management and development of Sphagnum communities turned most of the sites into sinks for GHG (-216 to +7 g CO2-C-equiv m-2 a-1). Thus restoration turned degraded bogs efficiently to carbon sinks and climate coolers in dependence of a proper water table management, withdrawal of land use and vegetation succession. Key words: bog, greenhouse gases

Ecology of southeastern shrub bogs (pocosins) and Carolina bays: a community profile

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharitz, R.R.; Gibbons, J.W.

1982-11-01

Shrub bogs of the Southeast occur in areas of poorly developed internal drainage that typically but not always have highly developed organic or peat soils. Pocosins and Carolina bays are types or subclasses of shrub bogs on the coastal plains of the Carolinas and Georgia. They share roughly the same distribution patterns, soil types, floral and faunal species composition and other community attributes, but differ in geological formation. Carolina bays may contain pocosin as well as other communities, but are defined more by their unique elliptical shape and geomorphometry. The pocosin community is largely defined by its vegetation, a combinationmore » of a dense shrub understory and a sparser canopy. The community is part of a complex successional sequence of communities (sedge bogs, savannas, cedar bogs, and bay forests) that may be controlled by such factors as fire, hydroperiod, soil type, and peat depth. Pocosins and Carolina bays harbor a number of animal groups and may be locally important in their ecology. Although few species are endemic to these habitats, they may provide important refuges for a number of species. These communities are simultaneously among the least understood and most rapidly disappearing habitats of the Southeast. Forestry and agricultural clearage are current impacts.« less

The Affective Dimension of Religion and Personal Happiness among Students in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Leslie J.; Elken, Ahto; Robbins, Mandy

2012-01-01

A sample of 150 students in Estonia (119 from a secular university and 31 from a Lutheran theological institute) completed the Oxford Happiness Measure and the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity. The data show no significant correlation between these two variables; thus the findings challenge the generalizability to Estonia of the…

Country report: Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaasik, Helle

2015-12-01

The situation of women in education, work, and research in Estonia is relatively good. Nevertheless, science (especially engineering) remains a male-dominated field. The total number of female scientists and engineers in the workforce is about two-thirds that of males. Moreover, the gender imbalance in the researcher population increases with age. Significant pay-gap and power imbalances between the genders remain both in Estonian society in general and in the fields of science and technology. In many practical situations, behavior of both men and women is still guided by gender stereotypes.

Southern Hemisphere bog persists as a strong carbon sink during droughts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodrich, Jordan P.; Campbell, David I.; Schipper, Louis A.

2017-10-01

Peatland ecosystems have been important global carbon sinks throughout the Holocene. Most of the research on peatland carbon budgets and effects of variable weather conditions has been done in Northern Hemisphere Sphagnum-dominated systems. Given their importance in other geographic and climatic regions, a better understanding of peatland carbon dynamics is needed across the spectrum of global peatland types. In New Zealand, much of the historic peatland area has been drained for agriculture but little is known about rates of carbon exchange and storage in unaltered peatland remnants that are dominated by the jointed wire rush, Empodisma robustum. We used eddy covariance to measure ecosystem-scale CO2 and CH4 fluxes and a water balance approach to estimate the sub-surface flux of dissolved organic carbon from the largest remaining raised peat bog in New Zealand, Kopuatai bog. The net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) was estimated over four years, which included two drought summers, a relatively wet summer, and a meteorologically average summer. In all measurement years, the bog was a substantial sink for carbon, ranging from 134.7 to 216.9 gC m-2 yr-1, owing to the large annual net ecosystem production (161.8 to 244.9 gCO2-C m-2 yr-1). Annual methane fluxes were large relative to most Northern Hemisphere peatlands (14.2 to 21.9 gCH4-C m-2 yr-1), although summer and autumn emissions were highly sensitive to dry conditions, leading to very predictable seasonality according to water table position. The annual flux of dissolved organic carbon was similar in magnitude to methane emissions but less variable, ranging from 11.7 to 12.8 gC m-2 yr-1. Dry conditions experienced during late summer droughts led to significant reductions in annual carbon storage, which resulted nearly equally from enhanced ecosystem respiration due to lowered water tables and increased temperatures, and from reduced gross primary production due to vapor pressure deficit-related stresses to the

SPRUCE S1 Bog Vegetation Allometric and Biomass Data: 2010-2011

DOE Data Explorer

Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Brice, D. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Garten, C. T. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hook, L. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Phillips, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Todd, D. E. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2012-01-01

This data set reports the results of measurements on sampled aboveground tissues of trees (Picea mariana and Larix laricina), shrubs (Ledum, Chamaedaphne, and Vaccinium), and ground layer vegetation (all species) of the S1 Bog located in areas adjacent to planned experimental study plots. Ground layer vegetation was sampled from both hummocks and hollows, within a 0.25 m2 plot, to evaluate total standing biomass of bog vegetation at or near the peak of annual production. Vegetation was harvested, processed, and measured in July of 2010 and again in June of 2011.

Decadal changes in peat carbon accrual rates in bogs in Northern Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fissore, C.; Nater, E. A.; McFarlane, K. J.

2017-12-01

Throughout the Holocene, peatland ecosystems have accumulated substantial amounts of carbon (C) and currently store about one third of all soil organic carbon (SOC) worldwide. Large uncertainty still persists on whether peatland ecosystems located in northern latitudes will continue to act as C sinks, or if the effects of global warming will have greater effects on decomposition processes than on net ecosystem production. We investigated decadal C accrual rates of the top 25 cm of peats in three Sphagnum-rich peatlands located in Northern Minnesota (two ombrotrophic bogs and one fen). We used radiocarbon analysis of Sphagnum cellulose and model fitting to determine peat ages, and peat FTIR spectroscopy to determine humification indices and relative decomposition of peat samples with depth. We had the scope to detect whether recent warming has had an effect on peat decomposition and C accumulation rates. Modeled C accumulation rates in the three peatlands during the past five decades ranged between 78 and 107 g C m-2 yr-1 in the top 25 cm analyzed in this study, values that are higher than the 22 to 29 g C m-2 yr-1 obtained for long-term (millennial) accumulations for the entire bog profiles. Peat IR spectra and C:N ratios confirm low levels of decomposition across the bog sites, especially in the uppermost parts of the peat. The fen site showed very limited decomposition across the entire sampled profile. Higher rates of C accumulation, combined with low decomposition rates close to the surface provide a good estimate of net primary productivity. As substrate decomposition progresses over time, net rates of accumulation decrease. Peat decomposition was more pronounced in the lower depths of the sampled cores in the two ombrotrophic bogs than in the fen, likely an effect of larger temporal variation in water table depth in the bogs than in the fen. Some of the variation in C accumulation and decomposition observed in our bogs and fen suggests that future C

Bacterial Abundance and Activity across Sites within Two Northern Wisconsin Sphagnum Bogs.

PubMed

Fisher; Graham; Graham

1998-11-01

Abstract Bacterial abundance, temperature, pH, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration were compared across surface sites within and between two northern Wisconsin Sphagnum peatlands over the summer seasons in 1995 and 1996. Sites of interest were the Sphagnum mat surface, the water-filled moat (lagg) at the bog margin, and the bog lake littoral zone. Significant differences in both bacterial populations and water chemistry were observed between sites. pH was highest in the lake and lowest in the mat at both bogs; the opposite was true for DOC. Large populations of bacteria were present in surface interstitial water from the mat; abundance in this site was consistently higher than in the moat or lake. Bacterial abundance also increased across sites of increasing DOC concentration and declining pH. Bacterial activities (rates of [3H]leucine incorporation) and growth in dilution cultures (with grazers removed) were also assessed in lake, moat, and mat sites. Results using these measures generally supported the trends observed in abundance, although high rates of [3H]leucine incorporation were recorded in the moat at one of the bogs. Our results indicate that bacterial populations in Sphagnum peatlands are not adversely affected by acidity, and that DOC may be more important than pH in determining bacterial abundance in these environments.

Feasibility of cohort studies in Estonia

PubMed Central

Innos, K.; Rahu, M.; Rahu, K.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To describe the methodology and feasibility of follow up for vital status in retrospective cohort studies in Estonia. METHODS: A cohort of 7412 workers who had been employed at two factories in Tallinn between 1946 and 1988 was followed up for vital status from the date of first employment until death, emigration, or the end of the study, 31 December 1995, whichever occurred first. The cohort was electronically linked with the National Population Registry of Estonia that was created in 1992 and includes personal identification numbers of Estonian citizens and residents, and the Mortality Database that contains information from death certificates issued in 1983-95. A manual search was carried out on several non-computerised population data sources and archives. RESULTS: By 31 December 1995, the vital status of 6780 (91.5%) subjects could be traced (4495 (60.6%) subjects were alive, 1993 (26.9%) had died, and 292 (3.9%) had emigrated). Analysis by calendar period of leaving work showed that the proportion of subjects traced was lowest in the group of workers who had left work between 1946 and 1955 (58.4%), especially those whose age at leaving work was < 30 (53.2%) or > 60 years (42.3%). Among subjects who left work in 1956-65, 1966-75, and 1976-88, the follow up rate was 84.7%, 94.6%, and 98.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings, which are especially important for occupational epidemiology, confirm the feasibility of conducting retrospective cohort studies in Estonia. Most of the issues discussed in the paper apply to other former Soviet countries.   PMID:10472323

Digoxin: use pattern in Estonia and bioavailability of the local market leader.

PubMed

Pähkla, R; Irs, A; Oselin, K; Rootslane, L

1999-10-01

In comparison with neighbouring Scandinavian countries, the use of digoxin in Estonia is high. The present study was carried out to determine the use pattern of digoxin in Estonia and bioavailability of the local market leader preparation in comparison with Lanoxin. Drug use data were evaluated from the annual reports of wholesale companies. For the bioequivalence study, a single-blind cross-over randomised two-way single-dose comparative bioavailability study was performed using 14 healthy volunteers. Digoxin concentrations in serum samples and urine were measured by chemiluminescent competitive immunoassay. The use of digoxin in Estonia has increased by 35% during the period 1994-97. The steady market leader was the local generic drug. No statistically significant differences were found in any pharmacokinetic parameter between the generic preparation and Lanoxin. All parameters showed considerable variability. The total amount of drug excreted was the parameter with lowest inter- individual variation. The present study indicates that the generic digoxin preparation studied is bioequivalent to Lanoxin. The increasing use of digoxin in Estonia is not caused by low bioavailability of the local market leader but by therapeutic traditions.

Children's Perspective on Learning: An International Study in Denmark, Estonia, Germany and Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandberg, Anette; Broström, Stig; Johansson, Inge; Frøkjaer, Thorleif; Kieferle, Christa; Seifert, Anja; Roth, Angela; Tuul, Maire; Ugaste, Aino; Laan, Meeli

2017-01-01

This article explores how some children in Denmark, Estonia, Germany and Sweden describe their perspective on learning. The aim of the international study is to gain knowledge of how preschool children in Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Germany reflect and perceive their learning in preschool and other surrounding social contexts. The results are…

Dibasic Ammonium Phosphate Application Enhances Aromatic Compound Concentration in Bog Bilberry Syrup Wine.

PubMed

Wang, Shao-Yang; Li, Yi-Qing; Li, Teng; Yang, Hang-Yu; Ren, Jie; Zhang, Bo-Lin; Zhu, Bao-Qing

2016-12-29

A nitrogen deficiency always causes bog bilberry syrup wine to have a poor sensory feature. This study investigated the effect of nitrogen source addition on volatile compounds during bog bilberry syrup wine fermentation. The syrup was supplemented with 60, 90, 120 or 150 mg/L dibasic ammonium phosphate (DAP) before fermentation. Results showed that an increase of DAP amounts accelerated fermentation rate, increased alcohol content, and decreased sugar level. Total phenol and total flavonoid content were also enhanced with the increase of DAP amounts. A total of 91 volatile compounds were detected in the wine and their concentrations were significantly enhanced with the increase of DAP. Ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, phenethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl decanoate, isobutanol, isoamyl alcohol, levo -2,3-butanediol, 2-phenylethanol, meso -2,3-butanediol, isobutyric acid, hexanoic acid, and octanoic acid exhibited a significant increase of their odor activity value (OAV) with the increase of DAP amounts. Bog bilberry syrup wine possessed fruity, fatty, and caramel flavors as its major aroma, whereas a balsamic note was the least present. The increase of DAP amounts significantly improved the global aroma attributes, thereby indicating that DAP supplementation could promote wine fermentation performance and enhance the sensory quality of bog bilberry syrup wine.

Restrictions to Pharmacy Ownership and Vertical Integration in Estonia-Perception of Different Stakeholders.

PubMed

Gross, Marit; Volmer, Daisy

2016-04-19

From 2020, the ownership of community pharmacies in Estonia will be limited to the pharmacy profession, and the vertical integration of wholesale companies and community pharmacies will not be allowed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of different stakeholders in primary healthcare toward the new regulations of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia. A qualitative electronic survey was distributed to the main stakeholders in primary healthcare and higher education institutions providing pharmacy education ( n = 40) in May 2015. For data analysis, the systematic text condensation method was used. The study participants described two opposing positions regarding the development of community pharmacies in the future. Reform supporters emphasized increased professional independence and more healthcare-oriented operation of community pharmacies. Reform opponents argued against these ideas as community pharmacists do not have sufficient practical experience and finances to ensure sustainable development of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia. Based on the current perception of all respondents, the future operation of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia is unclear and there is urgent need for implementation criteria for the new regulations.

Distribution and speciation of mercury in the peat bog of Xiaoxing'an Mountain, northeastern China.

PubMed

Liu, Ruhai; Wang, Qichao; Lu, Xianguo; Fang, Fengman; Wang, Yan

2003-01-01

Most reports on mercury (Hg) in boreal ecosystems are from the Nordic countries and North America. Comparatively little information is available on Hg in wetlands in China. We present here a study on Hg in the Tangwang River forested catchment of the Xiaoxing'an Mountain in the northeast of China. The average total Hg (THg) in peat profile ranged from 65.8 to 186.6 ng g(-1) dry wt with the highest at the depth of 5-10 cm. THg in the peat surface was higher than the background in Heilongjiang province, the Florida Everglades, and Birkeness in Sweden. MethylHg (MeHg) concentration ranged from 0.16 to 1.86 ng g(-1) dry wt, with the highest amount at 10-15 cm depth. MeHg content was 0.2-1.2% of THg. THg and MeHg all decreased with the depth. THg in upland layer of soil (0-20 cm) was comparable to the peat surface, but in deeper layers THg concentration in peat was much higher than that in the forested mineral soil. THg in the peat bog increased, but MeHg decreased after it was drained. THg content in plant was different; THg contents in moss (119 ng g(-1) dry wt, n=12) were much higher than in the herbage, the arbor, and the shrubs. The peat bog has mainly been contaminated by Hg deposition from the atmosphere.

Numerical study of heat transfer characteristics in BOG heat exchanger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yan; Pfotenhauer, John M.; Miller, Franklin; Ni, Zhonghua; Zhi, Xiaoqin

2016-12-01

In this study, a numerical study of turbulent flow and the heat transfer process in a boil-off liquefied natural gas (BOG) heat exchanger was performed. Finite volume computational fluid dynamics and the k - ω based shear stress transport model were applied to simulate thermal flow of BOG and ethylene glycol in a full-sized 3D tubular heat exchanger. The simulation model has been validated and compared with the engineering specification data from its supplier. In order to investigate thermal characteristics of the heat exchanger, velocity, temperature, heat flux and thermal response were studied under different mass flowrates in the shell-side. The shell-side flow pattern is mostly determined by viscous forces, which lead to a small velocity and low temperature buffer area in the bottom-right corner of the heat exchanger. Changing the shell-side mass flowrate could result in different distributions of the shell-side flow. However, the distribution in the BOG will remain in a relatively stable pattern. Heat flux increases along with the shell-side mass flowrate, but the increase is not linear. The ratio of increased heat flux to the mass flow interval is superior at lower mass flow conditions, and the threshold mass flow for stable working conditions is defined as greater than 0.41 kg/s.

Genesis of peat-bog soils in the northern taiga spruce forests of the Kola Peninsula

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nikonov, V.V.

1981-01-01

The characteristics of soil formation processes in the Peat-Bog soils of waterlogged spruce phytocenoses on the Kola Peninsula are investigated. It is found that the ash composition of the peat layer is determined primarily by the composition of the buried plant residues. The effect of the chemical composition of water feeding the peat bogs is determined. (Refs. 7).

OECD Reviews of School Resources: Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santiago, Paulo; Levitas, Anthony; Radó, Péter; Shewbridge, Claire

2016-01-01

This report for Estonia forms part of the OECD Review of Policies to Improve the Effectiveness of Resource Use in Schools. The purpose of the review is to explore how school resources can be governed, distributed, utilised and managed to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of school education. School resources are understood in a broad way,…

What rules GHG-(greenhouse gas)-fluxes in a prealpine bog - management or watertable?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Förster, Christoph; Drösler, Matthias

2010-05-01

Being an important sink of carbon, the small stripe of bogs in the foreland of the Alps plays an important role for the carbon balance of Germany. A big part was drained for peat-use and to get agricultural land in the last centuries. Restoration of these degraded bogs can help to rebuild this function, whereas the watertable is an important co-factor for the amount of mitigation of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O). To estimate GHG-balances gas-flux measurements, using the chamber method developed by Drösler (2005) were done in 2007 and 2008 on a degraded bog-meadow, which was partly rewetted in 1993 and which is still managed in large areas. This mosaic of restored, drained and managed areas showed big differences in their carbon-balances from a high source (~ 500 g CO2-C m-2 a-1) to a moderate sink (~ -200 g CO2-C m-2 a-1). Where the management was stopped in 1993, some Sphagnum-communities developed which helped to turn these areas from moderate sources (47 g CO2-C m-2 a-1) or sinks (-58 g CO2-C m-2 a-1) to permanent sinks with uptakes between (-150 and -250 g CO2-C m-2 a-1). Key words: bog, carbon-balance, greenhouse gases, restoration, watertable

National Testing of Pupils in Europe: Objectives, Organisation and Use of Results. Estonia 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mere, Kristi

2009-01-01

Estonia restored its independence in 1991. The creation of legislation and reorganisation of the educational system was one of the first tasks of the restored Republic of Estonia. The development of the national curriculum for basic and upper secondary schools that provided a framework substituting the previous study modules, and the creation of…

SPRUCE S1 Bog Peat Depth Determined by Push Probe and GPR: 2009-2010

DOE Data Explorer

Slater, L. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hook, L. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2012-01-01

This data set reports the thickness of peat for the S1 Bog measured directly with manual push probes on September 21 and 22, 2009, and measured by ground penetrating radar (GPR) across transects from January 26 to February 2, 2010 and June 2 to June 9, 2010. Also included are interpolated values of peat depth from both probe and GPR data for the S1 Bog at 1 meter square horizontal resolution.

Attitudes of Major Soviet Nationalities. Volume II. The Baltics. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-06-01

acquired wide popularity (and probably snob appeal ). Kafka, Ionesco and Dostoyevsky were available to Soviet Estonians earlier than to the Russian reading...Estonia . chided as snob appeal ). Of Estonia’s 757 general schools, 556 (i.e. 71) use Estonian, 90 use Russian and 60 are mixed. 2 The same applies to...novels whicr combine literary quality with national appeal ro 2 ’), collective farm realism at its best (M. Traatl), realisti> lezcription of city life

Stakeholder Perspectives: CLIL Programme Management in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehisto, Peeter; Asser, Hiie

2007-01-01

In 2000, Estonia launched a voluntary Estonian language CLIL programme for seven year-olds in four Russian-medium schools. The programme has expanded rapidly to a total of 48 kindergartens and schools. This paper reports on research into stakeholder perspectives on programme management. In addition to surveying parents, teachers, vice-principals…

The new European Competence Centre for Moor and Climate - A European initiative for practical peat bog and climate protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smidt, Geerd; Tänzer, Detlef

2013-04-01

The new European Competence Centre for Moor and Climate (EFMK) is an initiative by different local communities, environmental protection NGOs, agricultural services, and partners from the peat and other industries in Lower Saxony (Germany). The Centre aims to integrate practical peat bog conservation with a focus on green house gas emission after drainage and after water logging activities. Together with our partners we want to break new ground to protect the remaining bogs in the region. Sphagnum mosses will be produced in paludiculture on-site in cooperation with the local peat industry to provide economic and ecologic alternatives for peat products used in horticulture business. Land-use changes are needed in the region and will be stimulated in cooperation with agricultural services via compensation money transfers from environmental protection funds. On a global scale the ideas of Carbon Credit System have to be discussed to protect the peat bogs for climate protection issues. Environmental education is an important pillar of the EFMK. The local society is invited to explore the unique ecosystem and to participate in peat bog protection activities. Future generations will be taught to understand that the health of our peat bogs is interrelated with the health of the local and global climate. Besides extracurricular classes for schools the centre will provide infrastructure for Master and PhD students, as well for senior researchers for applied research in the surrounding moor. International partners in the scientific and practical fields of peat bog ecology, renaturation, green house gas emissions from peat bogs, and environmental policy are invited to participate in the European Competence Center for Moor and Climate.

Woodcock Bog Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 40

Treesearch

Reid Schuller; Susan J. Fritts; Mark Mousseaux

2010-01-01

This guidebook describes Woodcock Bog Research Natural Area (RNA), a 114-ha (281-ac) area located within the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion in southwestern Oregon. The RNA includes a hanging fen and stream segment on ultramafic rock and derived soils. Numerous plant species occur within the fens that are endemic to the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon and...

Europeanization in the "Other" Europe: Writing the Nation into "Europe" Education in Slovakia and Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaels, Deborah L.; Stevick, E. Doyle

2009-01-01

How is the tension between renewed nationalist and European narratives of belonging being unfolded in the curricula, discourse, and practice of civic education in Slovakia and Estonia. As two post-socialist territories that were "reborn" as independent nation-states in the 1990s, Slovakia and Estonia were confronted with pressure to…

High-resolution Record of Holocene Climate, Vegetation, and Fire from a Raised Peat Bog, Prince Edward Island, Canadian Maritimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peros, M. C.; Chan, K.; Ponsford, L.; Carroll, J.; Magnan, G.

2014-12-01

Raised peat bogs receive all precipitation and nutrients from the atmosphere and are thus widely used archives for information on past environments and climates. In this paper we provide high-resolution multi-proxy data from a raised bog from northeastern Prince Edward Island, located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. We studied testate amoeba (a proxy for water table depth), macrocharcoal (a proxy for local-scale fire), peat humification (a proxy for decomposition), plant macrofossils (indicative of local-scale vegetation), and organic matter content (yielding carbon accumulation rates) from a 5.5 m long core lifted from the center of Baltic Bog. Eleven AMS radiocarbon dates show that peat accumulation began before 9000 cal yr BP and continued almost uninterrupted until the present. The macrofossil data show that a transition from a sedge-dominated fen to a sphagnum-dominated bog occurred around 8000 cal yr BP, and sphagnum remained dominant in the bog throughout most of the Holocene. A testate amoeba-based reconstruction of water table depth indicates that conditions were drier during the early Holocene (~8000 to 5000 cal yr BP) and became gradually wetter into the late Holocene. In addition, a number of higher frequency shifts in precipitation are inferred throughout the Holocene on the basis of the testate amoeba and humification results. The macrocharcoal evidence indicates fire—probably in the surrounding forest—was relatively more common during the early Holocene, perhaps due to drier climate conditions. A large influx of charcoal at around 2000 cal yr BP suggests the presence of one or more major fires at this time, and a concurrent decrease in the rate of peat accumulation indicates the fire may have affected the bog itself. The data from Baltic Bog is broadly comparable to other proxy data (in particular pollen studies) from the Canadian Maritimes. This work is important because it: 1) helps us better understand the role of hydroclimatic

Towards a conceptual model of hydrological change on an abandoned cutover bog, Quebec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Seters, Tim E.; Price, Jonathan S.

2002-07-01

Cutover bogs do not return to functional peatland ecosystems after abandonment because re-establishment of peat-forming mosses is poor. This paper presents a conceptual model of bog disturbance caused by peat harvesting (1942-1972), and the hydrological evolution that occurred after abandonment (1973-1998). Two adjacent bogs of similar size and origin, one harvested and the other essentially undisturbed, provide the basis for understanding what changes occurred. The model is based on historical trends evident from previous surveys of land-use, bog ecology and resource mapping; and from recent hydrological and ecological data that characterize the current condition. Water balance data and historical information suggest that runoff increased and evapotranspiration decreased following drainage, but tended towards pre-disturbance levels following abandonment, as vegetation recolonized the surface and drainage became less efficient over time. Dewatering of soil pores after drainage caused shrinkage and oxidation of the peat and surface subsidence of approximately 80 cm over 57 years. Comparisons with a nearby natural bog suggest that bulk density in the upper 50 cm of cutover peat increased from 0·07 to 0·13 g cm-3, specific yield declined from 0·14 to 0·07, water table fluctuations were 67% greater, and mean saturated hydraulic conductivity declined from 4·1 × 10-5 to 1·3 × 10-5 cm s-1. More than 25 years after abandonment, Sphagnum mosses were distributed over broad areas but covered less than 15% of the surface. Areas with good Sphagnum regeneration (>10% cover) were strongly correlated with high water tables (mean -22 cm), especially in zones of seasonal groundwater discharge, artefacts of the extraction history. Forest cover expanded from 5 to 20% of the study area following abandonment. The effect of forest growth (transpiration and interception) and drainage on lowering water levels eventually will be countered by slower water movement through the

A feasibility study of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash utilisation in Estonia.

PubMed

Berber, Hakan; Frey, Ruedi; Voronova, Viktoria; Koroljova, Arina

2017-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the alternative environmental management options for the utilisation of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration fly ash (FA), which is generated at Iru Power Plant where MSW is incinerated in Estonia. To determine sustainable and economically feasible environmental management options for MSW incineration FA in Estonia, CO 2 sequestration with a further carbonation process was examined. A partial Cost & Benefit Analysis has been conducted to compare the carbonation process to the current situation. Two carbonation options were developed. Option 1 is to use carbonated FA in any other processes based on the waste-to-product principle. Option 2 is to send carbonated FA to the non-hazardous landfill in Tallinn, Estonia. Important parameters, such as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) and Break Even Point (BEP), have been calculated for carbonation options and the current case. In addition, a sensitivity analysis has been conducted to examine its robustness. The results showed that the best option is carbonation Option 1 with NPV of 9,209,662 EUR, IRR of 43%, BCR of 2.63 and BEP between 2018 and 2019. Both Options 1 and 2 constitute more sustainable and environmentally friendly management options compared to the current situation. It can be concluded that this preliminary feasibility study showed that running a carbonation plant may be profitable and sustainable for Estonia. Currently, there is no treatment technology for MSW incineration FA in Estonia and FA is sent to a neighbouring country for further utilisation. This is the first study to demonstrate FA management options with economic and environmental benefits.

Effects of environmental and anthropogenic determinants on changes in groundwater levels in selected peat bogs of Slowinski National Park, northern Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chlost, Izabela; Cieśliński, Roman

2018-03-01

The present study focuses on two Baltic-type peat bogs in Slowinski National Park, namely that at Żarnowskie and at Kluki, located in the Lake Łebsko catchment and both characterised by a centrally located dome with a very marshy fringe area featuring an emerging marshy coniferous forest (Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum). The Żarnowskie bog is under active protection. A total of 24 flow barriers were installed in drainage ditches during the years 2006 and 2007. The purpose of these barriers was to put a halt to water outflow. In addition, 30 hectares of young pine forest were cleared in order to decrease loss of water via evapotranspiration. Kluki peat bog is only partially protected by Polish law. The lack of efforts to prevent outflow via the canal is due to the fact that the canal is utilised to drain meadows in the vicinity of the village of Łokciowe outside of the national park. Peat formation no longer occurs in this peat bog. The hydrological condition of the bog is catastrophic as a result of its main canal, referred to as Canal C9, which is 2.5 to 3.0 m deep and 10 m wide in places. Both peat bogs are monitored for fluctuations in groundwater. Research has shown that changes in water levels fluctuate based on season of the year and geographical location, which is illustrated quite well using the two studied peat bogs. The water retention rate of the Żarnowskie peat bog may be considered fairly high and is likely to improve due to protective measures enabled by Polish environmental laws. The water retention rate of the bog is consistently improving thanks to these measures, fluctuations in water level are small and the water level does not drop under 0.5 m below ground level even under extreme hydrometeorological conditions. This yields optimum conditions for renewed peat formation in this area. One potential threat is the Krakulice peat extraction facility, which is located in the southern part of the bog close to the boundary with the national park.

Demographic and genetic status of an isolated population of bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii): Implications for managing small populations of long-lived animals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pittman, Shannon E.; King, T.L.; Faurby, S.; Dorcas, M.E.

2011-01-01

In this study, we sought to determine the population stability and genetic diversity of one isolated population of the federally-threatened bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) in North Carolina. Using capture-recapture data, we estimated adult survival and population growth rate from 1992 to 2007. We found that the population decreased from an estimated 36 adult turtles in 1994 to approximately 11 adult turtles in 2007. We found a constant adult survival of 0. 893 (SE = 0. 018, 95% confidence interval, 0. 853-0. 924) between 1992 and 2007. Using 18 microsatellite markers, we compared the genetic status of this population with five other bog turtle populations. The target population displayed allelic richness (4. 8 ?? 0. 5) and observed heterozygosity (0. 619 ?? 0. 064) within the range of the other bog turtle populations. Coalescent analysis of population growth rate, effective population size, and timing of population structuring event also indicated the genetics of the target population were comparable to the other populations studied. Estimates of effective population size were a proportion of the census size in all populations except the target population, in which the effective population size was larger than the census size (30 turtles vs. 11 turtles). We attribute the high genetic diversity in the target population to the presence of multiple generations of old turtles. This study illustrates that the demographic status of populations of long-lived species may not be reflected genetically if a decline occurred recently. Consequently, the genetic integrity of populations of long-lived animals experiencing rapid demographic bottlenecks may be preserved through conservation efforts effective in addressing demographic problems. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Nest-site characteristics of Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Bog Turtle) in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zappalorti, Robert T.; Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Farrell, Ray F.; Torocco, Michael E.

2015-01-01

Nest-site selection can affect both the survival and fitness of female turtles and their offspring. In many turtle species, the nest environment determines the thermal regime during incubation, length of incubation period, sex ratio of the hatchlings, and exposure to predators and other forms of mortality for both mothers and their offspring. Between 1974 and 2012, we collected detailed data on habitat variables at 66 Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Bog Turtle) nests in 9 different bogs, fens, and wetland complexes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The nests had a mean elevation above the substrate of 8.2 cm, and many were shallow and located in raised tussocks of grass or sedges. Females covered most nests, but we also observed partially or completely uncovered eggs. Some females deposited eggs in communal nests; we found 4 nests with 2 separate clutches, and 2 nests with 3 clutches. Principal component analysis confirmed the importance of cover and vegetation to nest-site selection in this species. Availability of open, shade-free, wet nesting areas is an important habitat requirement for Bog Turtles.

Losses of Soil Carbon upon a Fire on a Drained Forested Raised Bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glukhova, T. V.; Sirin, A. A.

2018-05-01

We studied the consequences of a fire that affected 29 ha of a drained forested raised bog in Tver oblast, Central European Russia. The drainage network consisted of open 1-m-deep ditches with 60 to 160 m ditch spacing. The groundwater level (GWL) varied within the studied drained bog. We used the method of assessing the loss of soil carbon (C) based on the difference between the ash concentration in the burnt peat of the upper layer and underlying unburnt layers. The carbon loss was higher near the drainage ditches than in the sites remote from ditches. The sample median values of carbon loss (kg C/m2) were estimated at 0.37 near the drainage ditches and at 0.22 for the remote sites with a distance of 160 m between ditches. They increased to 2.23 and 0.79 near and far from the drainage ditches for 106 m ditch spacing, and ranged from 1.13 to 2.10 near the drainage ditches and were equal to 0.45 at the remote sites for 60 m ditch spacing. The maximum loss of C was at the bog margin with the 70-cm-deep GWL; the sample median was equal to 2.97 kg C/m2. The results obtained for C loss from the wildfire on the raised bog agree with the estimates obtained by other authors (1.45-4.90 kg C/m2) and confirm the importance of taking such loss into account in the estimates of the carbon budget of peat soils (Histosols).

Late Holocene Drought Variability in Eastern North America: Evidence From the Peatland Archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, R. K.; Jackson, S. T.

2006-12-01

Tree-ring based drought chronologies from semi-arid regions of western North America have revealed substantial variability in water balance during the past 1000 years, including episodes of persistent drought more severe than any observed during historical times. Delimitation of regional and continental-scale footprints of these past drought events, including their spatial patterning in humid regions where moisture-sensitive paleoclimate records are scarce, is critical to understanding their dynamics and potential causes. Ombrotrophic peatlands are scattered throughout humid regions of North America at mid-latitudes and represent an underutilized source of multidecadal-scale information on past moisture variations. We are developing a spatial network of peatland-derived paleoclimate and paleoecological records in eastern North America, in an effort to 1) determine whether large, decadal to multidecadal droughts of the past several thousand years were spatially and temporally coherent, 2) assess whether the magnitude of past drought events was sufficient to force ecological change in terrestrial ecosystems, and 3) assess the underlying mechanisms and dynamics of widespread drought in North America. We have completed water-level reconstructions based on testate-amoeba assemblages from two ombrotrophic peatlands in mid-continental North America, Hole in the Bog (NC Minnesota) and Minden Bog (SE Michgian). We also have developed reconstructions from three Sphagnum-dominated kettle peatlands, South Rhody Peatland (NC Michigan), Hornet Peatland (NW Wisconsin), and Irwin Smith Peatland (NE Michigan). Although these kettle peatlands are not truly ombrotrophic, high-magnitude water-table fluctuations should still be attributable to climate variability, and we use these records to supplement our interpretation of regional climate history. Our results indicate that all high-magnitude fluctuations in water balance were spatially extensive, affecting bog-surface moisture

Vocational Education and Training Reform in Estonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).

This report on vocational education and training (VET) reform in Estonia is one of a series of country reports by the European Training Foundation on the reform process in partner countries. Chapter 1 provides basic data on the country. Chapter 2 describes the present situation and recent developments in VET. It covers main features of the…

Revegetation processes and environmental conditions in abandoned peat production fields in Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orru, M.; Orru, H.

2009-04-01

As a result of peat extraction, peat production has been finished in Estonia at different times in 154 peat production areas and 9,500 ha (~1% of peatlands) are abandoned, although the peat reserves are not exhausted yet; besides, several areas are not properly recultivated. In addition 12,000 ha of fens (oligotrophic peat layers) are drained and used as grasslands. If the abandoned and non-recultivated peat production areas are not vegetated, their CO2 emission is considerable and peat mineralises in such areas. The aim of the study was to find out specific ecological and geological factors, which affect recovering of peatlands and influence the recultivation. During the revision the amount and quality of the remained reserves, as well as the state of water regime, drainage network and revegetation was assessed in all 154 abandoned peat production areas. The study showed that the state of them is very variable. Some of them are covered with forest, prevailingly with birches at former drainage ditches, later supplemented by pine trees. In the others predominate grasses among plants, and various species of moss (Cladonia rei, Bryum caespiticum, Sphagnum ripariuma, Sphagnum squarrosum) occur as well. Besides, some abandoned areas are completely overgrown with cotton grass. Open abandoned peat areas, which are not covered by vegetation, are much rarer. We found out, that water regime among the factors plays most important role. Moreover abandoned peat production fields, where the environmental conditions have changed - are appropriate for growth of several moss species, which cannot inhabit the areas already occupied by other species. The most interesting discovers were: second growing site of Polia elongata in West-Estonia and Ephemerum serratum, last found in Estonia in the middle of the 19th century, was identified in central Estonia. Also Campylopus introflexus, what was unknown in Estonia. However, the changes in environmental conditions influence the peat layers

Optimization of UA of heat exchangers and BOG compressor exit pressure of LNG boil-off gas reliquefaction system using exergy analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochunni, Sarun Kumar; Ghosh, Parthasarathi; Chowdhury, Kanchan

2015-12-01

Boil-off gas (BOG) generation and its handling are important issues in Liquefied natural gas (LNG) value chain because of economic, environment and safety reasons. Several variants of reliquefaction systems of BOG have been proposed by researchers. Thermodynamic analyses help to configure them and size their components for improving performance. In this paper, exergy analysis of reliquefaction system based on nitrogen-driven reverse Brayton cycle is carried out through simulation using Aspen Hysys 8.6®, a process simulator and the effects of heat exchanger size with and without related pressure drop and BOG compressor exit pressure are evaluated. Nondimensionalization of parameters with respect to the BOG load allows one to scale up or down the design. The process heat exchanger (PHX) requires much higher surface area than that of BOG condenser and it helps to reduce the quantity of methane vented out to atmosphere. As pressure drop destroys exergy, optimum UA of PHX decreases for highest system performance if pressure drop is taken into account. Again, for fixed sizes of heat exchangers, as there is a range of discharge pressures of BOG compressor at which the loss of methane in vent minimizes, the designer should consider choosing the pressure at lower value.

Large scale in-situ BOrehole and Geofluid Simulator (i.BOGS) for the development and testing of borehole technologies at reservoir conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duda, Mandy; Bracke, Rolf; Stöckhert, Ferdinand; Wittig, Volker

2017-04-01

A fundamental problem of technological applications related to the exploration and provision of geothermal energy is the inaccessibility of subsurface processes. As a result, actual reservoir properties can only be determined using (a) indirect measurement techniques such as seismic surveys, machine feedback and geophysical borehole logging, (b) laboratory experiments capable of simulating in-situ properties, but failing to preserve temporal and spatial scales, or vice versa, and (c) numerical simulations. Moreover, technological applications related to the drilling process, the completion and cementation of a wellbore or the stimulation and exploitation of the reservoir are exposed to high pressure and temperature conditions as well as corrosive environments resulting from both, rock formation and geofluid characteristics. To address fundamental and applied questions in the context of geothermal energy provision and subsurface exploration in general one of Europe's largest geoscientific laboratory infrastructures is introduced. The in-situ Borehole and Geofluid Simulator (i.BOGS) allows to simulate quasi scale-preserving processes at reservoir conditions up to depths of 5000 m and represents a large scale pressure vessel for iso-/hydrostatic and pore pressures up to 125 MPa and temperatures from -10°C to 180°C. The autoclave can either be filled with large rock core samples (25 cm in diameter, up to 3 m length) or with fluids and technical borehole devices (e.g. pumps, sensors). The pressure vessel is equipped with an ultrasound system for active transmission and passive recording of acoustic emissions, and can be complemented by additional sensors. The i.BOGS forms the basic module for the Match.BOGS finally consisting of three modules, i.e. (A) the i.BOGS, (B) the Drill.BOGS, a drilling module to be attached to the i.BOGS capable of applying realistic torques and contact forces to a drilling device that enters the i.BOGS, and (C) the Fluid.BOGS, a geofluid

Hatching success and predation of Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) eggs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zappalorti, Robert T.; Tutterow, Annalee M.; Pittman, Shannon E.; Lovich, Jeffrey E.

2017-01-01

Nest-site selection by most turtles affects the survival of females and their offspring. Although bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) do not typically leave their wetlands for nesting, nest-site selection can impact hatching success and hatchling survival. Between 1974 and 2012, we monitored the fates of 258 bog turtle eggs incubated in the field and 91 eggs incubated under laboratory conditions from 11 different bogs, fens, or wetland complexes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Laboratory-incubated eggs exhibited the greatest hatching success (81%), but we did not detect a significant difference in hatching success between nests protected with predator excluder cages (43%) and unprotected nests (33%). However, we found significantly lower predation rates in protected nests, suggesting that while predator excluder cages successfully reduced predation, other environmental factors persisted to reduce egg survival in the field. Natural hatching success was potentially reduced by poor weather conditions, which may have resulted in embryo developmental problems, dehydration, or embryos drowning in the egg. Our results suggest that egg depredation, coupled with embryo developmental problems and infertility, are limiting factors to hatching success in our study populations. Using predator excluder cages to protect bog turtle eggs in the field, or incubating eggs in the laboratory and releasing hatchlings at original nesting areas, may be an effective conservation tool for recovering populations of this federally threatened species.

Beyond Linguistic Policy: The Soviet Union Versus Estonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rannut, Mart

1991-01-01

Discussion of the role of non-Russian languages in the Soviet Union (USSR) focuses on the history of ethnic group languages and language policy in Estonia since the collapse of totalitarianism. A historical overview of Soviet Union language policy is offered, with attention given to the ideological goals influencing policy, and their realization…

Seasonality of alcohol-related phenomena in Estonia.

PubMed

Silm, Siiri; Ahas, Rein

2005-03-01

We studied alcohol consumption and its consequences as a seasonal phenomenon in Estonia and analysed the social and environmental factors that may cause its seasonal rhythm. There are two important questions when researching the seasonality of human activities: (1) whether it is caused by natural or social factors, and (2) whether the impact of the factors is direct or indirect. Often the seasonality of social phenomena is caused by social factors, but the triggering mechanisms are related to environmental factors like temperature, precipitation, and radiation via the circannual calendar. The indicators of alcohol consumption in the current paper are grouped as: (1) pre-consumption phenomena, i.e. production, tax and excise, sales (beer, wine and vodka are analysed separately), and (2) post-consumption phenomena, i.e. alcohol-related crime and traffic accidents and the number of people detained in lockups and admitted to alcohol treatment clinics. In addition, seasonal variability in the amount of alcohol advertising has been studied, and a survey has been carried out among 87 students of Tartu University. The analysis shows that different phenomena related to alcohol have a clear seasonal rhythm in Estonia. The peak period of phenomena related to beer is in the summer, from June to August and the low point is during the first months of the year. Beer consumption correlates well with air temperature. The consumption of vodka increases sharply at the end of the year and in June; the production of vodka does not have a significant correlation with negative temperatures. The consumption of wine increases during summer and in December. The consequences of alcohol consumption, expressed as the rate of traffic accidents or the frequency of medical treatment, also show seasonal variability. Seasonal variability of alcohol consumption in Estonia is influenced by natural factors (temperature, humidity, etc.) and by social factors (celebrations, vacations, etc.). However

Seasonality of alcohol-related phenomena in Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silm, Siiri; Ahas, Rein

2005-03-01

We studied alcohol consumption and its consequences as a seasonal phenomenon in Estonia and analysed the social and environmental factors that may cause its seasonal rhythm. There are two important questions when researching the seasonality of human activities: (1) whether it is caused by natural or social factors, and (2) whether the impact of the factors is direct or indirect. Often the seasonality of social phenomena is caused by social factors, but the triggering mechanisms are related to environmental factors like temperature, precipitation, and radiation via the circannual calendar. The indicators of alcohol consumption in the current paper are grouped as: (1) pre-consumption phenomena, i.e. production, tax and excise, sales (beer, wine and vodka are analysed separately), and (2) post-consumption phenomena, i.e. alcohol-related crime and traffic accidents and the number of people detained in lockups and admitted to alcohol treatment clinics. In addition, seasonal variability in the amount of alcohol advertising has been studied, and a survey has been carried out among 87 students of Tartu University. The analysis shows that different phenomena related to alcohol have a clear seasonal rhythm in Estonia. The peak period of phenomena related to beer is in the summer, from June to August and the low point is during the first months of the year. Beer consumption correlates well with air temperature. The consumption of vodka increases sharply at the end of the year and in June; the production of vodka does not have a significant correlation with negative temperatures. The consumption of wine increases during summer and in December. The consequences of alcohol consumption, expressed as the rate of traffic accidents or the frequency of medical treatment, also show seasonal variability. Seasonal variability of alcohol consumption in Estonia is influenced by natural factors (temperature, humidity, etc.) and by social factors (celebrations, vacations, etc.). However

Moving the Field Forward: A Micro-Meso-Macro Model for Critical Language Planning. The Case of Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skerrett, Delaney Michael

2016-01-01

This study investigates "de facto" language policy in Estonia. It investigates how language choices at the micro (or individual) level are negotiated within the macro (or social and historical) context: how official language policy and other features of the discursive environment surrounding language and its use in Estonia translate into…

The social costs of alcohol misuse in Estonia.

PubMed

Saar, Indrek

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the social costs of alcohol misuse in Estonia in 2006. Using a prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach, both direct and indirect costs were considered, including tangible costs associated with health care, criminal justice, rescue services, damage to property, premature mortality, incarceration, incapability of working due to illnesses, and lower labor productivity. The results show that alcohol misuse cost Estonia more than EUR 200 million in 2006. The costs involved are estimated to represent 1.6% of the gross domestic product (GDP), which is relatively high in comparison with many other countries. In addition, the state receives less receipts from the alcohol excise tax than the costs that it incurs as a consequence of alcohol misuse, which points to the existence of economic inefficiency with respect to the alcohol market. The results of this study suggest that there is definitely a need for further cost-benefit analysis to reach a conclusion regarding the possible utility of government intervention. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Reducing exposure to high fluoride drinking water in Estonia-a countrywide study.

PubMed

Indermitte, Ene; Saava, Astrid; Karro, Enn

2014-03-14

Fluoride is a naturally occurring contaminant in groundwater in Estonia. There are several regions in Estonia with fluoride contents in public water supplies as high as 7 mg/L. Long-term exposure to high-fluoride drinking water may have several adverse health effects, primarily dental fluorosis. The opportunities for exposure reduction rely highly on water treatment technologies. Since 2004 public water suppliers in Estonia have made efforts to diminish fluoride content in drinking water systems. A follow-up study on a country level was carried out in 2004-2012 to analyze the changes in population exposure to excessive (over 1.5 mg/L) fluoride in drinking water and to get information about the reduction methods applied by public water supplies (PWS) to optimize the fluoride levels in public water system. The results showed that bigger PWS have been more effective in fluoride reduction measures than small PWS. The main methods used to lower the fluoride content were reverse osmosis technology and replacement of water sources with new ones (new drilled wells). As a result of all the measures taken the overall high-fluoride exposure has been reduced substantially (82%).

Mutual Trust between Kindergarten Teachers and Mothers and Its Associations with Family Characteristics in Estonia and Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikas, Eve; Poikonen, Pirjo-Liisa; Kontoniemi, Marita; Lyyra, Anna-Liisa; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Niilo, Airi

2011-01-01

Mutual trust between mothers and kindergarten teachers along with its relation to mother's educational level and child's gender was studied in two neighboring countries--Estonia and Finland. From Estonia 543 ratings of mothers and 232 ratings of teachers were collected, and, from Finland, 712 ratings of mothers and 712 ratings of teachers. Trust…

Local Spatial Heterogeneity of Holocene Carbon Accumulation throughout the Peat Profile of an Ombrotrophic Northern Minnesota Bog

DOE PAGES

McFarlane, Karis J.; Hanson, Paul J.; Iversen, Colleen M.; ...

2018-05-30

Here, we evaluated the spatial heterogeneity of historical carbon accumulation rates in a forested, ombrotrophic bog in Minnesota to aid understanding of responses to an ongoing decade-long warming manipulation. Eighteen peat cores indicated that the bog has been accumulating carbon for over 11,000 years, to yield 176±40 kg C m –2 to 225±58 cm of peat depth. Estimated peat basal ages ranged from 5100 to 11,100 cal BP. The long-term apparent rate of carbon accumulation over the entire peat profile was 22±2 kg C m –2yr –1. Plot location within the study area did not affect carbon accumulation rates, butmore » estimated basal ages were younger in profiles from plots closer to the bog lagg and farther from the bog outlet. In addition, carbon accumulation varied considerably over time. Early Holocene net carbon accumulation rates were 30±6 g C m –2yr –1. Around 3300 calendar BP, net carbon accumulation rates dropped to 15±8 g C m –2yr –1until the last century when net accumulation rates increased again to 74±57 g C m –2yr –1. During this period of low accumulation, regional droughts may have lowered the water table, allowing for enhanced aerobic decomposition and making the bog more susceptible to fire. These results suggest that experimental warming treatments, as well as a future warmer climate may reduce net carbon accumulation in peat in this and other southern boreal peatlands. Furthermore, our we caution against historical interpretations extrapolated from one or a few peat cores.« less

Local Spatial Heterogeneity of Holocene Carbon Accumulation throughout the Peat Profile of an Ombrotrophic Northern Minnesota Bog

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McFarlane, Karis J.; Hanson, Paul J.; Iversen, Colleen M.

Here, we evaluated the spatial heterogeneity of historical carbon accumulation rates in a forested, ombrotrophic bog in Minnesota to aid understanding of responses to an ongoing decade-long warming manipulation. Eighteen peat cores indicated that the bog has been accumulating carbon for over 11,000 years, to yield 176±40 kg C m –2 to 225±58 cm of peat depth. Estimated peat basal ages ranged from 5100 to 11,100 cal BP. The long-term apparent rate of carbon accumulation over the entire peat profile was 22±2 kg C m –2yr –1. Plot location within the study area did not affect carbon accumulation rates, butmore » estimated basal ages were younger in profiles from plots closer to the bog lagg and farther from the bog outlet. In addition, carbon accumulation varied considerably over time. Early Holocene net carbon accumulation rates were 30±6 g C m –2yr –1. Around 3300 calendar BP, net carbon accumulation rates dropped to 15±8 g C m –2yr –1until the last century when net accumulation rates increased again to 74±57 g C m –2yr –1. During this period of low accumulation, regional droughts may have lowered the water table, allowing for enhanced aerobic decomposition and making the bog more susceptible to fire. These results suggest that experimental warming treatments, as well as a future warmer climate may reduce net carbon accumulation in peat in this and other southern boreal peatlands. Furthermore, our we caution against historical interpretations extrapolated from one or a few peat cores.« less

Ferricrete, manganocrete, and bog iron occurrences with selected sedge bogs and active iron bogs and springs in the upper Animas River watershed, San Juan County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Douglas B.; Church, Stan E.; Verplanck, Philip L.; Wirt, Laurie

2003-01-01

During 1996 to 2000, the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a coordinated strategy to (1) study the environmental effects of historical mining on Federal lands, and (2) remediate contaminated sites that have the greatest impact on water quality and ecosystem health. This dataset provides information that contributes to these overall objectives and is part of the USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative. Data presented here represent ferricrete occurrences and selected iron bogs and springs in the upper Animas River watershed in San Juan County near Silverton, Colorado. Ferricretes (stratified iron and manganese oxyhydroxide-cemented sedimentary deposits) are one indicator of the geochemical baseline conditions as well as the effect that weathering of mineralized rocks had on water quality in the Animas River watershed prior to mining. Logs and wood fragments preserved in several ferricretes in the upper Animas River watershed, collected primarily along streams, yield radiocarbon ages of modern to 9,580 years B.P. (P.L. Verplanck, D.B. Yager, and S.E. Church, work in progress). The presence of ferricrete deposits along the current stream courses indicates that climate and physiography of the Animas River watershed have been relatively constant throughout the Holocene and that weathering processes have been ongoing for thousands of years prior to historical mining activities. Thus, by knowing where ferricrete is preserved in the watershed today, land-management agencies have an indication of (1) where metal precipitation from weathering of altered rocks has occurred in the past, and (2) where this process is ongoing and may confound remediation efforts. These data are included as two coverages-a ferricrete coverage and a bogs and springs coverage. The coverages are included in ArcInfo shapefile and Arc

Pattern of large raised bog formation in the South-Eastern Baltic Region during the Holocene: the case of Kaliningrad oblast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napreenko-Dorokhova, T. V.; Napreenko, M. G.; Lisitzin, A. P.

2017-08-01

The results of complex investigations that have been carried out since 2007 in large bog ecosystems (Zehlau, Bolshoe Mokhovoe, and Koz'e) located in Kaliningrad oblast in two largest landscape areas, glaciolacustrine plains in the central part of the region and coastal lowlands of the southern coast of Curonian Lagoon and the delta of the Neman River, are presented. It is established that the intensive development of mires and their transition to the raised bog stage occurred in the territory of Kaliningrad oblast later than in most of the forest zone in European Russia, where this process was noted as early as during the Atlantic. On the glaciolacustrine flat plains in the central part of Kaliningrad oblast, where there were no deep depressions, the mire formation process was manifested weakly for a long time. A colder and more humid climate, which is a condition necessary for the raised bog peat accumulation and rapid expansion of bogs to the adjacent forest area, occurred only in the Subatlantic.

Single and double sexual standards in Finland, Estonia, and St. Petersburg.

PubMed

Haavio-Mannila, Elina; Kontula, Osmo

2003-02-01

The sexual revolution and fight for gender equality began in the West during the 1960s but did not reach the Soviet Union until the late 1980s. Using survey data from nationally representative samples from Finland in 1971, 1992, and 1999 and from two former Soviet areas, Estonia in 2000 and St. Petersburg in 1996, we investigated the following: (a) differences across decades and countries in acceptance of the sexual double standard (SDS) in attitudes toward marital infidelity and women's initiating sex; and (b) the relationship between the SDS and sexual satisfaction. Results show that Finland in the 1990s was more egalitarian than Finland in 1971, St. Petersburg in 1996, or Estonia in 2000. Egalitarian sexual attitudes were positively related to sexual satisfaction.

SPRUCE S1 Bog Plant-Available Nutrients Assessed with Ion-Exchange Resins from 2011-2012 in the Southern End of the S1 Bog

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iversen, C. M.; Ontl, T. A.; Brice, D. J.

This data set consists of observations of plant-available nutrients assessed using ion-exchange resin capsules incubated serially in aerobic and anaerobic peat layers beginning in 2011. Data were collected from 2011 to 2012 (prior to the construction of the SPRUCE experimental plots) at the southern end of the S1 Bog at three depths in hollow microtopography only.

International Business Education in Estonia--from Socialism to Capitalism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palm, Thomas

1995-01-01

Issues in reform of international business and economics education at Tartu University (Estonia) are discussed, including need for faculty development, faculty reallocation, and redistribution of resources within the country's new social and economic context. It is argued that reform depends on effective integration of foreign experts with more…

Risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis in Estonia.

PubMed

Tekkel, M; Rahu, M; Loit, H M; Baburin, A

2002-10-01

To determine the risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis incidence in Estonia. In a case-control study, the cases were 248 adult tuberculosis patients treated in a hospital in Tallinn between January 1999 and June 2000, and the controls were 248 persons sampled from the Population Registry and matched to cases by sex, year of birth and county of residence. A questionnaire was administered to collect information on potential risk factors. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. The main risk factors for tuberculosis were marital status other than married, educational level less than higher, low income, having been in prison, not having own place of residence, current unemployment, current smoking, alcohol consumption, shortage of food, and contact with tuberculosis patients. Place of birth was not a risk factor. Risk of tuberculosis decreased for overweight persons whose individual economic situation had improved during the last year. The pattern of risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis in Estonia was somewhat different from that in Western European countries; a large percentage of the patients were men, but were not elderly, and immigration and drug abuse did not increase the risk. Major risk factors were related to poverty and low socio-economic status.

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in breeding pigs in Estonia.

PubMed

Santoro, Azzurra; Tagel, Maarja; Must, Kärt; Laine, Miia; Lassen, Brian; Jokelainen, Pikka

2017-12-11

Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread occurring parasite infecting warm-blooded animals, including pigs and humans. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies and to evaluate risk factors for T. gondii seropositivity in breeding pigs raised in Estonia. Sera from 382 pigs were tested with a commercial direct agglutination test, using a cut-off titer of 40 for seropositivity, for the presence of anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin G antibodies. Twenty-two (5.8%) of the 382 pigs tested seropositive for T. gondii, and 6 of the 14 herds had at least one seropositive pig. The proportion of seropositive pigs within the herds ranged between 0 and 43%. Gender appeared as a significant factor, with sows having 5.6 times higher odds to be seropositive to T. gondii than boars. Seroprevalence did not increase with age. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were present in a substantial proportion of breeding pig herds in Estonia. On the other hand, the presence of herds without seropositive pigs illustrates that porcine T. gondii infections can be avoided even in a country where the parasite is endemic and common in several other host species.

Monitoring anonymous HIV testing in Estonia from 2005 to 2015.

PubMed

Rüütel, K; Kallavus, K; Tomera, I

2018-02-01

In Estonia, a network of anonymous and free of charge HIV testing sites has been operating since 1988. Services are provided by health care organizations and financed by the National Institute for Health Development from the state budget. The objective of this analysis was to assess anonymous HIV testing in Estonia from 2005 to 2015. We used data collected from the National Institute for Health Development's annual reports, Health Board and Estonian Health Insurance Fund. In Estonia, more than 200 000 HIV-tests are performed annually, and of these approximately 5-6% are within anonymous HIV testing sites. The percentage tested with rapid tests in anonymous testing sites has increased from 15% in 2010 to 53% in 2015. Furthermore, up to 65% of all newly diagnosed HIV-cases have been detected in these sites. The proportion of HIV-positive tests has decreased from 3.8% to 0.5% in anonymous testing sites and from 0.3% to 0.1% in general health care. Simultaneously, the cost of detecting one new HIV case has increased almost six times. This analysis reveals that anonymous HIV testing services are well accepted by the general population as well as vulnerable populations. The positivity rate among those tested in anonymous testing sites remains higher than among all people tested, showing that the sites reach more of those who are at higher risk of HIV. In the light of decreasing positivity rate, more attention should be paid to people with higher HIV risk and increasing access to testing in community based settings. © 2018 British HIV Association.

Exposure to High Fluoride Drinking Water and Risk of Dental Fluorosis in Estonia

PubMed Central

Indermitte, Ene; Saava, Astrid; Karro, Enn

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess exposure to drinking water fluoride and evaluate the risk of dental fluorosis among the Estonian population. The study covered all 15 counties in Estonia and 93.7% of population that has access to public water supplies. In Estonia groundwater is the main source for public water supply systems in most towns and rural settlements. The content of natural fluoride in water ranges from 0.01 to 7.20 mg/L. The exposure to different fluoride levels was assessed by linking data from previous studies on drinking water quality with databases of the Health Protection Inspectorate on water suppliers and the number of water consumers in water supply systems. Exposure assessment showed that 4% of the study population had excessive exposure to fluoride, mainly in small public water supplies in western and central Estonia, where the Silurian-Ordovician aquifer system is the only source of drinking water. There is a strong correlation between natural fluoride levels and the prevalence of dental fluorosis. Risk of dental fluorosis was calculated to different fluoride exposure levels over 1.5 mg/L. PMID:19440411

Organizational Learning of Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voolaid, Karen; Ehrlich, Üllas

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to measure the organizational learning in two of Estonia's Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and identify connections between the organizational learning and various characteristics of HEI, such as ownership form and market participation rate. Design/methodology/approach: Watkins and Marsick's learning organization…

SPRUCE Shrub-Layer Growth Assessments in S1-Bog Plots and SPRUCE Experimental Plots beginning in 2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanson, P.J.; Phillips, J.R.; Brice, D.J.

This data set reports shrub layer growth assessments for the S1-Bog on the Marcell Experimental Forest in Minnesota from 2010 through 2017. Data were obtained by destructively harvesting two 0.25 m2 plots within defined plot areas of the S1-Bog or SPRUCE experimental plots. In 2015, SPRUCE plots 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19 and 20 were enclosed in the SPRUCE enclosures. Prior to 2015 all data are for open ambient conditions. In early years a distinct hummock and a hollow sampling square were both collected, but in later years unsampled hollow areas became unavailable due to priormore » sampling or instrument installations. All vegetation material above the Sphagnum surface of the bog was clipped and transferred to plastic storage bags which were then frozen until the samples could be sorted. Sorting was done by species, tissue type (leaves vs. stems) and tissue age (current-year vs. older tissues).« less

Chromobacterium sphagni sp. nov., an insecticidal bacterium isolated from Sphagnum bogs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sixteen isolates of Gram-negative, motile, violet-pigmented bacteria were isolated from Sphagnum bogs in West Virginia and Maine, USA. 16S rDNA sequences and fatty acid analysis (FAME) revealed a high degree of relatedness among the isolates, and genomic sequencing of two isolates, IIBBL 14B-1 and I...

Methane fluxes during the cold season: distribution and mass transfer in the snow cover of bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smagin, A. V.; Shnyrev, N. A.

2015-08-01

Fluxes and profile distribution of methane in the snow cover and different landscape elements of an oligotrophic West-Siberian bog (Mukhrino Research Station, Khanty-Mansiisk autonomous district) have been studied during a cold season. Simple models have been proposed for the description of methane distribution in the inert snow layer, which combine the transport of the gas and a source of constant intensity on the soil surface. The formation rates of stationary methane profiles in the snow cover have been estimated (characteristic time of 24 h). Theoretical equations have been derived for the calculation of small emission fluxes from bogs to the atmosphere on the basis of the stationary profile distribution parameters, the snow porosity, and the effective methane diffusion coefficient in the snow layer. The calculated values of methane emission significantly (by 2-3 to several tens of times) have exceeded the values measured under field conditions by the closed chamber method (0.008-0.25 mg C/(m2 h)), which indicates the possibility of underestimating the contribution of the cold period to the annual emission cycle of bog methane.

Tracing of ca 800 yr old mining activity in peat bog using Pb elemental concentrations and isotope compositions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baron, S.; Carignan, J.; Ploquin, A.

2003-04-01

Sixty sites of slags have been documented on the Mont-Lozère in southern France. The petrographic analysis shows that slags are metallurgical wastes (800 to 850 yr BP) which certainly result from smelting activity for lead and silver extraction (Ploquin et al., 2001). The aims of this study are: 1) to trace the source of Pb ores which supplied the smelting sites, by using the Pb isotopic composition of several surrounding Pb deposits, 2) to evaluate the actual pollution caused by these slags, by using elemental and isotopic compositions of soils, water and vegetation, and 3) to document the pollution history of the region, by using elemental and isotopic compositions of peat bog cores collected in the neighbourhood of the historical smelting sites. The lead isotopic composition of galena collected in most surrounding ores is very similar to that of different slag samples. On the other hand, the high precision of the results allowed us to select the mineralised areas which were probably the ore sources. The Pb isotopic composition of slags is even more homogeneous: 208/206 Pb: 2.092±0.002; 206/207 Pb: 1.179±0.001; 208/204 Pb: 38.663±0.025; 207/204 Pb: 15.665±0.006; 206/204 Pb: 18.476±0.023, and will allow source tracing in the environment. The "Narses Mortes" peat bog, around which two smelting sites have been reported, is strongly minerotrophic and contains 8 to 60% ash. A 1.40 m core have been retrieved and divided into 58 individual samples. Minerotrophic peat bog records both atmospheric deposition, soils leaching and the grounwater influence. The measured metal concentrations are normalised to Al contents of peat bog samples and the metal/Al ratios are compared to that of the Mont-Lozère granite: relative excess in metal concentrations are found in peat bog samples. An increasing excess of most metals (Pb, Zn, Cd...) was measured for surface samples, from 55 cm depth to the top of the core (23 cm depth). This profil might be attributed to atmospheric

Adoption of National Curricula by Vocational Teachers in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rekkor, Sirje; Ümarik, Meril; Loogma, Krista

2013-01-01

This article aims to study the adoption of national curricula by vocational teachers. In the paper, we review the process of vocational education and training curriculum reform in Estonia over the last 20 years, and, in particular, the introduction of national curricula. As teachers should be considered the key agents of curricular change, we look…

Microhabitat parameters and life-history characteristics of fallicambarus gordonz fitzpatrick, a crayfish associated with pitcher-plant bogs in southern Mississippi

Treesearch

Carol E. Johnston; Chester Figiel

1997-01-01

Fallicambarus gordoni, a crayfish found only in pitcher-plant bogs, is restricted to the DeSoto National Forest, Perry County, Mississippi, U.S.A. The species is active from late fall through late spring, and apparentiy estivates during the summer when bogs are dry. Ovigerous females were found in late fall and winter, and small juveniles were collected in February....

A geospatial model to quantify mean thickness of peat in cranberry bogs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Commercial cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is cultivated on peatlands, which consist of sedimentary deposits of peat capped by a 0.3-1 m of artificial sand. Despite distinct soil layering, a general paucity of information exists on the physical properties of cranberry bogs. Field measurements...

A geospatial model to quantify mean thickness of peat in cranberry bogs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Commercial cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is cultivated on peatlands, which consist of sedimentary deposits of peat capped by a 0.3-1 m of artificial sand. Despite distinct soil layering, a general paucity of information exists on the physical properties of cranberry bogs. Field measurement...

Peat Bog Archives: from human history, vegetation change and Holocene climate, to atmospheric dusts and trace elements of natural and anthropogenic origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shotyk, William

2010-05-01

For at least two centuries, peat has been recognized as an excellent archive of environmental change. William Rennie (1807), for example, interpreted stratigraphic changes in Scottish bogs not only in terms of natural changes in paleoclimate, but was also able to identify environmental changes induced by humans, namely deforestation and the hydrological impacts which result from such activities. The use of bogs as archives of climate change in the early 20th century was accelerated by studies of fossil plant remains such as those by Lewis in Scotland, and by systematic investigations of pollen grains pioneered by von Post in Sweden. In Denmark, Glob outlined the remarkably well-preserved remains of bog bodies and associated artefacts (of cloth, wood, ceramic and metal) in Danish bogs. In Britain, Godwin provided an introduction to the use of bogs as archives of human history, vegetation change, and Holocene climate, with a more recent survey provided by Charman. Recent decades have provided many mineralogical studies of peat and there is growing evidence that many silicate minerals, whether derived from the surrounding watershed or the atmosphere (soil-derived dusts and particles emitted from volcanoes), also are well preserved in anoxic peatland waters. Similarly, geochemical studies have shown that a long list of trace metals, of both natural and anthropogenic origin, also are remarkably well preserved in peat bogs. Thus, there is growing evidence that ombrotrophic (ie 'rain-fed') peat bogs are reliable archives of atmospheric deposition of a wide range of trace elements, including conservative, lithogenic metals such as Al, Sc, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf and the REE, but also the potentially toxic Class B, or 'heavy metals' such as Cu, Ag, Hg, Pb, Sb and Tl. When high quality measurements of these elements is combined with accurate radiometric age dating, it becomes possible to create high resolution reconstructions of atmospheric soil dust fluxes, ancient and modern metal

Biogeochemistry of carbon and related major and trace elements in peat bog soils of the middle taiga of Western Siberia (Russia).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanova, V. A.; Mironycheva-Tokareva, N. P.; Pokrovsky, O. S.

2012-04-01

Global climate changes impact the status of wetland ecosystems shifting the balances of the carbon, macro-, and microelements cycles. This study aims to establish the features of accumulation and distribution of major- and trace elements in the organic layer of peat bog soils, belonging to different ecosystems of the oligotrophic bog complex located in the middle taiga of Western Siberia (Khanty-Mansiysk region, Russia). Key areas which are selected for this study include the following bog conjugate elementary ecosystems: higher ryam, lower ryam, ridge-hollow complex, and oligotrophic poor fen as characterized previously [1]. We have sampled various peat types along the entire length of the soil column (every 10 cm down to 3 m). Peat samples were analyzed for a wide range of macro- and microelements using an ICP-MS technique following full acid digestion in a microwave oven. These measurements allowed quantitative estimates of major- and trace elements in the peat deposits within the whole bog complex and individual elementary landscapes. Based on the data obtained, the lateral and radial geochemical structures of the bog landscapes were determined and clarified for the first time for middle taiga of the West Siberian plain. The similar regime of mineral nutrition during the complete bog landscape formation was detected for the peat deposits based on the measurements of some major- and trace elements (Ca, Fe, Mg, etc.). The vertical distribution of some major and some trace elements along the profile of peat column is rather uniform with relatively strong increase in the bottom organic layers. This strongly suggests the similarity of the processes of element accumulation in the peat and relatively weak post depositional redistribution of elements within the peat soil profile. Overall, obtained corroborate the existing view on chemical composition of peats being determined by botanical peat's components (which forms this peat deposit), atmospheric precipitation

Biological N2 fixation mainly controlled by Sphagnum tissue N:P ratio in ombrotrophic bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zivkovic, Tatjana; Moore, Tim R.

2017-04-01

Most of the 18 Pg nitrogen (N) accumulated in northern nutrient-poor and Sphagnum-dominated peatlands (bogs and fens) can be attributed to N2-fixation by diazotrophs either associated with the live Sphagnum or non-symbiotically in the deeper peat such as through methane consumption close to the water table. Where atmospheric N deposition is low (< 0.2 g m-2 y-1), ombrotrophic bogs rely on N2-fixation as the primary source of N that sustains primary production. Due to high energetic requirements, N2-fixation depends on the available phosphorus (P). Anthropogenic impacts in the last 200 years increased atmospheric N deposition, resulting in a switch from N to P limitation in Sphagnum, suggested by the increase in tissue N:P to >16. It is unclear how Sphagnum-hosted diazotrophic activity may be affected by N deposition and thus changes in N:P ratio. First, we investigated the effects of long-term addition of different sources of nitrogen (0, 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 g N m-2 y-1as NH4Cl and NaNO3), and phosphorus (5 g P m-2 y-1as KH2PO4) on Sphagnum nutrient status (N, P and N:P ratio), net primary productivity (NPP) and Sphagnum-associated N2fixation at Mer Bleue, a temperate ombrotrophic bog. We show that N concentration in Sphagnum tissue increased with larger rates of N addition, with a stronger effect on Sphagnum from NH4 than NO3. The addition of P created a 3.5 fold increase in Sphagnum P content compared to controls. Sphagnum NPP decreased linearly with the rise in N:P ratio, while linear growth declined exponentially with increase in Sphagnum N content. Rates of N2-fixation determined in the laboratory significantly decreased in response to even the smallest addition of both N species. In contrast, the addition of P increased N2 fixation by up to 100 times compared to N treatments and up to 5-30 times compared to controls. The change in N2-fixation was best modeled by the N:P ratio, across all experimental treatments. Secondly, to test the role of N:P ratio on N2

Prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance-mediating mutations in Mycoplasma genitalium in five cities in Russia and Estonia

PubMed Central

Shipitsyna, Elena; Rumyantseva, Tatiana; Golparian, Daniel; Khayrullina, Guzel; Lagos, Amaya C.; Edelstein, Inna; Joers, Kai; Jensen, Jörgen S.; Savicheva, Alevtina; Rudneva, Natalia; Sukhanova, Larisa; Kozlov, Roman; Guschin, Alexander

2017-01-01

Background and objective Resistance in the sexually transmitted bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium to all recommended therapeutic antimicrobials have rapidly emerged. However, to date, internationally reported resistance surveillance data for M. genitalium strains circulating in Eastern Europe are entirely lacking. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations in M. genitalium in four cities in Russia and one in Estonia, 2013–2016. Materials and methods Consecutive urogenital samples found positive for M. genitalium during diagnostic testing were retrospectively analyzed for resistance-associated mutations in the 23S rRNA and parC genes using pyrosequencing and conventional Sanger sequencing, respectively. Results In total, 867 M. genitalium positive samples from 2013–2016 were analyzed. Macrolide resistance-associated mutations were detected in 4.6% of the samples from Russia (0.7–6.8% in different cities) and in 10% of the samples from Estonia. The mutations A2059G and A2058G were highly predominating in both Russia and Estonia, accounting together for 90.9% of the cases positive for nucleotide substitutions in the 23S rRNA gene. The rates of possible fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations were 6.2% in Russia (2.5–7.6% in different cities) and 5% in Estonia. The mutations S83I and S83N were the most frequent ones in Russia (24.4% each), whereas D87N highly predominated in Estonia (83.3% of all fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations). Approximately 1% of the samples in both countries harbored both macrolide and possible fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations, with A2058G and S83I being the most frequent combination (37.5%). Conclusions The prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations in M. genitalium was 4.6% and 6.2%, respectively, in Russia, and 10% and 5%, respectively, in Estonia. Despite the relatively low rates of macrolide

Prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance-mediating mutations in Mycoplasma genitalium in five cities in Russia and Estonia.

PubMed

Shipitsyna, Elena; Rumyantseva, Tatiana; Golparian, Daniel; Khayrullina, Guzel; Lagos, Amaya C; Edelstein, Inna; Joers, Kai; Jensen, Jörgen S; Savicheva, Alevtina; Rudneva, Natalia; Sukhanova, Larisa; Kozlov, Roman; Guschin, Alexander; Unemo, Magnus

2017-01-01

Resistance in the sexually transmitted bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium to all recommended therapeutic antimicrobials have rapidly emerged. However, to date, internationally reported resistance surveillance data for M. genitalium strains circulating in Eastern Europe are entirely lacking. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations in M. genitalium in four cities in Russia and one in Estonia, 2013-2016. Consecutive urogenital samples found positive for M. genitalium during diagnostic testing were retrospectively analyzed for resistance-associated mutations in the 23S rRNA and parC genes using pyrosequencing and conventional Sanger sequencing, respectively. In total, 867 M. genitalium positive samples from 2013-2016 were analyzed. Macrolide resistance-associated mutations were detected in 4.6% of the samples from Russia (0.7-6.8% in different cities) and in 10% of the samples from Estonia. The mutations A2059G and A2058G were highly predominating in both Russia and Estonia, accounting together for 90.9% of the cases positive for nucleotide substitutions in the 23S rRNA gene. The rates of possible fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations were 6.2% in Russia (2.5-7.6% in different cities) and 5% in Estonia. The mutations S83I and S83N were the most frequent ones in Russia (24.4% each), whereas D87N highly predominated in Estonia (83.3% of all fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations). Approximately 1% of the samples in both countries harbored both macrolide and possible fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations, with A2058G and S83I being the most frequent combination (37.5%). The prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations in M. genitalium was 4.6% and 6.2%, respectively, in Russia, and 10% and 5%, respectively, in Estonia. Despite the relatively low rates of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance in these countries, antimicrobial resistance

Temperature-Induced Increase in Methane Release from Peat Bogs: A Mesocosm Experiment

PubMed Central

van Winden, Julia F.; Reichart, Gert-Jan; McNamara, Niall P.; Benthien, Albert; Damsté, Jaap S. Sinninghe.

2012-01-01

Peat bogs are primarily situated at mid to high latitudes and future climatic change projections indicate that these areas may become increasingly wetter and warmer. Methane emissions from peat bogs are reduced by symbiotic methane oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs). Higher temperatures and increasing water levels will enhance methane production, but also methane oxidation. To unravel the temperature effect on methane and carbon cycling, a set of mesocosm experiments were executed, where intact peat cores containing actively growing Sphagnum were incubated at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C. After two months of incubation, methane flux measurements indicated that, at increasing temperatures, methanotrophs are not able to fully compensate for the increasing methane production by methanogens. Net methane fluxes showed a strong temperature-dependence, with higher methane fluxes at higher temperatures. After removal of Sphagnum, methane fluxes were higher, increasing with increasing temperature. This indicates that the methanotrophs associated with Sphagnum plants play an important role in limiting the net methane flux from peat. Methanotrophs appear to consume almost all methane transported through diffusion between 5 and 15°C. Still, even though methane consumption increased with increasing temperature, the higher fluxes from the methane producing microbes could not be balanced by methanotrophic activity. The efficiency of the Sphagnum-methanotroph consortium as a filter for methane escape thus decreases with increasing temperature. Whereas 98% of the produced methane is retained at 5°C, this drops to approximately 50% at 25°C. This implies that warming at the mid to high latitudes may be enhanced through increased methane release from peat bogs. PMID:22768100

Preliminary stable isotope results from the Mohos peat bog, East-Carpathians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Túri, Marianna; Palcsu, László; Futó, István; Hubay, Katalin; Molnár, Mihály; Rinyu, László; Braun, Mihály

2016-04-01

This work provides preliminary results of an isotope investigation carried out on a peat core drilled in the ombrotrophic Mohos peat bog, Ciomadul Mountain, (46°8'3.60"N, 25°54'19.43"E, 1050 m.a.s.l.), East Carpathians, Romania. The Ciomadul is a single dacitic volcano with two craters: the younger Saint Ana and the older Mohos which is a peat bog, and surrounded by a number of individual lava domes as well as a narrow volcaniclastic ring plain volcano. A 10 m long peat core has been taken previously, and is available for stable oxygen and carbon isotope analysis. It is known from our previous work (Hubay et al., 2015) that it covers a period from 11.500 cal year B.P. to present. The peat bog is composed mainly of Sphagnum, which has a direct relationship with the environment, making it suitable for examine the changes in the surrounding circumstances. Isotopic analysis of the prepared cellulose from Sphagnum moss has the attribute to provide such high resolution quantitative estimates of the past climate and there is no such climate studies in this area where the past climate investigations based on oxygen isotope analysis of the Sphagnum. Oxygen and carbon stable isotope analysis were carried out on the hemicellulose samples, which were chemically prepared for 14C dating and taken from every 30 cm of the 10 m long peat core. The oxygen isotope composition of the precipitation can be revealed from the δ18O values of the prepared cellulose samples, since, while carbon isotope ratio tells more about the wet and dry periods of the past. Studying both oxygen and carbon isotope signatures, slight fluctuations can be seen during the Holocene like some of the six periods of significant climate changes can be seen in this resolution during the time periods of 9000-8000, 6000-5000, 4200-3800, 3500-2500, 1200-1000, and 600-150 cal yr B.P. Additionally, the late Pleistocene - early Holocene environmental changes can be clearly observed as Pleistocene peat samples have

Experimental Nitrogen Deposition Alters Post-fire Carbon Balance Recovery in Alberta Bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieder, R. K.; Vile, M. A.; Scott, K. D.; Albright, C. M.; McMillen, K.

2016-12-01

Bogs and fens occupy about 30% of the landscape across northern Alberta, Canada and function regionally as a net sink for atmospheric CO2-C, the strength of which is strongly influenced by the frequency and extent of wildfires. Alberta peatlands have persisted at the low end of the global range of annual atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition (< 2 kg ha-1 yr-1), but oil sands development in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region has led to regionally elevated atmospheric N deposition. To examine the effects of elevated N deposition on bog net CO2 exchange, we experimentally applied N (as NH4NO3 solutions) to replicated plots at levels equivalent to controls (C: no water additions), 0 (water only), 10, and 20 kg/ha/yr at five bog sites, aged at 2, 12, 32, 73, and 113 years since fire in 2013 (hummocks and hollows in 6 plots per N treatment per site). Understory net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) was measured repeatedly throughout the 2013-2016 growing seasons using the closed chamber approach. Averaged across all years, sites, plots, and hummocks versus hollows, N addition stimulated NEE rates (C and 0 treatments: 0.46 µmol m-2 s-1; 10 and 20 treatments: 1.16 µmol m-2 s-1) and to a much lesser extent understory dark respiration (ER) rates (C and 0 treatments: -3.26 µmol m-2 s-1; 10 and 20 treatments: -3.43 µmol m-2 s-1). On an annual basis, averaged across all years, sites, and plots, N addition also stimulated NEE for hummocks (C and 0 treatments: -1.0 mol C m-2 yr-1; 10 and 20 treatments: 15.7 mol C m-2 yr-1), but not hollows. Experimental N addition had minimal effects on annual ER. The nature of the N response, however, differed between sites and years. Further, experimental N addition had no effect on the net primary production of Sphagnum fuscum, the dominant peat-forming moss. Thus, the enhancement of the net CO2-C sink through N addition occurs through stimulation of short-statured vascular shrub growth and biomass, with implications for the structure and function

Elevated Nitrogen Deposition Enhances the Net CO2 Sink Strength in Alberta Bogs along a Post-fire Chronosequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieder, R. K.; Vile, M. A.; Albright, C. M.; Scott, K. D.

2014-12-01

About 30% of the landscape of northern Alberta, Canada is occupied by peatlands, which persist at the low end range of both mean annual precipitation (<500 mm/yr) and mean annual atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition (< 1 kg/ha/yr) across which peatlands are found globally. Ombrotrophic bogs in this region function as a net sink for atmospheric CO2 of over 75 g/m2/yr, taking into consideration changes in CO2 sink strength as a function of time since fire. In addition to fire, a new disturbance is emerging in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) of northern Alberta, where development of the oil sands resource has increased atmospheric N deposition to as much as 2.5 kg/ha/yr. To examine the effects of elevated N deposition on bog C cycling, we experimentally applied N (as NH4NO3 solutions) to replicated plots at levels equivalent to 0 (water added with no N), 10, and 20 kg/ha/yr, and controls (no waher, no N added) at five bog sites, aged at 2, 12, 32, 73, and 113 years since fire in 2013 (6 plots per N treatment per site). Understory net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) was measured repeatedly throughout the 2013 and 2014 growing season (and in 2011 and 2012 at the most recently burned site) using the closed chamber approach. Using a rectangular hyperbola equation to characterize NEE as a function of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and near-surface air temperature (T), monthly and annual NEE was estimated based on hourly measurements of PAR and T at each site. Across all sites, a general pattern emerged that N additions enhanced the net CO2 sink strength of the bogs, with no effect on ecosystem respiration. Net primary production of Sphagnum fuscum, the dominant peat-forming moss, was not affected by N addition, suggesting that the overall response of NEE to N addition is the result of enhanced growth of ericaceous shrubs. These findings suggest that while elevated N deposition in the AOSR may enhance the strength of the overall CO2 sink of bogs in the short

Dendrochronologically dated pine stumps document phase-wise bog expansion at a northwest German site between ca. 6700 and ca. 3400 BC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maike Achterberg, Inke Elisabeth; Eckstein, Jan; Birkholz, Bernhard; Bauerochse, Andreas; Leuschner, Hanns Hubert

2018-01-01

The investigated northwest German mire site at Totes Moor is densely covered with subfossil pine stumps (Pinus sylvestris L.) from the fen-bog transition. This facilitates the spatio-temporal reconstruction of mire development, which is based on 212 in situ tree stumps in the case study presented here. Six dendrochronologically dated site chronologies together cover 2345 years between 6703 and 3403 BC. The gaps in between are 6 to 550 years long. Additionally, a floating chronology of 309 years, containing 30 trees, was radiocarbon-dated to the beginning of the 7th millennium cal BC. Peat-stratigraphical survey was carried out additionally, and elevations a.s.l. were determined at several locations. Tree dying-off phases, which indicate water level rise at the site, mostly in context of the local fen-bog transition, are evident for ca. 6600-6450, ca. 6350-5750, ca. 5300-4900, ca. 4700-4550, ca. 3900-3850, ca. 3700-3600, ca. 3500-3450 and ca. 3400 BC. The spatial distribution of the dated in situ trees illustrates the phase-wise expansion of raised bog over fen peat at the site. The documented bog expansion pulses likely correspond to climatic wet sifts.

Plant component features of forest-bog ecotones of eutrophic paludification in the south of boreal forest zone of West Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimova, N. V.; Chernova, N. A.; Pologova, N. N.

2018-03-01

Paludified forests formed in transitional forest-bog zone aren’t studied enough, inspite of its high expected diversity and large areas in the south of boreal forest zone of West Siberia. In this article wet birch (Betula pubescens) forests of forest-bog ecotones of eutrophic paludification are investigated on Vasyugan plain with nutrient-rich calcareous clays as soil-forming rocks. Species diversity and ecocoenotic structure of these phytocoenoses are discussed. They correlated with wetness and nutrient-availability of habitats evaluated with indicator values of plants. The participation of hydrophylous species is increasing as wetness of habitats increasing in the forest-to-bog direction like in mesotrophic paludification series. However the number of species is higher in the phytocoenoses of eutrophic paludification. The share of species required to nutrient availability is also higher, both in number and in abundance. A lot of these species are usual for eutrophic boreal forested swamps with groundwater input and absent in forests of mesotrophic paludification. Accordingly the nutrient-availability of habitats is also higher. All these features we connect with birch to be a forest forming species instead of dark-coniferous and with the influence of nutrient-rich parent rocks, which is evident in forest-bog ecotones of Vasyugan plain gradually decreasing together with peat horizon thickening.

Soil data for a thermokarst bog and the surrounding permafrost plateau forest, located at Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research Site, Interior Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manies, Kristen L.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Jones, Miriam C.; Waldrop, Mark P.; McGeehin, John P.

2017-01-19

Peatlands play an important role in boreal ecosystems, storing a large amount of soil organic carbon. In northern ecosystems, collapse-scar bogs (also known as thermokarst bogs) often form as the result of ground subsidence following permafrost thaw. To examine how ecosystem carbon balance changes with the loss of permafrost, we measured carbon and nitrogen storage within a thermokarst bog and the surrounding forest, which continues to have permafrost. These sites are a part of the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site and are located within Interior Alaska. Here, we report on methods used for core collection analysis as well as the cores’ physical, chemical, and descriptive properties.

Significance of action plans in the development of occupational well-being in the schools of Finland and Estonia.

PubMed

Laine, Sari; Saaranen, Terhi; Pertel, Tiia; Hansen, Siivi; Lepp, Kädi; Tossavainen, Kerttu

2016-02-01

This article is part of a long term project "Promoting the Occupational Well-Being of School Staff-Action Research Project in Finland and Estonia, 2009-2014." The purpose of this article is to describe the significance of action plans in the promotion of the occupational well-being of primary and upper secondary school staff in Finland and Estonia from 2010 to the turn of the year 2011-2012. An electronic open questionnaire was sent to occupational well-being groups in Finland (N=18) and in Estonia (N=39). In Finland, the questionnaire was responded to by 16 (n=16) occupational well-being groups, and in Estonia, by 38 (n=38) groups. The qualitative data were analyzed using the inductive-deductive method and content analysis. The obtained results indicate that the schools had named goals for action plans in all aspects of the promotion of occupational well-being in schools (worker and work, working conditions, professional competence, working community) and that these goals were mainly realized in the schools in a systematic way. Schools felt that the action plan for occupational well-being helped them to set goals for occupational well-being and that the planned actions were realized in a more systematic way than before. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Why Do People Engage in Corruption? The Case of Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tavits, Margit

2010-01-01

This study uses survey data for 2004 on the general public (N = 788) and public officials (N = 791) in the young post-communist democracy of Estonia to examine individual-level determinants of corruption. The results indicate that both public officials and citizens are more likely to engage in corruption when they do not define corruption as…

The Implementation of Pharmacy Competence Teaching in Estonia

PubMed Central

Volmer, Daisy; Sepp, Kristiina; Veski, Peep; Raal, Ain

2017-01-01

Background: The PHAR-QA, “Quality Assurance in European Pharmacy Education and Training”, project has produced the European Pharmacy Competence Framework (EPCF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the existing pharmacy programme at the University of Tartu, using the EPCF. Methods: A qualitative assessment of the pharmacy programme by a convenience sample (n = 14) representing different pharmacy stakeholders in Estonia. EPCF competency levels were determined by using a five-point scale tool adopted from the Dutch competency standards framework. Mean scores of competency levels given by academia and other pharmacy stakeholders were compared. Results: Medical and social sciences, pharmaceutical technology, and pharmacy internship were more frequent subject areas contributing to EPCF competencies. In almost all domains, the competency level was seen higher by academia than by other pharmacy stakeholders. Despite on-board theoretical knowledge, the competency level at graduation could be insufficient for independent professional practice. Other pharmacy stakeholders would improve practical implementation of theoretical knowledge, especially to increase patient care competencies. Conclusions: The EPCF was utilized to evaluate professional competencies of entry-level pharmacists who have completed a traditional pharmacy curriculum. More efficient training methods and involvement of practicing specialists were suggested to reduce the gaps of the existing pharmacy programme. Applicability of competence teaching in Estonia requires more research and collaborative communication within the pharmacy sector. PMID:28970430

Multi-omics of permafrost, active layer and thermokarst bog soil microbiomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hultman, Jenni; Waldrop, Mark P.; Mackelprang, Rachel; David, Maude M.; McFarland, Jack; Blazewicz, Steven J.; Harden, Jennifer; Turetsky, Merritt R.; McGuire, A. David; Shah, Manesh B.; Verberkmoes, Nathan C.; Lee, Lang Ho; Mavrommatis, Kostas; Jansson, Janet K.

2015-05-01

Over 20% of Earth's terrestrial surface is underlain by permafrost with vast stores of carbon that, once thawed, may represent the largest future transfer of carbon from the biosphere to the atmosphere. This process is largely dependent on microbial responses, but we know little about microbial activity in intact, let alone in thawing, permafrost. Molecular approaches have recently revealed the identities and functional gene composition of microorganisms in some permafrost soils and a rapid shift in functional gene composition during short-term thaw experiments. However, the fate of permafrost carbon depends on climatic, hydrological and microbial responses to thaw at decadal scales. Here we use the combination of several molecular `omics' approaches to determine the phylogenetic composition of the microbial communities, including several draft genomes of novel species, their functional potential and activity in soils representing different states of thaw: intact permafrost, seasonally thawed active layer and thermokarst bog. The multi-omics strategy reveals a good correlation of process rates to omics data for dominant processes, such as methanogenesis in the bog, as well as novel survival strategies for potentially active microbes in permafrost.

Multi-omics of permafrost, active layer and thermokarst bog soil microbiomes.

PubMed

Hultman, Jenni; Waldrop, Mark P; Mackelprang, Rachel; David, Maude M; McFarland, Jack; Blazewicz, Steven J; Harden, Jennifer; Turetsky, Merritt R; McGuire, A David; Shah, Manesh B; VerBerkmoes, Nathan C; Lee, Lang Ho; Mavrommatis, Kostas; Jansson, Janet K

2015-05-14

Over 20% of Earth's terrestrial surface is underlain by permafrost with vast stores of carbon that, once thawed, may represent the largest future transfer of carbon from the biosphere to the atmosphere. This process is largely dependent on microbial responses, but we know little about microbial activity in intact, let alone in thawing, permafrost. Molecular approaches have recently revealed the identities and functional gene composition of microorganisms in some permafrost soils and a rapid shift in functional gene composition during short-term thaw experiments. However, the fate of permafrost carbon depends on climatic, hydrological and microbial responses to thaw at decadal scales. Here we use the combination of several molecular 'omics' approaches to determine the phylogenetic composition of the microbial communities, including several draft genomes of novel species, their functional potential and activity in soils representing different states of thaw: intact permafrost, seasonally thawed active layer and thermokarst bog. The multi-omics strategy reveals a good correlation of process rates to omics data for dominant processes, such as methanogenesis in the bog, as well as novel survival strategies for potentially active microbes in permafrost.

Comparative Study: Impact of Family, School, and Students Factors on Students Achievements in Reading in Developed (Estonia) and Developing (Azerbaijan) Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukakidze, Berika

2013-01-01

The work is based on PISA 2009 International Assessment Study. Two counties were selected: a developed country, Estonia and a developing country, Azerbaijan. The following Datum was used for statistical analysis: students average scores in reading (162 schools, 4 600 students from Azerbaijan; 17 schools, 4 923 students from Estonia). The work is…

Functioning of microbial complexes in aerated layers of a highmoor peat bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovchenko, A. V.; Bogdanova, O. Yu.; Stepanov, A. L.; Polyanskaya, L. M.; Zvyagintsev, D. G.

2010-09-01

Monitoring was carried out using the luminescent-microscopic method of the abundance parameters of different groups of microorganisms in a monolith and in the mixed layers of a highmoor peat bog (oligotrophic residual-eutrophic peat soil) in a year-long model experiment. The increase of the aeration as a result of mixing of the layers enhanced the activity of the soil fungi. This was attested to by the following changes: the increase of the fungal mycelium length by 6 times and of the fungal biomass by 4 times and the double decrease of the fraction of spores in the fungal complex. The response of the fungal complex to mixing was different in the different layers of the peat bog. The maximal effect was observed in the T1 layer and the minimal one in the T2 layer. The emission of CO2 in the mixed samples was 1.5-2 times higher than that from the undisturbed peat samples. In contrast with the fungi, the bacteria and actinomycetes were not affected by the aeration of the highmoor layers.

Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia rosea) Dieback and Partial Community Disassembly following Experimental Storm Surge in a Coastal Pitcher Plant Bog

PubMed Central

Abbott, Matthew J.; Battaglia, Loretta L.

2015-01-01

Sea-level rise and frequent intense hurricanes associated with climate change will result in recurrent flooding of inland systems such as Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs by storm surges. These surges can transport salt water and sediment to freshwater bogs, greatly affecting their biological integrity. Purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia rosea) are Gulf Coast pitcher plant bog inhabitants that could be at a disadvantage under this scenario because their pitcher morphology may leave them prone to collection of saline water and sediment after a surge. We investigated the effects of storm surge water salinity and sediment type on S. rosea vitality, plant community structure, and bog soil-water conductivity. Plots (containing ≥1 ramet of S. rosea) were experimentally flooded with fresh or saline water crossed with one of three sediment types (local, foreign, or no sediment). There were no treatment effects on soil-water conductivity; nevertheless, direct exposure to saline water resulted in significantly lower S. rosea cover until the following season when a prescribed fire and regional drought contributed to the decline of all the S. rosea to near zero percent cover. There were also significant differences in plant community structure between treatments over time, reflecting how numerous species increased in abundance and a few species decreased in abundance. However, in contrast to S. rosea, most of the other species in the community appeared resilient to the effects of storm surge. Thus, although the community may be somewhat affected by storm surge, those few species that are particularly sensitive to the storm surge disturbance will likely drop out of the community and be replaced by more resilient species. Depending on the longevity of these biological legacies, Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs may be incapable of fully recovering if they become exposed to storm surge more frequently due to climate change. PMID:25874369

Purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia rosea) Dieback and partial community disassembly following experimental storm surge in a coastal pitcher plant bog.

PubMed

Abbott, Matthew J; Battaglia, Loretta L

2015-01-01

Sea-level rise and frequent intense hurricanes associated with climate change will result in recurrent flooding of inland systems such as Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs by storm surges. These surges can transport salt water and sediment to freshwater bogs, greatly affecting their biological integrity. Purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia rosea) are Gulf Coast pitcher plant bog inhabitants that could be at a disadvantage under this scenario because their pitcher morphology may leave them prone to collection of saline water and sediment after a surge. We investigated the effects of storm surge water salinity and sediment type on S. rosea vitality, plant community structure, and bog soil-water conductivity. Plots (containing ≥1 ramet of S. rosea) were experimentally flooded with fresh or saline water crossed with one of three sediment types (local, foreign, or no sediment). There were no treatment effects on soil-water conductivity; nevertheless, direct exposure to saline water resulted in significantly lower S. rosea cover until the following season when a prescribed fire and regional drought contributed to the decline of all the S. rosea to near zero percent cover. There were also significant differences in plant community structure between treatments over time, reflecting how numerous species increased in abundance and a few species decreased in abundance. However, in contrast to S. rosea, most of the other species in the community appeared resilient to the effects of storm surge. Thus, although the community may be somewhat affected by storm surge, those few species that are particularly sensitive to the storm surge disturbance will likely drop out of the community and be replaced by more resilient species. Depending on the longevity of these biological legacies, Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs may be incapable of fully recovering if they become exposed to storm surge more frequently due to climate change.

The complex relationships between methane emissions and water table at an ombrotrophic bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humphreys, Elyn; Roulet, Nigel; Moore, Tim

2017-04-01

Broad spatial and temporal variations in methane emissions from peatlands have been related to many variables including water table position, temperature and vegetation characteristics and functioning. In general, wetter peatlands tend to have greater methane emissions. However, over shorter periods of time and space, the relationship between water table and methane emissions can reverse, show hysteresis or be absent entirely. These relationships are investigated at the Mer Bleue Bog, a temperate ombrotrophic bog near Ottawa, Canada. Six years of concurrent growing season eddy covariance and automated chamber fluxes reveal the expected broad patterns. During the wettest growing season, the water table remained within 40 cm of the bog's hummock surfaces. Methane emissions were upwards of 20 to 45 mg C m-2 d-1 and exceeded the emission rates from two drier growing seasons which saw periods where the water table dropped to nearly 80 cm below the hummock surface. In those periods, methane emission rates declined to about 5 mg C m-2 d-1 or less. Lawn plots with aerenchymatous Eriophorum vegetation and high water tables had greatest emissions (exceeding 200 mg C m-2 d-1) compared to hummock plots vegetated by ericaceous shrubs, which had emissions rates similar to those measured by eddy covariance. However, within a growing season, hysteresis and inverse relationships between water table and methane emissions were observed at both ecosystem and chamber plot scales. These included periods between rainfall events where methane emissions increased while the water table deepened. The potential roles of methane production, consumption, storage and transport processes on these patterns will be discussed.

[Testate amoebae inhabiting middle taiga bogs in Western Siberia].

PubMed

Kur'ina, I V; Preĭs, Iu I; Bobrov, A A

2010-01-01

The population of testate amoebae from the most typical middle taiga bogs of Western Siberia have been studied. More than one hundred (103) species and intraspecific taxons of testate amoebae have been revealed in recent surface samples. The relation between ecological characteristics of habitats and the composition of a Protozoa population has been demonstrated. The ecological preferences of species concerning the index of wetness, ash level, and acidity have been revealed. Using the correspondence analysis, the ecological optimums and the tolerance of species and intraspecific taxons of testate amoebae have been established.

The Professional Foreign Language Teacher in Estonia: Students' and Principals' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oder, Tuuli

2008-01-01

The Republic of Estonia as a typical country in transition is going through major changes in educational thinking. Global and European educational trends, together with local changes, the most important being a new state system, have resulted in changes in the concept of professional foreign language (FL) teaching. Common ground among various…

Historical peat loss explains limited short-term response of drained blanket bogs to rewetting.

PubMed

Williamson, Jennifer; Rowe, Edwin; Reed, David; Ruffino, Lucia; Jones, Peter; Dolan, Rachel; Buckingham, Helen; Norris, David; Astbury, Shaun; Evans, Chris D

2017-03-01

This study assessed the short-term impacts of ditch blocking on water table depth and vegetation community structure in a historically drained blanket bog. A chronosequence approach was used to compare vegetation near ditches blocked 5 years, 4 years and 1 year prior to the study with vegetation near unblocked ditches. Plots adjacent to and 3 m away from 70 ditches within an area of blanket bog were assessed for floristic composition, aeration depth using steel bars, and topography using LiDAR data. No changes in aeration depth or vegetation parameters were detected as a function of ditch-blocking, time since blocking, or distance from the ditch, with the exception of non-Sphagnum bryophytes which had lower cover in quadrats adjacent to ditches that had been blocked for 5 years. Analysis of LiDAR data and the observed proximity of the water table to the peat surface led us to conclude that the subdued ecosystem responses to ditch-blocking were the result of historical peat subsidence within a 4-5 m zone either side of each ditch, which had effectively lowered the peat surface to the new, ditch-influenced water table. We estimate that this process led to the loss of around 500,000 m 3 peat within the 38 km 2 study area following drainage, due to a combination of oxidation and compaction. Assuming that 50% of the volume loss was due to oxidation, this amounts to a carbon loss of 11,000 Mg C over this area, i.e. 3 Mg C ha -1 . The apparent 'self-rewetting' of blanket bogs in the decades following drainage has implications for their restoration as it suggests that there may not be large quantities of dry peat left to rewet, and that there is a risk of inundation (potentially leading to high methane emissions) along subsided ditch lines. Many peatland processes are likely to be maintained in drained blanket bog, including support of typical peatland vegetation, but infilling of lost peat and recovery of original C stocks are likely to take longer than is

Functional traits of testate amoebae and multi-proxy data unveil exceptional Baltic bog ecohydrology, autogenic succession and climate change during the last 2000 years in CE Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Gałka, Mariusz; Tobolski, Kazimierz; Lamentowicz, Łukasz; Ersek, Vasile; Jassey, Vincent E. J.; van der Knaap, Willem O.

2017-04-01

We studied two peat cores from the Baltic raised bog (Mechacz Wielki in NE Poland). We aimed to separate signal of extrinsic and intrinsic forcing of the raised bog development using multi-proxy high-resolution approach. Using testate amoebae transfer function, we found that the bog revealed exceptionally stable hydrological conditions during the last 2k with a relatively high water table and lack of local fire events that allowed for rapid peat accumulation (2.75 mm/year) in the bog. Furthermore, the strong correlation between pH and community-weighted mean of testate amoeba traits suggests that other variables than water-table depth play a role in driving microbial properties under stable hydrological conditions. There is a difference in hydrological dynamics in bogs between NW and NE Poland until ca CE 1500, after which the water table reconstructions possess more similarities. Our data suggest a common regional climatic forcing in Mechacz Wielki, Gązwa and Kontolanrahka. Though it may still be too early to attempt a regional summary of wetness change in the southern Baltic region, this study is a next step to better understand the long-term peatland palaeohydrology in NE Europe. We suggest that extrinsic factors (climate) played an important role as a driver in mire development during the bog stage (AD 500-2012). Our results also show how various functional traits relate to different environmental variables in a range of trophic and hydrological scenarios on long time scales.

Dating Kaali Crater (Estonia) based on charcoal emplaced within proximal ejecta blanket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Losiak, Anna; Wild, Eva Maria; Huber, Matthew S.; Wisniowski, Tomasz; Paavel, Kristiina; Jõeleht, Argo; Välja, Rudolf; Plado, Jüri; Kriiska, Aivar; Wilk, Jakob; Zanetti, Michael; Geppert, Wolf D.; Kulkov, Alexander; Steier, Peter; Pirkovic, Irena

2015-04-01

The Kaali impact field consists of nine identified craters located on the Saaremaa Island in Estonia. The largest crater is 110 m in diameter (centered around 58°22'21.94"N, 22°40'09.91" E). It was formed by impact of an IAB iron meteoroid into Silurian dolomite target rocks covered by up to a few meters of glacial till (Veski et al. 2007). The age of the Kaali impact structure is still a matter of debate, and the estimates provided by different authors vary considerably between ~6400 BC (Raukas et al. 1995, Moora et al. 2012) and ~400 BC (Rasmussen et al. 2000, Veski et al. 2001). These ages were derived by 14C dating of marker horizons, characterized by a slightly elevated iridium content within the nearby Piila bog yielding a calibrated age of 800-400 BC (Rasmussen et al. 2000, Veski et al. 2001) and occurrences of glassy siliceous material in the Piila bog (~6400 BC: Raukas et al. 1995) or iron microspherules in an organic-rich layer of the Reo gravel pit (6400 BC: Moora et al. 2012). However, the source of the foreign material within those layers was never unequivocally connected with the Kaali crater. 14C dating of material from post-impact organic sediments within Kaali impact craters yielded ages between 1800-1500 BC (Saarse et al. 1991, Veski et al. 2004) and 1450-400 BC (Aaloe et al. 1963). These dates underestimate the age of impact as organic sediments within the crater started to form at unknown period after the impact. On the other hand, Veski et al. (2004) suggested a reservoir effect that might have caused artificially "aging" of the organic matter because the crater was emplaced within Silurian dolomite which is rich in old carbon. The aim of this study is to determine the age of the Kaali crater by 14C dating of organic material covered by the continuous layer of proximal ejecta. This research was conducted in conjunction with a new structural investigation of Kaali Main (Zanetti et al. 2015). Ten samples collected from different locations

Microbial Community Structure and Activity Linked to Contrasting Biogeochemical Gradients in Bog and Fen Environments of the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatland

PubMed Central

Lin, X.; Green, S.; Tfaily, M. M.; Prakash, O.; Konstantinidis, K. T.; Corbett, J. E.; Chanton, J. P.; Cooper, W. T.

2012-01-01

The abundances, compositions, and activities of microbial communities were investigated at bog and fen sites in the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatland of northwestern Minnesota. These sites contrast in the reactivity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the presence or absence of groundwater inputs. Microbial community composition was characterized using pyrosequencing and clone library construction of phylogenetic marker genes. Microbial distribution patterns were linked to pH, concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, C/N ratios, optical properties of DOM, and activities of laccase and peroxidase enzymes. Both bacterial and archaeal richness and rRNA gene abundance were >2 times higher on average in the fen than in the bog, in agreement with a higher pH, labile DOM content, and enhanced enzyme activities in the fen. Fungi were equivalent to an average of 1.4% of total prokaryotes in gene abundance assayed by quantitative PCR. Results revealed statistically distinct spatial patterns between bacterial and fungal communities. Fungal distribution did not covary with pH and DOM optical properties and was vertically stratified, with a prevalence of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota near the surface and much higher representation of Zygomycota in the subsurface. In contrast, bacterial community composition largely varied between environments, with the bog dominated by Acidobacteria (61% of total sequences), while the Firmicutes (52%) dominated in the fen. Acetoclastic Methanosarcinales showed a much higher relative abundance in the bog, in contrast to the dominance of diverse hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the fen. This is the first quantitative and compositional analysis of three microbial domains in peatlands and demonstrates that the microbial abundance, diversity, and activity parallel with the pronounced differences in environmental variables between bog and fen sites. PMID:22843538

Heat transport in the Red Lake Bog, Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKenzie, J.M.; Siegel, D.I.; Rosenberry, D.O.; Glaser, P.H.; Voss, C.I.

2007-01-01

We report the results of an investigation on the processes controlling heat transport in peat under a large bog in the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands. For 2 years, starting in July 1998, we recorded temperature at 12 depth intervals from 0 to 400 cm within a vertical peat profile at the crest of the bog at sub-daily intervals. We also recorded air temperature 1 m above the peat surface. We calculate a peat thermal conductivity of 0.5 W m-1 ??C-1 and model vertical heat transport through the peat using the SUTRA model. The model was calibrated to the first year of data, and then evaluated against the second year of collected heat data. The model results suggest that advective pore-water flow is not necessary to transport heat within the peat profile and most of the heat is transferred by thermal conduction alone in these waterlogged soils. In the spring season, a zero-curtain effect controls the transport of heat through shallow depths of the peat. Changes in local climate and the resulting changes in thermal transport still may cause non-linear feedbacks in methane emissions related to the generation of methane deeper within the peat profile as regional temperatures increase. Copyright ?? 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Financing Estonia's unemployment insurance system: problems and prospects.

PubMed

Paas, T; Scannell, N J

2000-01-01

In recent years, favorable media coverage of the glowing employment situation in the United States has been the norm. History, for one, won't permit us, however, to become complacent with what appears on the books to be a rosy economic picture for the nation. Moreover, the mounting recognition that the U.S. economy is inextricably tied to those of other nations--large and small--serves to keep us vigilant. This paper allows us a comparative exploration of the employment conditions in Estonia and the problems and prospects of financing its unemployment insurance program.

The National Status of the Preparation of School Psychologists in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikas, Eve

2014-01-01

Estonia is a small republic that has undergone several big societal changes (from belonging to the Soviet Union to becoming a free republic, and the process of integrating into the European Union) during the last several decades. Psychology has been taught as a separate discipline starting from 1968, but its content has been changed from very…

Fine-root growth in a forested bog is seasonally dynamic, but shallowly distributed in nutrient-poor peat

DOE PAGES

Iversen, Colleen M.; Childs, Joanne; Norby, Richard J.; ...

2017-03-30

Fine roots contribute to ecosystem carbon, water, and nutrient fluxes through resource acquisition, respiration, exudation, and turnover, but are understudied in peatlands. Here, we aimed to determine how the amount and timing of fine-root growth in a forested, ombrotrophic bog varied across gradients of vegetation density, peat microtopography, and changes in environmental conditions across the growing season and throughout the peat profile. We quantified fine-root peak standing crop and growth using non-destructive minirhizotron technology over a two-year period, focusing on the dominant woody species in the bog: Picea mariana, Larix laricina, Rhododendron groenlandicum, and Chamaedaphne calyculata. The fine roots ofmore » trees and shrubs were concentrated in raised hummock microtopography, with more tree roots associated with greater tree densities and a unimodal peak in shrub roots at intermediate tree densities. Fine-root growth tended to be seasonally dynamic, but shallowly distributed, in a thin layer of nutrient-poor, aerobic peat above the growing season water table level. Finally, the dynamics and distribution of fine roots in this forested ombrotrophic bog varied across space and time in response to biological, edaphic, and climatic conditions, and we expect these relationships to be sensitive to projected environmental changes in northern peatlands.« less

Fine-root growth in a forested bog is seasonally dynamic, but shallowly distributed in nutrient-poor peat

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iversen, Colleen M.; Childs, Joanne; Norby, Richard J.

Fine roots contribute to ecosystem carbon, water, and nutrient fluxes through resource acquisition, respiration, exudation, and turnover, but are understudied in peatlands. Here, we aimed to determine how the amount and timing of fine-root growth in a forested, ombrotrophic bog varied across gradients of vegetation density, peat microtopography, and changes in environmental conditions across the growing season and throughout the peat profile. We quantified fine-root peak standing crop and growth using non-destructive minirhizotron technology over a two-year period, focusing on the dominant woody species in the bog: Picea mariana, Larix laricina, Rhododendron groenlandicum, and Chamaedaphne calyculata. The fine roots ofmore » trees and shrubs were concentrated in raised hummock microtopography, with more tree roots associated with greater tree densities and a unimodal peak in shrub roots at intermediate tree densities. Fine-root growth tended to be seasonally dynamic, but shallowly distributed, in a thin layer of nutrient-poor, aerobic peat above the growing season water table level. Finally, the dynamics and distribution of fine roots in this forested ombrotrophic bog varied across space and time in response to biological, edaphic, and climatic conditions, and we expect these relationships to be sensitive to projected environmental changes in northern peatlands.« less

Educational inequalities in self-rated health: whether post-socialist Estonia and Russia are performing better than 'Scandinavian' Finland.

PubMed

Vöörmann, Rein; Helemäe, Jelena

2015-03-01

The aim of the study is to analyse relationship between self-rated health (SRH) and education in post-socialist countries (Estonia and Russia) and in Finland, a Scandinavian country. Data from the 5th wave of the European Social Survey (ESS) carried out in 2010 were used. In particular, we used a sub-sample of the 25-69 years old. Two-step analysis was carried out: descriptive overview of relationship between SRH and education to assess the knowledge-related impact of education on SRH in pooled model for all three countries; and logistic regression analysis to evaluate separate models in each country. The prevalence of at-least-good health was the highest in Finland, Estonia occupied the second position and Russia the third. Knowledge-related educational inequalities were lower in Russia compared to Finland, while they were of similar magnitude in Estonia and Finland. Our expectations that knowledge-based inequalities are lower in post-socialist countries compared to a Scandinavian country turn to be true in case of Russia, not Estonia. Possible reasons for the expectations might be a lack of attention paid to educational inequalities in terms of access to social resources, competitiveness in the labour market and to what extent education provide a tool against uncertainty (preventing work- and unemployment-related stress). Series of comparative studies revealing links between certain institutional packages and (socio-economic and knowledge-related) educational inequalities seem to be of special relevance.

Explaining the Difference between PISA 2009 Reading Scores in Finland and Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikk, Jaan

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to explain the difference between the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 reading results for Finland and Estonia using characteristics of teaching and learning, and characteristics of the overall development of these countries. PISA data were collected via a reading test and student questionnaires…

Development of Indicators for Educational Planning: Brazil, Cambodia, Estonia, Gambia, Lithuania, Thailand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). International Inst. for Educational Planning.

This publication presents the outcomes of a distance education course on development and dissemination of indicators used for educational planning. The course took place from November 2000 to February 2001 and was attended by representatives from the ministries of education of Brazil, Cambodia, Estonia, Gambia, Lithuania, and Thailand. The overall…

Helminthologic survey of the wolf (Canis lupus) in Estonia, with an emphasis on Echinococcus granulosus.

PubMed

Moks, E; Jõgisalu, I; Saarma, U; Talvik, H; Järvis, T; Valdmann, H

2006-04-01

Carcasses of 26 wolves were collected during the 2000/2001 and 2003/2004 hunting seasons and examined for helminths. Thirteen helminth species were recorded: one trematode (Alaria alata), seven cestodes (Diphyllobothrium latum, Mesocestoides lineatus, Taenia hydatigena, Taenia multiceps, Taenia ovis, Taenia pisiformis, and Echinococcus granulosus), and five nematode species (Uncinaria stenocephala, Toxascaris leonina, Toxocara canis, Trichinella nativa, and Trichinella britovi). The most common species were A. alata and U. stenocephala. Mature Echinococcus granulosus was found and described for the first time in Estonia, and its identity verified using PCR-RFLP analysis. Sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA NADH dehydrogenase 1 (mtND1) gene showed that the E. granulosus strain from Estonia was identical to strain G10, recently characterized in reindeer and moose in Finland.

Seasonal variations in CO2 and CH4 fluxes of four different plant compositions of a Sphagnum-dominated Alpine peat bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drollinger, Simon; Maier, Andreas; Karer, Jasmin; Glatzel, Stephan

2017-04-01

Peatlands are the only type of ecosystems which have the ability to accumulate significant amounts of carbon (C) under undisturbed conditions. The amount of C sequestered in peatlands depends on the balance between gross primary production, ecosystem respiration and decomposition of plant material. Sphagnum-dominated bogs possess the greatest peat accumulation potential of all peatlands, thus in turn, feature highest C release potentials. Many studies report about the C balances of undisturbed northern peat bogs, however, little is known about the effects of peatland degradation on the C balance between different plant compositions within peat bog ecosystems. Particularly in the Alpine region, where temperature increase during the last century has been almost twice as high as the global mean. The investigated peat bog is located in the inner Alpine Enns valley in the Eastern Alps, Austria (N 47˚ 34.873' E 14˚ 20.810'). It is a pine peat bog covered by Sphagnum mosses and a present extent of about 62 ha. Due to increasing differences in surface height of the peatland compared to the surrounding areas and related lowered water retention capacity attributed to the subsidence of the adjacent intensively managed meadows on deeply drained peat soils, the function of the peatland as a carbon sink is strongly endangered. Hence, the current mean water table depth of the central peat bog area is about -12 cm. To reveal differences in peatland-atmosphere C exchanges within the peatland ecosystem, we investigated CO2 and CH4 fluxes of four different vegetation compositions (PM1-PM4) at the treeless central peat bog area. PM1 is dominated by the graminoids Rhynchospora alba and Eriophorum vaginatum. PM2 is inhabited by small individuals (< 35 cm) of the conifer Pinus mugo, whereas PM3 is dominated by the ericaceous plant Calluna vulgaris. PM4 again is populated by Pinus mugo, but higher growing (35 - 60 cm) and with corresponding higher amount of biomass. Fluxes were measured

Influences on Students' Views on Religions and Education in England and Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neill, Sean; Schihalejev, Olga

2011-01-01

Structural modelling offers an overall pattern of relationships; this paper looks at differences in students' attitude structures between England and Estonia. Where different coherent sets of beliefs exist in a national sample, factor analysis, which focuses on sets of responses which differ between groups, should be able to separate them out.…

Estonian Language Competencies for Peace Corps Volunteers in the Republic of Estonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ets, Tiina K.

This guide is designed for Estonian language training of Peace Corps workers in Estonia, is intended for use in a competency-based language training program, and reflects daily communication needs in that context. It consists of 52 lessons, each addressing a specific language competency, organized in 14 topical units. An introductory section gives…

Mapping raised bogs with an iterative one-class classification approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mack, Benjamin; Roscher, Ribana; Stenzel, Stefanie; Feilhauer, Hannes; Schmidtlein, Sebastian; Waske, Björn

2016-10-01

Land use and land cover maps are one of the most commonly used remote sensing products. In many applications the user only requires a map of one particular class of interest, e.g. a specific vegetation type or an invasive species. One-class classifiers are appealing alternatives to common supervised classifiers because they can be trained with labeled training data of the class of interest only. However, training an accurate one-class classification (OCC) model is challenging, particularly when facing a large image, a small class and few training samples. To tackle these problems we propose an iterative OCC approach. The presented approach uses a biased Support Vector Machine as core classifier. In an iterative pre-classification step a large part of the pixels not belonging to the class of interest is classified. The remaining data is classified by a final classifier with a novel model and threshold selection approach. The specific objective of our study is the classification of raised bogs in a study site in southeast Germany, using multi-seasonal RapidEye data and a small number of training sample. Results demonstrate that the iterative OCC outperforms other state of the art one-class classifiers and approaches for model selection. The study highlights the potential of the proposed approach for an efficient and improved mapping of small classes such as raised bogs. Overall the proposed approach constitutes a feasible approach and useful modification of a regular one-class classifier.

Between Consumerism and Protectionism: Attitudes towards Children, Consumption and the Media in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Margit; Kalmus, Veronika

2009-01-01

This study measures attitudes towards children's vulnerability or empowerment within consumer culture, based on data from a representative population survey (N = 1475) conducted in Estonia in 2005. The study use indices comprised of assessments of consumption practices and assertions pertaining to the "endangered vs empowered child"…

Economic, Educational and Cultural Predictors of Science Learning in Lithuania and Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikk, Jaan

2007-01-01

The aim of the research was to assess the economic, educational and cultural predictors of the TIMSS 2003 science test results in Lithuania and Estonia. The data for the research were received from the TIMSS 2003 User Guide for the International Database. The Spearman rank correlation coefficients, calculated on the students' level and the schools…

When Public Acts Like Private: The Failure of Estonia's School Choice Mechanism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poder, Kaire; Lauri, Triin

2014-01-01

This article aims to show the segregating effect of the market-like matching of students and schools at the basic school level. The natural experiment case is Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The current school choice mechanism applied in this case is based on entrance tests. There are increasingly over-subscribed intra-catchment area public…

Will Choice Hurt? Compared to What? A School Choice Experiment in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Põder, Kaire; Lauri, Triin

2014-01-01

This article presents the empirical analysis of the effects of a school choice policy in Estonia. The article shows that relying on markets and giving autonomy to the schools over student selection will produce admission tests, even at the elementary school level. This article's contribution is to show that a school choice policy experiment with…

Bottlenecks in bog pine multiplication by somatic embryogenesis and their visualization with the environmental scanning electron microscope.

PubMed

Vlašínová, Helena; Neděla, Vilem; Đorđević, Biljana; Havel, Ladislav

2017-07-01

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is an important biotechnological technique used for the propagation of many pine species in vitro. However, in bog pine, one of the most endangered tree species in the Czech Republic, limitations were observed, which negatively influenced the development and further germination of somatic embryos. Although initiation frequency was very low-0.95 %, all obtained cell lines were subjected to maturation. The best responding cell line (BC1) was used and subjected to six different variants of the maturation media. The media on which the highest number of early-precotyledonary/cotyledonary somatic embryos was formed was supplemented with 121 μM abscisic acid (ABA) and with 6 % maltose. In the end of maturation experiments, different abnormalities in formation of somatic embryos were observed. For visualization and identification of abnormalities in meristem development during proliferation and maturation processes, the environmental scanning electron microscope was used. In comparison to the classical light microscope, the non-commercial environmental scanning electron microscope AQUASEM II has been found as a very useful tool for the quick recognition of apical meristem disruption and abnormal development. To our knowledge, this is the first report discussing somatic embryogenesis in bog pine. Based on this observation, the cultivation procedure could be enhanced and the method for SE of bog pine optimized.

Atmospheric Inputs of Mercury and Organic Carbon into a Forested Upland/Bog Watershed

Treesearch

Randall K. Kolka; E.A. Nater; D.F. Grigal; E.S. Verry

1999-01-01

Inputs of mercury (Hg) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in throughfall and stemflow waters were measured for an upland/bog watershed in northern Minnesota, and were compared to the deposition in a nearby opening to determine the influence of tree canopies on Hg and DOC deposition. Twice as much Hg and seven times as much DOC was deposited in the forested watershed...

Holocene palaeohydrological history of the Tǎul Muced peat bog (Northern Carpathians, Romania) based on testate amoebae (Protozoa) and plant macrofossils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cosmin Diaconu, Andrei; Feurdean, Angelica; Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Gałka, Mariusz; Tanţǎu, Ioan

2016-04-01

Knowledge of past local vs. regional hydro-climate variability is a priority in climate research. This is because ecosystems and human depend on local climatic conditions and the magnitude of these climate changes is more variable at local and regional rather than at global scales. Ombrotrophic bogs are highly suitable for hydro-climate reconstructions as they are entirely dependent on the water from precipitation. We used stratigraphy, radiocarbon dating, testate amoebae (TA) and plant macrofossils on a peat profile from an ombrotrophic bog (Tǎul Muced) located in the Biosphere Reserve of the Rodna National Park Romania. We performed quantitative reconstruction of the depth to water table (DWT) and pH over the last 8000 years in a continental area of CE Europe. We identified six main stages in the development of the bog based on changes in TA assemblages in time. Wet conditions and pH between 2 and 4.5 were recorded between 4600-2750 and 1300-400 cal. yr BP, by the occurrence of Archerella flavum, Amphitrema wrightianum and Hyalosphenia papilio. This was associated to a local vegetation primarily composed of Sphagnum magellanicum and S. angustifolium. Dry stages and pH of 2.5 to 5 were inferred between 7550-4600, 2750-1300 and -50 cal. yr BP, by the dominance of Nebela militaris, Difflugia pulex and Phryganella acropodia. These overall dry conditions were also connected with increased abundance of Eriophorum vaginatum. The period between 400 and -50 cal. yr BP was characterized by a rapid shift from dry to wet conditions on the surface of the bog. Vegetation shifted from Sphagnum magellanicum to Sphagnum russowii dominated community. Our reconstruction remains in relatively good agreement with other palaeohydrological records from Central Eastern Europe. However, it shows contrasting conditions to others particularly with records from NW Europe. The valuable information regarding bog hydrology offered by our record puts an accent on the need of more regional TA

Mid- and late Holocene human impact recorded by the Coltrondo peat bog (NE Italian Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segnana, Michela; Poto, Luisa; Gabrieli, Jacopo; Martino, Matteo; Oeggl, Klaus; Barbante, Carlo

2016-04-01

Peat bogs are ideal archives for the study of environmental changes, whether these are natural or human induced. Indeed, receiving water and nutrients exclusively from dry and wet atmospheric depositions, they are among the most suitable matrices for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. The present study is focused on the Eastern sector of the Italian Alps, where we sampled the Coltrondo peat bog, in the Comelico area (ca. 1800 m a.s.l.) The knowledge of the human history in this area is rather scarce: the only pieces of archaeological evidence found in this area dates back to the Mesolithic and the absence of later archaeological finds makes it difficult to reconstruct the human settlement in the valley. With the main aim to obtain information about the human settlement in that area we selected a multi-proxy approach, combining the study of biotic and abiotic sedimentary components archived in the 7900 years-peat bog record. Pollen analysis is performed along the core registering human impacts on the area from ca. 2500 cal BP, when land-use changes are well evidenced by the presence of human-related pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), as well as by the increase in micro-charcoal particles. Periods of increased human impact are recorded at the end of the Middle Ages and later, at the end of the 19th century. The analysis of trace elements, such as lead, is performed by means of ICP-MS technique and its enrichment factor (EF) is calculated. A first slight increase of Pb EF during Roman Times is possibly related to mining activities carried out by the Romans. Mining activities carried out in the area are registered during the Middle Ages, while the advent of the industrialization in the 20th century is marked by the highest EF values registered on the top of the core. To help and support the interpretation of geochemical data, lead isotopes ratios are also measured using ICP-MS to discriminate between natural and anthropogenic sources of lead. The 206Pb/207Pb

E-Learning as Innovation: Exploring Innovativeness of the VET Teachers' Community in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loogma, Krista; Kruusvall, Juri; Umarik, Meril

2012-01-01

In this article, the acceptance of e-learning by teachers of vocational secondary and professional higher education institutions (hereafter: VET teachers) in Estonia has been analysed. The analysis is based on questionnaire study, carried out in 2007. The theoretical framework of the article has been inspired by Everett Rogers' innovation…

The recent economic recession and self-rated health in Estonia, Lithuania and Finland: a comparative cross-sectional study in 2004-2010.

PubMed

Reile, Rainer; Helakorpi, Satu; Klumbiene, Jurate; Tekkel, Mare; Leinsalu, Mall

2014-11-01

The late-2000s financial crisis had a severe impact on the national economies on a global scale. In Europe, the Baltic countries were among those most affected with more than a 20% decrease in per capita gross domestic product in 2008-2009. In this study, we explored the effects of economic recession on self-rated health in Estonia and Lithuania using Finland, a neighbouring Nordic welfare state, as a point of reference. Nationally representative cross-sectional data for Estonia (n=10 966), Lithuania (n=7249) and Finland (n=11 602) for 2004-2010 were analysed for changes in age-standardised prevalence rates of less-than-good self-rated health and changes in health inequalities using logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of less-than-good self-rated health increased slightly (albeit not statistically significantly) in all countries during 2008-2010. This was in sharp contrast to the statistically significant decline in the prevalence of less-than-good health in 2004-2008 in Estonia and Lithuania. Health disparities were larger in Estonia and Lithuania when compared to Finland, but decreased in 2008-2010 (in men only). In Finland, both the prevalence of less-than-good health and health disparities remained fairly stable throughout the period. Despite the rapid economic downturn, the short-term health effects in Estonia and Lithuania did not differ from those in Finland, although the recession years marked the end of the previous positive trend in self-rated health. The reduction in health disparities during the recession indicates that different socioeconomic groups were affected disproportionately; however, the reasons for this require further research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Hydrologic cycling of mercury and organic carbon in a forested upland-bog watershed

Treesearch

R. K. Kolka; D. F. Grigal; E. A. Nater; E. S. Verry

2001-01-01

The hydrologic cyvling of total Hg (HgT) and organic C (OC) was studies for a 1-yr period in a northern Minnesota forested watershed, consisting of an upland surrounding a bog peatland with a narrow lagg at their interface. Throughfall and sternflow contributed twice as much HgT as seven times as much OC to the forested watershed than atmospheric deposition in a...

Species Identification of Archaeological Skin Objects from Danish Bogs: Comparison between Mass Spectrometry-Based Peptide Sequencing and Microscopy-Based Methods

PubMed Central

Brandt, Luise Ørsted; Schmidt, Anne Lisbeth; Mannering, Ulla; Sarret, Mathilde; Kelstrup, Christian D.; Olsen, Jesper V.; Cappellini, Enrico

2014-01-01

Denmark has an extraordinarily large and well-preserved collection of archaeological skin garments found in peat bogs, dated to approximately 920 BC – AD 775. These objects provide not only the possibility to study prehistoric skin costume and technologies, but also to investigate the animal species used for the production of skin garments. Until recently, species identification of archaeological skin was primarily performed by light and scanning electron microscopy or the analysis of ancient DNA. However, the efficacy of these methods can be limited due to the harsh, mostly acidic environment of peat bogs leading to morphological and molecular degradation within the samples. We compared species assignment results of twelve archaeological skin samples from Danish bogs using Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based peptide sequencing, against results obtained using light and scanning electron microscopy. While it was difficult to obtain reliable results using microscopy, MS enabled the identification of several species-diagnostic peptides, mostly from collagen and keratins, allowing confident species discrimination even among taxonomically close organisms, such as sheep and goat. Unlike previous MS-based methods, mostly relying on peptide fingerprinting, the shotgun sequencing approach we describe aims to identify the complete extracted ancient proteome, without preselected specific targets. As an example, we report the identification, in one of the samples, of two peptides uniquely assigned to bovine foetal haemoglobin, indicating the production of skin from a calf slaughtered within the first months of its life. We conclude that MS-based peptide sequencing is a reliable method for species identification of samples from bogs. The mass spectrometry proteomics data were deposited in the ProteomeXchange Consortium with the dataset identifier PXD001029. PMID:25260035

SPRUCE Bog Surface Elevation Assessments with SET Instrument Beginning in 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanson, Paul J; Phillips, Jana R; Brice, Deanne J

This data set reports plot-specific bog surface elevation measurements collected with the SPRUCE Elevation Transect (SET) instrument. Measurements are reported as absolute elevation in meters above mean sea level for two locations in each of the SPRUCE experimental treatment plots and additional ambient boardwalk plots -- 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21. This data set reports measurements collected from June 2013 through August 2017, but it will be appended annually as new data are collected.

Infant mortality gap in the Baltic region - Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania - in relation to macroeconomic factors in 1996-2010.

PubMed

Ebela, Inguna; Zile, Irisa; Ebela, Danute Razuka; Rozenfelde, Ingrida Rumba

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE. A constant gap has appeared in infant mortality among the 3 Baltic States - Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania - since the restoration of independence in 1991. The aim of the study was to compare infant mortality rates in all the 3 Baltic countries and examine some of the macro- and socioeconomic factors associated with infant mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The data were obtained from international databases, such as World Health Organization and EUROSTAT, and the national statistical databases of the Baltic States. The time series data sets (1996-2010) were used in the regression and correlation analysis. RESULTS. In all the 3 Baltic States, a strong and significant correlation was found: Latvia (r=-0.81, P<0.01), Lithuania (r=-0.93, P<0.01), and Estonia (r=-0.91, P<0.01). There was also a correlation between infant mortality and healthcare expenditure in local currency per capita: Latvia (r=-0.81, P<0.01); Lithuania (r=-0.90, P<0.01) and Estonia (r=-0.88, P<0.01). In Latvia (r=0.87, P<0.01) and Estonia (r=0.70; P<0.01), a significant correlation between infant mortality and unemployment levels was observed from 1996 to 2008, whereas the statistical significance disappeared in the period from 1996 to 2010. In Lithuania, the relationship was not significant. CONCLUSIONS. Higher infant mortality rates and a less stable decreasing tendency in Latvia are apparently explained by less successful adaptation to a new political and economic situation and limited skills in adjusting the healthcare system to the reality of life.

Role and Responsibility of Board of Governors [BOG] in Ensuring Educational Quality in Colleges & Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naik, B. M.

2012-01-01

The paper presents in brief the need and importance of effective, imaginative and responsible governing boards in colleges and universities, so as to ensure educational quality. BOG should engage fruitfully with the principal and activities in college/ university. UGC, AICTE have now prescribed creation of effective boards for both government and…

SPRUCE S1 Bog Pretreatment Fungal Hyphae Carbon and Nitrogen Concentrations and Stable Isotope Composition from In-growth Cores, 2013-2014

DOE Data Explorer

Hofmockel, K. S. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Chen, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hobbie, E. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2014-02-01

This data set reports fungal hyphal carbon and nitrogen concentrations and δ13C, and δ15N data for samples obtained from in-growth cores in the S1 Bog. Hyphae were collected using 40 μm in-growth bags (10 cm × 10 cm) filled with sterile sand. Bags were incubated in the field in paired hummock and hollows at six locations in the bog. In hummocks, bags were inserted at +10 to 0 cm above the adjacent hollow and in both locations from 0 to -10 cm and -10 to -20 cm below the hollow surface

Eddy covariance measurements of greenhouse gases from a restored and rewetted raised bog ecosystem.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S. C.; Christen, A.; Black, T. A.; Johnson, M. S.; Ketler, R.; Nesic, Z.; Merkens, M.

2015-12-01

Wetland ecosystems play a significant role in the global carbon (C) cycle. Wetlands act as a major long-term storage of carbon by sequestrating carbon-dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Meanwhile, they can emit significant amounts of methane (CH4) due to anaerobic microbial decomposition. The Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area (BBECA) is recognized as one of Canada's largest undeveloped natural areas retained within an urban area. Historically, it has been substantially reduced in size and degraded by peat mining and agriculture. Since 2005, the bog has been declared a conservancy area, and the restoration efforts in BBECA focus on rewetting the disturbed ecosystems to promote a transition back to a raised bog. A pilot study measured CH4, CO2 and N2O exchanges in 2014 and concluded to monitor CO2, CH4 fluxes continuously. From the perspective of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, CO2 sequestered in bog needs to be protected and additional CO2 and CH4 emissions due to land-cover change need to be reduced by wise management. In this study, we measured the growing-season (June-September) fluxes of CO2 and CH4 exchange using eddy covariance (EC). A floating platform with an EC system for both CO2 (closed-path) and CH4 (open-path) began operation in June 2015. During the growing-season, gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP) and ecosystem respiration (Re) averaged 5.87 g C m-2 day-1 and 2.02 g C m-2 day-1, respectively. The magnitude of GEP and Re were lower than in previous studies of pristine northern peatlands. The daily average CH4 emission was 0.99 (±1.14) g C m-2 day-1 and it was higher than in most previous studies. We also characterized how environmental factors affected the seasonal dynamics of these exchanges in this disturbed peatland. Our measurements showed that soil temperature and soil water content were major drivers of seasonal changes of GHG fluxes. The daily average GHG warming potential (GWP) of the emissions in the growing seasons (from CO2 and CH4

Education Policy as Normative Discourse and Negotiated Meanings: Engaging the Holocaust in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevick, E. Doyle

2010-01-01

This article uses a socio-cultural approach to analyze the formation and implementation of Estonia's Holocaust Day Policy, a day of both commemoration for victims of the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity, and education about the Holocaust. It investigates both the multi-level development of the policy in light of external pressure (from…

Effects of nutrient addition on leaf chemistry, morphology, and photosynthetic capacity of three bog shrubs

Treesearch

Jill L. Bubier; Rose Smith; Sari Juutinen; Tim R. Moore; Rakesh Minocha; Stephanie Long; Subash Minocha

2011-01-01

Plants in nutrient-poor environments typically have low foliar nitrogen (N) concentrations, long-lived tissues with leaf traits designed to use nutrients efficiently, and low rates of photosynthesis. We postulated that increasing N availability due to atmospheric deposition would increase photosynthetic capacity, foliar N, and specific leaf area (SLA) of bog shrubs. We...

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) agent Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae in brown trout populations in Estonia.

PubMed

Dash, Megha; Vasemägi, Anti

2014-05-13

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) caused by the myxozoan parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae is a serious parasitic disease threatening both farmed and wild salmonid populations, but very little is currently known about the distribution of the parasite in the Baltic Sea region. In this study we (1) report the development of a novel multiplex PCR method for fast and reliable screening of T. bryosalmonae; (2) use this multiplex PCR method to show that the PKD agent T. bryosalmonae is widespread in natural brown trout Salmo trutta L. populations in Estonia; (3) evaluate monthly and yearly variation of T. bryosalmonae prevalence in juvenile trout; (4) assess T. bryosalmonae prevalence in different age-classes of fish (0+ vs. 1+ and older) and report the presence of the PKD agent in the kidneys of returning sea trout spawners; and (5) suggest the freshwater bryozoan Plumatella fungosa as a putative invertebrate host of T. bryosalmonae in Estonia. Our results demonstrate a highly heterogeneous distribution of T. bryosalmonae at the micro-geographic scale, indicating that PKD could have an important negative effect on recruitment in Estonian brown trout populations.

The Effect of Overstory Removal Upon Surface WInd in a Black Spruce Bog

Treesearch

James M. Brown

1972-01-01

Wind passage was measured over a black spruce canopy, at the surface under the canopy, and in a clearcut strip in a northern Minnesota bog. During a 40-day period wind below the canopy was 10 percent of that above the canopy while the wind in the clearcut strip was 45 percent of the total above the canopy. Wind at the surface of the clearcut strip was of longer...

Family- and Classroom-Related Factors and Mother-Kindergarten Teacher Trust in Estonia and Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikas, Eve; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Pakarinen, Eija; Poikonen, Pirjo-Liisa

2016-01-01

This study examined the role of family-related (mother's education, depressive symptoms and child's gender) and kindergarten-related (teacher's experience, teaching practices and class size) factors in mothers' and teachers' mutual trust in Estonia and Finland. Six hundred eighteen (206 Estonian and 412 Finnish) mothers of kindergarten children…

The influence of avian biovectors on mercury speciation in a bog ecosystem.

PubMed

Kickbush, Jocelyn C; Mallory, Mark L; Murimboh, John D; Rand, Jennie; Klapstein, Sara J; Loder, Amanda L; Hill, Nicholas M; O'Driscoll, Nelson J

2018-05-08

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor that bioaccumulates and biomagnifies through trophic levels, resulting in potentially hazardous concentrations. Although wetlands are known hotspots for mercury (Hg) methylation, the effects of avian biovectors on these processes are poorly understood. We examined Hg speciation and distribution in shallow groundwater and surface water from a raised-bog with over 30years of avian biovector (herring gulls Larus argentatus and great black-backed gulls Larus marinus) colonization and guano input. Compared to the reference site, the avian-impacted bog had elevated concentrations of total dissolved organic carbon (TOC), total Hg, MeHg, phosphate (PO 4 3- ), and other trace metals, notably Pb, As, Cd and Ni. Spatial interpolation showed that the densest area of gull nesting was co-located with areas that had the highest concentrations of PO 4 3- , MeHg, As and Cd, but not total mercury (THg), and models suggested that Mn, PO 4 3- , and dissolved TOC were strong predictors of MeHg. Our findings suggest that while these gulls may not be a significant source of Hg, the excess of PO 4 3- (a well recognised component of guano) and the subsequent changes in water chemistry due to avian biovector subsidies may increase net Hg methylation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiometric age dating of peat cores from ombrotrophic bogs: challenges and opportunities presented by the Industrial Period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shotyk, W.; Appleby, P.; Davies, L. J.; Froese, D. G.; Magnan, G.; Mullan-Boudreau, G.; Noernberg, T.; Bob, S.; van Bellen, S.; Zaccone, C.

2016-12-01

The upper layers of ombrotrophic (rain-fed) bogs are hydrologically isolated from surface waters and groundwaters and, in consequence, contaminants are supplied exclusively from the atmosphere. Peat cores from bogs have been used to reconstruct the history of heavy metal pollution since mining and metallurgy began, but the greatest changes have taken place since the start of the Industrial Revolution which was well underway by the middle of the 19th century. Dating peat, accumulated since this time has been made possible using 210Pb (t1/2 = 22.3 yr), but the validity of the age-depth relationship obtained must always be assessed using one or more chronostratigraphic markers. The post-industrial period provides an enormous range of possible time markers including various fallout radionuclides, numerous trace metals and their isotopes, and countless organic contaminants. Most of these have not yet been explored, and will be helpful only if they are immobile in the peat column; often, their fate during chemical diagenesis in anoxic, acidic bog waters is either unknown or at least poorly understood. The atmospheric bomb pulse curve of 14C for the period since AD 1950 has proved to be particularly valuable for validating 210Pb chronologies by providing accurate dates for individual plant macrofossils. Peat cores collected in northern Alberta, surrounding open pit mines and upgraders of Athabsca Bituminous Sands, were carefully dated using 210Pb and the age-depth relationship evaluated using both 241Am and 14C. The cores nearest industry (MIL, JPH4) show that atmospheric deposition of trace metals has been declining ever since industrial-scale mining and refining began in 1967. This includes all of the potentially toxic trace elements (Ag, Cd, Pb, Sb, Tl), but also the metals known for their enrichment in bitumen (V, Ni, Mo). In fact, the surface layers of these bogs today are comparable in composition to the "cleanest" peat samples ever found in the northern hemisphere

Radon in the soil air of Estonia.

PubMed

Petersell, Valter; Täht-Kok, Krista; Karimov, Mark; Milvek, Heli; Nirgi, Siim; Raha, Margus; Saarik, Krista

2017-01-01

Several investigations in Estonia during 1996¬-1999 have shown that permissible level (200 Bq/m 3 ) of radon (222Rn) in indoor air is exceeded in 33% of the inspected dwellings. This makes Estonia one of the five countries with highest radon risk in Europe (Fig 1). Due to correlation between the soil radon risk level and radon concentration in houses, small scale radon risk mapping of soil air was carried out (one study point per 70-100 km 2 ). It turned out that one-third of Estonian mainland has high radon risk potential, where radon concentration in soil air exceeds safe limit of 50 kBq/m 3 . In order to estimate radon content in soil air, two different methods developed in Sweden were used simultaneously. Besides measuring radon content from soil air at the depth of 80 cm with an emanometer (RnM), maximum potential content of radon in soil (RnG) was estimated based on the rate of eU (226Ra) concentration in soil, which was acquired by using gamma-ray spectrometer. Mapping and following studies revealed that simultaneously measured RnG and RnM in study points may often differ. To inspect the cause, several monitoring points were set up in places with different geological conditions. It appeared that unlike the RnG content, which remains close to average level in repeated measurements, the RnM content may differ more than three times periodically. After continuous observations it turned out that concentration of directly measured radon depended on various factors being mostly controlled by mineral composition of soil, properties of topsoil as well as different factors influencing aeration of soil. The results of Rn monitoring show that reliable level of radon risk in Estonian soils can only be acquired by using calculated Rn-concentration in soil air based on eU content and directly measured radon content of soil air in combination with interpreting specific geological and geochemical situations in the study points. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Three Thousand Years of Continuity in the Maternal Lineages of Ancient Sheep (Ovis aries) in Estonia

PubMed Central

Rannamäe, Eve; Lõugas, Lembi; Speller, Camilla F.; Valk, Heiki; Maldre, Liina; Wilczyński, Jarosław; Mikhailov, Aleksandr; Saarma, Urmas

2016-01-01

Although sheep (Ovis aries) have been one of the most exploited domestic animals in Estonia since the Late Bronze Age, relatively little is known about their genetic history. Here, we explore temporal changes in Estonian sheep populations and their mitochondrial genetic diversity over the last 3000 years. We target a 558 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial hypervariable region in 115 ancient sheep from 71 sites in Estonia (c. 1200 BC–AD 1900s), 19 ancient samples from Latvia, Russia, Poland and Greece (6800 BC–AD 1700), as well as 44 samples of modern Kihnu native sheep breed. Our analyses revealed: (1) 49 mitochondrial haplotypes, associated with sheep haplogroups A and B; (2) high haplotype diversity in Estonian ancient sheep; (3) continuity in mtDNA haplotypes through time; (4) possible population expansion during the first centuries of the Middle Ages (associated with the establishment of the new power regime related to 13th century crusades); (5) significant difference in genetic diversity between ancient populations and modern native sheep, in agreement with the beginning of large-scale breeding in the 19th century and population decline in local sheep. Overall, our results suggest that in spite of the observed fluctuations in ancient sheep populations, and changes in the natural and historical conditions, the utilisation of local sheep has been constant in the territory of Estonia, displaying matrilineal continuity from the Middle Bronze Age through the Modern Period, and into modern native sheep. PMID:27732668

Do alcohol excise taxes affect traffic accidents? Evidence from Estonia.

PubMed

Saar, Indrek

2015-01-01

This article examines the association between alcohol excise tax rates and alcohol-related traffic accidents in Estonia. Monthly time series of traffic accidents involving drunken motor vehicle drivers from 1998 through 2013 were regressed on real average alcohol excise tax rates while controlling for changes in economic conditions and the traffic environment. Specifically, regression models with autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) errors were estimated in order to deal with serial correlation in residuals. Counterfactual models were also estimated in order to check the robustness of the results, using the level of non-alcohol-related traffic accidents as a dependent variable. A statistically significant (P <.01) strong negative relationship between the real average alcohol excise tax rate and alcohol-related traffic accidents was disclosed under alternative model specifications. For instance, the regression model with ARIMA (0, 1, 1)(0, 1, 1) errors revealed that a 1-unit increase in the tax rate is associated with a 1.6% decrease in the level of accidents per 100,000 population involving drunk motor vehicle drivers. No similar association was found in the cases of counterfactual models for non-alcohol-related traffic accidents. This article indicates that the level of alcohol-related traffic accidents in Estonia has been affected by changes in real average alcohol excise taxes during the period 1998-2013. Therefore, in addition to other measures, the use of alcohol taxation is warranted as a policy instrument in tackling alcohol-related traffic accidents.

GPR attenuation analyses using spectral ratios of primary and multiple arrivals: examples from Welsh peat bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, A.; Carless, D.; Kulessa, B.

2014-12-01

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is widely applied to qualitative and quantitative interpretation of near-surface targets. Surface deployments of GPR most widely characterise physical properties in terms of some measure of GPR wavelet velocity. Wavelet amplitude is less-often considered, potentially due to difficulties in measuring this quantity: amplitudes are distorted by the anisotropic radiation pattern of antennas, and the ringy GPR wavelet can make successive events difficult to isolate. However, amplitude loss attributes could provide a useful means of estimating the physical properties of a target. GPR energy loss is described by the bandwidth-limited quality factor Q* which, for low-loss media, is proportional to the ratio of dielectric permittivity, ɛ, and electrical conductivity, σ. Comparing the frequency content of two arrivals yields an estimate of interval Q*, but only if they are sufficiently distinct. There may be sufficient separation between a primary reflection and its long-path multiple (i.e. a 'repeat path' of the primary reflection) therefore a dataset that is rich in multiples may be suitable for robust Q* analysis. The Q* between a primary and multiple arrival describes all frequency-dependent loss mechanisms in the interval between the free-surface and the multiple-generating horizon: assuming that all reflectivity is frequency-independent, Q* can be used to estimate ɛ and/or σ. We measure Q* according to the spectral ratio method, for synthetic and real GPR datasets. Our simulations are performed using the finite-difference algorithm GprMax, and represent our example data of GPR acquisitions over peat bogs. These data are a series of 100 MHz GPR acquisitions over sites in the Brecon Beacons National Park of South Wales. The base of the bogs (the basal peat/mineral soil contact) is often a strong multiple-generating horizon. As an example, data from Waun Ddu bog show these events lagging by ~75 ns: GPR velocity is measured here at 0

Nutrient additions in pristine Patagonian Sphagnum bog vegetation: can phosphorus addition alleviate (the effects of) increased nitrogen loads.

PubMed

Fritz, C; van Dijk, G; Smolders, A J P; Pancotto, V A; Elzenga, T J T M; Roelofs, J G M; Grootjans, A P

2012-05-01

Sphagnum-bog ecosystems have a limited capability to retain carbon and nutrients when subjected to increased nitrogen (N) deposition. Although it has been proposed that phosphorus (P) can dilute negative effects of nitrogen by increasing biomass production of Sphagnum mosses, it is still unclear whether P-addition can alleviate physiological N-stress in Sphagnum plants. A 3-year fertilisation experiment was conducted in lawns of a pristine Sphagnum magellanicum bog in Patagonia, where competing vascular plants were practically absent. Background wet deposition of nitrogen was low (≈ 0.1-0.2 g · N · m(-2) · year(-1)). Nitrogen (4 g · N · m(-2) · year(-1)) and phosphorus (1 g · P · m(-2) · year(-1)) were applied, separately and in combination, six times during the growing season. P-addition substantially increased biomass production of Sphagnum. Nitrogen and phosphorus changed the morphology of Sphagnum mosses by enhancing height increment, but lowering moss stem density. In contrast to expectations, phosphorus failed to alleviate physiological stress imposed by excess nitrogen (e.g. amino acid accumulation, N-saturation and decline in photosynthetic rates). We conclude that despite improving growth conditions by P-addition, Sphagnum-bog ecosystems remain highly susceptible to nitrogen additions. Increased susceptibility to desiccation by nutrients may even worsen the negative effects of excess nitrogen especially in windy climates like in Patagonia. © 2011 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Learning and Developing as a University Teacher: Narratives of Early Career Academics in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Remmik, Marvi; Karm, Mari; Lepp, Liina

2013-01-01

In recent years the higher education context in Estonia, as in most European countries, has changed a lot. All changes have an impact on university teachers' practice and their work organisation, and are presenting new challenges. The current research aims at developing an understanding of Estonian early career academics' professional identity by…

Multilayered Perspectives on Language Policy in Higher Education: Finland, Estonia, and Latvia in Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soler-Carbonell, Josep; Saarinen, Taina; Kibbermann, Kerttu

2017-01-01

This article analyses language policies in higher education (HE) in Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, as well as the European Union (EU). We take a multilayered approach to language policies in order to illuminate the intertwined nature of local, national, and international language policies in HE. We are particularly interested in the construction of…

An Examination of the Flynn Effect in the National Intelligence Test in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiu, William

2012-01-01

This study examined the Flynn Effect (FE; i.e., the rise in IQ scores over time) in Estonia from Scale B of the National Intelligence Test using both classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) methods. Secondary data from two cohorts (1934, n = 890 and 2006, n = 913) of students were analyzed, using both classical test theory (CTT)…

Transmitted drug resistance is still low in newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 CRF06_cpx-infected patients in Estonia in 2010.

PubMed

Avi, Radko; Huik, Kristi; Pauskar, Merit; Ustina, Valentina; Karki, Tõnis; Kallas, Eveli; Jõgeda, Ene-Ly; Krispin, Tõnu; Lutsar, Irja

2014-03-01

The presence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in treatment-naive HIV-1-positive subjects is of concern, especially in the countries of the former Soviet Union in which the number of subjects exposed to antiretrovirals (ARV) has exponentially increased during the past decade. We assessed the rate of TDR among newly diagnosed subjects in Estonia in 2010 and compared it to that in 2008. The study included 325 subjects (87% of all subjects tested HIV positive from January 1 to December 31, 2010). Of the 244 sequenced viral genomic RNA in the reverse transcriptase (RT) region 214 were CRF06_cpx, nine were subtype A1, three (one each) were subtype B and subtype C, CRF02_AG, and CRF03_AB; 15 viruses remained unclassified as putative recombinant forms between CRF06_cpx and subtype A1. HIV-1 TDR mutations in 2010 and 2008 (n=145) occurred at similar frequency in 4.5% (95% CI 2.45; 7.98) and 5.5% (95% CI 1.8; 9.24) of the patients, respectively. In 2010, 2.5% (6/244) of the sequences harbored nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) (K103N and K101E), 1.6% (4/244) nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) (M41L, M184I, and K219E), and 0.4% (1/244) protease inhibitor (PI) (V82A) mutations. Our findings indicate that in spite of the increased consumption of ARVs the rate of TDR in Estonia has remained unchanged over the past 3 years. Similar stabilizing or even decreasing trends have been described in Western Europe and North America albeit at higher levels and in different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Temporal variability of methane fluxes in West Siberian taiga bogs and its implications for estimating regional methane emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabrekov, Alexander; Ilyasov, Danil; Terentieva, Irina; Glagolev, Mikhail; Maksyutov, Shamil

2017-04-01

The West Siberia Lowland (WSL) is the biggest peatland area in Eurasia and is situated in the high latitudes experiencing enhanced rate of climate change. During 2015-16 summer periods, seasonal measurements of methane emission were made at the field station «Mukhrino» in the WSL middle taiga zone. The study was made at 3 wetland ecosystem types covering 80% of the taiga wetland area: i) waterlogged hollows or depressed areas with water level above the moss surface, ii) oligotrophic hollows or depressed parts of bogs with water level beneath the moss surface, iii) forested bogs with dwarf shrubs-sphagnum vegetation. Seven series of measurements were made by a static chamber method in 2016 and four series - in 2015. In 2015, we observed non-typical weather conditions including early dry spring and short cold rainy summer. Oppositely, weather conditions in 2016 were closer to average long-term with warmer drier summer. Significant difference between these years allowed analyzing the temporal variability and its sources. Average methane flux rates from forested bogs were 0.57 mgCH4/m2/h in 2016 and 0.33 mgCH4/m2/h in 2015. Seasonal dynamic during both years had similar concave downward shape. The highest fluxes were observed in June and were corresponded to the highest WTL, the main limiting factor of emission from forested bogs. The lowest fluxes in July were related to the low WTL combining with the highest temperature of upper methanotrophy layer. Average methane flux rates from oligotrophic hollows were 7.18 mgCH4/m2/h in 2016 and 4.28 mgCH4/m2/h in 2015. Seasonal dynamic of methane emission was indistinct in 2015. On the contrary, in 2016 it had regular seasonal pattern with peak emissions in July, which were four times higher than in 2015. WTL was not the limiting factor for CH4 emission from oligotrophic hollows, because even in the driest ones it was only 10 cm below the surface. Thus, the difference between peak emissions in 2015 and 2016 was mainly related

Exploring the Role of Migrants in Transnational Occupational Learning Processes in Estonia-Finland Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alenius, Pauliina

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the role of migrants in cross-border learning in occupational contexts. The research data included 78 semi-structured and 20 life-course interviews with people who had migrated from Estonia to Finland or who were transmigrating between these countries. The interview data were analysed qualitatively through a…

A preliminary population study of alcove bog orchid (Platanthera zothecina) at Navajo National Monument, Arizona

Treesearch

Laura E. Hudson

2001-01-01

This study on Platanthera zothecina (alcove bog orchid) was initiated by the National Park Service after a recent threatened and endangered species survey at Navajo National Monument. It is listed as Category 2 (species of special concern) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Category 3 (likely to become endangered) by the Navajo Nation. Because P. zothecina is a...

Trends in self-rated health and association with socioeconomic position in Estonia: data from cross-sectional studies in 1996-2014.

PubMed

Põld, Mariliis; Pärna, Kersti; Ringmets, Inge

2016-12-08

Self-rated health (SRH) and socioeconomic position (SEP) as important determinants of health differences are associated with health and economic changes in society. The objectives of this paper were (1) to describe trends in SRH and (2) to analyze associations between SRH and SEP among adults in Estonia in 1996-2014. The study was based on a 25-64-year-old subsample (n = 18757) of postal cross-sectional surveys conducted every second year in Estonia during 1990-2014. SRH was measured using five-point scale and was dichotomized to good and less-than-good. Standardized prevalence of SRH was calculated for each study year. Poisson regression with likelihood ratio test was performed for testing trends of SRH over study years. Age, nationality, marital status, education, work status and income were used to determine SEP. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess association between SRH and SEP. The prevalence of dichotomized good self-rated health increased significantly over the whole study period with slight decrease in 2008-2010. Until 2002, good SRH was slightly more prevalent among men, but after that, among women. Good SRH was significantly associated with younger age, higher education and income and also with employment status among both, men and women. Good SRH was more prevalent among Estonian women and less prevalent among single men. There was a definite increase of good SRH over two decades in Estonia following economic downturn between 2008 and 2010. Good SRH was associated with higher SEP over the study period. Further research is required to study the possible reasons behind increase of good SRH, and it's association with SEP among adults in Estonia.

Isotopic evidence for nitrogen mobility in peat bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novak, Martin; Stepanova, Marketa; Jackova, Ivana; Vile, Melanie A.; Wieder, R. Kelman; Buzek, Frantisek; Adamova, Marie; Erbanova, Lucie; Fottova, Daniela; Komarek, Arnost

2014-05-01

Elevated nitrogen (N) input may reduce carbon (C) storage in peat. Under low atmospheric deposition, most N is bound in the moss layer. Under high N inputs, Sphagnum is not able to prevent penetration of dissolved N to deeper peat. Nitrogen may become available to the roots of invading vascular plants. The concurrent oxygenation of deeper peat layers, along with higher supply of labile organic C, may enhance microbial decomposition and lead to peat thinning. The resulting higher emissions of greenhouse gases may accelerate global warming. Seepage of N to deeper peat has never been quantified. Here we present evidence for post-depositional mobility of atmogenic N in peat, based on natural-abundance N isotope ratios. We conducted a reciprocal peat transplant experiment between two Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs in the Czech Republic (Central Europe), differing in anthropogenic N inputs. The northern site VJ received as much as 33 kg N ha-1 yr-1 via spruce canopy throughfall. The southern site was less polluted (17.6 kg N ha-1 yr-1). Isotope signatures of living moss differed between the two sites (δ15N of -3‰ and -7‰ at VJ and CB, respectively). After 18 months, an isotope mass balance was constructed. In the CB-to-VJ transplant, a significant portion of original CB nitrogen (98-31%) was removed and replaced by nitrogen of the host site throughout the top 10 cm of the profile. Nitrogen, deposited at VJ, was immobilized in imported CB peat that was up to 20 years old. Additionally, we compared N concentration and N accumulation rates in 210Pb-dated peat profiles with well-constrained data on historical atmospheric N pollution. Nationwide N emissions peaked in 1990, while VJ exhibited the highest N content in peat that formed in 1930. This de-coupling of N inputs and N retention in peat might be interpreted as a result of translocation of dissolved pollutant N downcore, corroborating our δ15N results at VJ and CB. Data from a variety of peat bogs along pollution

How Do Preschool Children Engage Each Other in Dialogue in Finland, Estonia and Sweden?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tryggvason, Marja-Terttu; Tulviste, Tiia; De Geer, Boel

2008-01-01

The present study compares preschool children in Finland, Estonia and Sweden regarding linguistic structures with which children in dyads elicited talk from each other in a naturalistic play activity. Nineteen Finnish (mean age 5.1), 19 Estonian (mean age 5.4) and 17 Swedish (mean age 5.1) same-sex pairs were video-recorded by a native researcher.…

Anomalous concentrations of zinc and copper in highmoor peat bog, southeast coast of Lake Baikal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobrov, V. A.; Bogush, A. A.; Leonova, G. A.; Krasnobaev, V. A.; Anoshin, G. N.

2011-08-01

When examining the peat deposit discovered in Vydrinaya bog, South Baikal region, the authors encountered anomalous Zn and Cu concentrations for highmoors being up to 600-500 ppm on a dry matter basis in the Early Holocene beds (360-440 cm) formed 11 000-8500 years ago. It has been demonstrated that Zn and Cu are present inside the plant cells of peat moss in the form of authigenic sulfide minerals of micron size. Apart from Zn and Cu, native Ag particles (5-7 um) have been encountered in the peat of the Vydrinaya bog at a depth of 390-410 cm; these particles formed inside the organic matter of the plasma membrane of peat moss containing Ca, Al, S, and Cu. This study suggests probable patterns of the formation of zinc sulfides, copper sulfides, and native silver in peat moss. The results obtained indicate that biogenic mineral formation plays a significant role in this system, which is a very important argument in the discussion on the ore genesis, in which physicochemical processes are normally favored, while the role of living matter is quite frequently disregarded.

Fine-root growth in a forested bog is seasonally dynamic, but shallowly distributed in nutrient-poor peat

Treesearch

Colleen M. Iversen; Joanne Childs; Richard J. Norby; Todd A. Ontl; Randall K. Kolka; Deanne J. Brice; Karis J. McFarlane; Paul J. Hanson

2017-01-01

Background and aims. Fine roots contribute to ecosystem carbon, water, and nutrient fluxes through resource acquisition, respiration, exudation, and turnover, but are understudied in peatlands. We aimed to determine how the amount and timing of fine-root growth in a forested, ombrotrophic bog varied across gradients of vegetation density, peat...

Investigating the Influence of Vegetation Type on Modern Leaf Wax Hydrogen Isotopes from a High Latitude Ombrotrophic Bog to Inform Paleoclimate Interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balascio, N.; D'Andrea, W. J.; Anderson, R. S.

2016-12-01

Leaf wax hydrogen isotopes have been used to track changes in the isotopic composition of meteoric waters in a variety of locations. However, leaf wax compounds preserved in sedimentary environments reflect a mix of plant sources that can have a large range of molecular distributions and biosynthetic fractionation factors potentially complicating paleoclimate interpretations. Here we attempt to constrain the influence of vegetation type on leaf wax hydrogen isotope values at an ombrotrophic bog in northern Norway. We present: (i) δD values of n-alkanes from modern bog vegetation to establish the influence of vegetation type on n-alkane distributions and to provide a site-specific assessment of the biosynthetic isotopic fractionation, and (ii) δD values of n-alkanes from a sediment core spanning the last 10 ka where vegetation changes have been reconstructed based on pollen analysis. We found 14 different vegetation types growing on the bog surface that have average chain lengths from 25 to 30.5 and δD values of n-C25 to n-C33 ranging from -197‰ to -116‰. These samples also have a range of δD values among n-alkane homologues, from 1‰ to 33‰. Based on isotopic measurements of modern bog water, we calculate the average apparent fractionation of n-alkanes to be -108 ± 22‰. Sedimentary δD values of n-C25 to n-C33 over the last 10 ka range from -229 to -158‰ with distinct trends among mid- and long-chain length homologues. Changes in chain lengths and δD values, at times, correspond to vegetation shifts documented by pollen data, but also show unique trends that we interpret to represent variations in local precipitation isotopes related to past hydroclimate change.

University Studies as a Side Job: Causes and Consequences of Massive Student Employment in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beerkens, Maarja; Magi, Eve; Lill, Liis

2011-01-01

Student employment is increasingly common in many countries. Compared to earlier decades, not only more students work but they also work longer hours. Among European countries Estonia is one of the clear "leaders" in student employment. This study uses survey data from 2,496 students in Estonian public and private universities to examine…

The Baltic Klint beneath the central Baltic Sea and its comparison with the North Estonian Klint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuuling, Igor; Flodén, Tom

2016-06-01

Along its contact with the Baltic Shield, the margin of the East European Platform reveals a well-developed, flooded terraced relief. The most striking and consistent set of escarpments at the contact of the Lower Palaeozoic calcareous and terrigenous rocks, known as the Baltic Klint (BK), extends from northwest of Russia to the Swedish island of Öland. Marine seismic reflection profiling in 1990-2004 revealed the central Baltic Sea Klint (BSK) section in detail and enabled comparison of its geology/geomorphology with a classical klint-section onshore, namely the North Estonian Klint (NEK). The conception of the BK onshore, which is based on the land-sea separating terraced relief in northern Estonia, is not fully applicable beneath the sea. Therefore, we consider that the BSK includes the entire terraced Cambrian outcrop. We suggest the term "Baltic Klint Complex" to include the well-terraced margin of the Ordovician limestone outcrop, which is weakly developed in Estonia. Because of a steady lithological framework of the bedrock layers across the southern slope of the Fennoscandian Shield, the central BSK in the western and the NEK in the eastern part of the Baltic Homocline have largely identical morphologies. The North Estonian Ordovician limestone plateau with the calcareous crest of the BK extends across the central Baltic Sea, whereas morphological changes/variations along the Klint base occur due to the east-westerly lithostratigraphic/thickness changes in the siliciclastic Cambrian sequence. The verge of the NEK, located some 30-50 m above sea level, starts to drop in altitude as its east-westerly course turns to northeast-southwest in western Estonia. Further westwards, the BK shifts gradually into southerly deepening (0.1-0.2°) layers as its crest drops to c. 150 m below sea level (b.s.l.) near Gotska Sandön. This course change is accompanied by a considerable decrease in thickness of the platform sedimentary cover, as below the central Baltic Sea the

Sociocultural Aspects of Russian-Speaking Parents' Choice of Language of Instruction for Their Children in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemppainen, Raija Pini; Ferrin, Scott Ellis; Hite, Steven J.; Hilton, Sterling C.

2008-01-01

The present research was undertaken to identify sociocultural variables that influence whether Russian-speaking parents living in Estonia choose Russian, Estonian, or bilingual (Russian and Estonian) instruction for their children. To examine which sociocultural variables are related to parents' choice of language of instruction, 346…

Deciphering the environmental and landscape evolution of Sierra Nevada (S Iberia) from bog archives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Alix, Antonio; Toney, Jaime L.; Jiménez-Moreno, Gonzalo; Ramos-Román, Maria J.; Anderson, R. Scott; Jiménez-Espejo, Francisco; Delgado Huertas, Antonio; Ruano, Patricia

2016-04-01

Sierra Nevada is the southernmost mountain range in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the highest in Europe. Its geomorphology was the result of Pleistocene glaciations that carved out depressions, valleys and cirques at high elevations in the metamorphic basement. Depressions gave rise to lakes and wetlands during the Holocene. Geophysical and organic geochemical analyses of biomarkers (n-alkanes) and bulk sediment (C and N ratio and isotopes) from two high elevation bogs (locally called "Borreguiles"): Borreguiles de la Virgen (BdlV) and Borreguiles de la Caldera (BdlC), have allowed us to track the hydrological evolution of the area and its relationship to climatic fluctuations of the western Mediterranean during the Holocene. Most of the bogs of this area resulted from the natural evolution of former small lakes. The records are 56 cm and 169 cm long, respectively. Geophysical data suggest that we recovered the whole sedimentary record from BdlC; however, there are some post-glacial sediments remaining below the BdlV core that we could not recover due to hard-ground conditions. During the early and middle Holocene, aquatic conditions predominated in BdlV compared to the most recent part of the record (low C/N values and high proportion of aquatic plants (Paq) deduced from the n-alkanes) suggesting a lake environment whose water level gradually decreased until ˜5.5 cal ky BP. This aridity trend is also observed in nearby records such as at Laguna de Río Seco (LdRS), a result of the African Humid Period demise. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes were higher during this interval, which might suggest more algae activity, in agreement with the highest concentrations of the algae Pediastrum in the area. There is an important development of terrestrial plants, a real bog stage (C/N higher than 20, high TOC, lower Paq) in both records from ˜5.5 to 3.5-3.0 cal ky BP. Those hydrological changes in the landscape might be related to a possible change in the source of

Comparisons of soil nitrogen mass balances for an ombrotrophic bog and a minerotrophic fen in northern Minnesota

Treesearch

Brian H. Hill; Terri M. Jicha; LaRae L.P. Lehto; Colleen M. Elonen; Stephen D. Sebestyen; Randy Kolka

2016-01-01

Wecompared nitrogen (N) storage and flux in soils froman ombrotrophic bogwith that of a minerotrophic fen to quantify the differences in N cycling between these two peatlands types in northernMinnesota (USA). Precipitation, atmospheric deposition, and bog and fen outflowswere analyzed for nitrogen species. Upland and peatland soil sampleswere analyzed for N content,...

The Science of Pedagogy in Soviet Estonia (1944-1991): Resilience in the Face of Adversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rõuk, Vadim; van der Walt, Johannes L.; Wolhuter, Charl C.

2018-01-01

This article examines how education unfolded as a science in Estonia in the period 1944-1991, i.e. from the second Soviet occupation to the fall of the USSR. Historical analysis of the way prominent scholars and institutions succeeded in overcoming the adverse conditions of that period is conducted by viewing their respective contributions through…

Why is a "Good Abortion Law" Not Enough? The Case of Estonia.

PubMed

Oja, Liiri

2017-06-01

There are various ways to critically discuss abortion. Constructing or finding the most suitable analytical framework-whether rooted in legal formalism, socio-legal considerations, or comparativism-always depends on the country of subject and whether the analysis is for litigation, advocacy, or more theoretical purposes. This paper offers a model for analyzing abortion in Estonia in order to connect it as a thought-provoking case study to the ongoing transnational abortion discussions. I set out by describing the Estonian Abortion Act as a "good abortion law": a regulation that guarantees in practice women's legal access to safe abortion. Despite this functioning law, I carve a space for criticism by expanding the conversation to the broader power relations and gender dynamics present in Estonian society. Accordingly, I explain the state of the Estonian feminist movement and gender research, the local legal community's minimal engagement with the reproductive rights discourse, and the lingering Soviet-era narratives of reproduction and health, which were not fully extinguished by the combination of human rights commitments and neoliberalism upon restoration of independence in the early 1990s. I consequently show that Estonia's liberal abortion regulation is not grounded in a sufficiently deep understanding of human rights-based approaches to reproductive health, therefore leaving the door open for micro-aggressions toward women and for conservative political winds to gain ground.

A rapid situation assessment of the market for surrogate and illegal alcohols in Tallinn, Estonia.

PubMed

Pärna, Kersti; Lang, Katrin; Raju, Kadi; Väli, Marika; McKee, Martin

2007-01-01

To understand the phenomenon of consumption of surrogate and illegal alcohols in Tallinn, capital of Estonia. This study, conducted in Tallinn in May 2006, used rapid situation assessment. Interviews with key informants in relevant settings such as emergency departments of hospitals, accommodation for the homeless, police etc. (n = 22), with alcohol abusers (n = 33), natural observations of surrogate sale and consumption venues (n = 46), and tracking of trade data were carried out. Key informants confirmed that consumption of illegal and surrogate alcohols are widely used by alcohol abusers, a finding confirmed by the alcohol abusers. Availability of surrogates varied by area of the city, mainly sold from street kiosks. Illegally produced spirits were also easily available. Sales of surrogates appear to have increased in recent years. A range of alcohol-containing substances that appear to be easily available at low cost, and that have high concentration of ethanol or contaminants known to be toxic, were identified in Tallinn. Alcohol policies in Estonia should address the consumption and availability of these substances.

Differential Effects of Linguistic Imperialism on Second Language Learning: Americanisation in Puerto Rico Versus Russification in Estonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clachar, Arlene

1998-01-01

Explores how Americanization and Russification differed in terms of their imperialist language policies and how these policies led two colonialized societies, Puerto Rico and Estonia, to respond in dramatically different ways to the pressures to learn English and Russian respectively. (Author/VWL)

Fire severity is more sensitive to low fuel moisture content on Calluna heathlands than on peat bogs.

PubMed

Grau-Andrés, Roger; Davies, G Matt; Gray, Alan; Scott, E Marian; Waldron, Susan

2018-03-01

Moorland habitats dominated by the dwarf shrub Calluna vulgaris provide important ecosystem services. Drought is projected to intensify throughout their range, potentially leading to increased fire severity as moisture is a key control on severity. We studied the effect of low fuel moisture content (FMC) on fire severity by using 2×2m rain-out shelters prior to completing 19 experimental fires in two sites in Scotland (UK): a dry heath with thin organic soils and a raised bog with deep, saturated peat, both dominated by Calluna vulgaris. Reduced FMC of the moss and litter (M/L) layer at both sites, and the soil moisture of the dry heath, increased fire-induced consumption of the M/L layer and soil heating at both sites. Increase in fire severity was greater at the dry heath than at the raised bog, e.g. average maximum temperatures at the soil surface increased from 31°C to 189°C at the dry heath, but only from 10°C to 15°C at the raised bog. Substantial M/L layer consumption was observed when its FMC was below 150%. This led to larger seasonal and daily soil temperature fluctuation, particularly at the dry heath during warm months. The results suggest that low FMC following predicted changes in climate are likely to increase wildfire severity and that the impact on vegetation composition and carbon stores may be greater at heathlands than at peatlands. Managed burning aiming to minimise fire severity (e.g. ignition of the M/L layer and exposure to lethal temperatures of ericoid seeds) should be carried out when the FMC of the M/L layer is above 150% and the FMC of the soil is above 200-300%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of the lower ignition propensity cigarettes standard in Estonia: time-series analysis.

PubMed

Saar, Indrek

2018-02-01

In 2011, the lower ignition propensity (LIP) standard for cigarettes was implemented in the European Union. Evidence about the impact of that safety measure is scarce. The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of the LIP standard on fire safety in Estonia. The absolute level of smoking-related fire incidents and related deaths was modelled using dynamic time-series regression analysis. The data about house fire incidents for the 2007-2013 period were obtained from the Estonian Rescue Board. Implementation of the LIP standard has reduced the monthly level of smoking-related fires by 6.2 (p<0.01, SE=1.95) incidents and by 26% (p<0.01, SE=9%) when estimated on the log scale. Slightly weaker evidence was found about the fatality reduction effects of the LIP regulation. All results were confirmed through counterfactual models for non-smoking-related fire incidents and deaths. This paper indicates that implementation of the LIP cigarettes standard has improved fire safety in Estonia. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Factors That Influence Students' Motivation to Start and to Continue Studying Information Technology in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kori, Külli; Pedaste, Margus; Altin, Heilo; Tõnisson, Eno; Palts, Tauno

2016-01-01

Despite the high competition for places to study curricula related to information technology (IT) at the higher education level in Estonia, a large number of IT students drop out. Therefore, it is important to explore what influences students to start studying IT and what influences them to persist with their degree program. In this study, data…

Smouldering bog wildfires and possible implications in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaccone, C.; Rein, G.; D'Orazio, V.; Hadden, R.; Belcher, C. M.; Miano, T. M.

2012-04-01

Ombrotrophic (i.e., rainwater-fed) peat bogs have been recognized as providing excellent records of past environmental changes over the last millennia. They are well known to provide information on both climatic and vegetational changes, and the deposition of organic and inorganic pollutants from anthropogenic vs. lithogenic sources. Whether they also record well past fire activity is an unresolved issue to date. Peatland ecosystems are most at risk from smouldering fires, especially in drought conditions. Smouldering fires are slow, low temperature, flameless and the most persistent form of combustion of organic matter (OM) in porous form. It is known to consume dozen of times more peat mass than flaming fires. Importantly, the in-depth oxidation reaction in smouldering leaves few charred remains, which hampers their identification in palaeoenvironmental analyses. Smouldering even consumes the possible pyrogenic char produced by flaming wildfires. Most studies on smouldering peatland fires to date have focused on ignition and carbon losses/emissions, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of OM changes following fires. In the present work, we present new data which suggest that variations in the chemical signature of OM in peatlands provides a possibility of identifying past peatland fires. In particular, we show results from a laboratory study about the physical, chemical and spectroscopic changes in OM features following a smouldering fire. We initiated a smouldering fire on top of three sphagnum peat columns (26 cm deep) each having a different initial moisture content (MC) designed to reflect dry conditions (55% MC), undisturbed conditions (90% MC), and wet conditions (210% MC). The fires were allowed to propagate downwards until they self-extinguished at some distance from the top. After the fire, we tracked chemical variations in the residual columns to determine the possible signature of natural past smouldering peatland fires. The analysis shows a

Russian in Estonia's Public Sector: "Playing on the Borderline" between Official Policy and Real-Life Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berezkina, Maimu

2017-01-01

This article examines the use of Russian in state communication in officially monolingual Estonia. Drawing on interviews with high-level public employees in four central state institutions and an analysis of these institutions' websites, the article shows that while Russian is not specifically mentioned in the laws, it is "de facto"…

A Record of Moisture History in Hawaii since the Arrival of Humans Inferred from Testate Amoebae and Cladocera Fossils Preserved in Bog Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, K.; Kim, S. H.; Hotchkiss, S.

2015-12-01

Around AD 800, Polynesians arrived on the Hawaiian Islands where they expanded and intensified distinct agricultural practices in the islands' wet and dry regions. Dryland farming productivity in particular would have been sensitive to atmospheric rearrangements of the ENSO and PDO systems that affect rainfall in Hawaii. The few detailed terrestrial paleoclimate records in Hawaii are mainly derived from vegetation proxies (e.g. pollen, seeds, fruits, and plant biomarkers) which are heavily influenced by widespread landscape modification following human arrival. Here we present initial results of an independent paleomoisture proxy: fossil remains of moisture-sensitive testate amoebae (Protozoa: Rhizopoda) and cladocera (water fleas) preserved in continuous bog sediments on Kohala Volcano uplsope of the ancient Kohala agricultural field system, one of the largest dryland field systems in Hawaii. Hydrologic conditions inferred from testate amoebae and cladoceran fossil assemblages correlate with observed decadal moisture regimes in Hawaii and state changes of the PDO system during the last century. Testate ameoabe and cladoceran fossils in older sediments reveal an alternating history of very wet, lake-forming conditions on the bog surface to periods when bog soils were much drier than today's, demonstrating that this method can be paired with vegetation proxies to provide a better understanding of hydroclimate variability in prehistoric Hawaii.

Unveiling exceptional Baltic bog ecohydrology, autogenic succession and climate change during the last 2000 years in CE Europe using replicate cores, multi-proxy data and functional traits of testate amoebae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gałka, Mariusz; Tobolski, Kazimierz; Lamentowicz, Łukasz; Ersek, Vasile; Jassey, Vincent E. J.; van der Knaap, Willem O.; Lamentowicz, Mariusz

2017-01-01

We present the results of high-resolution, multi-proxy palaeoecological investigations of two parallel peat cores from the Baltic raised bog Mechacz Wielki in NE Poland. We aim to evaluate the role of regional climate and autogenic processes of the raised bog itself in driving the vegetation and hydrology dynamics. Based on partly synchronous changes in Sphagnum communities in the two study cores we suggest that extrinsic factors (climate) played an important role as a driver in mire development during the bog stage (500-2012 CE). Using a testate amoebae transfer function, we found exceptionally stable hydrological conditions during the last 2000 years with a relatively high water table and lack of local fire events that allowed for rapid peat accumulation (2.75 mm/year) in the bog. Further, the strong correlation between pH and community-weighted mean of testate amoeba traits suggests that other variables than water-table depth play a role in driving microbial properties under stable hydrological conditions. There is a difference in hydrological dynamics in bogs between NW and NE Poland until ca 1500 CE, after which the water table reconstructions show more similarities. Our results illustrate how various functional traits relate to different environmental variables in a range of trophic and hydrological scenarios on long time scales. Moreover, our data suggest a common regional climatic forcing in Mechacz Wielki, Gązwa and Kontolanrahka. Though it may still be too early to attempt a regional summary of wetness change in the southern Baltic region, this study is a next step to better understand the long-term peatland palaeohydrology in NE Europe.

Atmospheric trace metal inputs in the Misten bog (East Belgium): Special attention to sampling techniques and site-spatial variability.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allan, Mohammed; Fagel, Nathalie; de Vleeschouwer, François; Mattielli, Nadine; Piotrowska, Natalia; Sikorski, Jarek; Sonke, Jeroen E.; Le Roux, Gaël.

2010-05-01

Peat bogs have a great potential to record anthropogenic inputs via their constituting mosses, because they draw their nutrients only from the atmosphere. These atmospheric inputs can be studied thanks to geochemical characteristics such as trace metal concentrations. Coupling lead isotopes to elemental geochemistry allows one to decipher between natural (erosion of rocks) and anthropogenic (pollution due to industrial development, vehicles...) inputs. The purpose of our work was to study the pollution history of trace metals in the region of Misten (Belgium) at a local and a regional level, and to place modern industrial pollution in this region in a wider historical perspective. Four peat cores (01W, 04W, 05W and 06W) were collected in 2008 in the Misten bog (Hautes-Fagnes plateau, E-Belgium) and studied for their trace metal and lead isotopic signatures. Analyses were accompanied by coupled 210Pb-14C age models in order to estimate the mercury and lead accumulation rates in each core and compare them to other European records. The Hg record was compared to the various anthropogenic sources as determined by Pb isotopes. The Hg concentration profiles resemble those of Pb, an element known to be immobile in peatlands. The correlation between these two metals suggests a predominant anthropogenic source of Hg (and Pb). In the W06 core, low and stable Hg accumulation rates (0.9-3.1 μg m-2 yr-1) are found in the lower layers (503-1823AD). High Hg accumulation rates are found in the surface and sub-surface layers (post-1823AD) and peak at 123.3 μg m-2 yr-1 (1969AD). In 01W, the lead enrichment factor (Pb E.F.) coupled with the continuous drop in 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, 208Pb/204Pb isotopic ratios since 539 AD until 1973AD indicates the growing importance of the non-radiogenic Pb released from anthropogenic activities. The highest concentrations of Pb (613-662 µg g-1) have been found near the surface of the bog dated between 1902 and 1954AD. The Pb E.F. also

Vertical Stratification of Peat Pore Water Dissolved Organic Matter Composition in a Peat Bog in Northern Minnesota: Pore Water DOM composition in a peat bog

DOE PAGES

Tfaily, Malak M.; Wilson, Rachel M.; Cooper, William T.; ...

2018-01-29

Here, we characterized dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition throughout the peat column at the Marcell S1 forested bog in northern Minnesota and tested the hypothesis that redox oscillations associated with cycles of wetting and drying at the surface of the fluctuating water table correlate with increased carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen turn over. We found significant vertical stratification of DOM molecular composition and excitation-emission matrix parallel factor analysis components within the peat column. In particular, the intermediate depth zone (~ 50 cm) was identified as a zone where maximum decomposition and turnover is taking place. Surface DOM was dominated by inputsmore » from surface vegetation. The intermediate depth zone was an area of high organic matter reactivity and increased microbial activity with diagenetic formation of many unique compounds, among them polycyclic aromatic compounds that contain both nitrogen and sulfur heteroatoms. These compounds have been previously observed in coal-derived compounds and were assumed to be responsible for coal's biological activity. Biological processes triggered by redox oscillations taking place at the intermediate depth zone of the peat profile at the S1 bog are assumed to be responsible for the formation of these heteroatomic PACs in this system. Alternatively, these compounds could stem from black carbon and nitrogen derived from fires that have occurred at the site in the past. Surface and deep DOM exhibited more similar characteristics, compared to the intermediate depth zone, with the deep layer exhibiting greater input of microbially degraded organic matter than the surface suggesting that the entire peat profile consists of similar parent material at different degrees of decomposition and that lateral and vertical advection of pore water from the surface to the deeper horizons is responsible for such similarities. Lastly, our findings suggest that molecular composition of DOM in peatland pore

Vertical Stratification of Peat Pore Water Dissolved Organic Matter Composition in a Peat Bog in Northern Minnesota: Pore Water DOM composition in a peat bog

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tfaily, Malak M.; Wilson, Rachel M.; Cooper, William T.

We characterized dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition throughout the peat column at the Marcell S1 forested bog in northern Minnesota and tested the hypothesis that redox oscillations associated with cycles of wetting and drying at the surface of the fluctuating water table correlate with increased carbon, sulfur and nitrogen turn over. We found significant vertical stratification of DOM molecular composition and EEM-PARAFAC components within the peat column. In particular the intermediate depth zone (~ 50 cm) was identified as a zone where maximum decomposition and turnover is taking place. Surface DOM was dominated by inputs from surface vegetation. The intermediate-depthmore » zone was an area of high organic matter reactivity and increased microbial activity with diagenetic formation of many unique compounds, among them polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) that contain both nitrogen and sulfur heteroatoms. These compounds have been previously observed in coal-derived compounds and were assumed to be responsible for coal's biological activity. Biological processes triggered by redox oscillations taking place at the intermediate depth zone of the peat profile at the S1 bog are assumed to be responsible for the formation of these heteroatomic PACs in this system. Alternatively these compounds could stem from black carbon and nitrogen derived from fires that have occurred at the site in the past. Surface and deep DOM exhibited more similar characteristics, compared to the intermediate-depth zone, with the deep layer exhibiting greater input of microbially degraded organic matter than the surface suggesting that the entire peat profile consists of similar parent material at different degrees of decomposition and that lateral and vertical advection of pore water from the surface to the deeper horizons is responsible for such similarities. Our findings suggest that molecular composition of DOM in peatland pore water is dynamic and is a function of ecosystem

Vertical Stratification of Peat Pore Water Dissolved Organic Matter Composition in a Peat Bog in Northern Minnesota: Pore Water DOM composition in a peat bog

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tfaily, Malak M.; Wilson, Rachel M.; Cooper, William T.

Here, we characterized dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition throughout the peat column at the Marcell S1 forested bog in northern Minnesota and tested the hypothesis that redox oscillations associated with cycles of wetting and drying at the surface of the fluctuating water table correlate with increased carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen turn over. We found significant vertical stratification of DOM molecular composition and excitation-emission matrix parallel factor analysis components within the peat column. In particular, the intermediate depth zone (~ 50 cm) was identified as a zone where maximum decomposition and turnover is taking place. Surface DOM was dominated by inputsmore » from surface vegetation. The intermediate depth zone was an area of high organic matter reactivity and increased microbial activity with diagenetic formation of many unique compounds, among them polycyclic aromatic compounds that contain both nitrogen and sulfur heteroatoms. These compounds have been previously observed in coal-derived compounds and were assumed to be responsible for coal's biological activity. Biological processes triggered by redox oscillations taking place at the intermediate depth zone of the peat profile at the S1 bog are assumed to be responsible for the formation of these heteroatomic PACs in this system. Alternatively, these compounds could stem from black carbon and nitrogen derived from fires that have occurred at the site in the past. Surface and deep DOM exhibited more similar characteristics, compared to the intermediate depth zone, with the deep layer exhibiting greater input of microbially degraded organic matter than the surface suggesting that the entire peat profile consists of similar parent material at different degrees of decomposition and that lateral and vertical advection of pore water from the surface to the deeper horizons is responsible for such similarities. Lastly, our findings suggest that molecular composition of DOM in peatland pore

Bilingual Voicing: A Study of Code-Switching in the Reported Speech of Finnish Immigrants in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frick, Maria; Riionheimo, Helka

2013-01-01

Through a conversation analytic investigation of Finnish-Estonian bilingual (direct) reported speech (i.e., voicing) by Finns who live in Estonia, this study shows how code-switching is used as a double contextualization device. The code-switched voicings are shaped by the on-going interactional situation, serving its needs by opening up a context…

Geochemical and mineralogical composition of bog iron ore as a resource for prehistoric iron production - A case study of the Widawa catchment area in Eastern Silesia, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thelemann, Michael; Bebermeier, Wiebke; Hoelzmann, Philipp

2016-04-01

Spreading from the Near East in the declining Bronze Age from the 2nd millennium BCE onwards, the technique of iron smelting reached Eastern Silesia, Poland, in approximately the 2nd century BCE (pre-Roman Iron Age). At this time the region of the Widawa catchment area was inhabited by the Przeworsk culture. While the older moraine landscape of the study area lacks ores from geological rock formations, bog iron ores were relatively widespread and, due to their comparatively easy accessibility, were commonly exploited for early iron production. In this poster the mineralogical and elemental composition of local bog iron ore deposits and iron slag finds, as a by-product of the smelting process, are investigated. The crystalline mineralogical composition of local bog iron ores is dominated by quartz (SiO2) and goethite (α FeO(OH)), in contrast to slag samples in which fayalite (Fe2SiO4), wüstite (FeO) and quartz, with traces of goethite, represent the main minerals. Ores and slags are both characterized by notable hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) contents. Analyzed bog iron ore samples show iron contents of up to 64.9 mass% Fe2O3 (45.4 mass% Fe), whereas the iron contents of bloomery slags vary between 48.7 and 72.0 mass% FeO (37.9 and 56.0 mass% Fe). A principal component analysis of the element contents, which were quantified by portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (p-ED-XRF), indicates local variations in the elemental composition. Our results show that bog iron ores are relatively widely distributed with spatially varying iron contents along the Widawa floodplain but present-day formation conditions (e.g. different ground-water levels) are negatively affected by modern land-use practices, such as agriculture and melioration measures.

Do Treatment Policies for Proximal Humerus Fractures Differ among Three Nordic Countries and Estonia? Results of a Survey Study.

PubMed

Launonen, A P; Lepola, V; Laitinen, M; Mattila, V M

2016-09-01

Proximal humerus fractures are common fragility injuries. The incidence of these fractures has been estimated to be 82-105 per 105 person-years. Treatment of this fracture, especially in the elderly, is controversial. Our study group published a systematic review of the available literature and concluded that non-operative methods are favored over operative methods in three- and four-part fractures. The aim of this multinational study was to compare treatment policies for proximal humerus fractures among the Nordic countries and Estonia. The study was conducted as a questionnaire-based survey, using the Internet-based program, Webropol(®) (webropol.com). The questionnaire link was sent to the surgeons responsible for treating proximal humerus fractures in major public hospitals in Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Questionnaire included questions regarding the responder's hospital, patient characteristics, and examinations taken before decision making. Clinical part included eight example patient cases with treatment options. Of the 77 recipients of the questionnaire, 59 responded; consequently, the response rate was 77%. Based on the eight presented displaced fracture examples, in both Estonia and Norway and in Finland, 41% and 38%, respectively, preferred surgical treatment with locking plate. In Sweden, the percentage was 28%. The pre- and post-operative protocols showed a similarity in all participant countries. Our survey revealed a remarkable uniformity in the current practice of operative treatments and rehabilitation for proximal humerus fractures in the participant countries. © The Finnish Surgical Society 2016.

Spectral reflectance patterns and temporal dynamics of common understory types in hemi-boreal forests in Järvselja, Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikopensius, Maris; Raabe, Kairi; Pisek, Jan

2014-05-01

The knowledge about spectral properties and seasonal dynamics of understory layers in boreal forests currently holds several gaps. This introduces severe uncertainties while modelling the carbon balance of this ecosystem, which is expected to be prone to major shifts with climate change in the future. In this work the seasonal reflectance dynamics in European hemi-boreal forests are studied. The data for this study was collected at Järvselja Training and Experimental Forestry District (Estonia, 27.26°E 58.30°N). Measurements were taken in three different stands. The silver birch (Betula Pendula Roth) stand grows on typical brown gley-soil and its understory vegetation is dominated by a mixture of several grass species. The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand grows on a bog with understory vegetation composed of sparse labrador tea, cotton grass, and a continuous Sphagnum moss layer. The third stand, Norway spruce (Picea abies), grows on a Gleyi Ferric Podzol site with understory vegetation either partially missing or consisting of mosses such as Hylocomium splendens or Pleurozium schreberi [1]. The sampling design was similar to the study by Rautiainen et al. [3] in northern European boreal forests. At each study site, a 100 m long permanent transect was marked with flags. In addition, four intensive study plots (1 m × 1 m) were marked next to the transects at 20 m intervals. The field campaign lasted from May to September 2013. For each site the fractional cover of understory and understory spectra were estimated ten times i.e. every 2 to 3 weeks. Results from Järvselja forest were compared with the seasonal profiles from boreal forests in Hyytiälä, Finland [2]. References [1] A. Kuusk, M. Lang, J. Kuusk, T. Lükk, T. Nilson, M. Mõttus, M. Rautiainen, and A. Eenmäe, "Database of optical and structural data for validation of radiative transfer models", Technical Report, September 2009 [2] M. Rautiainen, M. Mõttus, J. Heiskanen, A. Akujärvi, T. Majasalmi

Tuberculosis knowledge among injecting drug users visiting syringe exchange programme in Tallinn, Estonia.

PubMed

Rüütel, Kristi; Parker, R David; Sobolev, Igor; Loit, Helle-Mai

2012-12-01

The purpose of the current study was to describe tuberculosis (TB) knowledge, beliefs, and experience with TB services among injecting drug users. Participants for this anonymous, cross-sectional study were recruited from a community based syringe exchange programme in Tallinn, Estonia. A structured questionnaire was completed and included information on socio-demographics, health history, drug use, and knowledge about TB and HIV. The study included 407 people (79% male, mean age 27.9 years, mean injection drug use 9.4 years). 32.9% of participants reported HIV infection and 1.7% lifetime history of TB. 26.4% participants (n=106) reported symptoms suggestive of TB. 93% of participants recognized correctly that TB is air-borne infection and 91% that HIV is a risk factor for TB. Only 40% of the participants knew that TB diagnostics and treatment in Estonia are free of charge for everybody and 58% reported they knew where to get health care services in case they suspected that they had TB. TB transmission and treatment adherence knowledge was better among those in contact with either health care or harm reduction services, e.g the community based syringe exchange programme. Similar to HIV services, TB prevention and education should be integrated into harm reduction and drug treatment programmes to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of TB among injecting drug users.

Peat Bog Wildfire Smoke Exposure in Rural North Carolina Is Associated with Cardio-Pulmonary Emergency Department Visits

EPA Science Inventory

In June 2008 burning deposits of peat produced haze and air pollution far in excess of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, encroaching on rural communities of eastern North Carolina (NC). While the association of mortality and morbidity with exposure to urban air pollution i...

Preschool Achievement in Finland and Estonia: Cross-Cultural Comparison between the Cities of Helsinki and Tallinn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojala, Mikko; Talts, Leida

2007-01-01

Each child In Finland and in Estonia receives preschool training for a year before going to school, based on a new national framework curriculum of preschool education. The aim of the present study was to compare children's learning achievements in nine target areas, based on the teacher's evaluations at the end of the preschool year, in both…

Net ecosystem exchange and energy fluxes measured with the eddy covariance technique in a western Siberian bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseychik, Pavel; Mammarella, Ivan; Karpov, Dmitry; Dengel, Sigrid; Terentieva, Irina; Sabrekov, Alexander; Glagolev, Mikhail; Lapshina, Elena

2017-08-01

Very few studies of ecosystem-atmosphere exchange involving eddy covariance data have been conducted in Siberia, with none in the western Siberian middle taiga. This work provides the first estimates of carbon dioxide (CO2) and energy budgets in a typical bog of the western Siberian middle taiga based on May-August measurements in 2015. The footprint of measured fluxes consisted of a homogeneous mixture of tree-covered ridges and hollows with the vegetation represented by typical sedges and shrubs. Generally, the surface exchange rates resembled those of pine-covered bogs elsewhere. The surface energy balance closure approached 100 %. Net CO2 uptake was comparatively high, summing up to 202 gC m-2 for the four measurement months, while the Bowen ratio was seasonally stable at 28 %. The ecosystem turned into a net CO2 source during several front passage events in June and July. The periods of heavy rain helped keep the water table at a sustainably high level, preventing a usual drawdown in summer. However, because of the cloudy and rainy weather, the observed fluxes might rather represent the special weather conditions of 2015 than their typical magnitudes.

Ecosystem Model Performance at Wetlands: Results from the North American Carbon Program Site Synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulman, B. N.; Desai, A. R.; Schroeder, N. M.; NACP Site Synthesis Participants

2011-12-01

Northern peatlands contain a significant fraction of the global carbon pool, and their responses to hydrological change are likely to be important factors in future carbon cycle-climate feedbacks. Global-scale carbon cycle modeling studies typically use general ecosystem models with coarse spatial resolution, often without peatland-specific processes. Here, seven ecosystem models were used to simulate CO2 fluxes at three field sites in Canada and the northern United States, including two nutrient-rich fens and one nutrient-poor, sphagnum-dominated bog, from 2002-2006. Flux residuals (simulated - observed) were positively correlated with measured water table for both gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) at the two fen sites for all models, and were positively correlated with water table at the bog site for the majority of models. Modeled diurnal cycles at fen sites agreed well with eddy covariance measurements overall. Eddy covariance GEP and ER were higher during dry periods than during wet periods, while model results predicted either the opposite relationship or no significant difference. At the bog site, eddy covariance GEP had no significant dependence on water table, while models predicted higher GEP during wet periods. All models significantly over-estimated GEP at the bog site, and all but one over-estimated ER at the bog site. Carbon cycle models in peatland-rich regions could be improved by incorporating better models or measurements of hydrology and by inhibiting GEP and ER rates under saturated conditions. Bogs and fens likely require distinct treatments in ecosystem models due to differences in nutrients, peat properties, and plant communities.

Beyond Words: Dance and Movement Sessions with Young People with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodgame, Jenna

2007-01-01

This article details an experimental project in Estonian schools, using therapeutic dance and movement as a basis to explore beyond the boundaries of language in supporting young people to develop their creative expression. The author visited three residential schools in different areas of Estonia in September 2006 to lead sessions with groups of…

77 FR 74555 - Importation of Live Swine, Swine Semen, Pork, and Pork Products; Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-17

...-0043] RIN 0579-AD20 Importation of Live Swine, Swine Semen, Pork, and Pork Products; Estonia, Hungary... semen by removing one of the conditions for the importation of swine semen from the APHIS-defined... fever. We have determined that the 40-day holding period for swine semen and donor boars after the...

Perspectives on Tolerance in Education Flowing from a Comparison of Religion Education in Estonia and South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Walt, Johannes L.

2013-01-01

The question that prompted this investigation into religion education (RE) in Estonia and in South Africa was whether two countries from such totally different parts of the world, with such vastly different populations and cultures though with somewhat parallel histories, had tackled the same or similar problems regarding the provision of RE in…

SPRUCE Tree Growth Assessments of Picea and Larix in S1-Bog Plots and SPRUCE Experimental Plots beginning in 2011

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanson, P.J.,; Phillips, J.R.; Wullschelger, S.D.

This data set reports tree growth measurements of mature Picea mariana and Larix laricina located in the S1-Bog permanent plots and the SPRUCE experimental study plots, Annual data collections were initiated in February of 2011and have been continued on an annual basis during mid-winter observation periods at the end of February or early March. Data collections are anticipated to continue through February of 2025 and this data set will be appended annually. Initial observations in 2011 included measurements of circumference at 1.3 m (diameter at breast height assessments; DBH) above the nominal bog hollow surface, tree heights and crown diameters.more » Subsequent annual measurements have focused on the measures of circumference at DBH. Circumference measurements to the nearest 0.1 cm are converted to DBH in cm and basal area at DBH in (cm2). Tree height and crown diameter are measured to the nearest 0.1 m.« less

Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry and microbial processing of organic matter in northern bogs and fens reveals a common P limitation among peatland types

EPA Science Inventory

We compared C, N, and P concentrations in atmospheric deposition, runoff, and soil standing stocks with microbial respiration (DHA) and ecoenzyme activity (EEA) in an ombrotrophic bog (S2) and a minerotrophic fen (S3) to investigate the environmental drivers of biogeochemical cyc...

Reconstructing historical atmospheric mercury deposition in Western Europe using: Misten peat bog cores, Belgium.

PubMed

Allan, Mohammed; Le Roux, Gael; Sonke, Jeroen E; Piotrowska, Natalia; Streel, Maurice; Fagel, Nathalie

2013-01-01

Four sediment cores were collected in 2008 from the Misten ombrotrophic peat bog in the Northern part of the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium. Total mercury (Hg) concentrations were analyzed to investigate the intra-site variability in atmospheric Hg deposition over the past 1,500 years. Mercury concentrations in the four cores ranged from 16 to 1,100 μg kg(-1), with the maxima between 840 and 1,100 μg kg(-1). A chronological framework was established using radiometric (210)Pb and (14)C dating of two cores (M1 and M4). Pollen horizons from these two cores were correlated with data from two additional cores, providing a consistent dating framework between all the sites. There was good agreement between atmospheric Hg accumulation rates in the four cores over time based on precise age dating and pollen chronosequences. The average Hg accumulation rate before the influence of human activities (from 500 to 1,300 AD) was 1.8 ± 1 μg m(-2)y(-1) (2SD). Maximum Hg accumulation rates ranged from 90 to 200 μg m(-2)y(-1) between 1930 and 1980 AD. During the European-North American Industrial Revolution, the mean Hg accumulation rate exceeded the pre-Industrial values by a factor of 63. Based on comparisons with historical records of anthropogenic activities in Europe and Belgium, the predominant regional anthropogenic sources of Hg during and after the Industrial Revolution were coal burning and smelter Hg emissions. Mercury accumulation rates and chronologies in the Misten cores were consistent with those reported for other European peat records. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceived effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy, self-rated health and treatment adherence among HIV-positive people who inject drugs in Estonia.

PubMed

Chan, Pui Y; Joseph, Michael A; Des Jarlais, Don C; Uusküla, Anneli

2018-01-01

The HIV epidemic in Estonia affects the population of people who inject drugs (PWID) the most, but factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among PWID have not been thoroughly examined in Estonia, with particularly limited data regarding beliefs and attitudes of PWID. The objective of this study was to explore the association between ART adherence and individual beliefs, perceived effectiveness of ART, and self-rated health in particular, in this specific population. The study used baseline survey data from a longitudinal intervention study of HIV prevention among PWID in Estonia, in which 107 HIV-infected participants reported current use of ART. Current adherence was measured through the use of a visual analog scale. Approximately half (49%) of the participants reported optimal (≥95%) adherence. The vast majority (81%) believed in the effectiveness of ART. Less than a quarter of the participants (22%) rated their health as good or very good, and a half (52%) reported average health. Individual beliefs and self-reported health were not associated with ART adherence in both bivariate and multivariable analyses. Participants with problem drinking reported significant suboptimal adherence to ART (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.97). Daily injection drug use was also associated with suboptimal adherence (AOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13-0.91). Problem drinking has not been commonly reported as a factor of suboptimal ART adherence among PWID; further research would be useful to identify the pathways that might be involved.

Ecophysiological adaptations of anaerobic bacteria to low pH: analysis of anaerobic digestion in acidic bog sediments. [Lactobacillus; Clostridium; Sarcina ventriculi

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goodwin, S.; Zeikus, G.J.

1987-01-01

The dynamics of anaerobic digestion were examined in the low-pH sediments of Crystal Bog in Wisconsin. The sediments (pH 4.9) contained 71% organic matter and the following concentrations of dissolved gases (micromoles per liter):CO/sub 2/, 1140; CH/sub 4/, 490; and H/sub 2/, 0.01. The rate of methane production was 6.2 ..mu..mol/liter of sediment per h, which is slower than eutrophic, neutral sediments. Microbial metabolic processes displayed the following pH optima: hydrolysis reactions, between 4.2 and 5.6; aceticlastic methanogenesis, 5.2; and hydrogen-consuming reactions, 5.6. The turnover rate constants for key intermediary metabolites were (h/sup -1/): glucose, 1.10; lactate, 0.277; acetate, 0.118;more » and ethanol, 0.089. The populations of anaerobes were low, with hydrolytic groups (10/sup 6//ml) several orders of magnitude higher than methanogens (10/sup 2//ml). The addition of carbon electron donors to the sediment resulted in the accumulation of hydrogen, whereas the addition of hydrogen resulted in the accumulation of fatty acids and the inhibition of hydrogen-producing acetogenic reactions. Strains of Lactobacillus, Clostridium, and Sarcina ventriculi were isolated from the bog, and their physiological attributes were characterized in relation to hydrolytic process functions in the sediments. The present studies provide evidence that the pH present in the bog sediments alter anaerobic digestion processes s, that total biocatalytic activity is lower bu the general carbon and electron flow pathways are similar to those of neutral anoxic sediments.« less

Cross-Sectional Study of Anti-Trichinella Antibody Prevalence in Domestic Pigs and Hunted Wild Boars in Estonia.

PubMed

Kärssin, Age; Velström, Kaisa; Gómez-Morales, Maria Angeles; Saar, Tiiu; Jokelainen, Pikka; Lassen, Brian

2016-09-01

Trichinella spp. are relevant zoonotic pathogens in Estonia. The aim of this nationwide cross-sectional study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Trichinella spp. in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) and hunted wild boars (Sus scrofa). Serum samples from 374 pigs, originating from 14 farms, and meat juice samples from 470 wild boars were tested for immunoglobulin G antibodies against Trichinella excretory/secretory antigens using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies against Trichinella were not detected in the domestic pigs, indicating effective parasite control strategies in the farms. By contrast, 42.1% of the wild boars tested positive, indicating substantial infection pressure in the sylvatic cycle. Further analysis of a subset of the wild boar samples, using another ELISA and Western blot, yielded a confirmed seroprevalence estimate of 17.4%. A substantial proportion of wild boars in Estonia had evidence of exposure to Trichinella spp. and may have carried infective larvae. Undercooked Estonian wild boar meat is a potential source of Trichinella spp. infections to humans and other hosts.

Efficiency Assessment of Support Mechanisms for Wood-Fired Cogeneration Development in Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkova, Anna; Siirde, Andres

2010-01-01

There are various support mechanisms for wood-fired cogeneration plants, which include both support for cogeneration development and stimulation for increasing consumption of renewable energy sources. The efficiency of these mechanisms is analysed in the paper. Overview of cogeneration development in Estonia is given with the focus on wood-fired cogeneration. Legislation acts and amendments, related to cogeneration support schemes, were described. For evaluating the efficiency of support mechanisms an indicator - fuel cost factor was defined. This indicator includes the costs related to the chosen fuel influence on the final electricity generation costs without any support mechanisms. The wood fuel cost factors were compared with the fuel cost factors for peat and oil shale. For calculating the fuel cost factors, various data sources were used. The fuel prices data were based on the average cost of fuels in Estonia for the period from 2000 till 2008. The data about operating and maintenance costs, related to the fuel type in the case of comparing wood fuel and oil shale fuel were taken from the CHP Balti and Eesti reports. The data about operating and maintenance costs used for peat and wood fuel comparison were taken from the Tallinn Elektrijaam reports. As a result, the diagrams were built for comparing wood and its competitive fuels. The decision boundary lines were constructed on the diagram for the situation, when no support was provided for wood fuels and for the situations, when various support mechanisms were provided during the last 12 years.

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Addition Affects Biological N2 Fixation and Sphagnum Moss in an Ombrotrophic Bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zivkovic, T.; Ardichvili, A.; Moore, T. R.

2016-12-01

Most of the 18 Pg nitrogen (N) accumulated in northern nutrient-poor and Sphagnum-dominated peatlands (bogs and fens) can be attributed to N2 fixation by diazotrophs either associated with the live Sphagnum or non-symbiotically in the deeper peat. Where atmospheric N deposition is low (< 0.2 g m-2 y-1), ombrotrophic bogs rely on N2 fixation as the primary source of N that sustains primary production. The industrial revolution and anthropogenic impacts in the last 200 years have resulted in larger atmospheric N deposition as ammonium (NH4) and nitrate (NO3). One effect of increased N deposition in Sphagnum is a switch from N to phosphorus (P) limitation suggested by the increase in tissue N:P>16. It is unclear how Sphagnum hosted diazotrophic activity may be affected by N deposition and thus changes in N:P ratio. We investigated the effects of long-term addition of different sources of nitrogen (0, 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 g N m-2 y-1 as NH4Cl and NaNO3), and phosphorus (5 g P m-2 y-1 as KH2PO4) on Sphagnum nutrient status (N, P and N:P), net primary productivity (NPP) and Sphagnum-associated N2 fixation at Mer Bleue, a temperate ombrotrophic bog. Our study shows that N concentration in Sphagnum tissue increased with larger rates of N addition, with a stronger effect on Sphagnum from NH4 than NO3. The addition of P created a 3.5 fold increase in Sphagnum P content compared to controls. Sphagnum NPP decreased linearly with the rise in N:P ratio, while linear growth declined exponentially with increase in Sphagnum N content. N2 fixation significantly decreased in response to even the smallest addition of both N species. In contrast, the addition of P increased N2 fixation by up to 100 times compared to N treatments and up to 5-30 times compared to controls. The change in N2 fixation was best modeled by the N:P ratio, across all experimental treatments. Although elevated N deposition substantially decreases N2 fixation, the N:P ratio in Sphagnum may be a good predictor, likely

Internet-based recruitment system for HIV and STI screening for men who have sex with men in Estonia, 2013: analysis of preliminary outcomes.

PubMed

Ruutel, K; Lohmus, L; Janes, J

2015-04-16

The aim of the current project was to develop an Internet-based recruitment system for HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Estonia in order to collect biological samples during behavioural studies. In 2013, an Internet-based HIV risk-behaviour survey was conducted among MSM living in Estonia. After completing the questionnaire, all participants were offered anonymous and free-of-charge STI testing. They could either order a urine sample kit by post to screen for chlamydia infections (including lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)), trichomoniasis, gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma genitalium infections, or visit a laboratory for HIV, hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus,hepatitis C virus and syphilis screening. Of 301 participants who completed the questionnaire, 265 (88%),reported that they were MSM. Of these 265 MSM,68 (26%) underwent various types of testing. In the multiple regression analysis, Russian as the first language,previous HIV testing and living in a city or town increased the odds of testing during the study. Linking Internet-based behavioural data collection with biological sample collection is a promising approach. As there are no specific STI services for MSM in Estonia,this system could also be used as an additional option for anonymous and free-of-charge STI screening.

Parameter Calculation Technique for the Waste Treatment Facilities Using Naturally-Aerated Blocks in the Bog Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhmed-Ogly, K. V.; Savichev, O. G.; Tokarenko, O. G.; Pasechnik, E. Yu; Reshetko, M. V.; Nalivajko, N. G.; Vlasova, M. V.

2014-08-01

Technique for the domestic wastewater treatment in the small residential areas and oil and gas facilities of the natural and man-made systems including a settling tank for mechanical treatment and a biological pond with peat substrate and bog vegetation for biological treatment has been substantiated. Technique for parameters calculation of the similar natural and man-made systems has been developed. It was proven that effective treatment of wastewater can be performed in Siberia all year round.

The ethics of Soviet medical practice: behaviours and attitudes of physicians in Soviet Estonia.

PubMed

Barr, D A

1996-02-01

To study and report the attitudes and practices of physicians in a former Soviet republic regarding issues pertaining to patients' rights, physician negligence and the acceptance of gratuities from patients. Survey questionnaire administered to physicians in 1991 at the time of the Soviet breakup. Estonia, formerly a Soviet republic, now an independent state. A stratified, random sample of 1,000 physicians, representing approximately 20 per cent of practicing physicians under the age of 65. Most physicians shared information with patients about treatment risks and alternatives, with the exception of cancer patients: only a third of physicians tell the patient when cancer is suspected. Current practice at the time of the survey left patients few options when physician negligence occurred; most physicians feel that under a reformed system physician negligence should be handled within the local facility rather than by the government. It was common practice for physicians to receive gifts, tips, or preferential access to scarce consumer goods from their patients. Responses varied somewhat by facility and physician nationality. The ethics of Soviet medical practice were different in a number of ways from generally accepted norms in Western countries. Physicians' attitudes about the need for ethical reform suggest that there will be movement in Estonia towards a system of medical ethics that more closely approximates those in the West.

The ethics of Soviet medical practice: behaviours and attitudes of physicians in Soviet Estonia.

PubMed Central

Barr, D A

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To study and report the attitudes and practices of physicians in a former Soviet republic regarding issues pertaining to patients' rights, physician negligence and the acceptance of gratuities from patients. DESIGN: Survey questionnaire administered to physicians in 1991 at the time of the Soviet breakup. SETTING: Estonia, formerly a Soviet republic, now an independent state. SURVEY SAMPLE: A stratified, random sample of 1,000 physicians, representing approximately 20 per cent of practicing physicians under the age of 65. RESULTS: Most physicians shared information with patients about treatment risks and alternatives, with the exception of cancer patients: only a third of physicians tell the patient when cancer is suspected. Current practice at the time of the survey left patients few options when physician negligence occurred; most physicians feel that under a reformed system physician negligence should be handled within the local facility rather than by the government. It was common practice for physicians to receive gifts, tips, or preferential access to scarce consumer goods from their patients. Responses varied somewhat by facility and physician nationality. CONCLUSION: The ethics of Soviet medical practice were different in a number of ways from generally accepted norms in Western countries. Physicians' attitudes about the need for ethical reform suggest that there will be movement in Estonia towards a system of medical ethics that more closely approximates those in the West. PMID:8932723

Features of seasonal temperature variations in peat soils of oligotrophic bogs in south taiga of Western Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiselev, M. V.; Dyukarev, E. A.; Voropay, N. N.

2018-03-01

The work presents the results of the study of the peculiarities of the temperature regime in the five basic ecosystems of oligotrophic bogs in the south taiga zone of Western Siberia in 2011-2016. The soil temperature regime was studied using the atmospheric-soil measuring complex at different depths from surface down to 240 cm. All sites were divided into two groups according to the bog water level: flooded sites (hollow and open fen) and drained sites (ridge, tall and low ryam). The waterlogged sites are better warmed in the summer period and slowly freeze in the winter period. The analysis of the annual cycle of temperature showed that the maximum surface temperature is in July. The minimum temperature on the surface is observed in February or January. The greatest temperature gradient was recorded in the upper 2 cm layer. The gradient at the open fen was -2 °C/cm in February and 1.1 °C/cm in October. The peak of formation of the seasonally frozen layer occurs at the end of autumn or in the beginning of winter. The degradation of the seasonally frozen layer was observed both from top and bottom, but the degradation rate from the top is faster.

Ebullition, Plant-Mediated Transport, and Subsurface Horizontal Water Flow Dominate Methane Transport in an Arctic Sphagnum Bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehr, R. A.; McCalley, C. K.; Logan, T. A.; Chanton, J.; Crill, P. M.; Rich, V. I.; Saleska, S. R.

2017-12-01

Emission of the greenhouse gas methane from wetlands is of prime concern in the prediction of climate change - especially emission associated with thawing permafrost, which may drive a positive feedback loop of emission and warming. In addition to the biochemistry of methane production and consumption, wetland methane emission depends critically on the transport mechanisms by which methane moves through and out of the ecosystem. We therefore developed a model of methane biochemistry and transport for a sphagnum bog representing an intermediate permafrost thaw stage in Stordalen Mire, Sweden. In order to simultaneously reproduce measured profiles of both the concentrations and isotopic compositions of both methane and carbon dioxide in the peat pore water (Fig. 1) - as well as the surface methane emission - it was necessary for the model to include ebullition, plant-mediated transport via aerenchyma, and subsurface horizontal water flow. Diffusion of gas through the pore water was relatively unimportant. As a result, 90% of the produced methane escaped the wetland rather than being consumed by methanotrophic organisms in the near-surface pore water. Our model provides a comprehensive picture of methane emission from this bog site by quantifying the vertical profiles of: acetoclastic methanogenesis, hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, methane oxidation, aerobic respiration, ebullition, plant-mediated transport, subsurface horizontal water flow, and diffusion.

The Unintended and Intended Academic Consequences of Educational Reforms: The Cases of Post-Soviet Estonia, Latvia and Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khavenson, Tatiana; Carnoy, Martin

2016-01-01

In this paper, we try to unravel some of the unintended and intended academic effects associated with post-Soviet educational reforms by focusing on three cases: Estonia, Latvia and Russia. We have chosen this comparison because a unique "natural experiment" in the three countries allows us to compare the changing academic performance on…

Evaluation of heavy metal pollution in bogs of Tomsk region on change in biogeochemical activity of ericaceous shrubs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaskova, L. P.

2018-01-01

The article discusses the change in biogeochemical activity of plant species in bogs under the influence of various types of human impact (roads, cities, drainage of mires, fire). It has been established that ericaceous shrubs, depending on the species, react with varying degrees of intensity to anthropogenic influences. The biogeochemical activity of species increased by 2.5 to 4.8 times in polluted sites.

Holocene climate variability in the western Mediterranean through a multiproxy analysis from Padul peat bog (Sierra Nevada, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos-Román, María J.; Jiménez-Moreno, Gonzalo; Camuera, Jon; García-Alix, Antonio; Anderson, R. Scott; Jiménez-Espejo, Francisco J.; Sachse, Dirk

2017-04-01

The Iberian Peninsula, located in the Mediterranean area, is an interesting location for paleoclimate studies due to its geographic situation between arid and humid climates. Sediments from peat bogs and lakes from Sierra Nevada, in southeastern Iberian Peninsula, have been very informative in terms of how vegetation and wetland environments were impacted by Holocene climate change. These studies are essential if we want to understand the past climate change in the area, which is the key to identify the possible environmental response of the Sierra Nevada ecosystems to future climate scenarios. Padul basin, located in the southwest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, contains a ca. 100 m-thick peat bog sedimentary sequence that was deposited during the past 1 Ma making this area interesting for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstructions. A new 43 m-long sedimentary record has recently been retrieved from the Padul peat bog. In this study we have developed a multiproxy analysis of the Holocene part of the Padul-15-05 core including pollen analysis, XRF-core scanner, magnetic susceptibility and organic geochemistry, supported by an age control based on AMS radiocarbon dates, providing with information about vegetation and climate variability during the past 9.9 cal ka BP. This multiproxy reconstruction of the Padul-15-05 evidences the Mediterranean as a sensitive area with respect to global-scale climate system, showing relevant climate episodes such as the ca. 8, 7.5, 6.5 and 5.5 cal ka BP events during the early and middle Holocene. The trend to aridification to the late Holocene is interrupted by more arid and humid periods as the Iberian Roman Humid Period (from ca. 3 to 1.6 cal ka BP), the Dark Ages (from ca. 1.5 to 1.1 cal ka BP), the Medieval Climate Anomaly (from ca. 1.1 to 1.3 cal ka BP) and the Little Ice Age period (from ca. 500 to 100 cal yr BP).

Groundwater flow with energy transport and water-ice phase change: Numerical simulations, benchmarks, and application to freezing in peat bogs

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKenzie, J.M.; Voss, C.I.; Siegel, D.I.

2007-01-01

In northern peatlands, subsurface ice formation is an important process that can control heat transport, groundwater flow, and biological activity. Temperature was measured over one and a half years in a vertical profile in the Red Lake Bog, Minnesota. To successfully simulate the transport of heat within the peat profile, the U.S. Geological Survey's SUTRA computer code was modified. The modified code simulates fully saturated, coupled porewater-energy transport, with freezing and melting porewater, and includes proportional heat capacity and thermal conductivity of water and ice, decreasing matrix permeability due to ice formation, and latent heat. The model is verified by correctly simulating the Lunardini analytical solution for ice formation in a porous medium with a mixed ice-water zone. The modified SUTRA model correctly simulates the temperature and ice distributions in the peat bog. Two possible benchmark problems for groundwater and energy transport with ice formation and melting are proposed that may be used by other researchers for code comparison. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mortality and causes of death after traumatic spinal cord injury in Estonia

PubMed Central

Sabre, Liis; Rekand, Tiina; Asser, Toomas; Kõrv, Janika

2013-01-01

Study design Retrospective population-based study with mortality follow-up. Objective To study mortality, causes and risk factors for death in Estonian patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). Setting All Estonian hospitals. Methods Medical records of patients with TSCI from all regional, central, general, and rehabilitation hospitals in Estonia from 1997 to 2007, were retrospectively reviewed. Mortality status was ascertained as of 31 December 2011. Causes of death were collected from the Estonian Causes of Death Registry. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for the entire sample and for causes of death. A Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to identify the risk indicators for death. Results During the observation period (1997–2011) 162 patients of 595 died. Nearly half of the patients (n = 76) died during the first year after TSCI. The main causes of death were external causes (30%), cardiovascular disease (29%). and suicide (8%). The overall SMR was 2.81 (95% confidence interval 2.40–3.28) and SMR was higher for women than for men (3.80 vs. 2.70). Cause-specific SMRs were markedly elevated for sepsis and suicide. Mortality was significantly affected by the age at the time of injury, neurological level, and extent of the injury as well as the year of TSCI and complications. Conclusion Life expectancy is significantly decreased in patients with TSCI in Estonia compared with the general population. Deaths during the first year after the injury have an important impact on statistics. Treatment of cardiovascular diseases, infections, and prevention of suicide are useful for reducing mortality in patients with TSCI. PMID:24090049

Cryptosporidiosis - an occupational risk and a disregarded disease in Estonia.

PubMed

Lassen, Brian; Ståhl, Marie; Enemark, Heidi L

2014-06-05

Cases of cryptosporidiosis have not been officially reported in Estonia after the year 2000, and the disease appears to be either under-diagnosed or under-reported. Based on a human case of cryptosporidiosis contracted during faecal sampling in dairy farms, cattle considered to be sources of infection were analysed for Cryptosporidium spp. by a modified Ziehl Neelsen technique and molecular typing. C. parvum subtype IIaA16G1R1 was detected from the human case and from calves from one of nine farms enrolled in the study providing strong circumstantial evidence of zoonotic transmission from calves to humans. Cryptosporidiosis presents an occupational risk to people with cattle contact, and may also be a risk to the human population in general. Thus increased public and medical awareness is warranted.

Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry and microbial processing of organic matter in northern bogs and fens reveals a common P-limitation between peatland types

Treesearch

Brian H. Hill; Colleen M. Elonen; Terri M. Jicha; Randall K. Kolka; LaRae L.P. Lehto; Stephen D. Sebestyen; Lindsey R. Seifert-Monson

2014-01-01

We compared carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations in atmospheric deposition, runoff, and soils with microbial respiration [dehydrogenase (DHA)] and ecoenzyme activity (EEA) in an ombrotrophic bog and a minerotrophic fen to investigate the environmental drivers of biogeochemical cycling in peatlands at the Marcell Experimental Forest in northern...

Does School Admission by Zoning Affect Educational Inequality? A Study of Family Background Effect in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Põder, Kaire; Lauri, Triin; Veski, Andre

2017-01-01

We indicate the size of family background effects in Sweden, Finland, and Estonia--countries that differ in both the rhetoric and extensiveness of the system-level school choice policies. Family background effect is defined as the dependence of student achievement on family background characteristics, such as parental education, income, and social…

Remote sensing of seasonal light use efficiency in temperate bog ecosystems.

PubMed

Tortini, R; Coops, N C; Nesic, Z; Christen, A; Lee, S C; Hilker, T

2017-08-17

Despite storing approximately half of the atmosphere's carbon, estimates of fluxes between wetlands and atmosphere under current and future climates are associated with large uncertainties, and it remains a challenge to determine human impacts on the net greenhouse gas balance of wetlands at the global scale. In this study we demonstrate that the relationship between photochemical reflectance index, derived from high spectral and temporal multi-angular observations, and vegetation light use efficiency was strong (r 2  = 0.64 and 0.58 at the hotspot and darkspot, respectively), and can be utilized to estimate carbon fluxes from remote at temperate bog ecosystems. These results improve our understanding of the interactions between vegetation physiology and spectral characteristics to understand seasonal magnitudes and variations in light use efficiency, opening new perspectives on the potential of this technique over extensive areas with different landcover.

From Times of Transition to Adaptation: Background and Theoretical Approach to the Curriculum Reform in Estonia 1987-1996

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rouk, Vadim

2013-01-01

The aim of the paper is to research the important process of the history of the educational development of Estonia, the reform of the national school curriculum which began after the teacher's congress in 1987 and ended in 1996 when government approved the document. That reform was carried out in the context of thoroughgoing and dramatic…

Modelling nutrient fluxes from diffuse and point emissions to river loads: the Estonian part of the transboundary Lake Peipsi/Chudskoe drainage basin (Russia/Estonia/Latvia).

PubMed

Mourad, D; van der Perk, M

2004-01-01

First results are presented of a large-scale GIS-based nutrient transport modelling for the 1985-1999 period in the Estonian part of the transboundary drainage basin of Lake Peipsi (Estonian)/Chudskoe (Russian), one of the largest lakes in Europe, shared by Russia and Estonia. Although the lake is relatively undisturbed by human pollution, it is vulnerable for eutrophication by increased river loads, as shown in the past, when the north-eastern part of the former Soviet Union suffered from intensive agriculture. The collapse of the Soviet Union caused a dramatic decline in fertilizer application rates and widespread abandonment of agricultural land. Although concentration measurements and modelling results indicate a general decrease in nutrient loads, modelling is complicated by the transfer of nutrients from diffuse emissions, which is strongly governed by retention and assumed periodic release from storages within the river basin, like the root zone, tile drains, ditches, channels, bed sediments, floodplains and lakes. Modelling diffuse emission contribution to river loads can be improved by better knowledge about the spatial and temporal distribution of this retention and release within the drainage basin.

Peat soil composition as indicator of plants growth environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noormets, M.; Tonutare, T.; Kauer, K.; Szajdak, L.; Kolli, R.

2009-04-01

Exhausted milled peat areas have been left behind as a result of decades-lasting intensive peat production in Estonia and Europe. According to different data there in Estonia is 10 000 - 15 000 ha of exhausted milled peat areas that should be vegetated. Restoration using Sphagnum species is most advantageous, as it creates ecological conditions closest to the natural succession towards a natural bog area. It is also thought that the large scale translocation of vegetation from intact bogs, as used in some Canadian restoration trials, is not applicable in most of European sites due to limited availability of suitable donor areas. Another possibility to reduce the CO2 emission in these areas is their use for cultivation of species that requires minimum agrotechnical measures exploitation. It is found by experiments that it is possible to establish on Vaccinium species for revegetation of exhausted milled peat areas. Several physiological activity of the plant is regulated by the number of phytohormones. These substances in low quantities move within the plant from a site of production to a site of action. Phytohormone, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is formed in soils from tryptophane by enzymatic conversion. This compound seems to play an important function in nature as result to its influence in regulation of plant growth and development. A principal feature of IAA is its ability to affect growth, development and health of plants. This compound activates root morphology and metabolic changes in the host plant. The physiological impact of this substance is involved in cell elongation, apical dominance, root initiation, parthenocarpy, abscission, callus formation and the respiration. The investigation areas are located in the county of Tartu (58˚ 22' N, 26˚ 43' E), in the southern part of Estonia. The soil of the experimental fields belongs according to the WRB soil classification, to the soils subgroups of Fibri-Dystric Histosols. The investigation areas were

The incidence and survival of acute de novo leukaemias in Estonia and in a well-defined region of western Sweden during 1982-1996: a survey of patients aged > or =65 years.

PubMed

Luik, E; Palk, K; Everaus, H; Varik, M; Aareleid, T; Wennström, L; Juntikka, E-L; Safai-Kutti, S; Stockelberg, D; Holmberg, E; Kutti, J

2004-07-01

To compare the incidence and survival of acute de novo leukaemias with particular reference to political/socio-economic and environmental factors in two neighbouring countries over the three 5-year periods (1982-1996). The present report covers only patients diagnosed when aged > or =65 years. A well-defined area of Sweden, the so-called Western Swedish Health Care Region and Estonia. Population-wise, the western Swedish Region and Estonia are very similar; area-wise they are also well comparable. The number of acute de novo leukaemias was quite dissimilar in the two countries (Estonia, n = 137, Sweden, n = 354). The age standardized incidence rates regarding the total number of acute de novo leukaemias was 5.31 per 100,000 inhabitants/year for Estonia and 7.99 for Sweden, this difference being statistically significant. However, the difference was merely attributable to incidence rates as regards acute myeloblastic leukaemias (AML); on the contrary, differences as regards acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALL) and non-classifiable, undifferentiated or biphenotypic acute leukaemias (uAL) were negligible. The relative survival for the total material of patients was significantly higher for Swedish when compared with Estonian patients (P < 0.001). Thus, the relative survival for the total material of patients aged > or =65 years in Estonia at 1 year was 8.5% and at 3 years 3.5% respectively. The corresponding figures for the Swedish patients were considerably higher, 22.7 and 7.7% respectively. This difference, however, applied only for patients with AML (P < 0.001), whereas the results for patients with ALL and uAL were equally dismal. The results clearly reflect how political and socio-economic factors may influence the survival of acute leukemia patients in two neighbouring countries.

Educational differences in cigarette smoking among adult population in Estonia, 1990-2010: does the trend fit the model of tobacco epidemic?

PubMed

Pärna, Kersti; Pürjer, Mari-Liis; Ringmets, Inge; Tekkel, Mare

2014-07-10

In developed countries, smoking spreads through society like an epidemic in which adults from higher socioeconomic groups are the first to adopt and earlier to quit smoking, and in which exists a lag in adoption of smoking between men and women. The objective of this study was to describe trends in daily and occasional smoking, to investigate association between smoking status and education, and to examine if the associations in 1990-2010 in Estonia fit the pattern predicted by the model of tobacco epidemic. The study was based on a 20-64-year-old subsample (n = 18740) of nationally representative postal cross-sectional surveys conducted every second year in Estonia during 1990-2010. Cigarette smoking and education were examined. χ2 test for trend was used to determine daily and occasional smoking trends over study years. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to test educational differences in daily and occasional smoking for every study year. Adjusted relative risk ratios (RRRs) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. In 1990-2010, daily smoking varied largely between genders showing decreasing trend among men, but not among women. In 2010, one third of men and one fifth of women were daily smokers. Daily smoking was not clearly associated with education among men in 1990-1994 and among women in 1990-2000. Men revealed inverse relationship between daily smoking and education since 1996, but women since 2002. In 2010, compared to men and women with higher education, relative risk ratio of daily smoking was 2.92 (95% CI = 2.01-4.25) among men and 2.29 (95% CI = 1.65-3.17) among women with secondary education, but 4.98 (95% CI 3.12-7.94) among men and 6.62 (95% CI = 4.07-10.76) among women with basic education.In 1990-2010, occasional smoking was stable and similar (varying between 7-10%) among men and women, no association with education was found. Daily smoking patterns in Estonia fit the model of tobacco epidemic in developed countries

Soil data for a collapse-scar bog chronosequence in Koyukuk Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

O’Donnell, Jonathan A.; Harden, Jennifer W.; Manies, Kristen L.; Jorgenson, M. Torre

2012-01-01

Peatlands in the northern permafrost region store large amounts of organic carbon, most of which is currently stored in frozen peat deposits. Recent warming at high-latitudes has accelerated permafrost thaw in peatlands, which will likely result in the loss of soil organic carbon from previously frozen peat deposits to the atmosphere. Here, we report soil organic carbon inventories, soil physical data, and field descriptions from a collapse-scar bog chronosequence located in a peatland ecosystem at Koyukuk Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

Estonia: health system review.

PubMed

Lai, Taavi; Habicht, Triin; Kahur, Kristiina; Reinap, Marge; Kiivet, Raul; van Ginneken, Ewout

2013-01-01

This analysis of the Estonian health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health-care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Without doubt, the main issue has been the 2008 financial crisis. Although Estonia has managed the downturn quite successfully and overall satisfaction with the system remains high, it is hard to predict the longer-term effects of the austerity package. The latter included some cuts in benefits and prices, increased cost sharing for certain services, extended waiting times, and a reduction in specialized care. In terms of health outcomes, important progress was made in life expectancy, which is nearing the European Union (EU) average, and infant mortality. Improvements are necessary in smoking and alcohol consumption, which are linked to the majority of avoidable diseases. Although the health behaviour of the population is improving, large disparities between groups exist and obesity rates, particularly among young people, are increasing. In health care, the burden of out-of-pocket payments is still distributed towards vulnerable groups. Furthermore, the number of hospitals, hospital beds and average length of stay has decreased to the EU average level, yet bed occupancy rates are still below EU averages and efficiency advances could be made. Going forwards, a number of pre-crisis challenges remain. These include ensuring sustainability of health care financing, guaranteeing a sufficient level of human resources, prioritizing patient-centred health care, integrating health and social care services, implementing intersectoral action to promote healthy behaviour, safeguarding access to health care for lower socioeconomic groups, and, lastly, improving evaluation and monitoring tools across the health system. World Health Organization 2013 (acting as the host organization for, and secretariat of, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies).

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in dairy and beef cattle: Large-scale epidemiological study in Estonia.

PubMed

Jokelainen, Pikka; Tagel, Maarja; Mõtus, Kerli; Viltrop, Arvo; Lassen, Brian

2017-03-15

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that thrives in Estonia. In this nationwide cross-sectional study, we tested sera from 3991 cattle, collected from 228 farms in 2012-2013, for anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin G antibodies using a commercial direct agglutination test. Titer of 100 was set as cut-off: samples that tested positive at the dilution 1:100 were defined as positive. The apparent animal-level seroprevalence was 18.62%. At least one seropositive animal was found on 68.86% of the farms, and seropositive cattle were detected in all counties. The seroprevalence appeared to increase with age until five years (60-71 months) of age, but had no obvious pattern in the older animals. Animals of the local Estonian Red breed had higher odds to test seropositive than did animals of the Estonian Holstein breed. Whether the farm focused on dairy or beef cattle was not associated with an animal testing T. gondii seropositive nor with finding at least one T. gondii seropositive animal on the farm. The odds of finding at least one T. gondii seropositive animal on the farm were higher if the herd size was above median (105 in dairy and mixed dairy farms; 35 in beef and mixed beef farms). The results indicate that T. gondii is endemic within the agricultural setting in Estonia and present on the majority of cattle farms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

University Language Policies and Language Choice among Ph.D. Graduates in Estonia: The (Unbalanced) Interplay between English and Estonian

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soler-Carbonell, Josep

2014-01-01

The role of English as a global language and its consequences for the internationalization of higher education are matters that have increasingly drawn the attention of researchers from different fields of language and communication. In this paper, an overview of the situation in Estonia is presented. The Estonian context has not previously been…

The cultural dimension of tightness-looseness: An analysis of situational constraint in Estonia and Greece.

PubMed

Realo, Anu; Linnamägi, Karmen; Gelfand, Michele J

2015-06-01

The importance of tightness-looseness as a dimension that explains a considerable amount of variance between cultures was demonstrated by Gelfand et al. (2011). Tight nations have many strong norms and a low tolerance of deviant behaviour, whereas loose nations have weak social norms and a high tolerance of deviant behaviour. The main aim of the current studies was to examine situational constraint in Estonia and Greece: that is, how the cultural dimension of tightness-looseness is manifested in everyday situations in those two countries. The findings of a questionnaire study (Study 1) suggested that, in general, there is higher constraint across everyday situations in Greece than in Estonia, but situational constraint in Greece is especially strong in school and organisational settings where people have hierarchically structured roles. The results of an observational study (Study 2) revealed a relatively high agreement between appropriateness of certain behaviours as judged by the respondents in Study 1 and the frequencies of observed behaviours in the two countries. Our findings suggest that the strength of situations may substantially vary both within and across cultures, and that the attitudes of the members about situational strength in their respective cultures are in concordance with observations of situations by neutral observers in how people in general behave in their culture. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Linking major and trace element headwater stream concentrations to DOC release and hydrologic conditions in a bog and peaty riparian zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broder, Tanja; Biester, Harald

2017-04-01

Peatlands and organic-rich riparian zones are known to export large amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to surface water. In organic-rich, acidic headwater streams main carriers for element export are dissolved organic matter (DOM) and organic-iron complexes. In this environment DOM might also act as major carrier for metals, which otherwise may have a low solubility. This study examines annual and short term event-based variations of major and trace elements in a headwater catchment. Patterns are used to trace hydrological pathways and element sources under different hydrologic preconditions. Furthermore, it elucidates the importance of DOC as carrier of different elements in a bog and a peaty riparian catchment. The study was conducted in a small headwater stream draining an ombrotrophic peatland with an adjacent forested area with peaty riparian soils in the Harz Mountains (Germany). Discharge sampling was conducted weekly at two sites from snowmelt to begin of snowfall and in high resolution during selected discharge events in 2013 and 2014. Element concentrations were measured by means of ICP-MS and ICP-OES. A PCA was performed for each site and for annual and event datasets. Results show that a large number of element concentrations strongly correlate with DOC concentrations at the bog site. Even elements like Ca and Mg, which are known to have a low affinity to DOC. Congruently, the first principal component integrates the DOC pattern (element loadings > 0.8: Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, DOC) and explained about 35 % of total variance and even 50 % during rain events (loadings > 0.8: Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn, Li, Co, As, Sr, Cd, Pb, DOC). The study cannot verify that all correlating elements bind to DOC. It is likely that also a common mobilization pattern in the upper peat layer by plant decomposition causes the same response to changes in hydrologic pathways. Additionally, a low mineral content and an enrichment of elements like Fe and Mn in the

A Tale of Two Cities: Stigma and Health Outcomes Among People with HIV who Inject Drugs in St. Petersburg, Russia and Kohtla-Järve, Estonia

PubMed Central

Burke, Sara E.; Calabrese, Sarah K.; Dovidio, John F.; Levina, Olga S.; Uusküla, Anneli; Niccolai, Linda M.; Abel-Ollo, Katri; Heimer, Robert

2015-01-01

Experiences of stigma are often associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes. The present work tested the associations between stigma and health-related outcomes among people with HIV who inject drugs in Kohtla-Järve, Estonia and St. Petersburg, Russia. These two cities share some of the highest rates of HIV outside of sub-Saharan Africa, largely driven by injection drug use, but Estonia has implemented harm reduction services more comprehensively. People who inject drugs were recruited using respondent-driven sampling; those who indicated being HIV-positive were included in the present sample (n=381 in St. Petersburg; n=288 in Kohtla-Järve). Participants reported their health information and completed measures of internalized HIV stigma, anticipated HIV stigma, internalized drug stigma, and anticipated drug stigma. Participants in both locations indicated similarly high levels of all four forms of stigma. However, stigma variables were more strongly associated with health outcomes in Russia than in Estonia. The St. Petersburg results were consistent with prior work linking stigma and health. Lower barriers to care in Kohtla-Järve may help explain why social stigma was not closely tied to negative health outcomes there. Implications for interventions and health policy are discussed. PMID:25703668

A tale of two cities: stigma and health outcomes among people with HIV who inject drugs in St. Petersburg, Russia and Kohtla-Järve, Estonia.

PubMed

Burke, Sara E; Calabrese, Sarah K; Dovidio, John F; Levina, Olga S; Uusküla, Anneli; Niccolai, Linda M; Abel-Ollo, Katri; Heimer, Robert

2015-04-01

Experiences of stigma are often associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes. The present work tested the associations between stigma and health-related outcomes among people with HIV who inject drugs in Kohtla-Järve, Estonia and St. Petersburg, Russia. These two cities share some of the highest rates of HIV outside of sub-Saharan Africa, largely driven by injection drug use, but Estonia has implemented harm reduction services more comprehensively. People who inject drugs were recruited using respondent-driven sampling; those who indicated being HIV-positive were included in the present sample (n = 381 in St. Petersburg; n = 288 in Kohtla-Järve). Participants reported their health information and completed measures of internalized HIV stigma, anticipated HIV stigma, internalized drug stigma, and anticipated drug stigma. Participants in both locations indicated similarly high levels of all four forms of stigma. However, stigma variables were more strongly associated with health outcomes in Russia than in Estonia. The St. Petersburg results were consistent with prior work linking stigma and health. Lower barriers to care in Kohtla-Järve may help explain why social stigma was not closely tied to negative health outcomes there. Implications for interventions and health policy are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decline in alcohol consumption in Estonia: combined effects of strengthened alcohol policy and economic downturn.

PubMed

Lai, Taavi; Habicht, Jarno

2011-01-01

To describe alcohol policy changes in parallel to consumption changes in 2005-2010 in Estonia, where alcohol consumption is among the highest in Europe. Review of pertinent legislation and literature. Alcohol consumption decreased since 2008, while alcohol excise tax, sales time restrictions and ad bans have increased since 2005. An economic downturn started in 2008. The precise roles of policy changes and the economic downturn in the decline of alcohol consumption, and whether the decrease will be sustained, are still unclear.

Thermokarst in pingos and adjacent collapse scar bogs in interior Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, T. A.; Turetsky, M. R.

2017-12-01

A region of discontinuous permafrost 50 kilometers southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska exhibits rapid thermokarst and landscape change. The area contains a dozen pingos (hydrolaccoliths), mounds of ice covered by earth material typically 100 meters across and 20 meters above the surrounding ground surface. The pingos have sunken craters in their centers formed through melting and collapse of an inner ice lens core. Adjacent to the pingos are collapse scar bogs in various states of formation and ice wedge terrain undergoing thaw subsidence to polygons and thermokarst mounds (baydzherakhs). With a mean annual temperature of -1 degree C the area contains warm ecosystem-protected permafrost vulnerable to thaw. We analyzed historical imagery to the 1970s to track water features in a subset of pingos. The craters have expanded over the past few decades suggesting melting and collapse of the ice cored center and potential permafrost degradation along pingo margins. Collapse scar bogs in adjacent low-elevation terrain are roughly the same size as the pingos but have little vertical elevation gradient compared to the surrounding terrain. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements, high resolution GPS surveys, SIPRE coring, and thaw depth probing were focused along nine 400 meter transects across three of the pingos to identify relationships between geophysical properties, permafrost composition, seasonal thaw, and ecological state. A large ( 40 meters across and 20 meters thick) lens shaped region of thawed permafrost is evident in the ERT results about 10 meters below the ground surface in the center of one pingo we surveyed in detail. This is believed to be the original ice cored region of the pingo that has melted. A thin (1-5 meters thick) layer of permafrost is present above this thawed region while the rampart margins surrounding the pingo are underlain by thick (10-30 m) permafrost. The pingo and thermokarst features reside in a location where rapid permafrost

SPRUCE S1 Bog Sphagnum CO2 Flux Measurements and Partitioning into Re and GPP

DOE Data Explorer

Walker, A. P. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Carter, K. R. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Nettles, W. R. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Philips, J. R. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Sebestyen, S. D. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Weston, D. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2015-06-01

This data set provides (1) the results of in-situ Sphagnum-peat hourly net ecosystem exchange (NEE) measured using a LICOR 8100 gas exchange system and (2) the component fluxes -- gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Re), derived using empirical regressions.NEE measurements were made from 6 June to 6 November 2014 and 20 March to 10 May 2015. Three 8100 chambers per dominant species (S. magellanicum or S. fallax) were placed in the S1 Bog in relatively open ground where there was no obvious hummock-hollow microtopography. The 8100 chambers were not located in the SPRUCE experimental enclosures.

Retrogressive slope failure in glaciolacustrine clays: Sauga landslide, western Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohv, Marko; Talviste, Peeter; Hang, Tiit; Kalm, Volli

2010-12-01

The largest recent landslide in Estonia (ca 60 000 m 3), which occurred on 19 December 2005, has been investigated, modelled and monitored. Eight boreholes, geotechnical sampling and nine vane shear tests provided data on the geological setting, soil strength parameters and location of the rupture zones. Topographic surveys were carried out twice a year from April 2006 to April 2009 to monitor the evolution of the slope. Limit equilibrium modelling displayed a complex of six separate retrogressive failures, beginning near to the Sauga River and ending 75 m from the former river channel. Modelling results are in agreement with the actual morphology of the multiple landslides. Monitoring records the enlargement of the landslide as the Sauga River downcuts through the slide and erodes its toe. Strength loss in the varved clays underlying the slope is a key factor in failure development.

The impact of 90 years of drainage works on some chemical properties of raised peat bog organic soils - case study from valley of the Upper San river in Polish Bieszczady Mts. (Eastern Carpathians).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolarczyk, Mateusz

2016-04-01

Wetland ecosystems, including raised peat bogs are characterized by a specific water conditions and unique vegetation, which makes peatland highly important habitats due to protection of biodiversity. Transformation of peat bog areas is particularly related to changes in the environment e.g. according to reclamation works. Drainage of peatlands is directly associated to the decrease of groundwater levels and lead to a number of changes in the chemical and physical properties of peat material, included contents of exchangeable cations in the surface layers of peat soils in the decession phase of peat development and release above compounds from the soil to ground or surface waters. The aim of the research was to determine the impact of extended drainage works on chemical composition of sorption complex of raised peat bog organic soils and identification the potential environmental effects of alkaline cations leaching to the surface waters. Research was carried out on the peat bogs located in the Upper San valley in Polish Bieszczady Mts. (Eastern Carpathians). Soil samples used in this study were collected from 3 soil profiles in 10 or 20 cm intervals to the approximately 130 cm depth. Laboratory analyses included determination of basic properties of organic material such as the degree of peat decomposition, ash content, soil pH and carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen concentrations. Additionally the amount of alkaline cations, exchangeable and extractable acidity was determined. Furthermore, the degree of saturation of the sorption complex with alkaline cations (V) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) are calculated. In order to evaluate the impact of the examined peat bog to the environment, also water samples were collected and ions composition was measured. The obtained results show that studied organic soils are oligotrophic and strongly acidic. In the case of organic material related to decession phase of peat development, as a result of the lengthy drainage works

"It's Good to Live in Jarva-Jaani but We Can't Stay Here": Youth and Belonging in Rural Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trell, Elen-Maarja; van Hoven, Bettina; Huigen, Paulus

2012-01-01

In the broader context of post-socialist transition and rural decline, we examine the everyday lives of young people in rural Estonia. We focus in particular on key places of belonging for youths and the practices and experiences through which rural young people develop a sense of belonging to their local places. Our aim is to identify links…

Product environmental footprint of strawberries: Case studies in Estonia and Germany.

PubMed

Soode-Schimonsky, Eveli; Richter, Klaus; Weber-Blaschke, Gabriele

2017-12-01

The environmental impacts of strawberries have been assessed in several studies. However, these studies either present dissimilar results or only focus on single impact categories without offering a comprehensive overview of environmental impacts. We applied the product environmental footprint (PEF) methodology to broadly indicate the environmental impacts of various strawberry production systems in Germany and Estonia by 15 impact categories. Data for the 7 case studies were gathered from two farms with organic and two farms with conventional open field production systems in Estonia and from one farm with conventional open field and one farm with a polytunnel and greenhouse production system in Germany. The greenhouse production system had the highest environmental impact with a PEF of 0.0040. In the field organic production systems, the PEF was 0.0029 and 0.0028. The field conventional production systems resulted in a PEF of 0.0008, 0.0009 and 0.0002. Polytunnel PEF was 0.0006. Human toxicity cancer effects, particulate matter and human toxicity non-cancer effects resulted in the highest impact across all analysed production systems. The main contributors were electricity for cooling, heating the greenhouse and the use of agricultural machinery including fuel burning. While production stage contributed 85% of the total impact in the greenhouse, also other life cycle stages were important contributors: pre-chain resulted in 71% and 90% of impact in conventional and polytunnels, respectively, and cooling was 47% in one organic system. Environmental impact from strawberry cooling can be reduced by more efficient use of the cooling room, increasing the strawberry yield or switching from oil shale electricity to other energy sources. Greenhouse heating is the overall impact hotspot even if it based on renewable resources. A ranking of production systems based on the environmental impact is possible only if all relevant impacts are included. Future studies should aim

Magnetic history of Early and Middle Ordovician sedimentary sequence, northern Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plado, J.; Preeden, U.; Pesonen, L. J.; Mertanen, S.; Puura, V.

2010-01-01

Alternating field and thermal demagnetization of lime- and dolostones from the Lower and Middle Ordovician (Floian to Darriwilian stages) subhorizontally bedded sequences in NW and NE Estonia reveal two characteristic magnetization components (named P and S). The intermediate-coercivity (demagnetized at 30-60 mT, up to 300-350°C) reversed polarity component P (mean of Floian Stage: Dref = 147.8 +/- 10.8°, Iref = 65.8 +/- 5.4° combined mean of Dapingian and Darriwilian stages: Dref = 166.0 +/- 8.4°, Iref = 56.1 +/- 6.5°) is regarded as the primary remanence of early diagenetic (chemical) origin. On the Baltica's apparent polar wander path (APWP), the palaeopoles (Floian: Plat = 25.0°N, Plon = 50.8°E, K = 52.7, A95 = 7.2° Dapingian and Darriwilian: Plat = 11.4°N, Plon = 39.1°E, K = 33.8, A95 = 6.7°) are placed on the Lower and Middle Ordovician segment. The poles indicate that Estonia was located at southerly latitudes, decreasing with time (Floian: ~48°S Dapingian and Darriwilian: ~37°S), when the remanence was acquired. A high-coercivity and high-unblocking-temperature component S (mean of samples: Dref = 33.7 +/- 6.3°, Iref = 51.9 +/- 5.7°) that is regarded as a secondary remanence has both normal and reversed polarities. On the European APWP, its palaeopole (Plat = 52.5°N, Plon = 157.9°E, K = 38.9, A95 = 5.3°) gives middle to late Permian age. According to mineralogical (SEM and optical microscopy) and rock magnetic (three-component induced remnant magnetization) studies, component P is carried by magnetite (coexisting with glauconite) and component S by haematite. Magnetite is of chemical origin, formed in the course of early diagenesis and/or dolomitization. During the Permian continental period haematite, the carrier of component S, was likely precipitated from oxidizing meteoric fluids in the already existing or simultaneously formed pore space between the dolomite crystals.

A decline in the prevalence of injecting drug users in Estonia, 2005–2009

PubMed Central

Uusküla, A; Rajaleid, K; Talu, A; Abel-Ollo, K; Des Jarlais, DC

2013-01-01

Aims and setting Descriptions of behavioural epidemics have received little attention compared with infectious disease epidemics in Eastern Europe. Here we report a study aimed at estimating trends in the prevalence of injection drug use between 2005 and 2009 in Estonia. Design and methods The number of injection drug users (IDUs) aged 15–44 each year between 2005 and 2009 was estimated using capture-recapture methodology based on 4 data sources (2 treatment data bases: drug abuse and non-fatal overdose treatment; criminal justice (drug related offences) and mortality (injection drug use related deaths) data). Poisson log-linear regression models were applied to the matched data, with interactions between data sources fitted to replicate the dependencies between the data sources. Linear regression was used to estimate average change over time. Findings there were 24305, 12292, 238, 545 records and 8100, 1655, 155, 545 individual IDUs identified in the four capture sources (Police, drug treatment, overdose, and death registry, accordingly) over the period 2005 – 2009. The estimated prevalence of IDUs among the population aged 15–44 declined from 2.7% (1.8–7.9%) in 2005 to 2.0% (1.4–5.0%) in 2008, and 0.9% (0.7–1.7%) in 2009. Regression analysis indicated an average reduction of over 1700 injectors per year. Conclusion While the capture-recapture method has known limitations, the results are consistent with other data from Estonia. Identifying the drivers of change in the prevalence of injection drug use warrants further research. PMID:23290632

Differential Effects of High Atmospheric N and S Deposition on Bog Plant/Lichen Tissue and Porewater Chemistry across the Athabasca Oil Sands Region.

PubMed

Wieder, R Kelman; Vile, Melanie A; Scott, Kimberli D; Albright, Cara M; McMillen, Kelly J; Vitt, Dale H; Fenn, Mark E

2016-12-06

Oil extraction and development activities in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region of northern Alberta, Canada, release NO x , SO x , and NH y to the atmosphere, ultimately resulting in increasing N and S inputs to surrounding ecosystems through atmospheric deposition. Peatlands are a major feature of the northern Alberta landscape, with bogs covering 6-10% of the land area, and fens covering 21-53%. Bulk deposition of NH 4 + -N, NO 3 - -N, dissolved inorganic N (DIN), and SO 4 2- -S, was quantified using ion-exchange resin collectors deployed at 23 locations, over 1-6 years. The results reveal maximum N and S deposition of 9.3 and 12.0 kg ha -1 yr -1 , respectively, near the oil sands industrial center (the midpoint between the Syncrude and Suncor upgrader stacks), decreasing with distance to a background deposition of 0.9 and 1.1 kg ha -1 yr -1 , respectively. To assess potential influences of high N and S deposition on bogs, we quantified N and S concentrations in tissues of two Sphagnum species, two lichen species, and four vascular plant species, as well as surface porewater concentrations of H + , NH 4 + -N, NO 3 - -N, SO 4 2- -S and dissolved organic N in 19 ombrotrophic bogs, distributed across a 3255 km 2 sampling area surrounding the oil sands industrial center. The two lichen species (Evernia mesomorpha and Cladonia mitis), two vascular plant species (Rhododendron groenlandicum and Picea mariana), and to a lesser extent one moss (Sphagnum fuscum), showed patterns of tissue N and S concentrations that were (1) highest near the oil sands industrial center and (2) positively correlated with bulk deposition of N or S. Concentrations of porewater H + and SO 4 2- -S, but not of NH 4 + -N, NO 3 - -N, DIN, or dissolved inorganic N, also were higher near the oil sands industrial center than at more distant locations. The oil sands region of northern Alberta is remote, with few roads, posing challenges to the monitoring of oil sands-related N and S deposition

Incorporation of public hospitals: a "silver bullet" against overcapacity, managerial bottlenecks and resource constraints? Case studies from Austria and Estonia.

PubMed

Fidler, Armin H; Haslinger, Reinhard R; Hofmarcher, Maria M; Jesse, Maris; Palu, Toomas

2007-05-01

This paper presents a new approach for incorporating public hospitals by contrasting the experience from an "old" EU country (Austria) with a new EU member state (Estonia). In the EU (including the new member states) hospital overcapacity is a serious problem, from a technical, fiscal and political perspective. Few countries have succeeded in establishing an appropriate framework for resource management and for guaranteeing long-term financial viability of their hospital network. Many countries are in search of effective policies for improved hospital management and more cost-effective resource use in the health sector. Over the past decade, experiences in Austria and Estonia have emerged as innovative examples which may provide lessons for other EU countries and beyond. This paper describes the evolution of public hospitals from public budgetary units and public management to incorporated autonomous organizations under private corporate law, resulting in a contractual relationship between (public) owners and private hospital management. Outdated and inefficient public sector structures were replaced by more agile corporate management. The arrangement allows for investments, operating costs and budgeting according to strategic business goals as opposed to political "fiat". Shielding hospitals from local political influence is an important aspect of this concept. Horizontal integration through networking of public hospitals and introducing private management helps create a new corporate culture, allowing for more flexibility to achieve efficiencies through downsizing and economies of scale. Based on contracts the new balance between ownership and managerial functions create strong incentives for a more business-like, results-oriented and consumer-friendly management. This was achieved both in Austria and Estonia in a politically sensitive way, adopting a long-term vision and by protecting the interests of hospital owners and staff.

Maternal and paternal genetic diversity of ancient sheep in Estonia from the Late Bronze Age to the post-medieval period and comparison with other regions in Eurasia.

PubMed

Rannamäe, E; Lõugas, L; Niemi, M; Kantanen, J; Maldre, L; Kadõrova, N; Saarma, U

2016-04-01

Sheep were among the first domesticated animals to appear in Estonia in the late Neolithic and became one of the most widespread livestock species in the region from the Late Bronze Age onwards. However, the origin and historical expansion of local sheep populations in Estonia remain poorly understood. Here, we analysed fragments of the hypervariable D-loop of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA; 213 bp) and the Y-chromosome SRY gene (130 bp) extracted from 31 archaeological sheep bones dated from approximately 800 BC to 1700 AD. The ancient DNA data of sheep from Estonia were compared with ancient sheep from Finland as well as a set of contemporary sheep breeds from across Eurasia in order to place them in a wider phylogeographical context. The analysis shows that: (i) 24 successfully amplified and analysed mtDNA sequences of ancient sheep cluster into two haplogroups, A and B, of which B is predominant; (ii) four of the ancient mtDNA haplotypes are novel; (iii) higher mtDNA haplotype diversity occurred during the Middle Ages as compared to other periods, a fact concordant with the historical context of expanding international trade during the Middle Ages; (iv) the proportion of rarer haplotypes declined during the expansion of sheep from the Near Eastern domestication centre to the northern European region; (v) three male samples showed the presence of the characteristic northern European haplotype, SNP G-oY1 of the Y-chromosome, and represent the earliest occurrence of this haplotype. Our results provide the first insight into the genetic diversity and phylogeographical background of ancient sheep in Estonia and provide basis for further studies on the temporal fluctuations of ancient sheep populations. © 2016 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Contrasting species-environment relationships in communities of testate amoebae, bryophytes and vascular plants along the fen-bog gradient.

PubMed

Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Lamentowicz, Lukasz; van der Knaap, Willem O; Gabka, Maciej; Mitchell, Edward A D

2010-04-01

We studied the vegetation, testate amoebae and abiotic variables (depth of the water table, pH, electrical conductivity, Ca and Mg concentrations of water extracted from mosses) along the bog to extremely rich fen gradient in sub-alpine peatlands of the Upper Engadine (Swiss Alps). Testate amoeba diversity was correlated to that of mosses but not of vascular plants. Diversity peaked in rich fen for testate amoebae and in extremely rich fen for mosses, while for testate amoebae and mosses it was lowest in bog but for vascular plants in extremely rich fen. Multiple factor and redundancy analyses (RDA) revealed a stronger correlation of testate amoebae than of vegetation to water table and hydrochemical variables and relatively strong correlation between testate amoeba and moss community data. In RDA, hydrochemical variables explained a higher proportion of the testate amoeba and moss data than water table depth. Abiotic variables explained a higher percentage of the species data for testate amoebae (30.3% or 19.5% for binary data) than for mosses (13.4%) and vascular plants (10%). These results show that (1) vascular plant, moss and testate amoeba communities respond differently to ecological gradients in peatlands and (2) testate amoebae are more strongly related than vascular plants to the abiotic factors at the mire surface. These differences are related to vertical trophic gradients and associated niche differentiation.

High methane emissions dominate annual greenhouse gas balances 30 years after bog rewetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanselow-Algan, M.; Schmidt, S. R.; Greven, M.; Fiencke, C.; Kutzbach, L.; Pfeiffer, E.-M.

2015-02-01

Natural peatlands are important carbon sinks and sources of methane (CH4). In contrast, drained peatlands turn from a carbon sink to a carbon source and potentially emit nitrous oxide (N2O). Rewetting of peatlands thus implies climate change mitigation. However, data about the time span that is needed for the re-establishment of the carbon sink function by restoration is scarce. We therefore investigated the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of three differently vegetated bog sites 30 years after rewetting. All three vegetation communities turned out to be sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) ranging between 0.6 ± 1.43 t CO2 ha-2 yr-1 (Sphagnum-dominated vegetation) and 3.09 ± 3.86 t CO2 ha-2 yr-1 (vegetation dominated by heath). While accounting for the different global warming potential (GWP) of the three greenhouse gases, the annual GHG balance was calculated. Emissions ranged between 25 and 53 t CO2-eq ha-1 yr-1 and were dominated by large emissions of CH4 (22 up to 51 t CO2-eq ha-1 yr-1), while highest rates were found at purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea) stands. These are to our knowledge the highest CH4 emissions so far reported for bog ecosystems in temperate Europe. As the restored area was subject to large fluctuations in water table, we conclude that the high CH4 emission rates were caused by a combination of both the temporal inundation of the easily decomposable plant litter of this grass species and the plant-mediated transport through its tissues. In addition, as a result of the land use history, the mixed soil material can serve as an explanation. With regards to the long time span passed since rewetting, we note that the initial increase in CH4 emissions due to rewetting as described in the literature is not limited to a short-term period.

High methane emissions dominated annual greenhouse gas balances 30 years after bog rewetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanselow-Algan, M.; Schmidt, S. R.; Greven, M.; Fiencke, C.; Kutzbach, L.; Pfeiffer, E.-M.

2015-07-01

Natural peatlands are important carbon sinks and sources of methane (CH4). In contrast, drained peatlands turn from a carbon sink to a carbon source and potentially emit nitrous oxide (N2O). Rewetting of peatlands thus potentially implies climate change mitigation. However, data about the time span that is needed for the re-establishment of the carbon sink function by restoration are scarce. We therefore investigated the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of three differently vegetated sites of a bog ecosystem 30 years after rewetting. All three vegetation communities turned out to be sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) ranging between 0.6 ± 1.43 t CO2 ha-2 yr-1 (Sphagnum-dominated vegetation) and 3.09 ± 3.86 t CO2 ha-2 yr-1 (vegetation dominated by heath). While accounting for the different global warming potential (GWP) of CO2, CH4 and N2O, the annual GHG balance was calculated. Emissions ranged between 25 and 53 t CO2-eq ha-1 yr-1 and were dominated by large emissions of CH4 (22-51 t CO2-eq ha-1 yr-1), with highest rates found at purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea) stands. These are to our knowledge the highest CH4 emissions so far reported for bog ecosystems in temperate Europe. As the restored area was subject to large fluctuations in the water table, we assume that the high CH4 emission rates were caused by a combination of both the temporal inundation of the easily decomposable plant litter of purple moor grass and the plant-mediated transport through its tissues. In addition, as a result of the land use history, mixed soil material due to peat extraction and refilling can serve as an explanation. With regards to the long time span passed since rewetting, we note that the initial increase in CH4 emissions due to rewetting as described in the literature is not inevitably limited to a short-term period.

Remediation of an oily leachate pond in Estonia.

PubMed

Kriipsalu, Mait; Marques, Marcia; Hogland, William

2005-12-01

Until recent years, waste oil and oil-contaminated waters commonly ended up in landfills. At some dump sites, ponds of oily liquids and leachate were formed. To remediate such ponds, an interdisciplinary approach is now required, keeping costs at an affordable level, particularly in countries with changing economies. From 1974 to 1993, liquid oily wastes taken to the Laguja landfill, in Estonia, were disposed of in a pond with a surface area of 9800 m2. It was estimated that the pond contained 4500-6000 m3 of oily water and 3500 m3 of oil-containing bottom sediments. This study aimed at developing an environmentally sound and cost-effective method for remediation of the oily liquids, leachate and contaminated underlying sediment material, to meet the existing legal demands. It was concluded that treatment of contaminated water is well established and the procedures carried out to meet the regulatory demands achieved satisfactory results. However, regarding treatment of sediments it was concluded that legal and technological aspects, as well as monitoring procedures are not fully established and are usually underestimated. Laboratory investigations can provide valuable information in decision-making, and contribute to effective full-scale remediation planning.

Sphagnum-dominated bog systems are highly effective yet variable sources of bio-available iron to marine waters.

PubMed

Krachler, Regina; Krachler, Rudolf F; Wallner, Gabriele; Steier, Peter; El Abiead, Yasin; Wiesinger, Hubert; Jirsa, Franz; Keppler, Bernhard K

2016-06-15

Iron is a micronutrient of particular interest as low levels of iron limit primary production of phytoplankton and carbon fluxes in extended regions of the world's oceans. Sphagnum-peatland runoff is extraordinarily rich in dissolved humic-bound iron. Given that several of the world's largest wetlands are Sphagnum-dominated peatlands, this ecosystem type may serve as one of the major sources of iron to the ocean. Here, we studied five near-coastal creeks in North Scotland using freshwater/seawater mixing experiments of natural creek water and synthetic seawater based on a (59)Fe radiotracer technique combined with isotopic characterization of dissolved organic carbon by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Three of the creeks meander through healthy Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs and the two others through modified peatlands which have been subject to artificial drainage for centuries. The results revealed that, at the time of sampling (August 16-24, 2014), the creeks that run through modified peatlands delivered 11-15μg iron per liter creek water to seawater, whereas the creeks that run through intact peatlands delivered 350-470μg iron per liter creek water to seawater. To find out whether this humic-bound iron is bio-available to marine algae, we performed algal growth tests using the unicellular flagellated marine prymnesiophyte Diacronema lutheri and the unicellular marine green alga Chlorella salina, respectively. In both cases, the riverine humic material provided a highly bio-available source of iron to the marine algae. These results add a new item to the list of ecosystem services of Sphagnum-peatlands. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Updating the Theoretical Content of Teacher Preparation Pertaining to Educational Subjects: Some Recent Developments in Estonia. Reprints and Miniprints No. 754.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krull, Edgar

Fifty years of Soviet occupation in Estonia has damaged social and economic life. One issue for further development of Estonian society is the need to reform teacher education programs. This paper outlines some of the main problems concerning the content of theoretical preparation of future teachers in educational subjects at Tartu University…

Abortion trends from 1996 to 2011 in Estonia: special emphasis on repeat abortion

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The study aimed to describe the overall and age-specific trends of induced abortions from 1996 to 2011 with an emphasis on socio-demographic characteristics and contraceptive use of women having had repeat abortions in Estonia. Methods Data were retrieved from the Estonian Medical Birth and Abortion Registry and Statistics Estonia. Total induced abortion numbers, rates, ratios and age-specific rates are presented for 1996–2011. The percentage change in the number of repeat abortions within selected socio-demographic subgroups, contraception use and distribution of induced abortions among Estonians and non-Estonians for the first, second, third, fourth and subsequent abortions were calculated for the periods 1996–2003 and 2004–2011. Results Observed trends over the 16-year study period indicated a considerable decline in induced abortions with a reduction in abortion rate of 57.1%, which was mainly attributed to younger cohorts. The percentage of women undergoing repeat abortions fell steadily from 63.8% during 1996–2003 to 58.0% during 2004–2011. The percentage of women undergoing repeat abortions significantly decreased over the 16 years within all selected socio-demographic subgroups except among women with low educational attainment and students. Within each time period, a greater percentage of non-Estonians than Estonians underwent repeat abortions and obtained third and subsequent abortions. Most women did not use any contraceptive method prior to their first or subsequent abortion. Conclusion A high percentage of women obtaining repeat abortions reflects a high historical abortion rate. If current trends continue, a rapid decline in repeat abortions may be predicted. To decrease the burden of sexual ill health, routine contraceptive counselling, as standard care in the abortion process, should be seriously addressed with an emphasis on those groups - non-Estonians, women with lower educational attainment, students and women with children

Introducing a complex health innovation--primary health care reforms in Estonia (multimethods evaluation).

PubMed

Atun, Rifat Ali; Menabde, Nata; Saluvere, Katrin; Jesse, Maris; Habicht, Jarno

2006-11-01

All post-Soviet countries are trying to reform their primary health care (PHC) systems. The success to date has been uneven. We evaluated PHC reforms in Estonia, using multimethods evaluation: comprising retrospective analysis of routine health service data from Estonian Health Insurance Fund and health-related surveys; documentary analysis of policy reports, laws and regulations; key informant interviews. We analysed changes in organisational structure, regulations, financing and service provision in Estonian PHC system as well as key informant perceptions on factors influencing introduction of reforms. Estonia has successfully implemented and scaled-up multifaceted PHC reforms, including new organisational structures, user choice of family physicians (FPs), new payment methods, specialist training for family medicine, service contracts for FPs, broadened scope of services and evidence-based guidelines. These changes have been institutionalised. PHC effectiveness has been enhanced, as evidenced by improved management of key chronic conditions by FPs in PHC setting and reduced hospital admissions for these conditions. Introduction of PHC reforms - a complex innovation - was enhanced by strong leadership, good co-ordination between policy and operational level, practical approach to implementation emphasizing simplicity of interventions to be easily understood by potential adopters, an encircling strategy to roll-out which avoided direct confrontations with narrow specialists and opposing stakeholders in capital Tallinn, careful change-management strategy to avoid health reforms being politicized too early in the process, and early investment in training to establish a critical mass of health professionals to enable rapid operationalisation of policies. Most importantly, a multifaceted and coordinated approach to reform - with changes in laws; organisational restructuring; modifications to financing and provider payment systems; creation of incentives to enhance

Nutrient Addition Leads to a Weaker CO2 Sink and Higher CH4 Emissions through Vegetation-Microclimate Feedbacks at Mer Bleue Bog, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bubier, J. L.; Arnkil, S.; Humphreys, E.; Juutinen, S.; Larmola, T.; Moore, T. R.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has led to nutrient enrichment in wetlands globally, affecting plant community composition, carbon (C) cycling, and microbial dynamics. Nutrient-limited boreal bogs are long-term sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2), but sources of methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas. We fertilized Mer Bleue Bog, a Sphagnum moss and evergreen shrub-dominated ombrotrophic bog near Ottawa, Ontario, for 10-15 years with N as NO3 and NH4 at 5, 10 and 20 times ambient N deposition (0.6-0.8 g N m-2 y-1), with and without phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Treatments were applied to triplicate plots (3 x 3 m) from May - August 2000-2015 and control plots received distilled water. We measured net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), ecosystem photosynthesis and respiration, and CH4 flux with climate-controlled chambers; leaf-level CO2 exchange and biochemistry; substrate-induced respiration, CH4 production and consumption potentials with laboratory incubations; plant species composition and abundance; and microclimate (peat temperature, moisture, light interception). After 15 years, we have found that NEE has decreased, and CH4 emissions have increased, in the highest nutrient treatments owing to changes in vegetation, microtopography, and peat characteristics. Vegetation changes include a loss of Sphagnum moss and introduction of new deciduous species. Simulated atmospheric N deposition has not benefitted the photosynthetic apparatus of the dominant evergreen shrubs, but resulted in higher foliar respiration, contributing to a weaker ecosystem CO2 sink. Loss of moss has led to wetter near-surface substrate, higher rates of decomposition and CH4 emission, and a shift in microbial communities. Thus, elevated atmospheric deposition of nutrients may endanger C storage in peatlands through a complex suite of feedbacks and interactions among vegetation, microclimate, and microbial communities.

Late Holocene climate change in the western Mediterranean: centennial-scale vegetation and North Atlantic Oscillation variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos Román, M. J.; Jimenez-Moreno, G.; Anderson, R. S.; García-Alix, A.; Toney, J. L.; Jiménez-Espejo, F. J. J.; Carrión, J. S.

2015-12-01

Sediments from alpine peat bogs and lakes from the Sierra Nevada in southeastern Spain (western Mediterranean area) have been very informative in terms of how vegetation and wetland environments were impacted by past climate change. Recently, many studies try to find out the relationship between solar activity, atmosphere and ocean dynamics and changes in the terrestrial environments. The Mediterranean is a very sensitive area with respect to atmospheric dynamics due to (1) its location, right in the boundary between subtropical and temperate climate systems and (2) the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is one of the main mechanism that influence present climate in this area. Here we present a multi-proxy high-resolution study from Borreguil de la Caldera (BdlC), a peat bog that records the last ca. 4500 cal yr BP of vegetation, fire, human impact and climate history from the Sierra Nevada. The pollen, charcoal and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) reconstruction in the BdlC-01 record evidence relative humidity changes in the last millennia interrupting the late Holocene aridification trend. This study shows a relative arid period between ca. 4000 and 3100 cal yr BP; the Iberian Roman humid period (ca. 2600 to 1600 cal yr BP); a relative arid period during the Dark Ages (from ca. AD 500 to AD 900) and Medieval Climate Anomaly (from ca. AD 900 to ca. AD 1300) and predominantly wetter conditions corresponding with The Little Ice Age period (from ca. AD 1300 to AD 1850). This climate variability could be explained by centennial scale changes in the NAO and solar activity.

Flourish or flush: effects of simulated extreme rainfall events on Sphagnum-dwelling testate amoebae in a subarctic bog (Abisko, Sweden).

PubMed

Tsyganov, Andrey N; Keuper, Frida; Aerts, Rien; Beyens, Louis

2013-01-01

Extreme precipitation events are recognised as important drivers of ecosystem responses to climate change and can considerably affect high-latitude ombrotrophic bogs. Therefore, understanding the relationships between increased rainfall and the biotic components of these ecosystems is necessary for an estimation of climate change impacts. We studied overall effects of increased magnitude, intensity and frequency of rainfall on assemblages of Sphagnum-dwelling testate amoebae in a field climate manipulation experiment located in a relatively dry subarctic bog (Abisko, Sweden). The effects of the treatment were estimated using abundance, species diversity and structure of living and empty shell assemblages of testate amoebae in living and decaying layers of Sphagnum. Our results show that increased rainfall reduced the mean abundance and species richness of living testate amoebae. Besides, the treatment affected species structure of both living and empty shell assemblages, reducing proportions of hydrophilous species. The effects are counterintuitive as increased precipitation-related substrate moisture was expected to have opposite effects on testate amoeba assemblages in relatively dry biotopes. Therefore, we conclude that other rainfall-related factors such as increased infiltration rates and frequency of environmental disturbances can also affect testate amoeba assemblages in Sphagnum and that hydrophilous species are particularly sensitive to variation in these environmental variables.

Holocene vegetation and climate change recorded in alpine bog sediments from the Borreguiles de la Virgen, Sierra Nevada, southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez-Moreno, Gonzalo; Anderson, R. Scott

2012-01-01

High-resolution pollen and magnetic susceptibility (MS) analyses have been carried out on a sediment core taken from a high-elevation alpine bog area located in Sierra Nevada, southern Spain. The earliest part of the record, from 8200 to about 7000 cal yr BP, is characterized by the highest abundance of arboreal pollen and Pediastrum, indicating the warmest and wettest conditions in the area at that time. The pollen record shows a progressive aridification since 7000 cal yr BP that occurred in two steps, first shown by a decrease in Pinus, replaced by Poaceae from 7000 to 4600 cal yr BP and then by Cyperaceae, Artemisia and Amaranthaceae from 4600 to 1200 cal yr BP. Pediastrum also decreased progressively and totally disappeared at ca. 3000 yr ago. The progressive aridification is punctuated by periodically enhanced drought at ca. 6500, 5200 and 4000 cal yr BP that coincide in timing and duration with well-known dry events in the Mediterranean and other areas. Since 1200 cal yr BP, several changes are observed in the vegetation that probably indicate the high-impact of humans in the Sierra Nevada, with pasturing leading to nutrient enrichment and eutrophication of the bog, Pinus reforestation and Olea cultivation at lower elevations.

Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases in Estonia: consistency with the evidence-based medicine principles.

PubMed

Uusküla, Anneli; McNutt, Louise Anne; Dehovitz, Jack

2004-10-01

Estonia is among those Eastern European countries that have witnessed an explosive intravenous drug use-driven HIV epidemic. Early sexually transmitted disease (STD) diagnosis and appropriate treatment is essential to prevent an STD-driven HIV epidemic. The objectives of this study were to define the schedule of antibiotic treatment doctors in Estonia used to treat STDs, and to determine if the treatments used correspond to evidence-based medicine treatment principles. Using an administrative database of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund on pharmaceuticals reimbursement, we obtained information on: drug (ATC 1998) prescribed with an STD diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, syphilis, gonorrhea, genital Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis infections, and genital herpes), prescribing physician specialty, and patient demographics (date of birth, gender). To evaluate the correspondence of STD treatment to evidence-based medicine principles, the therapeutic regimens used were compared with recommendations from the European Sexually Transmitted Infections Management Guidelines. In 2001 and 2002, physicians ordered 17,077 prescriptions for systemic antibacterial medications to treat STDs in 12,823 different individuals: 2942 men (mean age, 31.8 years) and 9880 women (mean age, 29.5 years). The majority of STD treatments were prescribed by gynecologists (60%) or dermatovenerologists (29%); general practitioners treated 8% of STDs. In 11% of treatment episodes, the drug prescribed was inconsistent with guideline recommendations; additionally, in 9% of episodes, the recommended drug was chosen but the prescribed dose was too low. At least 20% of treatment episodes could therefore be considered inappropriate. Educational efforts are needed to increase physician awareness of evidence-based approaches for STD management and treatment to assure effective STD care.

Peat bog wildfire smoke exposure in rural North Carolina is associated with Cardiopulmonary emergency department visits assessed through syndromic surveillance

EPA Science Inventory

Background: In June 2008 burning deposits of peat produced haze and air pollution far in excess of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, encroaching on rural communities of eastern North Carolina (NC). While the association of mortality and morbidity with exposure to urban air ...

Sorption of radioiodide in an acidic, nutrient-poor boreal bog: insights into the microbial impact.

PubMed

Lusa, M; Bomberg, M; Aromaa, H; Knuutinen, J; Lehto, J

2015-05-01

Batch sorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the sorption behaviour of iodide and the microbial impact on iodide sorption in the surface moss, subsurface peat, gyttja, and clay layers of a nutrient-poor boreal bog. The batch distribution coefficient (Kd) values of iodide decreased as a function of sampling depth. The highest Kd values, 4800 L/Kg dry weight (DW) (geometric mean), were observed in the fresh surface moss and the lowest in the bottom clay (geometric mean 90 mL/g DW). In the surface moss, peat and gyttja layers, which have a high organic matter content (on average 97%), maximum sorption was observed at a pH between ∼ 4 and 5 and in the clay layer at pH 2. The Kd values were significantly lower in sterilized samples, being 20-fold lower than the values found for the unsterilized samples. In addition, the recolonization of sterilized samples with a microbial population from the fresh samples restored the sorption capacity of surface moss, peat and gyttja samples, indicating that the decrease in the sorption was due to the destruction of microbes and supporting the hypothesis that microbes are necessary for the incorporation of iodide into the organic matter. Anoxic conditions reduced the sorption of iodide in fresh, untreated samples, similarly to the effect of sterilization, which supports the hypothesis that iodide is oxidized into I2/HIO before incorporation into the organic matter. Furthermore, the Kd values positively correlated with peroxidase activity in surface moss, subsurface peat and gyttja layers at +20 °C, and with the bacterial cell counts obtained from plate count agar at +4 °C. Our results demonstrate the importance of viable microbes for the sorption of iodide in the bog environment, having a high organic matter content and a low pH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential effects of high atmospheric N and S deposition on bog plant/lichen tissue and porewater chemistry across the Athabasca Oil Sands Region

Treesearch

R. Kelman Wieder; Melanie A. Vile; Kimberli D. Scott; Cara M. Albright; Kelly J. McMillen; Dale H. Vitt; Mark E. Fenn

2016-01-01

Oil extraction and development activities in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region of northern Alberta, Canada, release NOx, SOx, and NHy to the atmosphere, ultimately resulting in increasing N and S inputs to surrounding ecosystems through atmospheric deposition. Peatlands are a major feature of the northern Alberta landscape, with bogs covering 6-10% of the land area, and...

Peat Bog Wildfire Smoke Exposure in Rural North Carolina Is Associated with Cardiopulmonary Emergency Department Visits Assessed Through Syndromic Surveillance

EPA Science Inventory

In June 2008 burning deposits of peat produced haze and air pollution far in excess of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, encroaching on rural communities of eastern North Carolina (NC). While the association of mortality and morbidity with exposure to urban air pollution is...

Comparisons of soil nitrogen mass balances for an ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We compared the N budgets of an ombrotrophic bog and a minerotrophic fen to quantify the importance of denitrification in peatlands and their watersheds. We also compared the watershed upland mineral soils to bog/fen peat; lagg and transition zone peat to central bog/fen peat; and surface, mid-layer and deep soil and peat horizons. Bog and fen area were derived from a wetland boundary GIS data layer, and bog and fen volumes were calculated as the interpolated product of area and depth of peat. Atmospheric N deposition to the bog and fen were based on measurements from a station located 2km north of the bog watershed and 0.5km from the fen watershed. Precipitation was analyzed for nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), and total N (TN), and aggregated to annual values. Outflow water samples from the bog and fen were collected as surface grab samples on each of the May-October sampling dates over the 2010-2013 study, and were analyzed and aggregated annually as for atmospheric N. Soil and peat samples were analyzed for N content, and for net ammonification (AM), nitrification (NT), and ambient (DN) and potential (DEA) denitrification rates. Nitrogen mass balances are based on mean annual atmospheric deposition and outflow; soil and peat standing stocks of N, and mean annual estimates of DN, weighted for contributions of the uplands, lagg or transition zone, and bog or fen hollows and hummocks, and accounting for soil depth effects. Annual deposition of N species was: N

Antioxidant properties, phenolic composition and potentiometric sensor array evaluation of commercial and new blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) genotypes.

PubMed

Kraujalytė, Vilma; Venskutonis, Petras Rimantas; Pukalskas, Audrius; Česonienė, Laima; Daubaras, Remigijus

2015-12-01

Antioxidant properties of juices of newly bred and known blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) genotypes and wild bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) were evaluated by ABTS(+) scavenging capacity (RSC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), total phenolic content (TPC) and total anthocyanin content (TAC) assays. TPC varied in the range of 0.85-2.81 mg gallic acid equiv./mL, RSC, FRAP and ORAC values were 6.38-20.9, 3.07-17.8 and 4.21-45.68 μmol Trolox equiv./g, respectively. New blueberry genotypes and bog blueberry demonstrated stronger antioxidant properties and TAC than other studied genotypes. The content of quinic (203-3614 μg/mL), chlorogenic (20.0-346.8 μg/mL) acids and rutin (0.00-26.88 μg/mL) measured by UPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS varied depending on the genotype. Juices were evaluated by electronic tongue; PCA score plot showed that the method discriminates different genotypes although some juice samples were located very closely and overlapping. Significant differences were observed between L(∗), a(∗), b(∗) colour parameters of some genotypes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sphagnum-dwelling testate amoebae in subarctic bogs are more sensitive to soil warming in the growing season than in winter: the results of eight-year field climate manipulations.

PubMed

Tsyganov, Andrey N; Aerts, Rien; Nijs, Ivan; Cornelissen, Johannes H C; Beyens, Louis

2012-05-01

Sphagnum-dwelling testate amoebae are widely used in paleoclimate reconstructions as a proxy for climate-induced changes in bogs. However, the sensitivity of proxies to seasonal climate components is an important issue when interpreting proxy records. Here, we studied the effects of summer warming, winter snow addition solely and winter snow addition together with spring warming on testate amoeba assemblages after eight years of experimental field climate manipulations. All manipulations were accomplished using open top chambers in a dry blanket bog located in the sub-Arctic (Abisko, Sweden). We estimated sensitivity of abundance, diversity and assemblage structure of living and empty shell assemblages of testate amoebae in the living and decaying layers of Sphagnum. Our results show that, in a sub-arctic climate, testate amoebae are more sensitive to climate changes in the growing season than in winter. Summer warming reduced species richness and shifted assemblage composition towards predominance of xerophilous species for the living and empty shell assemblages in both layers. The higher soil temperatures during the growing season also decreased abundance of empty shells in both layers hinting at a possible increase in their decomposition rates. Thus, although possible effects of climate changes on preservation of empty shells should always be taken into account, species diversity and structure of testate amoeba assemblages in dry subarctic bogs are sensitive proxies for climatic changes during the growing season. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Mycobacterium minnesotense sp. nov., a photochromogenic bacterium isolated from sphagnum peat bogs.

PubMed

Hannigan, Geoffrey D; Krivogorsky, Bogdana; Fordice, Daniel; Welch, Jacqueline B; Dahl, John L

2013-01-01

Several intermediate-growing, photochromogenic bacteria were isolated from sphagnum peat bogs in northern Minnesota, USA. Acid-fast staining and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed these environmental isolates in the genus Mycobacterium, and colony morphologies and PCR restriction analysis patterns of the isolates were similar. Partial sequences of hsp65 and dnaJ1 from these isolates showed that Mycobacterium arupense ATCC BAA-1242(T) was the closest mycobacterial relative, and common biochemical characteristics and antibiotic susceptibilities existed between the isolates and M. arupense ATCC BAA-1242(T). However, compared to nonchromogenic M. arupense ATCC BAA-1242(T), the environmental isolates were photochromogenic, had a different mycolic acid profile and had reduced cell-surface hydrophobicity in liquid culture. The data reported here support the conclusion that the isolates are representatives of a novel mycobacterial species, for which the name Mycobacterium minnesotense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DL49(T) (=DSM 45633(T) = JCM 17932(T) = NCCB 100399(T)).

Suicidal ideation, risk factors, and communication with parents. An HBSC study on school children in Estonia, Lithuania, and Luxembourg.

PubMed

Mark, Lauraliisa; Samm, Algi; Tooding, Liina-Mai; Sisask, Merike; Aasvee, Katrin; Zaborskis, Apolinaras; Zemaitiene, Nida; Värnik, Airi

2013-01-01

Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth. In the year 2002, Lithuania had the 2nd, Luxembourg the 5th, and Estonia the 9th highest suicide rates among 15- to 19-year-olds across 90 countries worldwide. Suicidal ideation is a significant precursor to suicide. To report on the prevalence of and associations between suicidal ideation, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical fighting, bullying, and communication with parents among 15-year-old schoolchildren. The survey analyzes data from the 2005/2006 HBSC study from Estonia, Lithuania, and Luxembourg (N = 4,954). The risk factors were calculated through multinomial logistic regression analyses. The overall prevalence of suicidal ideation in the preceding year was 17%. Suicidal thoughts were associated with communication difficulties with parents (OR from 2.0 to 4.6) and other risk factors, especially multiple risks (OR for 4-5 concurrent risk factors from 4.5 to 13.6). Parent-child communication had a significant mediating effect by decreasing the odds for suicidality and multiple risks. The prevalence estimates were obtained by self-reports. The causal relationships need further investigation. The risk factors studied, particularly multiple risks, were associated with higher odds for suicidal ideation. Good parent-child communication is a significant resource for decreasing suicidal ideation among adolescents.

Hunting for valuables from landfills and assessing their market opportunities A case study with Kudjape landfill in Estonia.

PubMed

Bhatnagar, Amit; Kaczala, Fabio; Burlakovs, Juris; Kriipsalu, Mait; Hogland, Marika; Hogland, William

2017-06-01

Landfill mining is an alternative technology that merges the ideas of material recycling and sustainable waste management. This paper reports a case study to estimate the value of landfilled materials and their respective market opportunities, based on a full-scale landfill mining project in Estonia. During the project, a dump site (Kudjape, Estonia) was excavated with the main objectives of extracting soil-like final cover material with the function of methane degradation. In total, about 57,777 m 3 of waste was processed, particularly the uppermost 10-year layer of waste. Manual sorting was performed in four test pits to determine the detailed composition of wastes. 11,610 kg of waste was screened on site, resulting in fine (<40 mm) and coarse (>40 mm) fractions with the share of 54% and 46%, respectively. Some portion of the fine fraction was sieved further to obtain a very fine grained fraction of <10 mm and analyzed for its potential for metals recovery. The average chemical composition of the <10 mm soil-like fraction suggests that it offers opportunities for metal (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) extraction and recovery. The findings from this study highlight the importance of implementing best available site-specific technologies for on-site separation up to 10 mm grain size, and the importance of developing and implementing innovative extraction methods for materials recovery from soil-like fractions.

High specificity but contrasting biodiversity of Sphagnum-associated bacterial and plant communities in bog ecosystems independent of the geographical region.

PubMed

Opelt, Katja; Berg, Christian; Schönmann, Susan; Eberl, Leo; Berg, Gabriele

2007-10-01

Mosses represent ecological niches that harbor a hitherto largely uncharacterized microbial diversity. To investigate which factors affect the biodiversity of bryophyte-associated bacteria, we analyzed the bacterial communities associated with two moss species, which exhibit different ecological behaviors and importance in bog ecosystems, Sphagnum magellanicum and Sphagnum fallax, from six temperate and boreal bogs in Germany and Norway. Furthermore, their surrounding plant communities were studied. Molecular analysis of bacterial communities was determined by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis using eubacterial and genus-specific primers for the dominant genera Burkholderia and Serratia as well as by sequence analysis of a Burkholderia 16S rRNA gene clone library. Plant communities were analyzed by monitoring the abundance and composition of bryophyte and vascular plant species, and by determining ecological indicator values. Interestingly, we found a high degree of host specificity for associated bacterial and plant communities of both Sphagnum species independent of the geographical region. Calculation of diversity indices on the basis of SSCP gels showed that the S. fallax-associated communities displayed a statistically significant higher degree of diversity than those associated with S. magellanicum. In contrast, analyses of plant communities of Sphagnum-specific habitats resulted in a higher diversity of S. magellanicum-specific habitats for all six sites. The higher content of nutrients in the S. fallax-associated ecosystems can explain higher diversity of microorganisms.

Sphagnum mosses from 21 ombrotrophic bogs in the athabasca bituminous sands region show no significant atmospheric contamination of "heavy metals".

PubMed

Shotyk, William; Belland, Rene; Duke, John; Kempter, Heike; Krachler, Michael; Noernberg, Tommy; Pelletier, Rick; Vile, Melanie A; Wieder, Kelman; Zaccone, Claudio; Zhang, Shuangquan

2014-11-04

Sphagnum moss was collected from 21 ombrotrophic (rain-fed) peat bogs surrounding open pit mines and upgrading facilities of Athabasca bituminous sands in Alberta (AB). In comparison to contemporary Sphagnum moss from four bogs in rural locations of southern Germany (DE), the AB mosses yielded lower concentrations of Ag, Cd, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Tl, similar concentrations of Mo, but greater concentrations of Ba, Th, and V. Except for V, in comparison to the "cleanest", ancient peat samples ever tested from the northern hemisphere (ca. 6000-9000 years old), the concentrations of each of these metals in the AB mosses are within a factor of 3 of "natural, background" values. The concentrations of "heavy metals" in the mosses, however, are proportional to the concentration of Th (a conservative, lithophile element) and, therefore, contributed to the plants primarily in the form of mineral dust particles. Vanadium, the single most abundant trace metal in bitumen, is the only anomaly: in the AB mosses, V exceeds that of ancient peat by a factor of 6; it is therefore enriched in the mosses, relative to Th, by a factor of 2. In comparison to the surface layer of peat cores collected in recent years from across Canada, from British Columbia to New Brunswick, the Pb concentrations in the mosses from AB are far lower.

Women in Physics in Estonia: Many Duties, One Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaasik, Helle

2009-04-01

In Estonia, women and men have equal legal rights. Women are expected to earn their living like men—and unlike men, to be the main (often the only) caregiver for the children. In the family women do most of the unpaid work, spending twice the amount of time on household duties as men. Laws about public preschool child care and child support obligations for noncustodial parents exist, but these laws are not always realized in practice. A generous policy of benefits for children under 1.5 years provides some relief for mothers. It is a challenge to balance a woman's traditional load of unpaid duties with the high demands of a science career. As in many other countries, with every step up the academic ladder the underrepresentation of women in science becomes more evident. Physics and engineering are perceived as male areas and women active in these areas are often treated as exceptions. Most obstacles met by women in science are difficult to recognize and neutralize because they are deeply informal. Activities for "gender and science" that exceed the limits of sociological study have no long tradition here and are yet finding their place in Estonian society.

Peat bogs as hotspots for organoarsenical formation and persistence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mikutta, Christian; Rothwell, James J.

Here, peatlands have received significant atmospheric inputs of As and S since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, but the effect of S deposition on the fate of As is largely unknown. It may encompass the formation of As sulfides and organosulfur-bound As, or the indirect stimulation of As biotransformation processes, which are presently not considered as important As immobilization pathways in wetlands. To investigate the immobilization mechanisms of anthropogenically derived As in peatlands subjected to long-term atmospheric pollution, we explored the solid-phase speciation of As, Fe, and S in English peat bogs by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Additionally, we analyzedmore » the speciation of As in pore- and streamwaters. Linear combination fits of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data imply that 62–100% (average: 82%) of solid-phase As (As tot: 9–92 mg/kg) was present as organic As(V) and As(III). In agreement with appreciable concentrations of organoarsenicals in surface waters (pH: 4.0–4.4, Eh: 165–190 mV, average Astot: 1.5–129 μg/L), our findings reveal extensive biotransformation of atmospheric As and the enrichment of organoarsenicals in the peat, suggesting that the importance of organometal(loid)s in wetlands subjected to prolonged air pollution is higher than previously assumed.« less

Peat bogs as hotspots for organoarsenical formation and persistence

DOE PAGES

Mikutta, Christian; Rothwell, James J.

2016-04-01

Here, peatlands have received significant atmospheric inputs of As and S since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, but the effect of S deposition on the fate of As is largely unknown. It may encompass the formation of As sulfides and organosulfur-bound As, or the indirect stimulation of As biotransformation processes, which are presently not considered as important As immobilization pathways in wetlands. To investigate the immobilization mechanisms of anthropogenically derived As in peatlands subjected to long-term atmospheric pollution, we explored the solid-phase speciation of As, Fe, and S in English peat bogs by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Additionally, we analyzedmore » the speciation of As in pore- and streamwaters. Linear combination fits of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data imply that 62–100% (average: 82%) of solid-phase As (As tot: 9–92 mg/kg) was present as organic As(V) and As(III). In agreement with appreciable concentrations of organoarsenicals in surface waters (pH: 4.0–4.4, Eh: 165–190 mV, average Astot: 1.5–129 μg/L), our findings reveal extensive biotransformation of atmospheric As and the enrichment of organoarsenicals in the peat, suggesting that the importance of organometal(loid)s in wetlands subjected to prolonged air pollution is higher than previously assumed.« less

Diversity and community structure of Archaea inhabiting the rhizoplane of two contrasting plants from an acidic bog.

PubMed

Cadillo-Quiroz, Hinsby; Yavitt, Joseph B; Zinder, Stephen H; Thies, Janice E

2010-05-01

Plant root exudates increase nutrient availability and influence microbial communities including archaeal members. We examined the archaeal community inhabiting the rhizoplane of two contrasting vascular plants, Dulichium arundinaceum and Sarracenia purpurea, from an acidic bog in upstate NY. Multiple archaeal 16S rRNA gene libraries showed that methanogenic Archaea were dominant in the rhizoplane of both plants. In addition, the community structure (evenness) of the rhizoplane was found markedly different from the bulk peat. The archaeal community in peat from the same site has been found dominated by the E2 group, meanwhile the rhizoplane communities on both plants were co-dominated by Methanosarcinaceae (MS), rice cluster (RC)-I, and E2. Complementary T-RFLP analysis confirmed the difference between bulk peat and rhizoplane, and further characterized the dominance pattern of MS, RC-I, and E2. In the rhizoplane, MS was dominant on both plants although as a less variable fraction in S. purpurea. RC-I was significantly more abundant than E2 on S. purpurea, while the opposite was observed on D. arundinaceum, suggesting a plant-specific enrichment. Also, the statistical analyses of T-RFLP data showed that although both plants overlap in their community structure, factors such as plant type, patch location, and time could explain nearly a third of the variability in the dataset. Other factors such as water table, plant replicate, and root depth had a low contribution to the observed variance. The results of this study illustrate the general effects of roots and the specific effects of plant types on their nearby archaeal communities which in bog-inhabiting plants were mainly composed by methanogenic groups.

Mental disorders among Chernobyl cleanup workers from Estonia: A clinical assessment.

PubMed

Laidra, Kaia; Rahu, Kaja; Kalaus, Katri-Evelin; Tekkel, Mare; Leinsalu, Mall

2017-08-01

To assess, at a clinical level, the mental health of former Chernobyl cleanup workers from Estonia by comparing them with same-age controls. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was administered during 2011-2012 to 99 cleanup workers and 100 population-based controls previously screened for mental health symptoms. Logistic regression analysis showed that cleanup workers had higher odds of current depressive disorder (odds ratio [OR] = 3.07, 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.34, 7.01]), alcohol dependence (OR = 3.47, 95% CI [1.29, 9.34]), and suicide ideation (OR = 3.44, 95% CI [1.28, 9.21]) than did controls. Except for suicide ideation, associations with Chernobyl exposure became statistically nonsignificant when adjusted for education and ethnicity. A quarter of a century after the Chernobyl accident, Estonian cleanup workers were still at increased risk of mental disorders, which was partly attributable to sociodemographic factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Reconstruction of precipitation variability in Estonia since the eighteenth century, inferred from oak and spruce tree rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helama, Samuli; Sohar, Kristina; Läänelaid, Alar; Bijak, Szymon; Jaagus, Jaak

2018-06-01

There is plenty of evidence for intensification of the global hydrological cycle. In Europe, the northern areas are predicted to receive more precipitation in the future and observational evidence suggests a parallel trend over the past decades. As a consequence, it would be essential to place the recent trend in precipitation in the context of proxy-based estimates of reconstructed precipitation variability over the past centuries. Tree rings are frequently used as proxy data for palaeoclimate reconstructions. Here we use deciduous ( Quercus robur) and coniferous ( Picea abies) tree-ring width chronologies from western Estonia to deduce past early-summer (June) precipitation variability since 1771. Statistical model transforming our tree-ring data into estimates of precipitation sums explains 42% of the variance in instrumental variability. Comparisons with products of gridded reconstructions of soil moisture and summer precipitation illustrate robust correlations with soil moisture (Palmer Drought Severity Index), but lowered correlation with summer precipitation estimates prior to mid-nineteenth century, these instabilities possibly reflecting the general uncertainties inherent to early meteorological and proxy data. Reconstructed precipitation variability was negatively correlated to the teleconnection indices of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Scandinavia pattern, on annual to decadal and longer scales. These relationships demonstrate the positive precipitation anomalies to result from increase in zonal inflow and cyclonic activity, the negative anomalies being linked with the high pressure conditions enhanced during the atmospheric blocking episodes. Recently, the instrumental data have demonstrated a remarkable increase in summer (June) precipitation in the study region. Our tree-ring based reconstruction reproduces this trend in the context of precipitation history since eighteenth century and quantifies the unprecedented abundance of June

Climate change reduces the capacity of northern peatlands to absorb the atmospheric carbon dioxide: The different responses of bogs and fens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jianghua; Roulet, Nigel T.

2014-10-01

The carbon (C) storage of northern peatlands is equivalent to ~34-46% of the ~795 T g C currently held in the atmosphere as CO2. Most studies report that northern peatlands are a sink of between 20 and 60 g CO2-C m-2 yr-1. Since peatland hydrology and biogeochemistry are very closely related to climate, there is concern whether northern peatlands will continue to function as C sinks with climate change. We used a coupled land surface scheme and peatland C model, called CLASS3W-MWM, to examine the sensitivity of peatland C to climate change. Based on the data available to constrain our model, we simulated the C dynamics of the Mer Bleue (MB) bog in eastern Canada and the Degerö Stormyr (DS) poor fen in northern Sweden for four Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate change scenarios, i.e., A1B, A2, B1, and Commit, over four time periods, i.e., present day, 2030, 2060, and 2100. When the simulated future C fluxes were compared to the baseline fluxes under the present climate conditions, we found that fens were much more sensitive to climate change than bogs. Gross primary production (GPP) at MB significantly increased by 4-44% up to 2100 for all scenarios except Commit. GPP at DS significantly decreased by 34-39% for A1B and A2, and slightly increased by 6-10% for B1 and Commit. Total ecosystem respiration (TER) significantly increased by 7-57% for MB and 4-34% for DS up to 2100 for all scenarios except Commit. Net ecosystem production (NEP), therefore, significantly decreased. The bog, however, was still a C sink up to 2100, though much reduced, but the fen switched to a C source for A1B and A2 scenarios. Additional experiments where we climatically transplanted the study peatlands or forced vegetation changes when the fen became too dry showed similar but less dramatic results as the standard runs. Our results indicate that northern peatlands should be included in the C-coupled climate model to fully understand the response of C cycling in

Dynamics of biochemical processes and redox conditions in geochemically linked landscapes of oligotrophic bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inisheva, L. I.; Szajdak, L.; Sergeeva, M. A.

2016-04-01

The biological activity in oligotrophic peatlands at the margins of the Vasyugan Mire has been studied. It is shown found that differently directed biochemical processes manifest themselves in the entire peat profile down to the underlying mineral substrate. Their activity is highly variable. It is argued that the notion about active and inert layers in peat soils is only applicable for the description of their water regime. The degree of the biochemical activity is specified by the physical soil properties. As a result of the biochemical processes, a micromosaic aerobic-anaerobic medium is developed under the surface waterlogged layer of peat deposits. This layer contains the gas phase, including oxygen. It is concluded that the organic and mineral parts of peat bogs represent a single functional system of a genetic peat profile with a clear record of the history of its development.

High resolution dating of moraines on Kodiak Island, Alaska links Atlantic and North Pacific climatic changes during the late glacial

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mann, D.H.

1992-01-01

Much less is known about the paleoclimate and paleoceanography of the North Pacific than the North Atlantic despite the North Pacific's important role in the global ocean-climate system. Kodiak Island lies in the northwestern Gulf of Alaska astride the eastern end of the Aleutian Low. On southwestern Kodiak Island, coastal bluffs section a series of moraines, kettle ponds, and bogs formed between 15 and 9 ka BP. Distinctive tephras from volcanoes on the Alaska Peninsula provide time-lines within the stratigraphy. Deformation events recorded in sediment stacks from basins within glaciotectonic landforms allows precise dating of glacial events. An ice capmore » occupied the Kodiak archipelago during the last glaciation. Three glacial advances of the southwestern margin of this ice cap occurred after 15 ka BP. At 13.4 ka, piedmont ice lobes formed large push moraines extending into Shelikof Strait during the Low Cape Advance. The less-extensive Tundra Advance culminated between 12 and 11.7 ka BP followed by glacier retreat then readvance to form the prominent Olga Moraine system between 11 and 10 ka BP. The timing of the Tundra and Olga Advances correlates closely with that of the Older and Younger Dryas cold episodes in northwestern Europe suggesting that these climatic oscillations were synchronous throughout the northern hemisphere.« less

Insights into functional bacterial diversity and its effects on Alpine bog ecosystem functioning.

PubMed

Bragina, Anastasia; Berg, Christian; Müller, Henry; Moser, Daniel; Berg, Gabriele

2013-01-01

Plant-associated bacteria are important for the growth and health of their host, but little is known about its functional diversity and impact on ecosystem functioning. We studied bacterial nitrogen fixation and methane oxidation from indicator Sphagnum mosses in Alpine bogs to test a hypothesis that the plant microbiome contained different functional patterns depending on their functions within the ecosystem. A high abundance and diversity of nitrogenase genes were detected, mostly specific for each Sphagnum. In contrast, methanotrophs formed highly similar patterns despite a high abundance and diversity of methane monooxygenase genes. Our hypothesis was supported by these contrasting functional patterns together with the result that the Sphagnum sporophyte contained a high proportion of specific diazotrophs (45.5%) but no potential methanotrophs. While essential for plant growth under nutrient-limited conditions, nitrogen-fixing bacteria were highly specific and transferred with the sporophyte unlike the ubiquitous methanotrophs which are important for the climate-relevant ecosystem itself.

Content of total carotenoids in Calendula officinalis L. from different countries cultivated in Estonia.

PubMed

Raal, Ain; Kirsipuu, Kadri; Must, Reelika; Tenno, Silvi

2009-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the content of total carotenoids in different collections of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) inflorescences. Commercial seeds (42 samples) of C. officinalis were obtained from nine countries and cultivated in private gardens in three different counties of Estonia. The content of total carotenoids, determined spectrophotometrically (lambda=455 nm) varied in the investigated collections from 0.20 to 3.51%. The amount of pigments may depend on the type of plants, the importing company, the color of the ligulate and tubular florets, and the place and time of cultivation. For medicinal purposes, C. officinalis with brownish-yellow ligulate and tubular florets should be preferred. The best was found to be 'Golden Emperor' from Finland.

Chromobacterium sphagni sp. nov., an insecticidal bacterium isolated from Sphagnum bogs.

PubMed

Blackburn, Michael B; Farrar, Robert R; Sparks, Michael E; Kuhar, Daniel; Mitchell, Ashaki; Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn E

2017-09-01

Sixteen isolates of Gram-reaction-negative, motile, violet-pigmented bacteria were isolated from Sphagnum bogs in West Virginia and Maine, USA. 16S rRNA gene sequences and fatty acid analysis revealed a high degree of relatedness among the isolates, and genome sequencing of two isolates, IIBBL 14B-1T and IIBBL 37-2 (from West Virginia and Maine, respectively), revealed highly similar genomic sequences. The average nucleotide identity (gANI) calculated for these two isolates was found to be in excess of 99 %, but did not exceed 88 % when comparing either isolate with genomic sequences of Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472T, C. haemolyticum DSM 19808T, C. piscinae ND17, C. subtsugae PRAA4-1T, C. vaccinii MWU205T or C. amazonense CBMAI 310T. Collectively, gANI and 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons suggested that isolates IIBBL 14B-1T and IIBBL 37-2 were most closely related to C. subtsugae, but represented a distinct species. We propose the name Chromobacterium sphagni sp. nov. for this taxon; the type strain is IIBBL 14B-1T (=NRRL B-67130T=JCM 31882T).

Impact of hydrological variations on modeling of peatland CO2 fluxes: Results from the North American Carbon Program site synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulman, Benjamin N.; Desai, Ankur R.; Schroeder, Nicole M.; Ricciuto, Dan; Barr, Alan; Richardson, Andrew D.; Flanagan, Lawrence B.; Lafleur, Peter M.; Tian, Hanqin; Chen, Guangsheng; Grant, Robert F.; Poulter, Benjamin; Verbeeck, Hans; Ciais, Philippe; Ringeval, Bruno; Baker, Ian T.; Schaefer, Kevin; Luo, Yiqi; Weng, Ensheng

2012-03-01

Northern peatlands are likely to be important in future carbon cycle-climate feedbacks due to their large carbon pools and vulnerability to hydrological change. Use of non-peatland-specific models could lead to bias in modeling studies of peatland-rich regions. Here, seven ecosystem models were used to simulate CO2fluxes at three wetland sites in Canada and the northern United States, including two nutrient-rich fens and one nutrient-poor,sphagnum-dominated bog, over periods between 1999 and 2007. Models consistently overestimated mean annual gross ecosystem production (GEP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) at all three sites. Monthly flux residuals (simulated - observed) were correlated with measured water table for GEP and ER at the two fen sites, but were not consistently correlated with water table at the bog site. Models that inhibited soil respiration under saturated conditions had less mean bias than models that did not. Modeled diurnal cycles agreed well with eddy covariance measurements at fen sites, but overestimated fluxes at the bog site. Eddy covariance GEP and ER at fens were higher during dry periods than during wet periods, while models predicted either the opposite relationship or no significant difference. At the bog site, eddy covariance GEP did not depend on water table, while simulated GEP was higher during wet periods. Carbon cycle modeling in peatland-rich regions could be improved by incorporating wetland-specific hydrology and by inhibiting GEP and ER under saturated conditions. Bogs and fens likely require distinct plant and soil parameterizations in ecosystem models due to differences in nutrients, peat properties, and plant communities.

A policy of introducing a new contract and funding system of general practice in Estonia.

PubMed

Lember, Margus

2002-01-01

The socialist bloc of post-war Europe was obliged to follow the Soviet example with a hierarchical, centrally controlled health care system based on polyclinics and other facilities providing extensive specialist services at the first level of contact. All the countries of Central and Eastern Europe have now expressed their wish to totally change their health care systems. Changes in these countries include: the introduction of market economy mechanisms in health care, an increased focus on population health needs in guiding health care systems, and the possibility of introducing a more general type of care at primary level. Patient expectations of access, choice and convenience are factors in shaping new models of health care delivery. Appropriate timing is the key determinant of the success of reforms. In Estonia the beginning of the 1990s was the time when several interest groups in society supported changes in the health care system. The first step after regaining independence was the reintroduction of a Bismarck-type insurance system. In the late 1990s the primary care reforms have changed the initial plans and elements of a National Health Service were introduced, especially general practitioners' lists, capitation payment and gate-keeping principles. The family medicine reform in Estonia has two main objectives: introduction of general practice as a specialty into Estonian health care and changing the remuneration system of primary care doctors. The specific tasks are: to provide practising primary care doctors with opportunities for retraining to gain the specialty status of a general practitioner, to create a list system for the population to register with a primary care doctor, to introduce a partial gate-keeping system and to give the status of the independent contractor to primary care doctors.

Sexually Transmitted Infections - Prevalence, Knowledge and Behaviours among Professional Defence Forces in Estonia: a Pilot Study.

PubMed

Parker, R. David; Rüütel, Kristi

2017-03-01

Our study assessed sexually transmitted infections (STI) occurrence and risk behaviours from a sample of the defence forces of Estonia. Previous research on military personnel yields various results on the prevalence of STIs and high risk behaviours. The increasing recognition of high risk behaviours among military personnel is evident given increased programmes that focus on education of drug use and risky sexual behaviours. Many militaries conduct routine, periodic screening for diseases such as HIV and viral hepatitis at entry and pre-foreign deployment. Protecting deployed forces from secondary infections is important as persons with chronic viral infections are living longer, healthier lives and are more frequently serving in military forces. A cross sectional study used convenient sampling among professional defence forces. Participation was both voluntary and anonymous. Of 186 participants accounting for 7.3% of all forces (86.6% male, mean age 30 years) at selected bases, there were four cases of chlamydia. No cases of gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, or HIV were found. One person reported ever injecting drugs. These findings indicate a lower STI occurrence among professional defence forces in Estonia compared with the non-military population. While these rates were lower than expected, as a voluntary study, people suspicious of having an STI might opt not to participate, limiting generalizability to the remainder of the military. Militaries without regular screening programmes could consider regular scheduled testing for STIs, HIV and blood borne pathogens, even if voluntary, especially prior to foreign deployment. Consistent testing would align across many militaries who deploy international peace keepers. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2017

The occurrence and hydrochemistry of fluoride and boron in carbonate aquifer system, central and western Estonia.

PubMed

Karro, Enn; Uppin, Marge

2013-05-01

Silurian-Ordovician (S-O) aquifer system is an important drinking water source of central and western Estonia. The fluoride and boron contents of groundwater in aquifer system vary considerably. The fluoride concentration in 60 collected groundwater samples ranged from 0.1 to 6.1 mg/l with a mean of 1.95 mg/l in the study area. Boron content in groundwater varied from 0.05 mg/l to 2.1 mg/l with a mean value of 0.66 mg/l. Considering the requirements of EU Directive 98/83/EC and the Estonian requirements for drinking water quality, the limit value for fluoride (1.5 mg/l) and for boron (1.0 mg/l) is exceeded in 47 and 28 % of wells, respectively. Groundwater with high fluoride and boron concentrations is found mainly in western Estonia and deeper portion of aquifer system, where groundwater chemical type is HCO3-Cl-Na-Mg-Ca, water is alkaline, and its Ca(2+) content is low. Groundwater of the study area is undersaturated with respect to fluorite and near to equilibrium phase with respect to calcite. The comparison of TDS versus Na/(Na + Ca) and Cl/(Cl + HCO3) points to the dominance of rock weathering as the main process, which promotes the availability of fluoride and boron in the groundwater. The geological sources of B in S-O aquifer system have not been studied so far, but the dissolution of fluorides from carbonate rocks (F = 100-400 mg/kg) and K-bentonites (F = 2,800-4,500 mg/kg) contributes to the formation of F-rich groundwater.

Perception of emotional nonsense sentences in China, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and the USA.

PubMed

Waaramaa, Teija

2015-10-01

The present study focused on the identification of emotions in cross-cultural conditions on different continents and among subjects with divergent language backgrounds. The aim was to investigate whether the perception of the basic emotions from nonsense vocal samples was universal, dependent on voice quality, musicality, and/or gender. Listening tests for 350 participants were conducted on location in a variety of cultures: China, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and the USA. The results suggested that the voice quality parameters played a role in the identification of emotions without the linguistic content. Cultural background may affect the interpretation of the emotions more than the presumed universality. Musical interest tended to facilitate emotion identification. No gender differences were found.

Rapid socio-economic changes, psychosocial factors and prevalence of hypertension among men and women aged 55 years at baseline in Estonia: a 13-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Sammul, Sirje; Viigimaa, Margus

2018-05-27

Hypertension is an important public health problem which causes premature morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for about 55% of deaths in Estonia. was to assess, through a follow-up period, the prevalence of hypertension and to observe which risk factors of cardiovascular disease impact the occurrence of the disease. The second aim of the study was to evaluate the role of psychosocial factors and personality traits among individuals with a diagnosis of hypertension. The 330 subjects from Estonia, aged 55 years at baseline, from among whom 219 participated at follow-up. A cross-sectional study based on a self-reported questionnaire was conducted. Over 13 years, the prevalence of hypertension increased from 4% to 53%. Obese (body mass index ≥30 kg/m 2 ) individuals were four times more likely to belong to the hypertension group (p < .01). Among individuals with hypertension the depressed mood score was ≥4 points (max. 9 points) in 54.3% of participants. Depressed mood was linked with experiencing negative stressful life events (B = 0.047, 95% CI 0.016; 0.079; p < .01). Mastery had a protective impact on depressed mood. The self-rated quality of life score was lower among subjects with hypertension than among those who were not diagnosed with hypertension (p < .05). According to the 13-year follow-up study, rapid socio-economic changes in Estonia have affected psychosocial health factors among 55-year-old individuals with a diagnosis of hypertension. There is a significant relationship between obesity and the development of hypertension.

Carbon dioxide flux and net primary production of a boreal treed bog: responses to warming and water table manipulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munir, T. M.; Perkins, M.; Kaing, E.; Strack, M.

2014-09-01

Mid-latitude treed bogs are significant carbon (C) stocks and are highly sensitive to global climate change. In a dry continental treed bog, we compared three sites; control, recent (1-3 years; experimental) and older drained (10-13 years; drained) with water levels at 38, 74 and 120 cm below the surface, respectively. At each site we measured carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes and tree root respiration (Rr) (across hummock-hollow microtopography of the forest floor) and net primary production (NPP) of trees during the growing seasons (May to October) of 2011-2013. The carbon (C) balance was calculated by adding net CO2 exchange of the forest floor (NEff-Rr) to the NPP of the trees. From cooler and wetter 2011 to driest and warmest 2013, The control site was a~C sink of 92, 70 and 76 g m-2, experimental site was a C source of 14, 57 and 135 g m-2, and drained site was a progressively smaller source of 26, 23 and 13 g m-2, respectively. Although all microforms at the experimental site had large net CO2 emissions, the longer-term drainage and deeper water level at the drained site resulted in the replacement of mosses with vascular plants (shrubs) at the hummocks and lichens at the hollows leading to the highest CO2 uptake at drained hummocks and significant losses at hollows. The tree NPP was highest at the drained site. We also quantified the impact of climatic warming at all water table treatments by equipping additional plots with open-top chambers (OTCs) that caused a passive warming on average of ∼1 °C and differential air warming of ∼6 °C (at mid-day full sun) across the study years. Warming significantly enhanced the shrub growth and CO2 sink function of the drained hummocks (exceeding the cumulative respiration losses at hollows induced by the lowered water level × warming). There was an interaction of water level with warming across hummocks that resulted in largest net CO2 uptake at warmed drained hummocks. Thus in 2013, the warming treatment enhanced

Bacterial Community Composition and Dynamics Spanning Five Years in Freshwater Bog Lakes

DOE PAGES

Linz, Alexandra M.; Crary, Benjamin C.; Shade, Ashley; ...

2017-06-28

Bacteria play a key role in freshwater biogeochemical cycling, but long-term trends in freshwater bacterial community composition and dynamics are not yet well characterized. We used a multiyear time series of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data from eight bog lakes to census the freshwater bacterial community and observe annual and seasonal trends in abundance. The sites that we studied encompassed a range of water column mixing frequencies, which we hypothesized would be associated with trends in alpha and beta diversity. Each lake and layer contained a distinct bacterial community, with distinct levels of richness and indicator taxa that likelymore » reflected the environmental conditions of each lake type sampled, including Actinobacteria in polymictic lakes (i.e., lakes with multiple mixing events per year), Methylophilales in dimictic lakes (lakes with two mixing events per year, usually in spring and fall), and “CandidatusOmnitrophica” in meromictic lakes (lakes with no recorded mixing events). The community present during each year at each site was also surprisingly unique. Despite unexpected interannual variability in community composition, we detected a core community of taxa found in all lakes and layers, including Actinobacteria tribe acI-B2 and Betaprotobacteria lineage PnecC. Although trends in abundance did not repeat annually, each freshwater lineage within the communities had a consistent lifestyle, defined by persistence, abundance, and variability. The results of our analysis emphasize the importance of long-term multisite observations, as analyzing only a single year of data or one lake would not have allowed us to describe the dynamics and composition of these freshwater bacterial communities to the extent presented here. Lakes are excellent systems for investigating bacterial community dynamics because they have clear boundaries and strong environmental gradients. The results of our research demonstrate that bacterial community

Bacterial Community Composition and Dynamics Spanning Five Years in Freshwater Bog Lakes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Linz, Alexandra M.; Crary, Benjamin C.; Shade, Ashley

Bacteria play a key role in freshwater biogeochemical cycling, but long-term trends in freshwater bacterial community composition and dynamics are not yet well characterized. We used a multiyear time series of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data from eight bog lakes to census the freshwater bacterial community and observe annual and seasonal trends in abundance. The sites that we studied encompassed a range of water column mixing frequencies, which we hypothesized would be associated with trends in alpha and beta diversity. Each lake and layer contained a distinct bacterial community, with distinct levels of richness and indicator taxa that likelymore » reflected the environmental conditions of each lake type sampled, including Actinobacteria in polymictic lakes (i.e., lakes with multiple mixing events per year), Methylophilales in dimictic lakes (lakes with two mixing events per year, usually in spring and fall), and “CandidatusOmnitrophica” in meromictic lakes (lakes with no recorded mixing events). The community present during each year at each site was also surprisingly unique. Despite unexpected interannual variability in community composition, we detected a core community of taxa found in all lakes and layers, including Actinobacteria tribe acI-B2 and Betaprotobacteria lineage PnecC. Although trends in abundance did not repeat annually, each freshwater lineage within the communities had a consistent lifestyle, defined by persistence, abundance, and variability. The results of our analysis emphasize the importance of long-term multisite observations, as analyzing only a single year of data or one lake would not have allowed us to describe the dynamics and composition of these freshwater bacterial communities to the extent presented here. Lakes are excellent systems for investigating bacterial community dynamics because they have clear boundaries and strong environmental gradients. The results of our research demonstrate that bacterial community

Cyclic sedimentation pattern in Lake Veetka, southeast Estonia: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saarse, Leili

2015-03-01

A sediment core from Lake Veetka, southeast Estonia, 1077 cm in length and covering 10,500 calibrated years, was examined using loss-on-ignition, grain-size distribution and AMS 14C dating to reconstruct depositional dynamics. The studied core, recovered from the northern part of the lake, shows a cyclic pattern of organic and mineral matter concentration with cycle durations of 100-400 years. Cyclicity is displayed better in sediments laid down between 9,200 and 5,600 cal BP. Within two time windows (5,600-5,100 cal BP and from 1,200 cal BP to the present), sediment composition changed drastically on account of a high and fluctuating mineral matter content, obviously driven by different factors. Little Ice Age cooling is characterised by the highest proportion of mineral matter, and the Medieval Warm Period is typified by high organic matter content. The cyclic change of organic and mineral matter has been related to climate dynamics, most likely an alternation of wet and dry conditions, changes in the water level of the lake and differences in bioproduction

Nutrient load can lead to enhanced CH4 fluxes through changes in vegetation, peat surface elevation and water table depth in ombrotrophic bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juutinen, Sari; Bubier, Jill; Larmola, Tuula; Humphreys, Elyn; Arnkil, Sini; Roy, Cameron; Moore, Tim

2016-04-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has led to nutrient enrichment in wetlands, particularly in temperate areas, affecting plant community composition, carbon (C) cycling, and microbial dynamics. It is vital to understand the temporal scales and mechanisms of the changes, because peatlands are long-term sinks of C, but sources of methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas. Rainwater fed (ombrotrophic) bogs are considered to be vulnerable to nutrient loading due to their natural nutrient poor status. We fertilized Mer Bleue Bog, a Sphagnum moss and evergreen shrub-dominated ombrotrophic bog near Ottawa, Ontario, now for 11-16 years with N (NO3 NH4) at 0.6, 3.2, and 6.4 g N m-2 y-1 (~5, 10 and 20 times ambient N deposition during summer months) with and without phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Treatments were applied to triplicate plots (3 x 3 m) from May - August 2000-2015 and control plots received distilled water. We measured CH4 fluxes with static chambers weekly from May to September 2015 and peat samples were incubated in laboratory to measure CH4 production and consumption potentials. Methane fluxes at the site were generally low, but after 16 years, mean CH4 emissions have increased and more than doubled in high nitrogen addition treatments if P and K input was also increased (3.2 and 6.4 g N m-2yr-1 with PK), owing to drastic changes in vegetation and soil moisture. Vegetation changes include a loss of Sphagnum moss and introduction of new species, typical to minerogenic mires, which together with increased decomposition have led to decreased surface elevation and to higher water table level relative to the surface. The trajectories indicate that the N only treatments may result in similar responses, but only over longer time scales. Elevated atmospheric deposition of nutrients to peatlands may increase loss of C not only due to changes in CO2 exchange but also due to enhanced CH4 emissions in peatlands through a complex suite of feedbacks and interactions

Inclusive educational practices as perceived by prospective special education teachers in Estonia, Finland, and the United States.

PubMed

Moberg, S

1997-03-01

A survey of 125 prospective special education teachers assessed perceptions and beliefs about inclusive education in Estonia, Finland, and the United States (Michigan). The attitudes toward inclusion were rather critical. The Estonians were the most critical group, the Finns the least critical. The meanings attached to a student with severe mental retardation were related to the educational setting assessed as the best for this student. The findings suggest that special educators perceptions about inclusion are related to the prevailing implementation of inclusive education. The results support also the idea that the meanings attached to a person with a disability are connected with behavioural intentions toward this person.

Biomes of western North America at 18,000, 6000 and 0 14C yr BP reconstructed from pollen and packrat midden data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, R.S.; Anderson, K.H.

2000-01-01

A new compilation of pollen and packrat midden data from western North America provides a refined reconstruction of the composition and distribution of biomes in western North America for today and for 6000 and 18,000 radiocarbon years before present (14C yr BP). Modern biomes in western North America are adequately portrayed by pollen assemblages from lakes and bogs. Forest biomes in western North America share many taxa in their pollen spectra and it can be difficult to discriminate among these biomes. Plant macrofossils from packrat middens provide reliable identification of modern biomes from arid and semiarid regions, and this may also be true in similar environments in other parts of the world. However, a weighting factor for trees and shrubs must be used to reliably reconstruct modern biomes from plant macrofossils. A new biome, open conifer woodland, which includes eurythermic conifers and steppe plants, was defined to categorize much of the current and past vegetation of the semiarid interior of western North America. At 6000 14C yr BP, the forest biomes of the coastal Pacific North-west and the desert biomes of the South-west were in near-modern positions. Biomes in the interior Pacific North-west differed from those of today in that taiga prevailed in modern cool/cold mixed forests. Steppe was present in areas occupied today by open conifer woodland in the northern Great Basin, while in the central and southern Rocky Mountains forests grew where steppe grows today. During the mid-Holocene, cool conifer forests were expanded in the Rocky Mountains (relative to today) but contracted in the Sierra Nevada. These differences from the forests of today imply different climatic histories in these two regions between 6000 14C yr BP and today. At 18,000 14C yr BP, deserts were absent from the South-west and the coverage of open conifer woodland was greatly expanded relative to today. Steppe and tundra were present in much of the region now covered by forests in

The Occupational Well-Being of School Staff and Maintenance of Their Ability to Work in Finland and Estonia--Focus on the School Community and Professional Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saaranen, Terhi; Sormunen, Marjorita; Pertel, Tiia; Streimann, Karin; Hansen, Siivi; Varava, Liana; Lepp, Kadi; Turunen, Hannele; Tossavainen, Kerttu

2012-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to present the baseline results of a research and development project targeted to improve the occupational well-being of school staff and maintain their ability to work, in Finland and Estonia. It reveals the most problematic factors in the various aspects of the school community and professional competence and outlines…

Complementary treatment of the common cold and flu with medicinal plants--results from two samples of pharmacy customers in Estonia.

PubMed

Raal, Ain; Volmer, Daisy; Sõukand, Renata; Hratkevitš, Sofia; Kalle, Raivo

2013-01-01

The aim of the current survey was to investigate the complementary self-treatment of the common cold and flu with medicinal plants among pharmacy customers in Estonia. A multiple-choice questionnaire listing 10 plants and posing questions on the perceived characteristics of cold and flu, the effectiveness of plants, help-seeking behaviour, self-treatment and sources of information, was distributed to a sample of participants in two medium size pharmacies. The participants were pharmacy customers: 150 in Tallinn (mostly Russian speaking) and 150 in Kuressaare (mostly Estonian speaking). The mean number of plants used by participants was 4.1. Of the respondents, 69% self-treated the common cold and flu and 28% consulted with a general practitioner. In general, medicinal plants were considered effective in the treatment of the above-mentioned illnesses and 56% of the respondents had used exclusively medicinal plants or their combination with OTC medicines and other means of folk medicine for treatment. The use of medicinal plants increased with age and was more frequent among female than male respondents. Among Estonian-speaking customers lime flowers, blackcurrant and camomile were more frequently used, and among Russian speaking customers raspberry and lemon fruits. Regardless of some statistically significant differences in preferred species among different age, education, sex and nationality groups, the general attitude towards medicinal plants for self-treatment of the common cold and flu in Estonia was very favourable.

Vertical Stratification of Peat Pore Water Dissolved Organic Matter Composition in a Peat Bog in Northern Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tfaily, Malak M.; Wilson, Rachel M.; Cooper, William T.; Kostka, Joel E.; Hanson, Paul; Chanton, Jeffrey P.

2018-02-01

We characterized dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition throughout the peat column at the Marcell S1 forested bog in northern Minnesota and tested the hypothesis that redox oscillations associated with cycles of wetting and drying at the surface of the fluctuating water table correlate with increased carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen turn over. We found significant vertical stratification of DOM molecular composition and excitation-emission matrix parallel factor analysis components within the peat column. In particular, the intermediate depth zone ( 50 cm) was identified as a zone where maximum decomposition and turnover is taking place. Surface DOM was dominated by inputs from surface vegetation. The intermediate depth zone was an area of high organic matter reactivity and increased microbial activity with diagenetic formation of many unique compounds, among them polycyclic aromatic compounds that contain both nitrogen and sulfur heteroatoms. These compounds have been previously observed in coal-derived compounds and were assumed to be responsible for coal's biological activity. Biological processes triggered by redox oscillations taking place at the intermediate depth zone of the peat profile at the S1 bog are assumed to be responsible for the formation of these heteroatomic PACs in this system. Alternatively, these compounds could stem from black carbon and nitrogen derived from fires that have occurred at the site in the past. Surface and deep DOM exhibited more similar characteristics, compared to the intermediate depth zone, with the deep layer exhibiting greater input of microbially degraded organic matter than the surface suggesting that the entire peat profile consists of similar parent material at different degrees of decomposition and that lateral and vertical advection of pore water from the surface to the deeper horizons is responsible for such similarities. Our findings suggest that molecular composition of DOM in peatland pore water is dynamic and is

Peat bog wildfire smoke exposure in rural North Carolina is associated with cardiopulmonary emergency department visits assessed through syndromic surveillance.

PubMed

Rappold, Ana G; Stone, Susan L; Cascio, Wayne E; Neas, Lucas M; Kilaru, Vasu J; Carraway, Martha Sue; Szykman, James J; Ising, Amy; Cleve, William E; Meredith, John T; Vaughan-Batten, Heather; Deyneka, Lana; Devlin, Robert B

2011-10-01

In June 2008, burning peat deposits produced haze and air pollution far in excess of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, encroaching on rural communities of eastern North Carolina. Although the association of mortality and morbidity with exposure to urban air pollution is well established, the health effects associated with exposure to wildfire emissions are less well understood. We investigated the effects of exposure on cardiorespiratory outcomes in the population affected by the fire. We performed a population-based study using emergency department (ED) visits reported through the syndromic surveillance program NC DETECT (North Carolina Disease Event Tracking and Epidemiologic Collection Tool). We used aerosol optical depth measured by a satellite to determine a high-exposure window and distinguish counties most impacted by the dense smoke plume from surrounding referent counties. Poisson log-linear regression with a 5-day distributed lag was used to estimate changes in the cumulative relative risk (RR). In the exposed counties, significant increases in cumulative RR for asthma [1.65 (95% confidence interval, 1.25-2.1)], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [1.73 (1.06-2.83)], and pneumonia and acute bronchitis [1.59 (1.07-2.34)] were observed. ED visits associated with cardiopulmonary symptoms [1.23 (1.06-1.43)] and heart failure [1.37 (1.01-1.85)] were also significantly increased. Satellite data and syndromic surveillance were combined to assess the health impacts of wildfire smoke in rural counties with sparse air-quality monitoring. This is the first study to demonstrate both respiratory and cardiac effects after brief exposure to peat wildfire smoke.

Measurement of community empowerment in three community programs in Rapla (Estonia).

PubMed

Kasmel, Anu; Andersen, Pernille Tanggaard

2011-03-01

Community empowerment approaches have been proven to be powerful tools for solving local health problems. However, the methods for measuring empowerment in the community remain unclear and open to dispute. This study aims to describe how a context-specific community empowerment measurement tool was developed and changes made to three health promotion programs in Rapla, Estonia. An empowerment expansion model was compiled and applied to three existing programs: Safe Community, Drug/HIV Prevention and Elderly Quality of Life. The consensus workshop method was used to create the measurement tool and collect data on the Organizational Domains of Community Empowerment (ODCE). The study demonstrated considerable increases in the ODCE among the community workgroup, which was initiated by community members and the municipality's decision-makers. The increase was within the workgroup, which had strong political and financial support on a national level but was not the community's priority. The program was initiated and implemented by the local community members, and continuous development still occurred, though at a reduced pace. The use of the empowerment expansion model has proven to be an applicable, relevant, simple and inexpensive tool for the evaluation of community empowerment.

Measurement of Community Empowerment in Three Community Programs in Rapla (Estonia)

PubMed Central

Kasmel, Anu; Andersen, Pernille Tanggaard

2011-01-01

Community empowerment approaches have been proven to be powerful tools for solving local health problems. However, the methods for measuring empowerment in the community remain unclear and open to dispute. This study aims to describe how a context-specific community empowerment measurement tool was developed and changes made to three health promotion programs in Rapla, Estonia. An empowerment expansion model was compiled and applied to three existing programs: Safe Community, Drug/HIV Prevention and Elderly Quality of Life. The consensus workshop method was used to create the measurement tool and collect data on the Organizational Domains of Community Empowerment (ODCE). The study demonstrated considerable increases in the ODCE among the community workgroup, which was initiated by community members and the municipality’s decision-makers. The increase was within the workgroup, which had strong political and financial support on a national level but was not the community’s priority. The program was initiated and implemented by the local community members, and continuous development still occurred, though at a reduced pace. The use of the empowerment expansion model has proven to be an applicable, relevant, simple and inexpensive tool for the evaluation of community empowerment. PMID:21556179

Detection and identification of Rickettsia species in Ixodes tick populations from Estonia.

PubMed

Katargina, Olga; Geller, Julia; Ivanova, Anna; Värv, Kairi; Tefanova, Valentina; Vene, Sirkka; Lundkvist, Åke; Golovljova, Irina

2015-09-01

A total of 1640 ticks collected in different geographical parts of Estonia were screened for the presence of Rickettsia species DNA by real-time PCR. DNA of Rickettsia was detected in 83 out of 1640 questing ticks with an overall prevalence of 5.1%. The majority of the ticks infected by rickettsiae were Ixodes ricinus (74 of 83), while 9 of the 83 positive ticks were Ixodes persulcatus. For rickettsial species identification, a part of the citrate synthase gltA gene was sequenced. The majority of the positive samples were identified as Rickettsia helvetica (81 out of 83) and two of the samples were identified as Rickettsia monacensis and Candidatus R. tarasevichiae, respectively. Genetic characterization based on the partial gltA gene showed that the Estonian sequences within the R. helvetica, R. monacensis and Candidatus R. tarasevichiae species demonstrated 100% similarity with sequences deposited in GenBank, originating from Rickettsia species distributed over large territories from Europe to Asia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

High-resolution age modelling of peat bog profiles using pre and post-bomb 14C, 210Pb and cryptotephra data from six Albertan peat bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, L. J.; Froese, D. G.; Appleby, P.; van Bellen, S.; Magnan, G.; Mullan-Boudreau, G.; Noernberg, T.; Shotyk, W.; Zaccone, C.

2016-12-01

Age modelling of recent peat profiles is frequently undertaken for high-resolution modern studies, but the most common techniques applied (e.g. 14C, 210Pb, cryptotephra) are rarely combined and used for testing and inter-comparison. Here, we integrate three age-dating approaches to produce a single age model to comprehensively investigate variations in the chronometers and individual site histories since 1900. OxCal's P_Sequence function is used to model dates produced using 14C (pre- and post-bomb), 210Pb (corroborated with 137Cs and 241Am) from six peat bogs in central and northern Alberta. Physical and chemical characteristics of the cores (e.g. macrofossils, humification, ash content, dry density) provide important constraints for the model by highlighting periods with significant changes in accumulation rate (e.g. fire events, permafrost development, prolonged surficial drying). Sub-cm resolution output shows there are consistent differences in how the 14C and 210Pb signals are preserved in peat profiles, with 14C commonly showing a slight bias toward older ages at the same depth relative to 210Pb data. These methods can successfully be combined in a Bayesian model and used to produce a single age model that more accurately accounts for the uncertainties inherent in each method. Understanding these differences and combining the results of these methods results in a stronger chronology at each site investigated here despite observed differences in ecological setting, accumulation rates, fire events/frequency and permafrost development.

CH4 production via CO2 reduction in a temperate bog - A source of (C-13)-depleted CH4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansdown, J. M.; Quay, P. D.; King, S. L.

1992-01-01

The paper reports measurements, taken over two annual cycles, of the flux and delta(C-13) of CH4 released from an acidic peat bog located in the foothills of the Cascade Range in Washington state, U.S. Measurements of the rate of aceticlastic methanogenesis and CO2 reduction in peat soil, using (C-14)-labeled acetate and sodium bicarbonate, show that acetate was not an important CH4 precursor and that CO2 reduction could account for all of the CH4 production. The in situ kinetic isotope effect for CO2 reduction, calculated using the delta-(C-13) of soil water CO2 and CH4 flux, was 0.932 +/- 0.007.

Effect of fire on phosphorus forms in Sphagnum moss and peat soils of ombrotrophic bogs.

PubMed

Wang, Guoping; Yu, Xiaofei; Bao, Kunshan; Xing, Wei; Gao, Chuanyu; Lin, Qianxin; Lu, Xianguo

2015-01-01

The effect of burning Sphagnum moss and peat on phosphorus forms was studied with controlled combustion in the laboratory. Two fire treatments, a light fire (250 °C) and a severe fire (600 °C), were performed in a muffle furnace with 1-h residence time to simulate the effects of different forest fire conditions. The results showed that fire burning Sphagnum moss and peat soils resulted in losses of organic phosphorus (Po), while inorganic phosphorus (Pi) concentrations increased. Burning significantly changed detailed phosphorus composition and availability, with severe fires destroying over 90% of organic phosphorus and increasing the availability of inorganic P by more than twofold. Our study suggest that, while decomposition processes in ombrotrophic bogs occur very slowly, rapid changes in the form and availability of phosphorus in vegetation and litter may occur as the result of forest fires on peat soils. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Peat Bog Wildfire Smoke Exposure in Rural North Carolina Is Associated with Cardiopulmonary Emergency Department Visits Assessed through Syndromic Surveillance

PubMed Central

Stone, Susan L.; Cascio, Wayne E.; Neas, Lucas M.; Kilaru, Vasu J.; Carraway, Martha Sue; Szykman, James J.; Ising, Amy; Cleve, William E.; Meredith, John T.; Vaughan-Batten, Heather; Deyneka, Lana; Devlin, Robert B.

2011-01-01

Background: In June 2008, burning peat deposits produced haze and air pollution far in excess of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, encroaching on rural communities of eastern North Carolina. Although the association of mortality and morbidity with exposure to urban air pollution is well established, the health effects associated with exposure to wildfire emissions are less well understood. Objective: We investigated the effects of exposure on cardiorespiratory outcomes in the population affected by the fire. Methods: We performed a population-based study using emergency department (ED) visits reported through the syndromic surveillance program NC DETECT (North Carolina Disease Event Tracking and Epidemiologic Collection Tool). We used aerosol optical depth measured by a satellite to determine a high-exposure window and distinguish counties most impacted by the dense smoke plume from surrounding referent counties. Poisson log-linear regression with a 5-day distributed lag was used to estimate changes in the cumulative relative risk (RR). Results: In the exposed counties, significant increases in cumulative RR for asthma [1.65 (95% confidence interval, 1.25–2.1)], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [1.73 (1.06–2.83)], and pneumonia and acute bronchitis [1.59 (1.07–2.34)] were observed. ED visits associated with cardiopulmonary symptoms [1.23 (1.06–1.43)] and heart failure [1.37 (1.01–1.85)] were also significantly increased. Conclusions: Satellite data and syndromic surveillance were combined to assess the health impacts of wildfire smoke in rural counties with sparse air-quality monitoring. This is the first study to demonstrate both respiratory and cardiac effects after brief exposure to peat wildfire smoke. PMID:21705297

Wildfire Health and Economic Impacts Case Study###

EPA Science Inventory

Since 2008 eastern North Carolina experienced 6 major wildfires, far exceeding the historic 50 year expected rate of return. Initiated by the lighting strikes, these fires spread across multiple feet deep, dry and extremely vulnerable peat bogs. The fires produced massive amounts...

Spatial and temporal delivery of tephra to the Eastern North American seaboard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteath, A.; Hughes, P. D. M.; Mackay, H.; Amesbury, M. J.; Mallon, G.; Finkenbinder, M. S.

2017-12-01

The tephrostratigraphy of Eastern North America is rapidly developing, with cryptotephra (non-visible ash) beds linked to volcanic sources in the Pacific-Northwest, up to ca. 9,000 km from study sites. However, this research remains at an early stage relative to cryptotephra studies in regions such as Western Europe, and new records are needed to test reported correlations and maximise the potential of tephrostratigraphy as a geochronological tool in the region. Here, we report Holocene tephrostratigraphies from six new peat-bog and lake sites across Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Maine. Reported cryptotephras are characterised based on radiocarbon chronology combined with glass shard geochemistry, and include ash layers with major element compositions inseparable from the White River Ash east (AD 846±1 GICC05), and St Helens set W (ca. AD 1480). A stratigraphically independent cryptotephra chemically indistinguishable from the White River Ash east, but with a modelled age of 1940-1440 cal yr BP, supports previous suggestions that multiple Mt Bona-Churchill tephras are preserved on the Eastern North American seaboard. Results from these new study sites are compared with published Holocene and Late glacial records from across the Atlantic seaboard. Together they provide sufficient spatial and temporal coverage to develop early hypotheses relating to patterns of tephra delivery to the region. Correlated tephras are derived exclusively from volcanic sources west of the study sites, reaffirming the dominance of westerly winds over the Eastern North American seaboard during the Holocene. Changes in the abundance of tephras are observed across the region with fewer ashes present in northern sites, and an absence of tephra during the early Holocene. These patterns may reflect changes in the average position of the Jet Stream which is suggested to have shifted during this period. These findings further develop the regional tephrostratigraphy with applications for precise

Rapid Urbanization of Red Foxes in Estonia: Distribution, Behaviour, Attacks on Domestic Animals, and Health-Risks Related to Zoonotic Diseases

PubMed Central

Plumer, Liivi; Davison, John; Saarma, Urmas

2014-01-01

Urban areas are becoming increasingly important for wildlife as diminishing natural habitats no longer represent a suitable environment for many species. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are nowadays common in many cities worldwide, and in recent years they have colonized urban areas in Estonia. We used a public web-based questionnaire approach to evaluate the distribution and behaviour of Estonian urban foxes, to detect related problems and to assess health risks to humans and domestic animals. In total, 1205 responses were collected throughout the country. Foxes have colonized the majority of Estonian towns (33 out of 47) in a relatively short period of time, and have already established breeding dens in several towns. Despite their recent arrival, the behaviour of Estonian urban foxes is similar to that reported in longer-established urban fox populations: they are mostly active during night-time, often visit city centres and some also have dens in such locations. Certain characteristics of urban foxes serve as a basis for conflict with humans: foxes have entered houses and attacked domestic animals, killing cats and poultry. About 8% of reported foxes exhibited symptoms of sarcoptic mange, a disease that also infects domestic animals, especially dogs. The proportion of mange-infected foxes was higher in large urban areas. In addition to mange, a substantial fraction of red foxes in Estonia are known to be infected with the life-threatening tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. Therefore, urban foxes may represent a source of serious infectious disease for pets and humans. PMID:25531399

Rapid urbanization of red foxes in Estonia: distribution, behaviour, attacks on domestic animals, and health-risks related to zoonotic diseases.

PubMed

Plumer, Liivi; Davison, John; Saarma, Urmas

2014-01-01

Urban areas are becoming increasingly important for wildlife as diminishing natural habitats no longer represent a suitable environment for many species. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are nowadays common in many cities worldwide, and in recent years they have colonized urban areas in Estonia. We used a public web-based questionnaire approach to evaluate the distribution and behaviour of Estonian urban foxes, to detect related problems and to assess health risks to humans and domestic animals. In total, 1205 responses were collected throughout the country. Foxes have colonized the majority of Estonian towns (33 out of 47) in a relatively short period of time, and have already established breeding dens in several towns. Despite their recent arrival, the behaviour of Estonian urban foxes is similar to that reported in longer-established urban fox populations: they are mostly active during night-time, often visit city centres and some also have dens in such locations. Certain characteristics of urban foxes serve as a basis for conflict with humans: foxes have entered houses and attacked domestic animals, killing cats and poultry. About 8% of reported foxes exhibited symptoms of sarcoptic mange, a disease that also infects domestic animals, especially dogs. The proportion of mange-infected foxes was higher in large urban areas. In addition to mange, a substantial fraction of red foxes in Estonia are known to be infected with the life-threatening tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. Therefore, urban foxes may represent a source of serious infectious disease for pets and humans.

Headaches after traumatic spinal cord injury in Estonia.

PubMed

Sabre, Liis; Rugo, Mariann; Asser, Toomas; Kõrv, Janika; Braschinsky, Mark

2016-04-01

Patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) often suffer from different types of pain. However, headaches after TSCI have not been studied. The aim of this article is to examine the occurrence of headache among patients with TSCI. This cross-sectional study included individuals with TSCI from 1997 to 2012 in Estonia. Patients with TSCI were interviewed via telephone. The interview was based on a questionnaire specifically designed to identify headache type using the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition (beta version). There were 73 patients with a mean age 37.1 ± 10.6 years. The mean time since TSCI was 7.5 ± 4.0 years. The most frequently mentioned pain was headache (71%), followed by back pain (60%) and pain in neck (44%).Headaches were more frequent after the trauma compared with the headaches before TSCI (71% vs 51%, ITALIC! p = 0.02). Headaches that arose after TSCI were not related to the concomitant brain injury ( ITALIC! p = 0.15). The occurrence of headache did not depend on the severity or the level of the TSCI.Eighty-five percent of patients had not contacted any physician and headache was not diagnosed. This is the first study that evidentially shows that headache is the most prevalent pain condition after TSCI. Despite this, the majority of patients never consult a physician, nor is their headache diagnosed or appropriately managed. This indicates that further studies are needed to provide evidence regarding the prevalence and causes of headache and its impact on quality of life. © International Headache Society 2015.

The Effect of Long-term Nutrient Addition on Peat Properties in an Ombrotrophic Bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, T. R.; Bubier, J. L.; Knorr, K. H.; Roy, C.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric inputs of nutrients, particularly N and P, to ecosystems have increased and may have a significant effect on nutrient-deficient peatlands such as bogs. At the Mer Bleue ombrotrophic bog near Ottawa, Canada, we have conducted an experiment over 10 to 20 years by adding 1.6 to 6.4 g N m-2 yr-1 (as NH4NO3), with/without 6 g P m-2 yr-1 (as K phosphate), to evaluate the effect of increased inputs on ecosystem functions. Increased N and P amendment has changed the vegetation from a mixed shrub-Sphagnum community into one dominated by shrubs with the disappearance of mosses, with changes in plant production and litter input. The largest N and P amendments have resulted in an increase in bulk density at 0-10 cm and a lowering of the peat surface by 10 to 20 cm, creating an effective rise in the water table and an increase in CH4 emission from 15 to 50 mg m-2 d-1. Peat cores to a depth of 40 cm were collected after 10 to 15 yr of amendment and showed little change in soil pH (range 4.1 to 4.5). There were substantial increases in the concentration of N and P in the peat (8 to 14 and 0.5 to 1.5 mg g-1, respectively) and general decreases in Ca and Mg concentration. The von Post humification index increased by about 1 unit in the heavily fertilized plots, with shrub leaves replacing Sphagnum as the primary litterfall. FTIR analysis of the 0-20 cm peat showed significant increases in abundance of phenolic+aliphatic, aromatic, and carboxylic relative to polysaccharide components, revealed by the following ratios of absorbance at the respective wavenumbers: 1420/1090 cm-1, 0.41 to 0.45; 1510/1090 cm-1, 0.23 to 0.30; 1630/1090 cm-1, 0.53 to 0.65; and 1720/1090 cm-1, 0.44 to 0.48, respectively. Laboratory incubations of peat samples showed that potential rates of aerobic CH4 consumption were unaffected by nutrient treatment, apart from position relative to the water table, whereas potential rates of anaerobic CH4 production near the water table increased under the P

Greenhouse gas exchange of rewetted bog peat extraction sites and a Sphagnum cultivation site in northwest Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyer, C.; Höper, H.

2015-04-01

During the last decades an increasing area of drained peatlands has been rewetted. Especially in Germany, rewetting is the principal treatment on cutover sites when peat extraction is finished. The objectives are bog restoration and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first sites were rewetted in the 1980s. Thus, there is a good opportunity to study long-term effects of rewetting on greenhouse gas exchange, which has not been done so far on temperate cutover peatlands. Moreover, Sphagnum cultivating may become a new way to use cutover peatlands and agriculturally used peatlands as it permits the economical use of bogs under wet conditions. The climate impact of such measures has not been studied yet. We conducted a field study on the exchange of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide at three rewetted sites with a gradient from dry to wet conditions and at a Sphagnum cultivation site in NW Germany over the course of more than 2 years. Gas fluxes were measured using transparent and opaque closed chambers. The ecosystem respiration (CO2) and the net ecosystem exchange (CO2) were modelled at a high temporal resolution. Measured and modelled values fit very well together. Annually cumulated gas flux rates, net ecosystem carbon balances (NECB) and global warming potential (GWP) balances were determined. The annual net ecosystem exchange (CO2) varied strongly at the rewetted sites (from -201.7 ± 126.8 to 29.7± 112.7g CO2-C m-2 a-1) due to differing weather conditions, water levels and vegetation. The Sphagnum cultivation site was a sink of CO2 (-118.8 ± 48.1 and -78.6 ± 39.8 g CO2-C m-2 a-1). The annual CH4 balances ranged between 16.2 ± 2.2 and 24.2 ± 5.0g CH4-C m-2 a-1 at two inundated sites, while one rewetted site with a comparatively low water level and the Sphagnum farming site show CH4 fluxes close to 0. The net N2O fluxes were low and not significantly different between the four sites. The annual NECB was between -185.5 ± 126.9 and 49

Greenhouse gas emissions from rewetted bog peat extraction sites and a Sphagnum cultivation site in Northwest Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyer, C.; Höper, H.

2014-03-01

During the last three decades, an increasing area of drained peatlands was rewetted. This was done with the objective to convert these sites from sources back to sinks or, at least, to much smaller sources of greenhouse gases (GHG). However, available data is still scarce, especially on the long-term climatic effects of rewetting of temperate bogs. Moreover, first field trials are established for Sphagnum cultivating (paludiculture) on wet bog sites and an assessment of the climate impact of such measures has not been studied yet. We conducted a field study on the exchange of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide at three rewetted sites with a gradient from dry to wet conditions and at a Sphagnum cultivation site in NW Germany over more than two years. Gas fluxes were measured using transparent and opaque closed chambers. The ecosystem respiration (CO2) and the net ecosystem exchange (CO2) were modelled in high time resolution using automatically monitored climate data. Measured and modelled values fit very well together (R2 between 0.88 and 0.98). Annually cumulated gas flux rates, net ecosystem carbon balances (NECB) and global warming potential (GWP) balances were determined. The annual net ecosystem exchange (CO2) varied strongly at the rewetted sites (from -201.7 ± 126.8 to 29.7 ± 112.7 g CO2-C m-2 a-1) due to different weather conditions, water level and vegetation. The Sphagnum cultivation site was a sink of CO2 (-118.8 ± 48.1 and -78.6 ± 39.8 g CO2-C m-2 a-1). The yearly CH4 balances ranged between 16.2 ± 2.2 and 24.2 ± 5.0 g CH4-C m-2 a-1 at two inundated sites, while one rewetted site with a comparatively low water level and the Sphagnum farming site show CH4 fluxes close to zero. The net N2O fluxes were low and not significantly different between the four sites. The annual NECB at the rewetted sites was between -183.8 ± 126.9 and 51.6 ± 112.8 g CO2-C m-2 a-1 and at the Sphagnum cultivating site -114.1 ± 48.1 and -75.3 ± 39.8 g CO2-C m-2 a-1

Effects of land use on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in Estonia.

PubMed

Sepp, Siim-Kaarel; Jairus, Teele; Vasar, Martti; Zobel, Martin; Öpik, Maarja

2018-04-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities vary across habitat types, as well as across different land use types. Most relevant research, however, has focused on agricultural or other severely human-impacted ecosystems. Here, we compared AM fungal communities across six habitat types: calcareous grassland, overgrown ungrazed calcareous grassland, wooded meadow, farmyard lawn, boreonemoral forest, and boreonemoral forest clear-cut, exhibiting contrasting modes of land use. AM fungi in the roots of a single host plant species, Prunella vulgaris, and in its rhizosphere soil were identified using 454-sequencing from a total of 103 samples from 12 sites in Estonia. Mean AM fungal taxon richness per sample did not differ among habitats. AM fungal community composition, however, was significantly different among habitat types. Both abandonment and land use intensification (clearcutting; trampling combined with frequent mowing) changed AM fungal community composition. The AM fungal communities in different habitat types were most similar in the roots of the single host plant species and most distinct in soil samples, suggesting a non-random pattern in host-fungal taxon interactions. The results show that AM fungal taxon composition is driven by habitat type and land use intensity, while the plant host may act as an additional filter between the available and realized AM fungal species pool.

Bringing back the rare - biogeochemical constraints of peat moss establishment in restored cut-over bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raabe, Peter; Blodau, Christian; Hölzel, Norbert; Kleinebecker, Till; Knorr, Klaus-Holger

2016-04-01

In rewetted cut-over bogs in north-western Germany and elsewhere almost no spontaneous recolonization of hummock peat mosses, such as Sphagnum magellanicum, S. papillosum or S. rubellum can be observed. However, to reach goals of climate protection every restoration of formerly mined peatlands should aim to enable the re-establishment of these rare but functionally important plant species. Besides aspects of biodiversity, peatlands dominated by mosses can be expected to emit less methane compared to sites dominated by graminoids. To assess the hydrological and biogeochemical factors constraining the successful establishment of hummock Sphagnum mosses we conducted a field experiment by actively transferring hummock species into six existing restoration sites in the Vechtaer Moor, a large peatland complex with active peat harvesting and parallel restoration efforts. The mosses were transferred as intact sods in triplicate at the beginning of June 2016. Six weeks (mid-July) and 18 weeks later (beginning of October) pore water was sampled in two depths (5 and 20 cm) directly beneath the inoculated Sphagnum sods as well as in untreated control plots and analysed for phosphate, ferrous iron, ammonia, nitrate and total organic carbon (TOC). On the same occasions and additionally in December, the vitality of mosses was estimated. Furthermore, the increment of moss height between July and December was measured by using cranked wires and peat cores were taken for lab analyses of nutrients and major element inventories at the depths of pore water sampling. Preliminary results indicate that vitality of mosses during the period of summer water level draw down was strongly negatively related to plant available phosphate in deeper layers of the residual peat. Furthermore, increment of moss height was strongly negatively related to TOC in the upper pore waters sampled in October. Concentration of ferrous iron in deeper pore waters was in general significantly higher beneath

Analysis of the systems of ventilation of residential houses of Ukraine and Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savchenko, Olena; Zhelykh, Vasyl; Voll, Hendrik

2017-12-01

The most common ventilation system in residential buildings in Ukraine is natural ventilation. In recent years, due to increased tightness of structures, an increase in the content of synthetic finishing materials in them, the quality of microclimate parameters deteriorated. One of the measures to improve the parameters of indoor air in residential buildings is the use of mechanical inflow and exhaust ventilation system. In this article the regulatory documents concerning the design of ventilation systems in Ukraine and Estonia and the requirements for air exchange in residential buildings are considered. It is established that the existing normative documents in Ukraine are analogous to European norms, which allow design the system of ventilation of residential buildings according to European standards. However, the basis for the design of ventilation systems in Ukraine is the national standards, in which mechanical ventilation, unfortunately, is provided only for the design of high-rise buildings. To maintain acceptable microclimate parameters in residential buildings, it is advisable for designers to apply the requirements for designing ventilation systems in accordance with European standards.

Fatal poisoning in Estonia 2000-2009. Trends in illegal drug-related deaths.

PubMed

Tuusov, J; Vals, K; Tõnisson, M; Riikoja, A; Denissov, G; Väli, M

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to provide an overview of deaths caused by poisoning (especially illicit drugs) in Estonia from 2000 to 2009. The data on poisoning deaths (N = 4132) were collected from the autopsy reports of the Estonian Forensic Science Institute. Ethanol poisoning was the most frequent cause of death (N = 1449, 35.1%), followed by carbon monoxide (N = 1151, 27.9%) and poisoning from illicit drugs (N = 888, 21.5%). The study included 3267 male (79.1%) and 865 female fatalities, with the prevalent age group being 35-64 years. Since 2002, deaths from fentanyles have increased sharply and remained at a high level - from 63 cases in 2002 to 138 cases in 2009. This high number indicates that in spite of the state's drug policies, illegal drugs remain easily available and that this area requires more attention. Alcohol abuse prevention policies - restrictions on alcohol advertisements in the media, limitations on sale times and anti-alcohol campaigns concerning traffic - have not brought about a significant decrease in ethanol poisoning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Hospitalised neonates in Estonia commonly receive potentially harmful excipients

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Information on the neonatal exposure to excipients is limited. Our aim was to describe the extent of excipient intake by Estonian neonates; to classify the excipients according to potential neonatal toxicity and thereby to measure the extent of exposure of neonates to potentially harmful excipients. Methods A prospective cohort study that recorded all medicines prescribed to patients aged below 28 days admitted to Tartu University Hospital from 01.02-01.08 2008 and to Tallinn Children’s Hospital from 01.02- 01.08 2009 was conducted. Excipients were identified from Summaries of Product Characteristics and classified according to toxicity following a literature review. Results 1961 prescriptions comprising 107 medicines were written for 348/490 neonates admitted. A total of 123 excipients were found in 1620 (83%) prescriptions and 93 (87%) medicines. 47 (38%) of these excipients were classified as potentially or known to be harmful to neonates. Most neonates (97%) received at least one medicine (median number 2) with potentially or known to be harmful excipient. Parabens were the most commonly used known to be harmful excipients and sodium metabisulphite the most commonly used potentially harmful excipient, received by 343 (99%) and 297 (85%) of treated neonates, respectively. Conclusions Hospitalised neonates in Estonia are commonly receiving a wide range of excipients with their medication. Quantitative information about excipients should be made available to pharmacists and neonatologists helping them to take into account excipient issues when selecting medicines and to monitor for adverse effects if administration of medicines containing excipients is unavoidable. PMID:22931304

A Holocene History of Permafrost Dynamics, Carbon Sequestration, and Hydrological Changes at Beretta Bog, Mackenzie River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Von Ness, K.; Loisel, J.; Beilman, D. W.; Kaiser, K.

2017-12-01

The Mackenzie River Basin (MRB) is one of the world's largest permafrost peatland areas. This region contains dense soil carbon deposits and is home of the largest Canadian Arctic watershed. However, much remains to be known about the timing of permafrost initiation and the moisture changes that have affected soil development across this region throughout the Holocene. Peatland hydroclimatic conditions, which impact permafrost freezing and thawing as well as carbon sequestration rates, are relatively undocumented in peat-based paleoreconstructions. To provide further insight into the region's permafrost dynamics and the moisture changes associated with them, this study presents a permafrost initiation history and paleohydrological reconstruction of Beretta Bog, MRB that dates back to roughly 9000 cal BP. We explore the use of lichens as a bio-indicator of permafrost formation by quantifying the abundance of lichen-specific carbohydrates (mannose and galactose) in the peat profile. Testate amoebae, plant macrofossils, and carbon and oxygen isotopes (δ13C and δ18O) are also being analyzed at high resolution to reconstruct past changes in soil moisture and temperature. To our knowledge this study will constitute the first high-resolution paleohydrological reconstruction for this region. While carbohydrate analysis is underway, high C/N values from 6000 cal BP to present are temporarily used as an indicator for permafrost aggradation. Carbon accumulation rates of the core are highest prior to 6000 cal BP (during the Holocene Thermal Maximum) and relatively lower until around 1000 cal BP; we hypothesize this period of slow accumulation corresponds to permafrost aggradation. Preliminary results of our δ13C analysis corroborate testate assemblages as a proxy suitable for revealing moisture changes in permafrost peat. In the upper core, our analysis shows that more negative δ13C values, which reflect drier conditions, correlate to higher percentages of A. flavum and H

The Sphagnum microbiome supports bog ecosystem functioning under extreme conditions.

PubMed

Bragina, Anastasia; Oberauner-Wappis, Lisa; Zachow, Christin; Halwachs, Bettina; Thallinger, Gerhard G; Müller, Henry; Berg, Gabriele

2014-09-01

Sphagnum-dominated bogs represent a unique yet widely distributed type of terrestrial ecosystem and strongly contribute to global biosphere functioning. Sphagnum is colonized by highly diverse microbial communities, but less is known about their function. We identified a high functional diversity within the Sphagnum microbiome applying an Illumina-based metagenomic approach followed by de novo assembly and MG-RAST annotation. An interenvironmental comparison revealed that the Sphagnum microbiome harbours specific genetic features that distinguish it significantly from microbiomes of higher plants and peat soils. The differential traits especially support ecosystem functioning by a symbiotic lifestyle under poikilohydric and ombrotrophic conditions. To realise a plasticity-stability balance, we found abundant subsystems responsible to cope with oxidative and drought stresses, to exchange (mobile) genetic elements, and genes that encode for resistance to detrimental environmental factors, repair and self-controlling mechanisms. Multiple microbe-microbe and plant-microbe interactions were also found to play a crucial role as indicated by diverse genes necessary for biofilm formation, interaction via quorum sensing and nutrient exchange. A high proportion of genes involved in nitrogen cycle and recycling of organic material supported the role of bacteria for nutrient supply. 16S rDNA analysis indicated a higher structural diversity than that which had been previously detected using PCR-dependent techniques. Altogether, the diverse Sphagnum microbiome has the ability to support the life of the host plant and the entire ecosystem under changing environmental conditions. Beyond this, the moss microbiome presents a promising bio-resource for environmental biotechnology - with respect to novel enzymes or stress-protecting bacteria. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Acrylamide in commercial foods and intake by infants in Estonia.

PubMed

Elias, Andres; Roasto, Mati; Reinik, Mari; Nelis, Keiu; Nurk, Eha; Elias, Terje

2017-11-01

Acrylamide is formed when certain foods with low moisture are prepared at above 120 ºC, especially those foods containing asparagine and reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose. Acrylamide is a probable carcinogen, and from animal evidence the margins of exposure indicate a concern for neoplastic effects. On a body weight basis infants´ acrylamide intakes are often higher than those of adults. The aim of the study was to determine acrylamide levels in different commercially-available foods and to assess dietary acrylamide intakes by infants. The acrylamide content in samples ranged widely, from Estonia.

Past, present and future formation of groundwater resources in northern part of Baltic Artesian Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marandi, A.; Vallner, L.; Vaikmae, R.; Raidla, V.

2012-04-01

Cambrian-Vendian Aquifer System (CVAS) is the deepest confined aquifer system used for water consumption in northern part of Baltic Artesian Basin (BAB). A regional groundwater flow and transport model (Visual Modflow) was used to investigate the paleohydrogeological scientific and contemporary management problems of CVAS. The model covers the territory of Estonia and its close surrounding, all together 88,000 km2 and includes all main aquifers and aquitards from ground surface to as low as the impermeable part of the crystalline basement. Three-dimensional distribution of groundwater heads, flow directions, velocities, and rates as well as transport and budget characteristics were simulated by the model. Water composition was changed significantly during the last glaciations.Strongly depleted O and H stable isotope composition, absence of 3H and low radiocarbon concentration are the main indicators of glacial origin of groundwater in the Cambrian-Vendian aquifer in northern Estonia. The noble gas analyses allowed concluding, that palaeorecharge took place at temperatures around the freezing point. While in North Estonia, most of water was changed by glacial melt water, high salinity water is till preserved in Southern part of Estonia.First results of modeling suggest that during the intrusion period lasting 7.3-9.3 ka the front of glacial thaw water movement had southeast direction and reachedto 180-220 kmfrom CVAS outcrop in Baltic Sea. Confining layer of CVAS is cut through by deep buried valleys in several places in North Estonia making possible for modern precipitation to infiltrate into aquifer system in present day. In case of natural conditions, the water pressure of CVAS is few meters above sea level and most of valleys act as discharge areas for aquifers system. Two regional depression ones have formed in North Estonia as a result of groundwater use from CVAS. Water consumption changes the natural groundwater gradient, flow direction and thereforerecharge

No limits to peat bog growth? Transport and thermodynamic constraints on anaerobic organic matter decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blodau, C.; Julia, B.; Siems, M.

2009-05-01

methanogenesis decreasing to 0 near a critical Gibbs free energy of about -27 KJ mol-1. The results thus suggest that, even in absence of inorganic electron acceptors, respiration rates in peat bogs are likely higher near the redox interface to the atmosphere due to lower respiration endproduct concentrations. Similar effects ensue when rates of transport are elevated or pools of CO2 and CH4 are eliminated. With decomposition being constrained, peat bog growth may occur longer than previously thought.

Experimental Whole-Ecosystem Warming Alters Vegetation Phenology in a Boreal Spruce Bog: Initial Results from the SPRUCE Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, A. D.

2016-12-01

Phenology is one of the most robust indicators of the biological impacts of global change. However, the response of phenology to future environmental conditions still remains highly uncertain because of the challenges associated with conducting realistic manipulative experiments. At the SPRUCE (Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change) experiment in the north-central United States, experimental temperature (0 to +9°C above ambient) and CO2 (ambient and elevated) treatments are being applied to mature, and intact, Picea mariana-Sphagnum spp. bog communities in their native habitat through the use of ten large (approximately 12 m wide, 10 m high) open-topped enclosures. We are tracking vegetation green-up and senescence in these chambers using repeat digital photography. Within each chamber, images are recorded every 30 minutes and uploaded to PhenoCam (http://phenocam.sr.unh.edu), where processed to yield quantitative measures of canopy color. These data are complemented by on-the-ground phenological data collected by human observers. Air warming treatments at SPRUCE began in August 2015. We observed a delay in senescence during autumn 2015 (2-5 days per degree of warming) and an advance in onset during spring 2016 (1-4 days per degree of warming). These patterns are robust across species and methods of phenological observation (i.e. camera-based vs. human observer). And, our results show very little evidence for photoperiod acting as a constraint on the response to warming. Early spring onset and consequent loss of frost hardiness in the warmest chambers proved disadvantageous when a brief period of extreme cold (to -12°C in the control chambers, to -3°C in the +9°C chambers) followed a month of generally mild weather. Foliage mortality for both Larix and Picea was immediate and severe, although both species subsequently re-flushed. These results give support for the hypothesis that warming may enhance the likelihood of spring frost

Efficacy of convenience sampling through the internet versus respondent driven sampling among males who have sex with males in Tallinn and Harju County, Estonia: challenges reaching a hidden population.

PubMed

Johnston, Lisa Grazina; Trummal, Aire; Lohmus, Liilia; Ravalepik, Ardi

2009-09-01

This paper examines challenges obtaining representative samples of males who have sex with males (MSM) in Estonia and provides descriptive HIV behavioral data gathered from four cross-sectional surveys; three using the internet, and one using respondent driven sampling (RDS) to recruit MSM in Tallinn and Harju County. Estonian MSM were sampled between March and May in 2004 (n=193), August and November in 2005 (n=146) and September and December in 2007 (n=238) using internet websites. MSM in Tallinn and Harju County were sampled between April and June in 2007 (n=59) using RDS. Recruitment of MSM using RDS did not acquire the calculated sample size. The RDS study reached a less diverse group of MSM than did the internet studies which recruited a larger proportion of MSM who were older, bisexual, having female sexual partners during the last six months, and unlikely to have been tested for HIV. The findings and observations presented in this paper could inform researchers in Estonia, and the region, about the efficacy of and socio-cultural challenges to sampling MSM to collect HIV biological and/or behavioral data.

Work-related psychosocial risk factors and mental health problems amongst nurses at a university hospital in Estonia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Freimann, Tiina; Merisalu, Eda

2015-07-01

Rapid changes in the Estonian health care system have placed extra pressure on the nursing profession, but the potential impacts of psychosocial changes have not been investigated. We aimed to explore the work-related psychosocial risk factors and their relationships with mental health problems (MHPs) amongst nurses at the university hospital in Estonia. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken amongst registered nurses at Tartu University Hospital (TUH). Psychosocial work factors and MHPs (stress, somatic symptoms, depressive symptoms and burnout) were measured using version two of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II). Descriptive statistics and Pearson's r correlation with sequential Bonferroni correction were used to analyse the data. The analysis was based on 404 nurses (45% of the full-time working population of nurses). The highest mean scores recorded for the positive work-related psychosocial factors studied were meaning of work, role clarity, social relationships and mutual trust between employees. The highest scores for the negative factors studied were the demands for hiding emotions, work pace, cognitive and emotional demands. Stress and burnout showed the highest mean scores amongst the MHPs. Quantitative and emotional demands were positively related to all of the studied MHPs, while work pace and role conflicts had a positive correlation with stress and burnout. All of the studied negative psychosocial factors were significantly correlated with burnout. work-related psychosocial risk factors such as quantitative demands work load, emotional demands, work pace and role conflicts, had significant positive relationships with MHPS in nurses in Estonia, and may contribute to high levels of stress as well as burnout amongst nurses: . © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Nitrogen cycling in ombrotrophic peat bogs in the Czech Republic: Is microbial N-fixation occurring at atmospheric depositions of reactive N higher than 10 kg/ha/yr?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novak, Martin; Jackova, Ivana; Cejkova, Bohuslava; Buzek, Frantisek; Curik, Jan; Stepanova, Marketa; Prechova, Eva; Veselovsky, Frantisek; Komarek, Arnost

2017-04-01

Biogeochemical cycling of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in peat bogs are coupled. Whereas at low pollution levels, reactive nitrogen (Nr, mainly nitrate- and ammonium-N) inputs may positively affect C storage, high Nr deposition may have a detrimental effect on C storage. We have previously reported N isotope systematics at two ombrotrophic peat bogs in the Czech Republic, receiving medium levels of Nr of about 10 kg/ha/yr via atmospheric deposition. Nitrogen of living Sphagnum was systematically heavier than N of the atmospheric input (p < 0.001), and close to the N isotope signature of atmospheric N2 (del15N-N2 of 0.0 per mil). We argued that even at medium Nr pollution, such as that in the Czech Republic, the amount of Nr in rainfall becomes minute toward the end of major precipitation events, possible triggering off microbial N-fixation. This process may be responsible for the del15N shift in Sphagnum from negative values of atmospheric deposition to the zero value of N2. In 2016, we conducted a laboratory study in which living Sphagnum from sites receiving annually slightly over 10 kg Nr/ha/yr via atmospheric deposition was incubated in an atmosphere enriched in 15N-N2. At the end of the incubation, we detected a 1 to 3 per mil increase in del15N of Sphagnum. Rinsing Sphagnum capitula in deionized water prior to the 15N-N2 incubation has led to a slight further increase in del15N of Sphagnum. Also in 2016, we monitored del15N of atmospheric deposition at three medium Nr-polluted peat bogs. Open-area precipitation had the following mean del 15N values: Uhlirska -6.1 per mil (NH4) and -6.2 per mil (NO3); Brumiste -1.7 per mil (NH4) and -3.4 per mil (NO3); Male Mechove Jezirko -3.3 per mil (NH4) and -3.9 per mil (NO3). At all sites, atmospheric Nr deposition was made up by NO3-N and NH4-N in a roughly 1.1 ratio. We found that N of winter-time deposition became isotopically extremely light (less than -10.0 per mil). During the growing season, del15N of total

Climate change and water table fluctuation: Implications for raised bog surface variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taminskas, Julius; Linkevičienė, Rita; Šimanauskienė, Rasa; Jukna, Laurynas; Kibirkštis, Gintautas; Tamkevičiūtė, Marija

2018-03-01

Cyclic peatland surface variability is influenced by hydrological conditions that highly depend on climate and/or anthropogenic activities. A low water level leads to a decrease of peatland surface and an increase of C emissions into the atmosphere, whereas a high water level leads to an increase of peatland surface and carbon sequestration in peatlands. The main aim of this article is to evaluate the influence of hydrometeorological conditions toward the peatland surface and its feedback toward the water regime. A regional survey of the raised bog water table fluctuation and surface variability was made in one of the largest peatlands in Lithuania. Two appropriate indicators for different peatland surface variability periods (increase and decrease) were detected. The first one is an 200 mm y- 1 average net rainfall over a three-year range. The second one is an average annual water depth of 25-30 cm. The application of these indicators enabled the reconstruction of Čepkeliai peatland surface variability during a 100 year period. Processes of peatland surface variability differ in time and in separate parts of peatland. Therefore, internal subbasins in peatland are formed. Subbasins involve autogenic processes that can later affect their internal hydrology, nutrient status, and vegetation succession. Internal hydrological conditions, surface fluctuation, and vegetation succession in peatland subbasins should be taken into account during evaluation of their state, nature management projects, and other peatland research works.

Ecological and environmental transition across the forested-to-open bog ecotone in a west Siberian peatland.

PubMed

Ratcliffe, Joshua L; Creevy, Angela; Andersen, Roxane; Zarov, Evgeny; Gaffney, Paul P J; Taggart, Mark A; Mazei, Yuri; Tsyganov, Andrey N; Rowson, James G; Lapshina, Elena D; Payne, Richard J

2017-12-31

Climate change may cause increasing tree cover in boreal peatlands, and the impacts of this encroachment will be noted first at forested-to-open bog ecotones. We investigate key metrics of ecosystem function in five such ecotones at a peatland complex in Western Siberia. Stratigraphic analysis of three cores from one of these transects shows that the ecotone has been dynamic over time with evidence for recent expansion of forested peatland. We observed that the two alternative states for northern boreal peatlands (forested/open) clearly support distinct plant and microbial communities. These in turn drive and respond to a number of feedback mechanisms. This has led to steep ecological gradients across the ecotones. Tree cover was associated with lower water tables and pH, along with higher bulk density, aquatic carbon concentrations, and electrical conductivity. We propose that the conditions found in the forested peatland of Western Siberia make the carbon sink more vulnerable to warmer and drier conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Climate Sensitivity of Water Yield for a Small Boreal Headwater Watershed in North-Central Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieber, J. L.; Hess, J.; Sebestyen, S. D.

2017-12-01

We calibrated the Hydrologic Simulation Program Fortran (HSPF) model to a 9.7 ha forested watershed, designated S2, located at the Marcell experimental forest in north-central Minnesota. The S2 watershed, like the other five experimental watersheds at the same location have been monitored since 1955. The watershed is composed of forested upland hillslopes that connect to a 3.2 ha raised bog area. Streamflow is measured at a v-notch weir at the outlet of the bog area. The HSPF model was calibrated to outflow for water years 1991 to 1995 (NSEdaily=0.80), and validated for water years 1996 to 2000 (NSEdaily=0.71). Watershed sensitivity to climate and water budget reaction to climate change scenarios were evaluated using, first, a simple empirical elasticity measure between runoff and precipitation utilizing the long-term monitoring records. Elasticity between these two variables in the S2 watershed was e(q) = 2.05, meaning for each 1% change in precipitation, there is a 2.05% change in runoff. A two parameter elasticity measure using precipitation and temperature was also used to predict how climate shifts in temperature and precipitation will impact runoff in the watershed. Annual estimated water budget was plotted with temperature and precipitation deviation from average to produce a 3-D map depicting the watershed two parameter elasticity. Watershed sensitivity was also evaluated using the HSPF model with climate inputs derived from an ensemble of 22 downscaled climate models reflecting the least and most extreme carbon emission scenarios. For the HSPF model inputs, observed daily temperature and precipitation data were adjusted using monthly shifts in average precipitation and temperature derived from the climate models to arrive at daily weather time series for the periods 2020-2050 and 2070-2100. For the HSPF outputs, the least and most extreme carbon emission scenarios showed a decrease in water yield of 9% and 11%, respectively in the 2020-2050 period and 9

Natural bog pine ecosystem in southern Germany is a steady and robust sink of CO2 but a minor source of CH4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hommeltenberg, Janina; Schmid, Hans Peter; Droesler, Matthias; Werle, Peter

2013-04-01

Natural peatland ecosystems sequester carbon dioxide. They do this slowly but steadily, but also emit methane in small rates. Thus peatlands have both positive and negative greenhouse gas balance impacts on the climate system due to their influence on atmospheric CO2 and CH4 concentration. We present data of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) of almost three years (July 2010 to March 2013) and of methane fluxes over a period of nine months (July 2012 to March 2013), measured by eddy covariance technique in the bog forest "Schechenfilz". The site (47°48' N; 11°19' E, 590 m a.s.l.) is an ICOS-ecosystems associate site, located in the pre-alpine region of southern Germany, where a natural Pinus mugo rotundata forest grows on an undisturbed, almost 6 m thick peat layer. The slow growing bog pines and their low rates of carbon sequestration, in combination with high water table and thus low availability of oxygen, lead to low carbon dioxide fluxes. Photosynthesis as well as soil respiration are considerably attenuated compared to upland sites. Additionally, the high soil water content is damping the impact of dry and hot periods on CO2 exchange. Thus the CO2 balance is very robust to changing environmental parameters. While the CO2 exchange is clearly related to soil temperature and photosynthetic active radiation, we have not yet identified a parameter that governs variations in methane exchange. Various environmental parameters appear to be related to methane emissions (including soil moisture, soil and air temperature and wind direction), but the scatter with respect to half hourly methane fluxes is too large to be useful for gap modeling. Analysis of daily averages reduces the scatter, but since methane exchange exhibits considerable daily variation, daily averages are not useful to fill data gaps of half hourly fluxes. In consequence, as the daily course is the summary result of all environmental parameters having influence on the methane exchange at the half

Novel fen ecosystems in western North Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, J. D.

2012-12-01

Western North Carolina is mountainous, and groundwater flows from hillslope recharge zones to valley stream and spring discharge zones. Depending on surface topography and geologic conditions, the water table may approach or intersect the ground surface to form seepage wetlands, or fens. Fen ecosystems can be very sensitive to changes in land use, groundwater pumping, and upslope development. This presentation will focus on two sites where historical land use and human activity played important roles in creating or preserving fen ecosystems. Both sites now support—and are being managed to protect—federally endangered flora and fauna. The first site is home to Sarracenia oreophilia, an endangered pitcher plant that thrives on saturated soils with low nutrient content. The site's early history includes tree clearing, drain tile installation, and cattle grazing, while more recent management activities have included drain tile excavation, manual invasive removal, and prescribed burns. A 15-year water-level record indicates seasonal artesian conditions wet a 3m clay unit (K=2E-5 cm/sec) beneath the site, which is able to retain moisture during drier periods. Shorter "clay wetting periods" during drought years (1999-2000; 2007-2008) correspond to reduced clump counts in pitcher-plant surveys. The second site is a former aggregate quarry that now supports over 60 bog turtles (Clemmys muhlenbergii). The biggest threat to this site is encroachment of non-native and invasive multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and other large woody species. Management activities include manual removal and prescribed goat herbivory. Current efforts to characterize the springs, water-table, and surface-water flows will be used to detect changes in the future to the hydrologic regime in the fen.

Paludification and forest retreat in northern oceanic environments.

PubMed

Crawford, R M M; Jeffree, C E; Rees, W G

2003-01-01

Examination of temperature variations over the past century for Europe and the Arctic from northern Norway to Siberia suggests that variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation are associated with an increase in oceanicity in certain maritime regions. A southward depression of the tree line in favour of wet heaths, bogs and wetland tundra communities is also observed in northern oceanic environments. The physiological basis for this change in ecological succession from forest to bog is discussed in relation to the long-term effects of flooding on tree survival. The heightened values currently detected in the North Atlantic Oscillation Index, together with rising winter temperatures, and increased rainfall in many areas in northern Europe, presents an increasing risk of paludification with adverse consequences for forest regeneration, particularly in areas with oceanic climates. Climatic warming in oceanic areas may increase the area covered by bogs and, contrary to general expectations, lead to a retreat rather than an advance in the northern limit of the boreal forest. High water-table levels are not automatically detrimental to forest survival as can be seen in swamp, bottom land and mangrove forests. Consequently, the inhibitory effects of flooding on tree survival and regeneration in northern regions should not be uncritically accepted as merely due to high water levels. Evidence is discussed which suggests that physiological and ecological factors may interact to inhibit forest regeneration in habitats where there is a risk of prolonged winter-flooding combined with warmer winters and cool moist summers.

Paludification and Forest Retreat in Northern Oceanic Environments

PubMed Central

CRAWFORD, R. M. M.; JEFFREE, C. E.; REES, W. G.

2003-01-01

Examination of temperature variations over the past century for Europe and the Arctic from northern Norway to Siberia suggests that variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation are associated with an increase in oceanicity in certain maritime regions. A southward depression of the treeline in favour of wet heaths, bogs and wetland tundra communities is also observed in northern oceanic environments. The physiological basis for this change in ecological succession from forest to bog is discussed in relation to the long‐term effects of flooding on tree survival. The heightened values currently detected in the North Atlantic Oscillation Index, together with rising winter temperatures, and increased rainfall in many areas in northern Europe, presents an increasing risk of paludification with adverse consequences for forest regeneration, particularly in areas with oceanic climates. Climatic warming in oceanic areas may increase the area covered by bogs and, contrary to general expectations, lead to a retreat rather than an advance in the northern limit of the boreal forest. High water‐table levels are not automatically detrimental to forest survival as can be seen in swamp, bottomland and mangrove forests. Consequently, the inhibitory effects of flooding on tree survival and regeneration in northern regions should not be uncritically accepted as merely due to high water levels. Evidence is discussed which suggests that physiological and ecological factors may interact to inhibit forest regeneration in habitats where there is a risk of prolonged winter‐flooding combined with warmer winters and cool moist summers. PMID:12509342

Grass species influence on plant N uptake - Determination of atmospheric N deposition to a semi-natural peat bog site using a 15N labelling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurkuck, Miriam; Brümmer, Christian; Spott, Oliver; Flessa, Heinz; Kutsch, Werner L.

2014-05-01

Large areas of natural peat bogs in Northwestern Germany have been converted to arable land and were subjected to draining and peat cutting in the past. The few protected peatland areas remaining are affected by high nitrogen (N) deposition. Our study site - a moderately drained raised bog - is surrounded by highly fertilized agricultural land and livestock production. In this study, we used a 15N pool dilution technique called 'Integrated Total Nitrogen Input' (ITNI) to quantify annual deposition of atmospheric N into biomonitoring pots over a two-year period. Since it considers direct N uptake by plants, it was expected to result in higher N input than conventional methods for determination of N deposition (e.g. micrometeorological approaches, bulk N samplers). Using Lolium multiflorum and Eriophorum vaginatum as monitor plants and low, medium and high levels of fertilization, we aimed to simulate increasing N deposition to planted pots and to allocate airborne N after its uptake by the soil-plant system in aboveground biomass, roots and soil. Increasing N fertilization was positively correlated with biomass production of Eriophorum vaginatum, whereas atmospheric plant N uptake decreased and highest airborne N input of 899.8 ± 67.4 µg N d-1 pot-1 was found for low N fertilization. In contrast, Lolium multiflorum showed a clear dependency of N supply on plant N uptake and was highest (688.7 ± 41.4 µg N d-1 pot-1) for highly fertilized vegetation pots. Our results suggest that grass species respond differently to increasing N input. While crop grasses such as Lolium multiflorum take up N according to N availability, species adopted to nutrient-limited conditions like Eriophorum vaginatum show N saturation effects with increasing N supply. Total airborne N input ranged from about 24 to 66 kg N ha-1 yr-1 dependent on the used indicator plant and the amount of added fertilizer. Parallel determination of atmospheric N deposition using a micrometeorological approach

Recent atmospheric lead deposition recorded in an ombrotrophic peat bog of Great Hinggan Mountains, Northeast China, from 210Pb and 137Cs dating.

PubMed

Bao, K; Xia, W; Lu, X; Wang, G

2010-09-01

Radioactive markers are useful in dating lead deposition patterns from industrialization in peat archive. Peat cores were collected in an ombrotrophic peat bog in the Great Hinggan Mountains in Northeast China in September 2008 and dated using (210)Pb and (137)Cs radiometric techniques. The mosses in both cores were examined systematically for dry bulk density, water and ash content. Lead also was measured using atomic emission spectroscopy with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). Both patterned peat profiles were preserved well without evident anthropogenic disturbance. Unsupported (210)Pb and (137)Cs decreased with the depth in both of the two sample cores. The (210)Pb chronologies were established using the constant rate of supply model (CRS) and are in good agreement with the (137)Cs time marker. Recent atmospheric (210)Pb flux in Great Hinggan Mountains peat bog was estimated to be 337 Bq m(-2)y(-1), which is consistent with published data for the region. Lead deposition rate in this region was also derived from these two peat cores and ranged from 24.6 to 55.8 mg m(-2)y(-1) with a range of Pb concentration of 14-262 microg g(-1). The Pb deposition patterns were consistent with increasing industrialization over the last 135-170 y, with a peak of production and coal burning in the last 50 y in Northeast China. This work presents a first estimation of atmospheric Pb deposition rate in peatlands in China and suggests an increasing trend of environmental pollution due to anthropogenic contaminants in the atmosphere. More attention should be paid to current local pollution problems, and society should take actions to seek a balance between economic development and environmental protection. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Optical Oxygen Sensors and Injection Experiments to Determine in situ Microbial Rate Constants for Methane Oxidation and Heterotrophic Respiration in a Boreal Bog and Fen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waldo, N.; Moorberg, C.; Waldrop, M. P.; Turetsky, M. R.; Neumann, R. B.

2015-12-01

Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane to the atmosphere, and play a key role in feedback cycles to climate change. In recognition of this, many researchers are developing process-based models of wetland methane emissions at various scales. In these models, the three key biogeochemical reactions are methane production, methane oxidation, and heterotrophic respiration, and they are modeled using Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The majority of Michaelis-Menten rate constants used in models are based on experiments involving slurries of peat incubated in vials. While these slurries provide a highly controlled setting, they are different from in situ conditions in multiple ways; notably they lack live plants and the centimeter-scale heterogeneities that exist in the field. To determine rate constants in a system more representative of in situ conditions, we extracted peat cores intact from a bog and fen located in the Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest near Fairbanks, Alaska and part of the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) research program. Into those cores we injected water with varying concentrations of methane and oxygen at multiple depths. We used planar oxygen sensors installed on the peat cores to collect high resolution, two dimensional oxygen concentration data during the injections and used oxygen consumption rates under various conditions to calculate rate constants. Results were compared to a similar but smaller set of injection experiments conducted against planar oxygen sensors installed in the bog. Results will inform parametrization of microbial processes in wetland models, improving estimates of methane emissions both under current climate conditions and in the future.

Environmental hazard of oil shale combustion fly ash.

PubMed

Blinova, Irina; Bityukova, Liidia; Kasemets, Kaja; Ivask, Angela; Käkinen, Aleksandr; Kurvet, Imbi; Bondarenko, Olesja; Kanarbik, Liina; Sihtmäe, Mariliis; Aruoja, Villem; Schvede, Hedi; Kahru, Anne

2012-08-30

The combined chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of oil shale combustion fly ash was performed. Ash was sampled from the most distant point of the ash-separation systems of the Balti and Eesti Thermal Power Plants in North-Eastern Estonia. The fly ash proved potentially hazardous for tested aquatic organisms and high alkalinity of the leachates (pH>10) is apparently the key factor determining its toxicity. The leachates were not genotoxic in the Ames assay. Also, the analysis showed that despite long-term intensive oil-shale combustion accompanied by considerable fly ash emissions has not led to significant soil contamination by hazardous trace elements in North-Eastern Estonia. Comparative study of the fly ash originating from the 'new' circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion technology and the 'old' pulverized-fired (PF) one showed that CFB fly ash was less toxic than PF fly ash. Thus, complete transfer to the 'new' technology will reduce (i) atmospheric emission of hazardous trace elements and (ii) fly ash toxicity to aquatic organisms as compared with the 'old' technology. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pathological gambling in Estonia: relationships with personality, self-esteem, emotional States and cognitive ability.

PubMed

Kaare, Pille-Riin; Mõttus, René; Konstabel, Kenn

2009-09-01

Due to changes in gambling accessibility during the last decade gambling has become more widespread in Estonia and the prevalence of pathological gambling has sharply increased. The present study attempts to identify psychological characteristics of Estonian pathological gamblers. It has been shown that a wide range of social, economic, and individual factors (e.g. personality traits and emotional states) predict the likelihood of becoming a pathological gambler. In the present study, pathological gamblers' (N = 33) personality traits, self-esteem, self-reported emotional states and cognitive ability were compared to the respective characteristics in a non-gambling control group (N = 42) matched for age, gender and educational level. It was found that compared to controls, pathological gamblers had higher scores on Neuroticism (especially on its immoderation facet) and lower scores on Conscientiousness (especially on its dutifulness and cautiousness facets) and on self-esteem scale. They reported more negative emotional states during the previous month (especially depression and anxiety). Finally, pathological gamblers had lower general cognitive ability. In a logistic regression model, the likelihood of being a pathological gambler was best predicted by high immoderation score and low cognitive ability.

Results From Estonia's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

PubMed

Kruusamäe, Helena; Kull, Merike; Mooses, Kerli; Riso, Eva-Maria; Jürimäe, Jaak

2016-11-01

The 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, the first of its kind, aims to set baseline physical activity (PA) indicators using the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance grading system. A research work group analyzed and selected data for the grade assignment meeting (GAM). During the GAM, 17 leading researchers and policy experts from Estonia assessed the data and assigned grades for each of the 9 PA indicators. In addition, recommendations were provided for further actions to improve the grades. Grades from A (highest) to F (lowest) were assigned as follows: 1) Overall PA (F); 2) Organized Sport (C); 3) Active Play [incomplete data (INC)]; 4) Active Transportation (INC); 5) Sedentary Behaviors (F); 6) Family and Peers (C); 7) School (C); 8) Community and the Built Environment (B); and 9) Government (C). An indicator was marked as incomplete (INC) when there was a lack of representative quality data. Evidence suggests that PA levels of Estonian children remain very low, despite moderately supportive social, environmental, and regulatory factors. There are many challenges to overcome in supporting and promoting PA of children and youth (eg, cross-sectional cooperation, implementing interventions, changing social norms, empowerment of parents and educational institutions).

Chromobacterium vaccinii sp. nov., isolated from native and cultivated cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) bogs and irrigation ponds.

PubMed

Soby, Scott D; Gadagkar, Sudhindra R; Contreras, Cristina; Caruso, Frank L

2013-05-01

A large number of Gram-negative, motile, mesophilic, violacein-producing bacteria were isolated from the soils and roots of Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. and Kalmia angustifolia L. plants and from irrigation ponds associated with wild and cultivated cranberry bogs in Massachusetts, USA. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences placed these isolates in a clade with Chromobacterium species, but the specialized environment from which they were isolated, their low genomic DNA relatedness with Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472(T) and C. subtsugae PRAA4-1(T), significant differences in fatty acid composition and colony morphology indicate that the cranberry and Kalmia isolates comprise a separate species of Chromobacterium, for which the name Chromobacterium vaccinii sp. nov. is proposed. Strain MWU205(T) ( = ATCC BAA-2314(T)  = DSM 25150(T)) is proposed as the type strain for the novel species. Phenotypic analysis of 26 independent isolates of C. vaccinii sp. nov. indicates that, despite close geographical and biological proximity, there is considerable metabolic diversity among individuals within the population.

Mathematics as Liberal Education: Whitehead and the Rhythm of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodhouse, Howard

2012-01-01

In several of his works, Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) presents mathematics as a way of learning about general ideas that increase our understanding of the universe. The danger is that students get bogged down in its technical operations. He argues that mathematics should be an integral part of a new kind of liberal education, incorporating…

Ground-water resources of the North Beach Peninsula, Pacific County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tracy, James V.

1977-01-01

The anticipated water demand of 425 million gallons per year for the North Brach Peninsula, Pacific County, Wash., can be met by properly developing the ground-water supplies of the area 's water-table aquifer. Of the approximately 77 inches of annual precipitation on the peninsula, an estimated 23 inches is lost to evapotranspiration, and approximately 36 inches is discharged by the water-table aquifer into the ocean and bay. The remaining water either runs off the surface or is leaked to a deeper aquifer that ultimately discharges to the ocean. At least 12 inches of the water that discharges naturally through the aquifer is available for additional development. This quantity of water is approximately equivalent to 860,000 gallons per day. Wells spaced at least 1,000 feet apart along the major axis of the peninsula and pumped at average rates of no more than 80 gallons per minute could ensure that water-level declines do not exceed 6 feet near the wells and 1 foot at the shoreline, thereby preventing seawater intrusion. Lowering of the water table may be beneficial in reducing waterlogging problems, but care must be taken not to lower the levels near cranberry bogs, which require a shallow water table. Treatment of the otherwise good quality water for iron may be required, as about 75 percent of the well water sampled from the aquifer had iron concentrations in excess of limits recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Woodard-USGS)

The Futures of Adult Educator(s): Agency, Identity and Ethos. Joint Conference Proceedings of the 2nd ESREA/ReNAdET Meeting and the 4th TQF Seminar (Tallinn, Estonia, November 9-11, 2011)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heikkinen, Anja, Ed.; Jogi, Larissa, Ed.; Jutte, Wolfgang, Ed.; Zarifis, Georgios K., Ed.

2012-01-01

This edited volume contains the papers presented in the 2nd ESREA|ReNAdet meeting that was jointly organised with the VET & CULTURE Network in the University of Tallinn (Estonia), 9-11 November 2011. The papers that appear in the volume discuss the future (or the futures) of adult educators in respect to issues of developing their identities…

Impact of wind-induced microsites and disturbance severity on tree regeneration patterns: Results from the first post-storm decade

Treesearch

Floor Vodde; Kalev Jogiste; Jeroen Engelhart; Lee E. Frelich; W. Keith Moser; Alan Sims; Marek Metslaid

2015-01-01

In two hemiboreal mixed spruce-hardwood forests in north-east Estonia, we studied (1) which factors affect tree regeneration survival and development during the first post-storm decade and (2) how these effects change in time. Regeneration height and mortality of the tree species black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) J. Gaertn.), birch (Betula pendula Roth., Betula...

Atmospheric methane sources - Alaskan tundra bogs, an alpine fen, and a subarctic boreal marsh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sebacher, D. I.; Harriss, R. C.; Grice, S. S.; Bartlett, K. B.; Sebacher, S. M.

1986-01-01

Methane (CH4) flux measurements from Alaska tundra bogs, an alpine fen, and a subarctic boreal marsh were obtained at field sites ranging from Prudhoe Bay on the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Alaskan Range south of Fairbanks during August 1984. In the tundra, average CH4 emission rates varied from 4.9 mg CH4 per sq m per day (moist tundra) to 119 mg CH4 per sq m per day (waterlogged tundra). Fluxes averaged 40 mg CH4 per sq m per day from wet tussock meadows in the Brooks Range and 289 mg Ch4 per sq m per day from an alpine fen in the Alaskan Range. The boreal marsh had an average CH4 emission rate of 106 mg CH4 per sq m per day. Significant emissions were detected in tundra areas where peat temperatures were as low as 4 C, and permafrost was only 25 cm below the ground surface. Emission rates from the 17 sites sampled were found to be logarithmically related to water levels at the sites. Extrapolation of the data to an estimate of the total annual CH4 emission from all arctic and boreal wetlands suggests that these ecosystems are a major source of atmospheric CH4 and could account for up to 23 percent of global CH4 emissions from wetlands.

Hindcast experiments of the derecho in Estonia on 08 August, 2010: Modelling derecho with NWP model HARMONIE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toll, Velle; Männik, Aarne; Luhamaa, Andres; Rõõm, Rein

2015-05-01

On August 8, 2010, a derecho swept over Northern Europe, causing widespread wind damage and more than 2 million Euros in economic loss in Estonia during its most destructive stage. This paper presents a modelling study of the derecho-producing storm utilising the Hirlam Aladin Research for Mesoscale Operational Numerical Weather Prediction in Europe (HARMONIE) model. The model setup is chosen to mimic near-future, nearly kilometre-scale, operational environments in European national weather services. The model simulations are compared to remote sensing and in situ observations. The HARMONIE model is capable of reproducing the wind gust severity and precipitation intensity. Moreover, 2.5-km grid spacing is shown to be sufficient for producing a reliable signal of the severe convective storm. Storm dynamics are well simulated, including the rear inflow jet. Although the model performance is promising, a strong dependence on the initial data, a weak trailing stratiform precipitation region and an incorrect timing of the storm are identified.

Trench Logs and Scarp Data from an Investigation of the Steens Fault Zone, Bog Hot Valley and Pueblo Valley, Humboldt County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Personius, Stephen F.; Crone, Anthony J.; Machette, Michael N.; Kyung, Jai Bok; Cisneros, Hector; Lidke, David J.; Mahan, Shannon

2006-01-01

Introduction: This report contains field and laboratory data from a study of the Steens fault zone near Denio, Nev. The 200-km-long Steens fault zone forms the longest, most topographically prominent fault-bounded escarpment in the Basin and Range of southern Oregon and northern Nevada. The down-to-the-east normal fault is marked by Holocene fault scarps along nearly half its length, including the southern one-third of the fault from the vicinity of Pueblo Mountain in southern Oregon to the southern margin of Bog Hot Valley (BHV) southwest of Denio, Nev. We studied this section of the fault to better constrain late Quaternary slip rates, which we hope to compare to deformation rates derived from a recently established geodetic network in the region (Hammond and Thatcher, 2005). We excavated a trench in May 2003 across one of a series of right-stepping fault scarps that extend south from the southern end of the Pueblo Mountains and traverse the floor of Bog Hot Valley, about 4 km south of Nevada State Highway 140. This site was chosen because of the presence of well-preserved fault scarps, their development on lacustrine deposits thought to be suitable for luminescence dating, and the proximity of two geodetic stations that straddle the fault zone. We excavated a second trench in the southern BHV, but the fault zone in this trench collapsed during excavation and thus no information about fault history was documented from this site. We also excavated a soil pit on a lacustrine barrier bar in the southern Pueblo Valley (PV) to better constrain the age of lacustrine deposits exposed in the trench. The purpose of this report is to present photomosaics and trench logs, scarp profiles and slip data, soils data, luminescence and radiocarbon ages, and unit descriptions obtained during this investigation. We do not attempt to use the data presented herein to construct a paleoseismic history of this part of the Steens fault zone; that history will be the subject of a future

Dust is the dominant source of "heavy metals" to peat moss (Sphagnum fuscum) in the bogs of the Athabasca Bituminous Sands region of northern Alberta.

PubMed

Shotyk, William; Bicalho, Beatriz; Cuss, Chad W; Duke, M John M; Noernberg, Tommy; Pelletier, Rick; Steinnes, Eiliv; Zaccone, Claudio

2016-01-01

Sphagnum fuscum was collected from twenty-five ombrotrophic (rain-fed) peat bogs surrounding open pit mines and upgrading facilities of Athabasca Bituminous Sands (ABS) in northern Alberta (AB) in order to assess the extent of atmospheric contamination by trace elements. As a control, this moss species was also collected at a bog near Utikuma (UTK) in an undeveloped part of AB and 264km SW of the ABS region. For comparison, this moss was also collected in central AB, in the vicinity of the City of Edmonton which is approximately 500km to the south of the ABS region, from the Wagner Wetland which is 22km W of the City, from Seba Beach (ca. 90km W) and from Elk Island National Park (ca. 45km E). All of the moss samples were digested and trace elements concentrations determined using ICP-SMS at a commercial laboratory, with selected samples also analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis at the University of Alberta. The mosses from the ABS region yielded lower concentrations of Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Tl, and Zn compared to the moss from the Edmonton area. Concentrations of Ni and Mo in the mosses were comparable in these two regions, but V was more abundant in the ABS samples. Compared with the surface vegetation of eight peat cores collected in recent years from British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, the mean concentrations of Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl and Zn in the mosses from the ABS region are generally much lower. In fact, the concentrations of these trace elements in the samples from the ABS region are comparable to the corresponding values in forest moss from remote regions of central and northern Norway. Lithophile element concentrations (Ba, Be, Ga, Ge, Li, Sc, Th, Ti, Zr) explain most of the variation in trace metal concentrations in the moss samples. The mean concentrations of Th and Zr are greatest in the moss samples from the ABS region, reflecting dust inputs to the bogs from open pit mines, aggregate

Smoking differences between university faculties in Tartu, Estonia, and Oulu, Finland, after the disruption of communism.

PubMed

Heikkinen, Rauno; Kivastik, Jana; Kingisepp, Peet-Henn; Hirvonen, Leo; Näyhä, Simo

2006-01-01

To provide information on smoking differences between university faculties. Data from smoking surveys performed on 1,441 staff members and 2,308 students at the University of Tartu, Estonia, soon after the fall of communism, were analysed by faculties, using similar data from the University of Oulu, Finland (1,830 staff members, 5,947 students) for reference. Wide variations in smoking were found between faculties in Tartu, the prevalence being high among male students of theology (54%) and low among staff and students in the faculties of exercise & sports sciences (< 5%) and mathematics (< 15%). Less variation was seen in Oulu. The medical faculty showed low smoking rates in Oulu but not in Tartu. High percentages of smokers were typical of Tartu faculties representing disciplines closely connected with the country's transition (e.g. theology), and low percentages in faculties emphasising physical and mental performance (e.g. sports). The relatively high percentage of smokers in the Tartu medical faculty compared with that in Oulu can be interpreted as delayed diffusion of medical information beyond the former Iron Curtain.

AFSOC Urban Operations Training & Capabilities Final Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

Purple pitcher plant ( Sarracenia purpurea ). The purple pitcher plant is a native, carnivorous herb. In its southern distribution, this pitcher plant...associated with seepage slopes and bogs. ● Sweet (Red-Flowered) Pitcherplant ( Sarracenia rubra). The red-flowered pitcher plant, also known as the sweet...soils. ● Parrot Pitcher Plant ( Sarracenia psittacina). Another carnivorous plant that occurs in south Georgia, north Florida, and extreme

The Impact of Pollution Charges, Ash Handling and Carbon Dioxide on the Cost Competitiveness of the Fuel Sources Used for Energy Production in Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latisov, Eduard; Kleesmaa, Juri; Siirde, Andres

2010-01-01

The goal of this paper is to estimate the effects of pollution charges, ash handling and of the carbon dioxide quota trade on the competitiveness of natural gas, oil shale, peat and wood chips in Estonia for 2010 and 2015. The pollution charges and levels are calculated based on the Environmental Charges Act, and Regulations No 99/2004 and No 94/2004 of the Estonian Minister of the Environment. The calculations show a considerable change in the cost competitiveness of fuels. Fuel related costs of the fossil fuels with high CO2 emission factors and other environmental impacts may be doubled.

Sex work in Tallinn, Estonia: the sociospatial penetration of sex work into society.

PubMed

Aral, S O; St Lawrence, J S; Uusküla, A

2006-10-01

It is important to describe and understand the underlying patterns and dynamics that govern sex work in societies undergoing rapid political and social changes, its heterogeneity across populations, and its evolution through time in order to inform future research, sound policy formation, and programme delivery. To describe the socioeconomic and cultural determinants, organisational structure, distinct categories, and spatial patterning of sex work in Tallinn, Estonia, and identify recent temporal changes in sex work patterns. In-depth interviews with key informants; naturalistic observations of sex work and drug use venues, geo-mapping of sex work sites, review of media, public policy, and commissioned reports, and analyses of existing data. Sex work takes place in a hierarchy of locations in Tallinn ranging from elite brothels and "love flats" to truck stops. These sites vary in terms of their public health importance and social organisation. There are full time, part time, and intermittent male and female sex workers. Among others, the taxi driver, madam and the bartender are central roles in the organisation of sex work in Tallinn. Cell phone and internet technology enable sex work to be highly dispersed and spatially mobile. Future research and programmatic service delivery or outreach efforts should respond to the changing profile of sex work in Tallinn and its implications for STD/HIV epidemiology.

Why is a “Good Abortion Law” Not Enough? The Case of Estonia

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract There are various ways to critically discuss abortion. Constructing or finding the most suitable analytical framework—whether rooted in legal formalism, socio-legal considerations, or comparativism—always depends on the country of subject and whether the analysis is for litigation, advocacy, or more theoretical purposes. This paper offers a model for analyzing abortion in Estonia in order to connect it as a thought-provoking case study to the ongoing transnational abortion discussions. I set out by describing the Estonian Abortion Act as a “good abortion law”: a regulation that guarantees in practice women’s legal access to safe abortion. Despite this functioning law, I carve a space for criticism by expanding the conversation to the broader power relations and gender dynamics present in Estonian society. Accordingly, I explain the state of the Estonian feminist movement and gender research, the local legal community’s minimal engagement with the reproductive rights discourse, and the lingering Soviet-era narratives of reproduction and health, which were not fully extinguished by the combination of human rights commitments and neoliberalism upon restoration of independence in the early 1990s. I consequently show that Estonia’s liberal abortion regulation is not grounded in a sufficiently deep understanding of human rights-based approaches to reproductive health, therefore leaving the door open for micro-aggressions toward women and for conservative political winds to gain ground. PMID:28630549

Sex work in Tallinn, Estonia: the sociospatial penetration of sex work into society

PubMed Central

Aral, S O; Lawrence, J S St; Uusküla, A

2006-01-01

Background It is important to describe and understand the underlying patterns and dynamics that govern sex work in societies undergoing rapid political and social changes, its heterogeneity across populations, and its evolution through time in order to inform future research, sound policy formation, and programme delivery. Objectives To describe the socioeconomic and cultural determinants, organisational structure, distinct categories, and spatial patterning of sex work in Tallinn, Estonia, and identify recent temporal changes in sex work patterns. Methods In‐depth interviews with key informants; naturalistic observations of sex work and drug use venues, geo‐mapping of sex work sites, review of media, public policy, and commissioned reports, and analyses of existing data. Results Sex work takes place in a hierarchy of locations in Tallinn ranging from elite brothels and “love flats” to truck stops. These sites vary in terms of their public health importance and social organisation. There are full time, part time, and intermittent male and female sex workers. Among others, the taxi driver, madam and the bartender are central roles in the organisation of sex work in Tallinn. Cell phone and internet technology enable sex work to be highly dispersed and spatially mobile. Conclusion Future research and programmatic service delivery or outreach efforts should respond to the changing profile of sex work in Tallinn and its implications for STD/HIV epidemiology. PMID:16807288

Connectivity and storage functions of channel fens and flat bogs in northern basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinton, W. L.; Hayashi, M.; Pietroniro, A.

2003-12-01

The hydrological response of low relief, wetland-dominated zones of discontinuous permafrost is poorly understood. This poses a major obstacle to the development of a physically meaningful meso-scale hydrological model for the Mackenzie basin, one of the world's largest northern basins. The present study examines the runoff response of five representative study basins (Scotty Creek, and the Jean-Marie, Birch, Blackstone and Martin Rivers) in the lower Liard River valley as a function of their major biophysical characteristics. High-resolution (4 m × 4 m) IKONOS satellite imagery was used in combination with aerial and ground verification surveys to classify the land cover, and to delineate the wetland area connected to the drainage system. Analysis of the annual hydrographs of each basin for the 4 year period 1997 to 2000, demonstrated that runoff was positively correlated with the drainage density, basin slope, and the percentage of the basin covered by channel fens, and was negatively correlated with the percentage of the basin covered by flat bogs. The detailed analysis of the water-level response to summer rainstorms at several nodes along the main drainage network in the Scotty Creek basin showed that the storm water was slowly routed through channel fens with an average flood-wave velocity of 0·23 km h-1. The flood-wave velocity appears to be controlled by channel slope and hydraulic roughness in a manner consistent with the Manning formula, suggesting that a roughness-based routing algorithm might be useful in large-scale hydrological models. Copyright

Small spatial variability in methane emission measured from a wet patterned boreal bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korrensalo, Aino; Männistö, Elisa; Alekseychik, Pavel; Mammarella, Ivan; Rinne, Janne; Vesala, Timo; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina

2018-03-01

We measured methane fluxes of a patterned bog situated in Siikaneva in southern Finland from six different plant community types in three growing seasons (2012-2014) using the static chamber method with chamber exposure of 35 min. A mixed-effects model was applied to quantify the effect of the controlling factors on the methane flux. The plant community types differed from each other in their water level, species composition, total leaf area (LAITOT) and leaf area of aerenchymatous plant species (LAIAER). Methane emissions ranged from -309 to 1254 mg m-2 d-1. Although methane fluxes increased with increasing peat temperature, LAITOT and LAIAER, they had no correlation with water table or with plant community type. The only exception was higher fluxes from hummocks and high lawns than from high hummocks and bare peat surfaces in 2013 and from bare peat surfaces than from high hummocks in 2014. Chamber fluxes upscaled to ecosystem level for the peak season were of the same magnitude as the fluxes measured with the eddy covariance (EC) technique. In 2012 and in August 2014 there was a good agreement between the two methods; in 2013 and in July 2014, the chamber fluxes were higher than the EC fluxes. Net fluxes to soil, indicating higher methane oxidation than production, were detected every year and in all community types. Our results underline the importance of both LAIAER and LAITOT in controlling methane fluxes and indicate the need for automatized chambers to reliably capture localized events to support the more robust EC method.

Characterizing Early Succession Following Wildfires at Different Severities in Boreal Bog and Fen Peatlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernst, E. J.; Bourgeau-Chavez, L. L.; Kane, E. S.; Wagenbrenner, J. W.; Endres, S.

2016-12-01

The Arctic-boreal region is experiencing changes in climate, trending toward warmer summers, resulting in a greater occurrence of wildfires with longer burning periods and higher intensities. Drought-like conditions have dried surface fuels, leading to a higher probability of ignition, even in lowland peatlands. Previous work has been done to characterize post-fire succession rates in Arctic-boreal upland sites, but much less is known of fire effects and early successional dynamics in lowlands. Wildland fires are the number one disturbance in Canada's Northwest Territories (NWT), which characteristically burn at high intensities with large flame fronts, and result in some of the biggest wildfires in the world. Areas surrounding the Great Slave Lake, NWT—including parts of the Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, and Boreal Plains ecozones—experienced exceptional wildfire activity in 2014 and 2015. We characterized burn severity of the bog and fen peat surface and canopy layers at several burned sites. To determine if the severe ground or crown wildfires were stand-replacing events, we characterized post-fire vegetation in peatlands in 2015 and 2016 based on seedling regeneration. We stratified sites according to estimated water residence times across the three ecozones and made comparisons between data collected at the same sites across years. This work adds much needed context for post-fire succession in boreal peatland ecosystems, as the susceptibility of these systems to burning will continue to increase with a warming climate.

The effects of adding different forms of nitrogen for 14 years on the vegetation composition at Whim Bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dijk, Netty; Levy, Peter; Sheppard, Lucy; Leith, Ian; Leeson, Sarah; Jones, Matt; Dise, Nancy; Sutton, Mark

2017-04-01

The effects of adding different forms of nitrogen for 14 years on the vegetation composition at Whim Bog Netty van Dijk, Peter Levy, Lucy Sheppard, Ian Leith, Sarah Leeson, Matt Jones, Nancy Dise, Mark Sutton Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, UK Reactive nitrogen (Nr) is a major plant nutrient which historically was in short supply in most semi-natural ecosystems. However, as a consequence of an increased use of N fertilisers and more intensive farming methods, atmospheric Nr -deposition and atmospheric ammonia (NH3) concentrations have increased dramatically during the last century. This has a significant effect on semi-natural systems, with some sensitive species disappearing altogether in the vicinity of elevated atmospheric N input. Whether one form of nitrogen has more effect on vegetation changes than the other is less well studied. To get more evidence for this, a field experiment at an ombrotrophic bog, Whim (Scottish Borders). This globally unique experiment was set up in 2002 where different forms and doses of N have been applied systematically. Nitrogen was applied as ammonia (NH3) gas to investigate effects of dry deposition and atmospheric concentrations along a gradient away from a free-air released fumigation line source. Wet deposition is added in the form of NH4Cl and NaNO3, respectively, using a rainwater collection and spraying system, at concentrations ranging from 8 to 56 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Both systems are automated and coupled to meteorological conditions. Within the first three years, the vegetation composition in the dry deposition system changed dramatically with an almost complete loss of Calluna vulgaris, Sphagnum capillifolium and Cladonia Portentosa close to the fumigation line. Further away from the fumigation line the changes were smaller and slower to materialise. In later years the changes in vegetation composition were slowing down. Now, after 14 years of ammonia application, we are analysing the data along the

Carbon dioxide flux and net primary production of a boreal treed bog: Responses to warming and water-table-lowering simulations of climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munir, T. M.; Perkins, M.; Kaing, E.; Strack, M.

2015-02-01

Midlatitude treed bogs represent significant carbon (C) stocks and are highly sensitive to global climate change. In a dry continental treed bog, we compared three sites: control, recent (1-3 years; experimental) and older drained (10-13 years), with water levels at 38, 74 and 120 cm below the surface, respectively. At each site we measured carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes and estimated tree root respiration (Rr; across hummock-hollow microtopography of the forest floor) and net primary production (NPP) of trees during the growing seasons (May to October) of 2011-2013. The CO2-C balance was calculated by adding the net CO2 exchange of the forest floor (NEff-Rr) to the NPP of the trees. From cooler and wetter 2011 to the driest and the warmest 2013, the control site was a CO2-C sink of 92, 70 and 76 g m-2, the experimental site was a CO2-C source of 14, 57 and 135 g m-2, and the drained site was a progressively smaller source of 26, 23 and 13 g CO2-C m-2. The short-term drainage at the experimental site resulted in small changes in vegetation coverage and large net CO2 emissions at the microforms. In contrast, the longer-term drainage and deeper water level at the drained site resulted in the replacement of mosses with vascular plants (shrubs) on the hummocks and lichen in the hollows leading to the highest CO2 uptake at the drained hummocks and significant losses in the hollows. The tree NPP (including above- and below-ground growth and litter fall) in 2011 and 2012 was significantly higher at the drained site (92 and 83 g C m-2) than at the experimental (58 and 55 g C m-2) and control (52 and 46 g C m-2) sites. We also quantified the impact of climatic warming at all water table treatments by equipping additional plots with open-top chambers (OTCs) that caused a passive warming on average of ~ 1 °C and differential air warming of ~ 6 °C at midday full sun over the study years. Warming significantly enhanced shrub growth and the CO2 sink function of the drained

The effects of climate change on the phenology of selected Estonian plant, bird and fish populations.

PubMed

Ahas, Rein; Aasa, Anto

2006-09-01

This paper summarises the trends of 943 phenological time-series of plants, fishes and birds gathered from 1948 to 1999 in Estonia. More than 80% of the studied phenological phases have advanced during springtime, whereas changes are smaller during summer and autumn. Significant values of plant and bird phases have advanced 5-20 days, and fish phases have advanced 10-30 days in the spring period. Estonia's average air temperature has become significantly warmer in spring, while at the same time a slight decrease in air temperature has been detected in autumn. The growing season has become significantly longer in the maritime climate area of Western Estonia. The investigated phenological and climate trends are related primarily to changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAOI) during the winter months. Although the impact of the winter NAOI on the phases decreases towards summer, the trends of the investigated phases remain high. The trends of phenophases at the end of spring and the beginning of summer may be caused by the temperature inertia of the changing winter, changes in the radiation balance or the direct consequences of human impacts such as land use, heat islands or air pollution.

Nutrient loading enhances methane flux in an ombrotrophic bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bubier, Jill L.; Juutinen, Sari; Moore, Tim; Arnkil, Sini; Humphreys, Elyn; Marincak, Brenden; Roy, Cameron; Larmola, Tuula

2017-04-01

Peatlands are significant sources of atmospheric methane (CH4) and emission rates may be affected by atmospheric nutrient inputs and associated changes in vegetation. In a long-term (10-15 yr) fertilization experiment at a nutrient-poor, Sphagnum moss- and dwarf shrub-dominated bog in eastern Canada, we tested the effect of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3,0 to 6.4 g N m-2 yr-1) and potassium phosphate (KH2PO4,5 g P m-2 yr-1) on fluxes of CH4. Fluxes were measured using a closed chamber technique over the growing seasons of 2005 and 2015. The effect of long-term field treatments on aerobic consumption and anaerobic production potentials of CH4 was tested by laboratory incubations of peat samples, as well as an amendment with KH2PO4on anaerobic production potentials at the water table. Over the 10-15 yr, three levels of N plus PK addition and N-only addition of 6.4g N m-2yr-1 decreased the abundance of Sphagnum and Polytrichum mosses, increased the growth and coverage of dwarf shrubs, and caused a decline in surface elevation and thus a higher water table. Overall, CH4 flux was small, ˜ 12 mg m-2 d-1 in the control plots, primarily because of the low water table (30 to 50 cm beneath the peat surface), but flux varied as a function of water table position and treatment. KH2PO4 addition was associated with the highest fluxes: in the 5th treatment year, the PK treatment had the largest CH4 flux (˜25 mg m-2 d-1), whereas in the 15th year the 6.4NPK treatment had the largest flux (˜50 mg m-2 d-1). Rates of potential production and consumption of CH4in laboratory incubations of peat samples were associated with position relative to the water table. Anaerobic potential CH4production was largest in the PK treatment and overall was marginally increased by PK amendment; there were no clear effects of NH4NO3 on CH4 production. The major increase in CH4 flux appearing in the long term seemed to be result of the change in water table position owing to peat subsidence and loss of moss

Characterization of the efficiency of sedimentation basins downstream of harvested peat bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samson-Do, Myriam; St-Hilaire, André

2015-04-01

Peat harvesting is a very lucrative industry in the provinces of Quebec and New-Brunswick (Canada). Peat enters in many potting mix used for horticulture. However, harvesting this resource has some impacts on the environment. First, industries need to drain the peat bog to dry the superficial layer. Then, it is harvested with industrial vacuums and the underlying layer is allowed to dry. The drained water is laden with suspended sediments (mostly organic peat fibers) that may affect biota of the stream where it is discharged. To counter the problem, this water does not go directly on the stream but first flows through a sedimentation basin, built to reduce suspended sediment loads. This work focuses on characterizing and eventually modeling the efficiency of those sedimentation basins. Seven basins were studied in Rivière-du-Loup, St-Valère and Escoumins (Quebec, Canada). They each have a different ratio basin area/drained area (4.7 10-4 to 20.3 10-4). To continuously monitor the sediment loads (calculated from sediment concentrations and discharge) entering and leaving basins, a nephelometer and a level logger were installed in the water column upstream and downstream of sedimentation basins. Their trapping efficiency was measured during the ice-free period (May to October) and for each significant rain event, since it is known that the rain and subsequent runoff induce most of the peat transport in and out of the basin. Results show that the event efficiency decreases as the basin is filled up with trapped sediments. For one basin, the efficiency was 85August. Trapping efficiency can be used as a tool to estimate basin dimensions. This has been done for municipal sedimentation ponds that trap minerals and will be adapted to the current context, where the dominant sediment is organic.

Methane flux from Minnesota Peatlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crill, P. M.; Bartlett, K. B.; Harriss, R. C.; Gorham, E.; Verry, E. S.; Sebacher, D. I.; Madzar, L.; Sanner, W.

1988-12-01

Northern (>40°N) wetlands have been suggested as the largest natural source of methane (CH4) to the troposphere. To refine our estimates of source strengths from this region and to investigate climatic controls on the process, fluxes were measured from a variety of Minnesota peatlands during May, June, and August 1986. Sites included forested and unforested ombrotrophic bogs and minerotrophic fens in and near the U.S. Department of Agriculture Marcell Experimental Forest and the Red Lake peatlands. Late spring and summer fluxes ranged from 11 to 866 mg CH4 m-2 d-1, averaging 207 mg CH4 m-2 d-1 overall. At Marcell Forest, forested bogs and fen sites had lower fluxes (averages of 77 ± 21 mg CH4 m-2 d-1 and 142 ± 19 mg CH4 m-2 d-1) than open bogs (average of 294 ± 30 mg CH4 m-2 d-1). In the Red Lake peatland, circumneutral fens, with standing water above the peat surface, produced more methane than acid bog sites in which the water table was beneath the moss surface (325 ± 31 and 102 ± 13 mg CH4 m-2 d-1, respectively). Peat temperature was an important control. Methane flux increased in response to increasing soil temperature. For example, the open bog in the Marcell Forest with the highest CH4 flux exhibited a 74-fold increase in flux over a three-fold increase in temperature. We estimate that the methane flux from all peatlands north of 40° may be on the order of 70 to 90 Tg/yr though estimates of this sort are plagued by uncertainties in the areal extent of peatlands, length of the CH4 producing season, and the spatial and temporal variability of the flux.

North view; Station Building south (front) elevation North ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

North view; Station Building - south (front) elevation - North Philadelphia Station, 2900 North Broad Street, on northwest corner of Broad Street & Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Carbon dioxide fluxes over a raised open bog at the Kinosheo Lake tower site during the Northern Wetlands Study (NOWES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neumann, H. H.; Den Hartog, G.; King, K. M.; Chipanshi, A. C.

1994-01-01

Measurements of carbon dioxide concentration and flux were made above a raised open bog at Lake Kinosheo in the southern Hudson Bay lowlands during the Northern Wetlands Study (NOWES) experiment in 1990. The flux measurements were made using micrometeorological techniques. They provide the first nondisturbing, larger-scale CO2 flux measurements for this ecosystem and are the first to integrate the exchange over the whole 24 hours of the day. Continuous concentration measurements by infrared gas analyzers (IRGA) and spot flask samples were taken over the period July 1 to July 29. Afternoon CO2 values were only 5 to 7 parts per million by volume (ppmv) lower than measurements over the same period at Canadian background monitoring stations. This suggested that there was little draw-down by local photosynthetic sinks. CO2 fluxes were measured at 8 and 18 m by Bowen ratio and eddy correlation methods, respectively. The methods produced comparable results on averaged data but often diverged considerably on individual half-hour results. Fluxes were small. Daytime values averaged to -0.068 mg/sq m/s by eddy correlation and -0.077 mg/sq m/s by Bowen ratio over the period June 25 to July 28 (negative denotes downward flux), while at night, flux densities were +0.062 mg/sq m/s and +0.085 mg/sq m/s. Integration of the mean diurnal curve gave a net flux of -1.7 g/sq m/d. Comparable data for this type of ecosystem were not found. However, Coyne and Kelley (1975), measuring near Barrow, Alaska, over wet meadow tundra dominated by sedges and grasses, found net fluxes of -7.2 g/sq m/d. Typical net CO2 fluxes from other active temperature ecosystems have been found to be -10 to -20 g/sq m/d (Monteith, 1976). Mean half hourly fluxes were almost constant at +0.06 mg/sq m/s through the nighttime hours. About one half-hour after sunrise the flux reversed direction. Uptake peaked about 0900 eastern daylight time (EDT) and then gradually declined but remained downward until near sunset

Decoding the Secrets of Carbon Preservation and GHG Flux in Lower-Latitude Peatlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, C. J.; Flanagan, N. E.; Wang, H.; Ho, M.; Hodgkins, S. B.; Cooper, W. T.; Chanton, J.; Winton, S.

2017-12-01

The mechanisms regulating peat decomposition and C carbon storage in peatlands are poorly understood, particularly with regard to the importance of the biochemical compounds produced by different plant species and in turn peat quality controls on C storage and GHG flux. To examine the role of carbon quality in C accretion in northern compared to tropical peatlands we completed field and lab studies on bog peats collected in Minnesota, North Carolina, Florida and Peru to answer three fundamental questions; 1) is tropical peat more recalcitrant than northern peat 2) does the addition of aromatic and phenolic C compounds increase towards the tropics 3) do differences in the chemical structure of organic matter explain variances in carbon storage and GHG flux in tropical versus northern peatlands? Our main hypothesize is that high concentrations of phenolics and aromatic C compounds produced in shrub and tree plant communities in peatlands coupled with the fire production of biochar aromatics in peatlands may provide a dual biogeochemical latch mechanism controlling microbial decomposition of peat even under higher temperatures and seasonal drought. By comparing the peat bog soil cores collected from the MN peat bogs, NC Pocosins, FL Everglades and Peru palm swamps we find that the soils in the shrub-dominant Pocosin contain the highest phenolics, which microbial studies indicate have the strongest resistance to microbial decomposition. A chemical comparison of plant driven peat carbon quality along a north to south latitudinal gradient indicates that tropical peatlands have higher aromatic compounds, and enhanced phenolics, especially after light fires, which enhances C storage and affect GHG flux across the latitudinal gradient.

An ecologic study of peat landforms in Canada and Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaser, P. H.

1986-01-01

The role of groundwater and surface runoff in controlling the water chemistry and development of peat landforms in northern Minnesota are described. The LANDSAT imagery taken duing spring break-up are particularly valuable in identifying potential zones of groundwater discharge. The vascular floras of raised bogs in eastern North Americas demonstrating the remarkabe uniformity of the ombrotrophic flora over broad geographic regions are described. The evolution of peat landforms in the major boreal peatlands of eastern America is examined. The LANDSAT imagery is used to determine the area of patterned to featureless peatlands, the area of ombrotrophic bog relative to minerotrophic fen, and the relative size and degree of streamlining of island landforms entirely composed of peat. Such measurements can be used to assess the role of climate, time, and hydrology in controlling the formation of peatland patterns across broad geographic regions.

Environmental factors explaining the vegetation patterns in a temperate peatland.

PubMed

Pellerin, Stéphanie; Lagneau, Louis-Adrien; Lavoie, Martin; Larocque, Marie

2009-08-01

Although ombrotrophic temperate peatlands are important ecosystems for maintaining biodiversity in eastern North America, the environmental factors influencing their flora are only partly understood. The relationships between plant species distribution and environmental factors were thus studied within the oldest temperate peatland of Québec. Plant assemblages were identified by cluster analysis while CCA was used to related vegetation gradients to environmental factors. Five assemblages were identified; three typical of open bog and two characterized by more minerotrophic vegetation. Thicker peat deposit was encounter underlying the bog assemblages while higher water table level and percentage of free surface water distinguished the minerotrophic assemblages. Overall, the floristic patterns observed were spatially structured along the margins and the expanse. The most important environmental factors explaining this spatial gradient were the percentage of free surface water and the highest water-table level.

The beliefs in the inheritance of risk factors for suicide scale (BIRFSS): cross-cultural validation in Estonia, Malaysia, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

PubMed

Voracek, Martin; Loibl, Lisa Mariella; Swami, Viren; Vintilă, Mona; Kõlves, Kairi; Sinniah, Dhachayani; Pillai, Subash Kumar; Ponnusamy, Subramaniam; Sonneck, Gernot; Furnham, Adrian; Lester, David

2008-12-01

The genetics of suicide is increasingly recognized and relevant for mental health literacy, but actual beliefs may lag behind current knowledge. We examined such beliefs in student samples (total N = 686) from Estonia, Malaysia, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States with the Beliefs in the Inheritance of Risk Factors for Suicide Scale. Cultural effects were small, those of key demographics nil. Several facets of construct validity were demonstrated. Marked differences in perceived plausibility of evidence about the genetics of suicide according to research design, observed in all samples, may be of general interest for investigating lay theories of abnormal behavior and communicating behavioral and psychiatric genetic research findings.

GENERAL VIEW OF NORTH SAN GABRIEL RIVER BRIDGE, NORTH APPROACH, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

GENERAL VIEW OF NORTH SAN GABRIEL RIVER BRIDGE, NORTH APPROACH, LOOKING SOUTH. - North San Gabriel River Bridge, Spanning North Fork of San Gabriel River at Business Route 35, Georgetown, Williamson County, TX

GENERAL VIEW OF NORTH SAN GABRIEL RIVER BRIDGE, NORTH ABUTMENT, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

GENERAL VIEW OF NORTH SAN GABRIEL RIVER BRIDGE, NORTH ABUTMENT, LOOKING NORTHWEST. - North San Gabriel River Bridge, Spanning North Fork of San Gabriel River at Business Route 35, Georgetown, Williamson County, TX

SouthWest view; Station Building north elevation, oblique North ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

South-West view; Station Building - north elevation, oblique - North Philadelphia Station, 2900 North Broad Street, on northwest corner of Broad Street & Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

SouthEast view; Station Building north elevation, oblique North ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

South-East view; Station Building - north elevation, oblique - North Philadelphia Station, 2900 North Broad Street, on northwest corner of Broad Street & Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

North view; Canopy detail and platformlevel freight elevator North ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

North view; Canopy detail and platform-level freight elevator - North Philadelphia Station, 2900 North Broad Street, on northwest corner of Broad Street & Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

The member of the Academy H.P. Keres and the Relativity theory in Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuusk, P.; Muursepp, P. V.; Piir, Ivar

1987-10-01

The first popular lecture on the Einstein theory of relativity was given in Estonia already in 1914 by Jaan Sarv (1877-1954)[1],afterwards a professor of mathematics at the Tartu University. The first student courses on special relativity were delivered by Professor of Mathematics Juri Nuut (1892-1952): non-Euclidean geometry (1930), the mathematical theory of relativity (1932/1933),the Lorenz transformations (1937). His own research work concerned the Lobachevsky geometry [7] and its application to cosmology [6]. Harald Keres qraguated from the Tartu University in 1936. He gave the first student course on general relativity (based on books [11-14]in 1940.In 1942,he got the dr.phil.nat degree form the Tartu University for his theses "Raum und Zeit in der allgemeinen Relativitatstheorie". The degree of the doctor of mathematical and physical sciences was confirmed by VAK (the All-Union Higher Attestation Commission) in 1949.In this period, he got aquainted with the leading Soviet scientists working on General Relativity, prof.V.A.Fock,Prof.D.D.Ivanenko,Prof.A.Z.Petrov,and Prof.M.F.Shirokov. After World War two all-union university courses were introduced in Tartu State University. According to the curriculum of the course the special theory of relativity is a part of electrodynamics obligatory for all students of the department of Physics. From 1947 till 1985 this course was delivered by Prof.PaulKard(1914-1985).He also published a number of text-books on the subject [15-19]. The general theory of relativity was read by Prof.H.Keres in 1951-1960 and later by his pupils R.Lias and A.Koppel [20-23] as a special course for students specializing in theoretical Physics. The first PHD-s in general relativity were made by R.Lias [27](1954) and I.Piir [28] (1955). In 1961, Prof.H.Keres was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences of the Estonian S.S.R. He left the TArtu State University and began to work in the Institute of Physics as the head of the Department of

Detail; Street Car Waiting House window, north wall North ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Detail; Street Car Waiting House window, north wall - North Philadelphia Station, Street Car Waiting House, 2900 North Broad Street, on northwest corner of Broad Street & Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Cumulative Small Effect Genetic Markers and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia

PubMed Central

Serrano-Fernandez, Pablo; Dymerska, Dagmara; Kurzawski, Grzegorz; Derkacz, Róża; Sobieszczańska, Tatiana; Banaszkiewicz, Zbigniew; Roomere, Hanno; Oitmaa, Eneli; Metspalu, Andres; Janavičius, Ramūnas; Elsakov, Pavel; Razumas, Mindaugas; Petrulis, Kestutis; Irmejs, Arvīds; Miklaševičs, Edvīns; Scott, Rodney J.; Lubiński, Jan

2015-01-01

The continued identification of new low-penetrance genetic variants for colorectal cancer (CRC) raises the question of their potential cumulative effect among compound carriers. We focused on 6 SNPs (rs380284, rs4464148, rs4779584, rs4939827, rs6983267, and rs10795668), already described as risk markers, and tested their possible independent and combined contribution to CRC predisposition. Material and Methods. DNA was collected and genotyped from 2330 unselected consecutive CRC cases and controls from Estonia (166 cases and controls), Latvia (81 cases and controls), Lithuania (123 cases and controls), and Poland (795 cases and controls). Results. Beyond individual effects, the analysis revealed statistically significant linear cumulative effects for these 6 markers for all samples except of the Latvian one (corrected P value = 0.018 for the Estonian, corrected P value = 0.0034 for the Lithuanian, and corrected P value = 0.0076 for the Polish sample). Conclusions. The significant linear cumulative effects demonstrated here support the idea of using sets of low-risk markers for delimiting new groups with high-risk of CRC in clinical practice that are not carriers of the usual CRC high-risk markers. PMID:26101521

Cumulative Small Effect Genetic Markers and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.

PubMed

Serrano-Fernandez, Pablo; Dymerska, Dagmara; Kurzawski, Grzegorz; Derkacz, Róża; Sobieszczańska, Tatiana; Banaszkiewicz, Zbigniew; Roomere, Hanno; Oitmaa, Eneli; Metspalu, Andres; Janavičius, Ramūnas; Elsakov, Pavel; Razumas, Mindaugas; Petrulis, Kestutis; Irmejs, Arvīds; Miklaševičs, Edvīns; Scott, Rodney J; Lubiński, Jan

2015-01-01

The continued identification of new low-penetrance genetic variants for colorectal cancer (CRC) raises the question of their potential cumulative effect among compound carriers. We focused on 6 SNPs (rs380284, rs4464148, rs4779584, rs4939827, rs6983267, and rs10795668), already described as risk markers, and tested their possible independent and combined contribution to CRC predisposition. Material and Methods. DNA was collected and genotyped from 2330 unselected consecutive CRC cases and controls from Estonia (166 cases and controls), Latvia (81 cases and controls), Lithuania (123 cases and controls), and Poland (795 cases and controls). Results. Beyond individual effects, the analysis revealed statistically significant linear cumulative effects for these 6 markers for all samples except of the Latvian one (corrected P value = 0.018 for the Estonian, corrected P value = 0.0034 for the Lithuanian, and corrected P value = 0.0076 for the Polish sample). Conclusions. The significant linear cumulative effects demonstrated here support the idea of using sets of low-risk markers for delimiting new groups with high-risk of CRC in clinical practice that are not carriers of the usual CRC high-risk markers.

Uninvited Guests: Traditional Insect Repellents in Estonia used Against the Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella, Human Flea Pulex irritons and Bedbug Cimex lectularius

PubMed Central

Sõukand, Renata; Kalle, Raivo; Svanberg, Ingvar

2010-01-01

Extensive folklore records from pre-modern Estonia give us an excellent opportunity to study a variety of local plant knowledge and plant use among the peasantry in various parts of the country. One important biocultural domain where plant knowledge has been crucial was in the various methods of combating different ectoparasites that cohabited and coexisted with humans and their domestic animals. Some of these methods were widely known (world-wide, Eurasia, Europe, Baltic Rim), while others were more local. Here we discuss ways of reducing clothes moths Tineola bisselliella (Hummel) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), human fleas Pulex irritons L. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and bedbugs Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) with the help of plants. Various taxa used as traditional repellents have been identified. The use of plants as repellents and their toxic principles are also discussed from a comparative perspective. PMID:21070174

Uninvited guests: traditional insect repellents in Estonia used against the clothes moth Tineola bisselliella, human flea Pulex irritons and bedbug Cimex lectularius.

PubMed

Sõukand, Renata; Kalle, Raivo; Svanberg, Ingvar

2010-01-01

Extensive folklore records from pre-modern Estonia give us an excellent opportunity to study a variety of local plant knowledge and plant use among the peasantry in various parts of the country. One important biocultural domain where plant knowledge has been crucial was in the various methods of combating different ectoparasites that cohabited and coexisted with humans and their domestic animals. Some of these methods were widely known (world-wide, Eurasia, Europe, Baltic Rim), while others were more local. Here we discuss ways of reducing clothes moths Tineola bisselliella (Hummel) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), human fleas Pulex irritons L. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and bedbugs Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) with the help of plants. Various taxa used as traditional repellents have been identified. The use of plants as repellents and their toxic principles are also discussed from a comparative perspective.

Peatlands in a eutrophic world - assessing the state of a poor fen-bog transition in southern Ontario, Canada, after long term nutrient input and altered hydrological conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Sina; Gebauer, Gerhard; Blodau, Christian; Knorr, Klaus-Holger

2017-04-01

Peatlands are of vital importance for global carbon (C) cycling as they sequester and store enormous amounts of C. Major threats to peatlands are excessive supply of nutrients from the atmosphere as well as from surface water and groundwater. Up to this date our knowledge of long-term consequences of such excessive nutrient supply is limited. We are unsure about how long peatlands can maintain their functioning under such circumstances. We conducted a detailed study in a once ombrotrophic bog ecosystem (Wylde Lake peatland, Ontario, Canada), which is since the 19th century embedded in a eutrophic environment with intensive agriculture. Moreover, since AD 1954 the peatland borders a water reservoir which is strongly enriched with nutrients. Our objective was to elucidate to which extent the infiltration of nutrient from the peatland periphery can be buffered and whether the inner parts can maintain typical characteristics of a pristine bog. To achieve this goal, along a transect of study sites, we Pb-210- and Cs-137-dated peat cores and determined elements of peat using x-ray fluorescence (XRF). To calculate N input, nitrogen enrichment factors in the vegetation and abundances of stable N isotopes in the peat were determined through isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Furthermore, we re-investigated the vascular plant species composition 31 years after a previous investigation and lastly, we sporadically measured greenhouse gas fluxes with chamber techniques. In the central part of the peatland we found great N input rates of 4.28±0.75 and 4.35±0.30 g N m-2 y-1, but even greater rates were found in the peatland fringe area (5.90±0.10 g N m-2 y-1). Also, all elements essential for plant growth were abundant in increased concentrations along all peat cores, especially near the bordering reservoir, presumably due to supply by the reservoir water. A more graminoid dominated vegetation in the wetter areas (near the reservoir) and a rapid increase of tree cover in

From South to North: flowering phenological responses at different geographical latitudes in 12 European countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, Barbara; Lehoczky, Annamária; Filzmoser, Peter; Templ, Matthias; Szentkirályi, Ferenc; Pongrácz, Rita; Ortner, Thomas; Mert, Can; Czúcz, Bálint

2014-05-01

Phenological sensitivity of plants strongly depends on regional climate variability, moreover it is also influenced by large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns. Plants in different environmental conditions (determined by geographical latitude and longitude, altitude, continentality) may show diverse responses to climate change. The first results of an international cooperation aiming at the analysis of plant phenological data along a latitudinal gradient over 12 European countries (Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland) are presented. The spatio-temporal changes in the flowering onset dates of common lilac (Syringa vulgaris L.) during the period of 1970-2000 were analysed. To characterise the environmental conditions driving the phenological responses, climatic variables (atmospheric pressure, air temperature, precipitation) obtained from a gridded observational dataset (E-OBS 9.0) and time series of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index were used. Preliminary results for this particular species found a gradual advance of mean flowering onsets along latitudes from 40° N to 65° N, at the rate of -0.12 to -0.32 day/year. Significant zonal differences were found in these rates, which can be explained by the sensitivity of flowering to climatic conditions while moving from Mediterranen to boreal regions of Europe. Thus our results were coherent with most observations in the literature, that higher latitudes can exhibit more pronounced responses, particularly in case of spring phenological events.

Post-glacial coast development and human settling of the North European Ice Marginal Landscape (IML)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bregman, I. Kant Baltic Federal State University, Kaliningrad, Russia, E. P. H.; Netherlands, Utrecht University, the; Druzhinina, I. Kant Baltic Federal State University, Kaliningrad, Russia, O. A.

2012-04-01

In North Europe, in the Ice Marginal Landscapes (IML) from the Netherlands to Estonia, human settling is in the Late-Pleistocene - Holocene strongly influenced by post-glacial relative coast development(MESO, 2010; SINCOS, 2002-2009; Machu, 2006-2009, IGCP project 346, CoPaF, 2009-2012) and glacio-isostasy. Geological processes like updoming and tectonic block displacements not only influenced sedimentation of river systems in delta's (e.g. Cohen, 2003), but influenced coastal development and human settling too in the North Sea area (e.g. Peeters, 2009; Hijma e.a., 2011) the Wadden areas (e.g. de Langen, 2011) and lagoons (e.g. Druzhinina, 2010). An overview of shoreline development at the distal side of the Late Glacial forbulge related to glaciological and geophysical processes however does not exist and coastal development models are also not correlated with human settling. Our project( 2012 - 2018) has the aim to describe the influence of shifting coast on the way of settling and living of ancient man in the IML. The main questions to be answered are as follow: (i) Is coast development influenced by glaciations a result of interaction between endo- and exogenic (glaciological-, geological-, and geophysical) forces in general and at the local scale of morphological elements? (ii) Did ancient man adept to changes in natural circumstances and what did that mean for his social behavior and economy? (iii) Were forms of human society and economy in the IML primarily dependent on the natural environment with regard to geophysical and geological differences and related to post-glacial response of the earth crust? Detailed integrated studying of "key-areas", with attention to deep geology, will allow to get new insight of the impact of post-glacial shoreline changes and history of man on the coast in the IML with focus on his past (history of relations) and future (impact of climate change. The project is an international project, with participation of institutes all

Effects of rewetting on greenhouse gas emissions in different microtopes in a cut-over drained bog in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vybornova, Olga; Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria; Kutzbach, Lars

2016-04-01

In peatlands, all biogeochemical processes and the amount of exported carbon and nitrogen compounds are strongly influenced by changes in the water table. Peatland drainage leads to increased peat oxidization and changes peatlands from carbon sinks to net carbon sources. Especially, the emissions of the important greenhouse gases (GHG) carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are increased due to drainage. The currently ongoing restoration in the bog Himmelmoor (N 53° 44'20", E 9° 51'00", Quickborn) with an extent of about 6 km2 one of the largest raised bogs in Schleswig-Holstein, offers the possibility to characterize and to document the development of the fluxes at different sites before, during and after rewetting, using a method of small-scale closed chambers. Six subsites with differing water level and land use were identified: an area that was rewetted 30 years ago with Sphagnum vegetation, an area rewetted in 2009, an area with on-going peat extraction, deep peat cutting ditches refilled with peat with and without Eriophorum angustifolium vegetation and a comparatively dry peat dam. We determined that in the course of years 2014-2015 the measured N2O and CO2 fluxes varied between -0,1 and 1,9 mg m-2 h-1 and between -0,12 and 1,09 g m-2 h-1, respectively, and the highest nitrous oxide as well as carbon dioxide fluxes are typical for the dry peat dam study site. The measured CH4 fluxes were between -1,8 and 22,7 mg m-2 h-1, where the highest rates were found on the area rewetted 30 years ago and on the peat cutting ditches with Eriophorum angustifolium. Accounting for the different global warming potentials (GWP) of the measured greenhouse gases, the annual GHG balance was calculated. Emissions from all study sites ranged between 5,2 and 36 t CO2-eq ha-1 year-1 and were dominated by high emissions of CO2 (2,5 up to 25,5 t CO2-eq ha-1 year-1). Highest emission rates were found at the dry peat dam site and at the area rewetted 30 years ago. The peat dams and

NorthEast view; Platform, canopy, and freight elevator North Philadelphia ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

North-East view; Platform, canopy, and freight elevator - North Philadelphia Station, 2900 North Broad Street, on northwest corner of Broad Street & Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Interannual variability of western North Pacific SST anomalies and its impact on North Pacific and North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jae-Heung; An, Soon-Il; Kug, Jong-Seong

2017-12-01

In this study, the interannual variability of sea surface temperature (SST) and its atmospheric teleconnection over the western North Pacific (WNP) toward the North Pacific/North America during boreal winter are investigated. First, we defined the WNP mode as the first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode of SST anomalies over the WNP region (100-165°E, 0-35°N), of which the principle component time-series are significantly correlated with several well-known climate modes such as the warm pool mode which is the second EOF mode of the tropical to North Pacific SST anomalies, North Pacific oscillation (NPO), North Pacific gyre oscillation (NPGO), and central Pacific (CP)-El Niño at 95% confidence level, but not correlated with the eastern Pacific (EP)-El Niño. The warm phase of the WNP mode (sea surface warming) is initiated by anomalous southerly winds through reduction of wind speed with the background of northerly mean winds over the WNP during boreal winter, i.e., reduced evaporative cooling. Meanwhile, the atmospheric response to the SST warming pattern and its diabatic heating further enhance the southerly wind anomaly, referred to the wind-evaporation-SST (WES) feedback. Thus, the WNP mode is developed and maintained through winter until spring, when the northerly mean wind disappears. Furthermore, it is also known that anomalous upper-level divergence associated with WNP mode leads to the NPO-like structure over the North Pacific and the east-west pressure contrast pattern over the North America through Rossby wave propagation, impacting the climate over the North Pacific and North America.

Dependency of Ecosystem Respiration in a Cool Temperate Bog on Peat Temperature and Water Table

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, T.; Lafleur, P.; Roulet, N.; Frolking, S.

2003-12-01

We measured ecosystem respiration (ER) from nighttime net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide determined from an eddy covariance tower located in a large ombrotrophic bog near Ottawa, Canada. Measurements were made from May to October over 5 years, 1998 to 2002. Ecosystem respiration ranged from <0.05 mg CO2/m2/s in spring (May) and late fall (late October) to 0.10-0.15 mg CO2/m2/s during the summer (July-August). As anticipated, there was a strong relationship between ER and peat temperatures, such as at a depth of 5 cm (r2 = 0.63). Q10 over 5° to 15° C varied from 2.2 to 4.2 depending upon the choice of temperature level and location within a hummock or hollow. Unexpected for a wetland ecosystem, there was only a weak relationship between ER and water table position (r2 = 0.11). Comparison of ER in early and late summer, 2002 with similar surface temperature revealed no significant difference in ER. A laboratory incubation of peat cores at different moisture contents showed that CO2 production was reduced by drying in the surface samples, but there was little decrease in samples from below a depth of 30 cm. We believe that the lack of correlation between ER and water table position in this ecosystem results from an increase in CO2 production at depth compensating a decrease in production of CO2 by heterotrophic respiration in the near surface layers and autotrophic respiration in the moss community.

The structure of the microbial communities in low-moor and high-moor peat bogs of Tomsk oblast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobrovol'skaya, T. G.; Golovchenko, A. V.; Kukharenko, O. S.; Yakushev, A. V.; Semenova, T. A.; Inisheva, L. A.

2012-03-01

The number, structure, and physical state of the microbial communities in high-moor and low-moor peat bogs were compared. Distinct differences in these characteristics were revealed. The microbial biomass in the high-moor peat exceeded that in the low-moor peat by 2-9 times. Fungi predominated in the high-moor peat, whereas bacteria were the dominant microorganisms in the low-moor peat. The micromycetal complexes of the high-moor peat were characterized by a high portion of dark-colored representatives; the complexes of the low-moor peat were dominated by fast-growing fungi. The species of the Penicillum genus were dominant in the high-moor peat; the species of Trichoderma were abundant in the low-moor peat. In the former, the bacteria were distinguished as minor components; in the latter, they predominated in the saprotrophic bacterial complex. In the high-moor peat, the microorganisms were represented by bacilli, while, in the low-moor peat, by cytophages, myxobacteria, and actinobacteria. The different physiological states of the bacteria in the studied objects reflecting the duration of the lag phase and the readiness of the metabolic system to consume different substrates were demonstrated for the first time. The relationships between the trophic characteristics of bacterial habitats and the capacity of the bacteria to consume substrates were established.

Geologic framework, age, and lithologic characteristics of the North Park Formation in North Park, north-central Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shroba, Ralph R.

2016-10-18

Deposits of the North Park Formation of late Oligocene and Miocene age are locally exposed at small, widely spaced outcrops along the margins of the roughly northwest-trending North Park syncline in the southern part of North Park, a large intermontane topographic basin in Jackson County in north-central Colorado. These outcrops suggest that rocks and sediments of the North Park Formation consist chiefly of poorly consolidated sand, weakly cemented sandstone, and pebbly sandstone; subordinate amounts of pebble conglomerate; minor amounts of cobbly pebble gravel, siltstone, and sandy limestone; and rare beds of cobble conglomerate and altered tuff. These deposits partly filled North Park as well as a few small nearby valleys and half grabens. In North Park, deposits of the North Park Formation probably once formed a broad and relatively thick sedimentary apron composed chiefly of alluvial slope deposits (mostly sheetwash and stream-channel alluvium) that extended, over a distance of at least 150 kilometers (km), northwestward from the Never Summer Mountains and northward from the Rabbit Ears Range across North Park and extended farther northwestward into the valley of the North Platte River slightly north of the Colorado-Wyoming border. The maximum preserved thickness of the formation in North Park is about 550 meters near the southeastern end of the North Park syncline.The deposition of the North Park Formation was coeval in part with local volcanism, extensional faulting, development of half grabens, and deposition of the Browns Park Formation and Troublesome Formation and was accompanied by post-Laramide regional epeirogenic uplift. Regional deposition of extensive eolian sand sheets and loess deposits, coeval with the deposition of the North Park Formation, suggests that semiarid climatic conditions prevailed during the deposition of the North Park Formation during the late Oligocene and Miocene.The North Park Formation locally contains a 28.1-mega-annum (Ma

A carbon accumulation maximum during the Medieval Climate Anomaly in the world’s biggest bog, Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beilman, D.; MacDonald, G. M.

2009-12-01

The West Siberia Lowland is the most carbon-rich northern wetland region, holding an important portion of total northern peatland carbon (70 Gt of 270-450 Gt C) mainly in the southern lowland (44 Gt) in very large peatlands. The largest of these, the Great Vasyugan Bog complex, spans 63,252 km2 and alone holds ~11 Gt C. Our previous work has shown that recent-past growth of WSL peat C pool has been greatest in southern WSL in large peatlands close to the southern limit of peatland distribution. In this study, we investigate a Great Vasyugan site to investigate peat carbon sensitivity in two ways: 1) assess past changes in vegetation, species-specific 13C geochemistry, and rate of carbon accumulation relative to recent-past climate variation, and 2) assess the relative lability of this deep peat C through laboratory incubations. Carbon accumulation over the last 2000 years, a period of relatively consistent vegetation and litter inputs but variable local hydrology, reached a maximum between 1150 and 1350 AD during Medieval Climate Anomaly conditions. A carbon accumulation minimum occurred between about 1350 and 1550 AD. Regardless of depth, age, or rate of carbon burial, deep peat from between 30 and 230 cm below the surface showed a similar rate of potential aerobic respiration that changed little over 42 days of incubation. Taken together, these data suggest that in some peatlanlds warmer and hydrologically-variable conditions can promote long-term belowground carbon storage.

Fire ecology in the southeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2000-01-01

Fire has played an important role in the structure of natural ecosystems throughout North America. As a natural process, fire helps clear away dead and dying plant matter and increases the production of native species that occur in fire prone habitats. It also reduces the invasion of exotic species and the succession to woody species in pitcher plant bogs, pine savannas, coastal prairies, marshes, and other natural plant communities of the southeastern United States.

INTERIOR VIEW, NORTH QUARRY, AN ACTIVE DOLOMITE QUARRY, LOOKING NORTH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

INTERIOR VIEW, NORTH QUARRY, AN ACTIVE DOLOMITE QUARRY, LOOKING NORTH TO THE POWER PLANT OF THE HISTORIC THOMAS COKEWORKS SITE. - Wade Sand & Gravel Company, North Quarry, State Highway 78, Thomas, Jefferson County, AL

626628 North Eutaw Street (Commercial Building), 626628 North Eutaw Street ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

626-628 North Eutaw Street (Commercial Building), 626-628 North Eutaw Street & 400-412 Druid Hill Avenue on a block bounded by North Eutaw Street, George Street, Jaspar Street, & Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore, Independent City, MD

Food Leftover Practices among Consumers in Selected Countries in Europe, South and North America

PubMed Central

Koppel, Kadri; Higa, Federica; Godwin, Sandria; Gutierrez, Nelson; Shalimov, Roman; Cardinal, Paula; Di Donfrancesco, Brizio; Sosa, Miriam; Carbonell-Barrachina, Angel A.; Timberg, Loreida; Chambers, Edgar

2016-01-01

Foodborne illnesses may be related to many food production factors with home practices of consumers playing an important role in food safety. Consumer behavior for handling food leftovers has been studied, however little work on comparisons among countries has been published. The objective of this study was to investigate home food leftover practices of people from North American, South American, and European countries. Surveys were conducted with approximately 100 or more consumers in Argentina, Colombia, the United States, Estonia, Italy, Russia, and Spain. The participants responded to questions related to the length of time different types of food leftovers; such as meat, fresh salads, or restaurant dishes would be kept refrigerated or would be left at room temperature before refrigeration. Researchers also investigated how consumers would determine if the food was still safe for consumption. Potentially risky behaviors were observed in all seven countries. For instance, 55.8% of Estonians, 25% of Russians and 25.8% of Argentinean participants left food out at room temperature for several hours before storing in the refrigerator. Furthermore, 25%–29% of Colombian, Estonian, and Spanish consumers would look, smell, and taste leftovers to determine its probable safety. Correct handling of leftovers is an important aspect of consumer food safety. Although the surveys cannot be representative of all consumers in each country, they do provide an initial overview of comparative practices for handling leftovers among different countries. This provides government and educators with information on potential universal and unique consumer food safety issues related to handling leftover foods among various countries. PMID:28231161

Food Leftover Practices among Consumers in Selected Countries in Europe, South and North America.

PubMed

Koppel, Kadri; Higa, Federica; Godwin, Sandria; Gutierrez, Nelson; Shalimov, Roman; Cardinal, Paula; Di Donfrancesco, Brizio; Sosa, Miriam; Carbonell-Barrachina, Angel A; Timberg, Loreida; Chambers, Edgar

2016-09-21

Foodborne illnesses may be related to many food production factors with home practices of consumers playing an important role in food safety. Consumer behavior for handling food leftovers has been studied, however little work on comparisons among countries has been published. The objective of this study was to investigate home food leftover practices of people from North American, South American, and European countries. Surveys were conducted with approximately 100 or more consumers in Argentina, Colombia, the United States, Estonia, Italy, Russia, and Spain. The participants responded to questions related to the length of time different types of food leftovers; such as meat, fresh salads, or restaurant dishes would be kept refrigerated or would be left at room temperature before refrigeration. Researchers also investigated how consumers would determine if the food was still safe for consumption. Potentially risky behaviors were observed in all seven countries. For instance, 55.8% of Estonians, 25% of Russians and 25.8% of Argentinean participants left food out at room temperature for several hours before storing in the refrigerator. Furthermore, 25%-29% of Colombian, Estonian, and Spanish consumers would look, smell, and taste leftovers to determine its probable safety. Correct handling of leftovers is an important aspect of consumer food safety. Although the surveys cannot be representative of all consumers in each country, they do provide an initial overview of comparative practices for handling leftovers among different countries. This provides government and educators with information on potential universal and unique consumer food safety issues related to handling leftover foods among various countries.

Holocene monsoon variability inferred from Targo Xian peat bog in the Tangra Yumco basin, central Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henkel, Karoline; Haberzettl, Torsten; Miehe, Sabine; Frenzel, Peter; Daut, Gerhard; Dietze, Elisabeth; Kasper, Thomas; Ahlborn, Marieke; Mäusbacher, Roland

2013-04-01

The Tibetan Plateau is the greatest plateau on Earth with an average altitude of 4,500 m asl. Due to its high elevation, large area and significant role in the formation of the Asian Monsoon Systems (e.g., Indian Ocean and East-Asian Summer Monsoon) it is considered to react very sensitive to climate variations. The numerous lake systems on the Tibetan Plateau represent excellent archives reflecting variations in the strength of the monsoon system in terms of hydrological changes expressed in lake level fluctuations. For example, terraces and lacustrine deposits around the saline lake Tangra Yumco indicate lake level highstands up to ~215 m higher than the present lake level. To study Holocene lake level variations we investigated a 3.6 m long sediment core recovered from a peat bog (near the Targo Xian settlement, 30°46'N, 86°40'E) on a recessional lake level terrace ~150 m above the present shoreline of Tangra Yumco. In particular, our analyses of sedimentological (grain size), geochemical (CNS and ICP-OES) and mineralogical (XRD) data allow a detailed and high-resolution interpretation of the hydrological conditions during the Holocene. The existence of two carbonate layers in the Targo Xian record, separated by a sand layer and intercalated in peat sequences at the bottom and top of the core, provide evidence for two stable lake stages at the coring position. Peat at the bottom of the core, which is radiocarbon-dated to 11,130 +130/-345 cal BP, indicates wetland conditions similar to the Recent situation (Miehe et al., submitted). After a transition zone, a layer of pure aragonitic lake marl gives evidence for a lake stage. During this stage, high values of the total inorganic carbon (TIC) and Ca/Ti ratios as well as low C/N ratios point to a stable lake due to wet climatic conditions. This carbonate layer can be correlated with a 2-3 m thick carbonate layer found in outcrops around the present lake Tangra Yumco presenting a high lake level until approx. 2

Granulated bog iron ores as sorbents in passive (bio)remediation systems for arsenic removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debiec, Klaudia; Rzepa, Grzegorz; Bajda, Tomasz; Uhrynowski, Witold; Sklodowska, Aleksandra; Krzysztoforski, Jan; Drewniak, Lukasz

2018-03-01

The main element of PbRS (passive (bio)remediation systems) are sorbents, which act as natural filters retaining heavy metals and carriers of microorganisms involved in water treatment. Thus, the effectiveness of PbRS is determined by the quality of the (ad)sorbents, which should be stable under various environmental conditions, have a wide range of applications and be non-toxic to (micro)organisms used in these systems. Our previous studies showed that bog iron ores (BIOs) meet these requirements. However, further investigation of the physical and chemical parameters of BIOs under environmental conditions is required before their large-scale application in PbRS. The aim of this study was (i) to investigate the ability of granulated BIOs (gBIOs) to remove arsenic from various types of contaminated waters, and (ii) to estimate the application potential of gBIOs in technologies dedicated to water treatment. These studies were conducted on synthetic solutions of arsenic and environmental samples of arsenic contaminated water using a set of adsorption columns filled with gBIOs. The experiments performed in a static system revealed that gBIOs are appropriate arsenic and zinc adsorbent. Dynamic adsorption studies confirmed these results and showed that the actual sorption efficiency of gBIOs depends on the adsorbate concentration and is directly proportional to them. Desorption analysis showed that As-loaded gBIOs are characterized by high chemical stability and they may be reused for the (ad)sorption of other elements, i.e. zinc. It was also shown that gBIOs may be used for remediation of both highly oxygenated waters and groundwater or settling ponds, where the oxygen level is low, as both forms of inorganic arsenic (arsenate and arsenite) were effectively removed. Arsenic concentration after treatment was <100 µg/L, which is below the limit for industrial water.

Granulated Bog Iron Ores as Sorbents in Passive (Bio)Remediation Systems for Arsenic Removal

PubMed Central

Debiec, Klaudia; Rzepa, Grzegorz; Bajda, Tomasz; Uhrynowski, Witold; Sklodowska, Aleksandra; Krzysztoforski, Jan; Drewniak, Lukasz

2018-01-01

The main element of PbRS (passive (bio)remediation systems) are sorbents, which act as natural filters retaining heavy metals and carriers of microorganisms involved in water treatment. Thus, the effectiveness of PbRS is determined by the quality of the (ad)sorbents, which should be stable under various environmental conditions, have a wide range of applications and be non-toxic to (micro)organisms used in these systems. Our previous studies showed that bog iron ores (BIOs) meet these requirements. However, further investigation of the physical and chemical parameters of BIOs under environmental conditions is required before their large-scale application in PbRS. The aim of this study was (i) to investigate the ability of granulated BIOs (gBIOs) to remove arsenic from various types of contaminated waters, and (ii) to estimate the application potential of gBIOs in technologies dedicated to water treatment. These studies were conducted on synthetic solutions of arsenic and environmental samples of arsenic contaminated water using a set of adsorption columns filled with gBIOs. The experiments performed in a static system revealed that gBIOs are appropriate arsenic and zinc adsorbent. Dynamic adsorption studies confirmed these results and showed, that the actual sorption efficiency of gBIOs depends on the adsorbate concentration and is directly proportional to them. Desorption analysis showed that As-loaded gBIOs are characterized by high chemical stability and they may be reused for the (ad)sorption of other elements, i.e., zinc. It was also shown that gBIOs may be used for remediation of both highly oxygenated waters and groundwater or settling ponds, where the oxygen level is low, as both forms of inorganic arsenic (arsenate and arsenite) were effectively removed. Arsenic concentration after treatment was <100 μg/L, which is below the limit for industrial water. PMID:29616211

Granulated Bog Iron Ores as Sorbents in Passive (Bio)Remediation Systems for Arsenic Removal.

PubMed

Debiec, Klaudia; Rzepa, Grzegorz; Bajda, Tomasz; Uhrynowski, Witold; Sklodowska, Aleksandra; Krzysztoforski, Jan; Drewniak, Lukasz

2018-01-01

The main element of PbRS (passive (bio)remediation systems) are sorbents, which act as natural filters retaining heavy metals and carriers of microorganisms involved in water treatment. Thus, the effectiveness of PbRS is determined by the quality of the (ad)sorbents, which should be stable under various environmental conditions, have a wide range of applications and be non-toxic to (micro)organisms used in these systems. Our previous studies showed that bog iron ores (BIOs) meet these requirements. However, further investigation of the physical and chemical parameters of BIOs under environmental conditions is required before their large-scale application in PbRS. The aim of this study was (i) to investigate the ability of granulated BIOs (gBIOs) to remove arsenic from various types of contaminated waters, and (ii) to estimate the application potential of gBIOs in technologies dedicated to water treatment. These studies were conducted on synthetic solutions of arsenic and environmental samples of arsenic contaminated water using a set of adsorption columns filled with gBIOs. The experiments performed in a static system revealed that gBIOs are appropriate arsenic and zinc adsorbent. Dynamic adsorption studies confirmed these results and showed, that the actual sorption efficiency of gBIOs depends on the adsorbate concentration and is directly proportional to them. Desorption analysis showed that As-loaded gBIOs are characterized by high chemical stability and they may be reused for the (ad)sorption of other elements, i.e., zinc. It was also shown that gBIOs may be used for remediation of both highly oxygenated waters and groundwater or settling ponds, where the oxygen level is low, as both forms of inorganic arsenic (arsenate and arsenite) were effectively removed. Arsenic concentration after treatment was <100 μg/L, which is below the limit for industrial water.

Spatial genetic analyses reveal cryptic population structure and migration patterns in a continuously harvested grey wolf (Canis lupus) population in north-eastern Europe.

PubMed

Hindrikson, Maris; Remm, Jaanus; Männil, Peep; Ozolins, Janis; Tammeleht, Egle; Saarma, Urmas

2013-01-01

Spatial genetics is a relatively new field in wildlife and conservation biology that is becoming an essential tool for unravelling the complexities of animal population processes, and for designing effective strategies for conservation and management. Conceptual and methodological developments in this field are therefore critical. Here we present two novel methodological approaches that further the analytical possibilities of STRUCTURE and DResD. Using these approaches we analyse structure and migrations in a grey wolf (Canislupus) population in north-eastern Europe. We genotyped 16 microsatellite loci in 166 individuals sampled from the wolf population in Estonia and Latvia that has been under strong and continuous hunting pressure for decades. Our analysis demonstrated that this relatively small wolf population is represented by four genetic groups. We also used a novel methodological approach that uses linear interpolation to statistically test the spatial separation of genetic groups. The new method, which is capable of using program STRUCTURE output, can be applied widely in population genetics to reveal both core areas and areas of low significance for genetic groups. We also used a recently developed spatially explicit individual-based method DResD, and applied it for the first time to microsatellite data, revealing a migration corridor and barriers, and several contact zones.

Sectoral network on occupational health and safety in agriculture to support enterprises and family farms in Estonia.

PubMed

Kurppa, Kari; Tammaru, Eva; Kempinen, Marina; Rünkla, Ester; Sõrra, Jaan; Lehtinen, Suvi

2006-01-01

A sectoral network on occupational health and safety in agriculture has been established in Estonia as part of a project that provided support for Estonian accession into European Union. Participating organizations represent farmers' unions at county level, agricultural enterprises, workers' representatives, universities and agricultural expert institutions, and government agencies. The purpose is to provide a shared infrastructure that combines information and other capacities of several organizations and provides a platform for dialogue and co-operation in order to make a greater impact with available resources. The network has a decentralized architecture and is technically managed by an institutionalized secretariat. The network's task forces have compiled a network directory, summarised the capacities and interests of member organizations, made an inventory of existing information and training materials, developed an overall strategy for information management, established an information repository on the Internet, prepared promotional materials, and devised a protocol for agricultural walk-though assessment. A profile on occupational health and safety in Estonian agriculture has been compiled with a rapid assessment approach that collected both quantitative and qualitative information from secondary sources (statistics, documents) and from focus group discussions. The profile is used as an instrument for taking occupational health and safety needs in agriculture into discussion on political arena.

Youth sexual health improvement in Estonia, 1990-2009: the role of sexuality education and youth-friendly services.

PubMed

Haldre, Kai; Part, Kai; Ketting, Evert

2012-10-01

A new school curriculum was introduced in Estonia in 1996 comprising for the first time sexuality education (SE) topics. The first youth counselling centres (YCCs) addressing sexual health matters were set up in 1991-1992. This study describes the development of school-based SE and YCCs in 1992 - 2009, and explores the concurrent changes in sexuality-related knowledge, behaviour, and sexual health indicators. The analyses are based on 12 population-based surveys. Data on births, abortions and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, are taken from national registers. By the middle of the past decade SE was well established. There has been a trend towards younger age at first sexual intercourse, and increased usage of condoms and reliable contraceptive methods. The abortion rate among 15-19-year-olds declined by 61% and their fertility rate by 59%. The annual number of registered new HIV cases among 15-19-year-olds dropped from 560 in 2001 to 25 in 2009, new syphilis cases from 116 in 1998 to two in 2009, and gonorrhoea cases from 263 in 1998 to 20 in 2009. This study documents considerable improvements in sexual health indicators of youths, and indicates that these run parallel to the development of school-based SE and YCCs.

THE USE OF PANAX GINSENG AND ITS ANALOGUES AMONG PHARMACY CUSTOMERS IN ESTONIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

PubMed

Volmer, Dasy; Raal, Ain; Kalle, Raivo; Sõukand, Renata

2016-01-01

The aim of the cross-sectional study was to evaluate the pattern of complementary self-treatment with P. ginseng and its analogues amongst pharmacy customers in Estonia. The study instrument consisted of multiple-choice items related to personal knowledge about and experience with the use of P. ginseng and its analogues. In total, 1233 customers participated in the study. Of study participants, 18.1% reported the use of P. ginseng and its analogues in their lives. P. ginseng preparations were used mostly according to the well- known indications (tiredness, weakness and decreased mental and physical capacity). Of P. ginseng users 44.3% reported positive treatment effects and 12.0% had experienced different side effects. With increase of age (p < 0.01) and at lower levels of education (p = 0.04), the use of ginseng or its analogues decreased. The better the users evaluated their health, the better they perceived the effect of P. ginseng preparations (p < 0.01). This study reported rather frequent use of P. ginseng and its analogues. P. ginseng could be seen in the treatment of conditions, where the use of local medicinal plants has not been established. Further research is needed to learn more about public knowledge and experiences about efficacy and safety of P. ginseng and its analogues.

Quality management and job related factors predicting satisfaction of dental clinic staff in Estonia.

PubMed

Merisalu, Eda; Männik, Georg; Põlluste, Kaja

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore the role of managerial style, work environment factors and burnout in determining job satisfaction during the implementation of quality improvement activities in a dental clinic. Quantitative research was carried out using a prestructured anonymous questionnaire to survey 302 respondents in Kaarli Dental Clinic, Estonia. Dental clinic staff assessed job satisfaction, managerial style, work stress and burnout levels through the implementation period of ISO 9000 quality management system in 2003 and annually during 2006-2009. Binary logistic regression was used to explain the impact of satisfaction with management and work organisation, knowledge about managerial activities, work environment and psychosocial stress and burnout on job satisfaction. The response rate limits were between 60% and 89.6%. Job satisfaction increased significantly from 2003 to 2006 and the percentage of very satisfied staff increased from 17 to 38 (p<0.01) over this period. In 2007, the proportion of very satisfied people dropped to 21% before increasing again in 2008-2009 (from 24% to 35%). Binary logistic regression analysis resulted in a model that included five groups of factors: managerial support, information about results achieved and progress to goals, work organisation and working environment, as well as factors related to career, security and planning. The average scores of emotional exhaustion showed significant decrease, correlating negatively with job satisfaction (p<0.05). The implementation of quality improvement activities in the Kaarli Dental Clinic has improved the work environment by decreasing burnout symptoms and increased job satisfaction in staff.

Species-specific effects of elevated ozone on wetland plants and decomposition processes.

PubMed

Williamson, Jennifer; Mills, Gina; Freeman, Chris

2010-05-01

Seven species from two contrasting wetlands, an upland bog and a lowland rich fen in North Wales, UK, were exposed to elevated ozone (150 ppb for 5 days and 20 ppb for 2 days per week) or low ozone (20 ppb) for four weeks in solardomes. The rich fen species were: Molinia caerulea, Juncus subnodulosus, Potentilla erecta and Hydrocotyle vulgaris and the bog species were: Carex echinata, Potentilla erecta and Festuca rubra. Senescence significantly increased under elevated ozone in all seven species but only Molinia caerulea showed a reduction in biomass under elevated ozone. Decomposition rates of plants exposed to elevated ozone, as measured by carbon dioxide efflux from dried plant material inoculated with peat slurry, increased for Potentilla erecta with higher hydrolytic enzyme activities. In contrast, a decrease in enzyme activities and a non-significant decrease in carbon dioxide efflux occurred in the grasses, sedge and rush species. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of acid-tolerant H/CO-utilizing methanogenic enrichment cultures from an acidic peat bog in New York State.

PubMed

Bräuer, Suzanna L; Yashiro, Erika; Ueno, Norikiyo G; Yavitt, Joseph B; Zinder, Stephen H

2006-08-01

Two methanogenic cultures were enriched from acidic peat soil using a growth medium buffered to c. pH 5. One culture, 6A, was obtained from peat after incubation with H(2)/CO(2), whereas culture NTA was derived from a 10(-4) dilution of untreated peat into a modified medium. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from each culture contained one methanogen and two bacterial sequences. The methanogen 16S rRNA gene sequences were 99% identical with each other and belonged to the novel "R-10/Fen cluster" family of the Methanomicrobiales, whereas their mcrA sequences were 96% identical. One bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequence from culture 6A belonged to the Bacteroidetes and showed 99% identity with sequences from methanogenic enrichments from German and Russian bogs. The other sequence belonged to the Firmicutes and was identical to a thick rod-shaped citrate-utilizing organism isolated from culture 6A, the numbers of which decreased when the Ti (III) chelator was switched from citrate to nitrilotriacetate. Bacterial clones from the NTA culture clustered in the Delta- and Betaproteobacteria. Both cultures contained thin rods, presumably the methanogens, as the predominant morphotype, and represent a significant advance in characterization of the novel acidiphilic R-10 family methanogens.

Nationwide citizen access to their health data: analysing and comparing experiences in Denmark, Estonia and Australia.

PubMed

Nøhr, Christian; Parv, Liisa; Kink, Pille; Cummings, Elizabeth; Almond, Helen; Nørgaard, Jens Rahbek; Turner, Paul

2017-08-07

Most countries face an ageing population, increasing chronic diseased, and constrictions on budget for providing health services. Involving patients in their own care by allowing them access to their patient data is a trend seen in many places. Data on the type and level of access citizens have to their own health data in three countries was gathered from public sources. Data from each individual country is presented and the experiences of Denmark, Estonia and Australia are examined whilst similarities and differences explored. The discussion adopts a citizen-centred perspective to consider how the different e-portal systems support, protect and structure citizen interactions with their own health data in three key areas: Security, privacy and data protection; User support; and Citizen adoption and use. The paper highlights the impact of opt-in/opt-out approaches on citizen access and the lack of a structured approach to addressing differences in citizen health and e-health literacy. This research also confirms while current data provides detail on the availability and use of personal health data by citizens, questions still remain over the ultimate impact on patient outcomes of these initiatives. It is anticipated the insights generated from the three countries experiences, supporting citizen access to their health data will be useful to improve these initiatives and guide other countries aspiring to support similar initiatives.

Development of the mixed conifer forest in northern New Mexico and its relationship to Holocene environmental change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, R. Scott; Jass, Renata B.; Toney, Jaime L.; Allen, Craig D.; Cisneros-Dozal, Luz M.; Hess, Marcey; Heikoop, Jeff; Fessenden, Julianna

2008-03-01

Chihuahueños Bog (2925 m) in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico contains one of the few records of late-glacial and postglacial development of the mixed conifer forest in southwestern North America. The Chihuahueños Bog record extends to over 15,000 cal yr BP. An Artemisia steppe, then an open Picea woodland grew around a small pond until ca. 11,700 cal yr BP when Pinus ponderosa became established. C/N ratios, δ13C and δ15N values indicate both terrestrial and aquatic organic matter was incorporated into the sediment. Higher percentages of aquatic algae and elevated C/N ratios indicate higher lake levels at the opening of the Holocene, but a wetland developed subsequently as climate warmed. From ca. 8500 to 6400 cal yr BP the pond desiccated in what must have been the driest period of the Holocene there. C/N ratios declined to their lowest Holocene levels, indicating intense decomposition in the sediment. Wetter conditions returned after 6400 cal yr BP, with conversion of the site to a sedge bog as groundwater levels rose. Higher charcoal influx rates after 6400 cal yr BP probably result from greater biomass production rates. Only minor shifts in the overstory species occurred during the Holocene, suggesting that mixed conifer forest dominated throughout the record.

Development of the mixed conifer forest in northern New Mexico and its relationship to Holocene environmental change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, R. Scott; Jass, R.B.; Toney, J.L.; Allen, Craig D.; Cisneros-Dozal, L. M.; Hess, M.; Heikoop, Jeff; Fessenden, J.

2008-01-01

Chihuahueños Bog (2925 m) in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico contains one of the few records of late-glacial and postglacial development of the mixed conifer forest in southwestern North America. The Chihuahueños Bog record extends to over 15,000 cal yr BP. AnArtemisiasteppe, then an openPiceawoodland grew around a small pond until ca. 11,700 cal yr BP whenPinus ponderosabecame established. C/N ratios,δ 13C andδ 15N values indicate both terrestrial and aquatic organic matter was incorporated into the sediment. Higher percentages of aquatic algae and elevated C/N ratios indicate higher lake levels at the opening of the Holocene, but a wetland developed subsequently as climate warmed. From ca. 8500 to 6400 cal yr BP the pond desiccated in what must have been the driest period of the Holocene there. C/N ratios declined to their lowest Holocene levels, indicating intense decomposition in the sediment. Wetter conditions returned after 6400 cal yr BP, with conversion of the site to a sedge bog as groundwater levels rose. Higher charcoal influx rates after 6400 cal yr BP probably result from greater biomass production rates. Only minor shifts in the overstory species occurred during the Holocene, suggesting that mixed conifer forest dominated throughout the record.

GENERAL VIEW OF NORTH VEHICLE ACCESS PLATFORMS, HB3, FACING NORTH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

GENERAL VIEW OF NORTH VEHICLE ACCESS PLATFORMS, HB-3, FACING NORTH TOWARDS FLOOR - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Vehicle Assembly Building, VAB Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

19. Interior first level view looking north within forward (north) ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. Interior first level view looking north within forward (north) section of firing pier. Objects pictured include torpedo cart (left), floor-mounted roller tray (extending to lower right), and (at center rear), deck-type firing tube. - Naval Torpedo Station, Firing Pier, North end of Gould Island in Narragansett Bay, Newport, Newport County, RI

Experimental warming delays autumn senescence in a boreal spruce bog: Initial results from the SPRUCE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Andrew; Furze, Morgan; Aubrecht, Donald; Milliman, Thomas; Nettles, Robert; Krassovski, Misha; Hanson, Paul

2016-04-01

Phenology is considered one of the most robust indicators of the biological impacts of global change. In temperate and boreal regions, long-term data show that rising temperatures are advancing spring onset (e.g. budburst and flowering) and delaying autumn senescence (e.g. leaf coloration and leaf fall) in a wide range of ecosystems. While warm and cold temperatures, day length and insolation, precipitation and water availability, and other factors, have all been shown to influence plant phenology, the future response of phenology to rising temperatures and elevated CO2 still remains highly uncertain because of the challenges associated with conducting realistic manipulative experiments to simulate future environmental conditions. At the SPRUCE (Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change) experiment in the north-central United States, experimental temperature (0 to +9° C above ambient) and CO2 (ambient and elevated) treatments are being applied to mature, and intact, Picea mariana-Sphagnum spp. bog communities in their native habitat through the use of ten large (approximately 12 m wide, 10 m high) open-topped enclosures. We are tracking vegetation green-up and senescence in these chambers, at both the individual and whole-community level, using repeat digital photography. Within each chamber, digital camera images are recorded every 30 minutes and uploaded to the PhenoCam (http://phenocam.sr.unh.edu) project web page, where they are displayed in near-real-time. Image processing is conducted nightly to extract quantitative measures of canopy color, which we characterize using Gcc, the green chromatic coordinate. Data from a camera mounted outside the chambers (since November 2014) indicate strong seasonal variation in Gcc for both evergreen shrubs and trees. Shrub Gcc rises steeply in May and June, and declines steeply in September and October. By comparison, tree Gcc rises gradually from March through June, and declines gradually from

Climate Controls on Carbon Sequestration in Eastern North America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peteet, D. M.; Renik, B.; Maenza-Gmeich, T.; Kurdyla, D.; Guilderson, T.

2002-01-01

Mid-latitude forest ecosystems have been proposed as a "missing sink" today. The role of soils (including wetlands) in this proposed sink is a very important unknown. In order to make estimates of future climate change effects on carbon storage, we can examine past wetland carbon sequestration. How did past climate change affect net wetland carbon storage? We present long-term data from existing wetland sites used for paleoclimate reconstruction to assess the net carbon storage in wetland over the last 15000 years. During times of colder and wetter climate, many mid-latitude sites show increases in carbon storage, while past warmer, drier climates produced decreases in storage. Comparison among bog, fen, swamp, and tidal marsh are demonstrated for the Hudson Valley region.

International conference on Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies (FM&NT-2013), 21-24 April 2013, Tartu, Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nõmmiste, Ergo; Kirm, Marco; Plank, Toomas

2014-04-01

The annual international conference Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies (FM&NT) was started in 2006 by scientists from the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia. The warm welcome and open atmosphere of this scientific conference has turned it into an event where people from different countries and different fields come and meet under the shared umbrella of functional materials and nanotechnology. It is particularly important for early stage scientists who are looking for new knowledge and contacts with people from various fields to build their own network. Our Latvian colleagues, with their success in internationalization, made us neighbouring Estonians so jealous that we could not help but propose organising the conference every second year in Estonia. In a way, this conference is a continuation of the idea of the famous Baltic seminars which took place over several decades in the last century. Due to political constraints, these seminars were only open to scientists of former Eastern Europe countries, but had a great popularity and attendance from over the whole Soviet Union. Many collaborations started from the initial personal contact between scientists at these twice yearly seminars, held alternately in Latvia and Estonia. At the FM&NT 2012 conference, the decision was made that Institute of Physics, University of Tartu would organise the next event in Tartu in 2013. FM&NT-2013 was hence held in Tartu (Estonia) from 21-24 April 2013 at the Dorpat Conference Centre. The main selected topics of the conference were: (i) multifunctional materials, (ii) nanomaterials, (iii) materials for sustainable energy applications and (vi) theory. Additionally, the focus in this conference was on studies with the help of synchrotron radiation and other novel light sources such as free electron lasers. The conference provided an opportunity for 300 scientists from 21 countries to meet, establish contacts, exchange knowledge and discuss their research

Long-term impacts of peatland restoration on the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of blanket bogs in Northern Scotland.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hambley, Graham; Hill, Timothy; Saunders, Matthew; Arn Teh, Yit

2016-04-01

Unmanaged peatlands represent an important long-term C sink and thus play an important part of the global C cycle. Despite covering only 12 % of the UK land area, peatlands are estimated to store approximately 20 times more carbon than the UK's forests, which cover 13% of the land area. The Flow Country of Northern Scotland is the largest area of contiguous blanket bog in the UK, and one of the biggest in Europe, covering an area in excess of 4000 km2 and plays a key role in mediating regional atmospheric exchanges of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapour (H2O). However, these peatlands underwent significant afforestation in the 1980s, when over 670 km2 of blanket bog were drained and planted with Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). This resulted in modifications to hydrology, micro-topography, vegetation and soil properties all of which are known to influence the production, emission and sequestration of key GHGs. Since the late 1990s restoration work has been carried out to remove forest plantations and raise water tables, by drain blocking, to encourage the recolonisation of Sphagnum species and restore ecosystem functioning. Here, we report findings of NEE and its constituent fluxes, GPP and Reco, from a study investigating the impacts of restoration on C dynamics over a chronosequence of restored peatlands. The research explored the role of environmental variables and microtopography in modulating land-atmosphere exchanges, using a multi-scale sampling approach that incorporated eddy covariance measurements with dynamic flux chambers. Key age classes sampled included an undrained peatland; an older restored peatland (17 years old); and a more recently restored site (12 years old). The oldest restored site showed the strongest uptake of C, with an annual assimilation rate of 858 g C m-2 yr-1 compared to assimilation rates of 501g C m-2 yr-1 and 575g C m-2 yr-1 from the younger restored site and

Relationship Between Ecosystem Productivity and Photosynthetically Active Radiation for Northern Peatlands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frolking, S. E.; Bubier, J. L.; Moore, T. R.; Ball, T.; Bellisario, L. M.; Bhardwaj, A.; Carroll, P.; Crill, P. M.; Lafleur, P. M.; McCaughey, J. H.;

National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams. New Pond Dam (MA 00779), Massachusetts Coastal Basin, Easton, Massachusetts. Phase I Inspection Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

formerly provided irrigation water for the Hammond-Fuller i cranberry bogs. At the present the reservoir continues to service some bogs approximately 2...there are few depressions or irregularities. Vegetation along the edges of the crest consist of short brush, scattered trees up to 22 in. diameter...dam formerly provided irrigation water for cranberry bogs downstream and continues to service some bogs although the owners of the bogs have no

3. AERIAL VIEW TO NORTH OF NORTH PART OF COAST ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. AERIAL VIEW TO NORTH OF NORTH PART OF COAST GUARD AIR STATION SAN FRANCISCO, SHOWING PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS HANGAR IN BACKGROUND. 8X10 black and white silver gelatin print. United States Coast Guard Official Photograph, 12th District, File No. 62751-21 A.S. Date unknown. - U.S. Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco, 1020 North Access Road, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

Recent changes in vegetation, hydrotopography and peat accumulation in detailed case studies of northern aapa mires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahvanainen, Teemu; Kumpula, Timo; Tolonen, Kimmo

2016-04-01

Aapa mires are northern mire complexes with typical patterned central fen areas and relatively thin peat layers. In principle, aapa mires could develop into raised bogs either 1) through autogenic succession, given enough time for peat accumulation or 2) through allogenic mechanism triggered by hydrological change. Climate change models predict that the climatic envelop of aapa mires will move north and, indeed, that hydrology may change sufficiently to cause allogenic change pressure. Potential resilience or pace of ecosystem-scale responses are poorly understood, however, in the case of aapa mires. We studied recent (ca. 60 years) changes in vegetation, hydrotopography and peat accumulation of two aapa mires at their southern limit of distribution in eastern Finland. We used repeated sampling after 60 years combined with peat stratigraphy and time-series of aerial images in a multi-proxy approach. The study site at the Valkeasuo mire was affected by extensive drainage activities in its catchment, while the aapa mire area itself was not drained. This resulted in the loss of minerotrophic hydrology that lead to rapid changes over the whole patterned fen area. Wet minerotrophic sedge fen vegetation was almost totally covered by ombrotrophic Sphagnum mosses within few decades. Even up to 50 cm high hummocks emerged on the patterned fen strings in an abrupt response that could be precisely dated by simultaneous encroachment of pine seedlings and from the aerial images. The recent apparent rate of carbon accumulation of the new Sphagnum peat was ca. 100 g m-2 -a. The other study site in the Ilajansuo aapa mire persists in a more pristine setting without significant disturbance in its catchment area. Here the mineral-water limit was studied across a transition between a bog zone and an aapa mire zone of the mire complex. We were able to exactly locate a 100 x 300-m special study area and repeat e.g. mapping of all trees, of all topographic patterns (hummocks, hollows

Natural chloroform emissions from the blanket peat bogs in the vicinity of Mace Head, Ireland over a 14-year period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmonds, P. G.; Derwent, R. G.; Manning, A. J.; O'Doherty, S.; Spain, G.

2010-03-01

Simultaneous chloroform (CHCl 3) emission and ozone (O 3) deposition are regularly observed under nocturnal inversions during the summer months from and to the peat bogs in the vicinity of the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station, Connemara, Co Galway, Ireland. Emissions were estimated using the nocturnal box model applied to routine atmospheric observations collected over a 14-year period from 1995 to 2008. Strict criteria were applied in the selection of events of low wind speed, under a stable night-time inversion layer in baseline air conditions, with no transport from Europe. The mean peatland CHCl 3 flux was 2.91 μg m -2 h -1 with highly variable fluxes ranging from 0.44 to 12.94 μg m -2 h -1. These fluxes are generally larger than those reported previously for similar biomes and if representative would make a significant contribution to the global estimated source of CHCl 3. Fluxes were not strongly correlated with either atmospheric temperature or the level of precipitation. Over the 14-year period there appears to have been a small increase in overall CHCl 3 emissions, although we stress that the nocturnal box model has a number of limitations and assumptions which should be taken into account.

Carbon cycling responses to a water table drawdown and decadal vegetation changes in a bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talbot, J.; Roulet, N. T.

2009-12-01

The quantity of carbon stored in peat depends on the imbalance between production and decomposition of organic matter. This imbalance is mainly controlled by the wetness of the peatland, usually described by the water table depth. However, long-term processes resulting from hydrological changes, such as vegetation succession, also play a major role in the biogeochemistry of peatlands. Previous studies have looked at the impact of a water table lowering on carbon fluxes in different types of peatlands. However, most of these studies were conducted within a time frame that did not allow the examination of vegetation changes due to the water table lowering. We conducted a study along a drainage gradient resulting from the digging of a drainage ditch 85 years ago in a portion of the Mer Bleue bog, located near Ottawa, Canada. According to water table reconstructions based on testate amoeba, the drainage dropped the water table by approximately 18 cm. On the upslope side of the ditch, the water table partly recovered and the vegetation changed only marginally. However, on the downslope side of the ditch, the water table stayed persistently lower and trees established (Larix and Betula). The importance of Sphagnum decreased with a lower water table, and evergreen shrubs were replaced by deciduous shrubs. The water table drop and subsequent vegetation changes had combined and individual effects on the carbon functioning of the peatland. Methane fluxes decreased because of the water table lowering, but were not affected by vegetation changes, whereas respiration and net ecosystem productivity were affected by both. The carbon storage of the system increased because of an increase in plant biomass, but the long-term carbon storage as peat decreased. The inclusion of the feedback effect that vegetation has on the carbon functioning of a peatland when a disturbance occurs is crucial to simulate the long-term carbon balance of this ecosystem.

Outcomes associated with anxiety and depression among men who have sex with men in Estonia.

PubMed

Parker, R David; Lõhmus, Liilia; Valk, Anti; Mangine, Cara; Rüütel, Kristi

2015-09-01

Evidence supports that gay, lesbian, and transgender populations are at increased risk for mental health problems. The current study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and related factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Estonia. This is the only known study of its type in the Eastern European region. In 2013, an Internet-based survey was conducted among men who have sex with men, collecting data on socio-demographics, sexuality, drug and alcohol use, mental health, suicidality, and internalized homonegativity. 265 MSM completed the questionnaire (median age 31 years, 90% Estonian, 71% from the capital; 73% employed full-time, 42% with at least college education; 44% in a steady relationship; 72% gay, 23% bisexual; 23% reported illegal drug use in the last 12 months). One third met criteria for problem drinking and depressive symptoms with one quarter for anxiety symptoms. Suicidality was 44% reported lifetime suicidal thoughts and 11% with at least one suicide attempt. The study instruments, EST-Q and CAGE, only measure symptoms and are not diagnostic tests. A non-random sample which could possibly include persons with easier internet access. Self-reported data and cross-sectional study design are prone to issues with recall bias and temporality. With demonstrated high rates of anxiety, depression, drinking, and drug use among MSM which is consistent with similar studies in Western countries, further research could help determine effective MSM focused interventions to address the broad spectrum of issues among MSM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

North Central IPM Center

Science.gov Websites

) solutions, based in the North Central region. North Central IPM Center Invasive Plants in Trade Working webpage to learn about the North Central IPM Center's grants program and other IPM-related funding Tribal IPM Urban Ag IPM Partners In IPM Working Groups Critical Issues Projects North Central IPM

Increased transpiration and plant water stress in a black spruce bog exposed to whole ecosystem warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, J.; Ward, E. J.; Wullschleger, S. D.; Hanson, P. J.

2017-12-01

The Spruce and Peatland Responses under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment (http://mnspruce.ornl.gov/) in Northern Minnesota, USA, has exposed 12.8 m diameter plots of an ombrotrophic Picea mariana-Ericaceous shrub bog to whole ecosystem warming (0, +2.25, +4.5, +6.75, +9 °C) since August 2015, and elevated CO2 treatments (ambient or +500 ppm) since June 2016. The mixed-age stand has trees up to 40 year old, and a 5-8 m tall canopy. Thermal dissipation sap flow probes were installed into dominant Picea mariana and Larix laricina trees in each of the 10 open-top chambers in fall 2015. This talk will focus on the first two years of sap flux data from the 10 treatment plots and the relationships with seasonal growth and prevailing environmental conditions. Sap flow was scaled to whole tree and plot level transpiration based on prior in situ calibrations using cut trees, establishment of a sapwood depth: tree diameter relationship, and the tree size distribution within each plot. We also assessed water potential in the trees and two dominant shrubs at the site: Rhododendron groenlandicum and Chamaedaphne calyculata. The warming treatments increased the growing season by up to 6 weeks, with sapflow beginning earlier in spring and lasting later into the fall. The deciduous Larix was the only species exhibiting substantial predawn water stress under the treatments, where water potentials reached -2.5 MPa for the warmest plots. The elevated CO2 reduced midday water stress in the Rhododendron, but not the Chamaedaphne, which could lead to shifts in shrub species composition.

Impact of the North Atlantic circulation on the climate change patterns of North Sea.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayan, Nikesh; Mathis, Mortiz; Klein, Birgit; Klein, Holger; Mikolajewicz, Uwe

2017-04-01

The physical properties of the North Sea are characterized by the exchange of water masses with the North Atlantic at the northern boundary and Baltic Sea to the east. The combined effects of localized forcing, tidal mixing and advection of water masses make the North Sea a challenging study area. Previous investigations indicated a possibility that the variability of the North Atlantic circulation and the strength of the sub-polar gyre (SPG) might influence the physical properties of the North Sea. The assessment of the complex interaction between the North Atlantic and the North Sea in a climate change scenario requires regionally coupled global RCP simulations with enhanced resolution of the North Sea and the North Atlantic. In this study we analyzed result from the regionally coupled ocean-atmosphere-biogeochemistry model system (MPIOM-REMO-HAMOCC) with a hydrodynamic (HD) model. The ocean model has a zoomed grid which provides the highest resolution over the West European Shelf by shifting its poles over Chicago and Central Europe. An index for the intensity of SPG was estimated by averaging the barotropic stream function (ψ) over the North Atlantic. Various threshold values for ψ were tested to define the strength of the SPG. These SPG indices have been correlated with North Sea hydrographic parameters at various levels to identify areas affected by SPG variability. The influence of the Atlantic's eastern boundary current, contributing more saline waters to the North West European shelf area is also investigated.

History and environmental impact of mining activity in Celtic Aeduan territory recorded in a peat bog (Morvan, France).

PubMed

Monna, F; Petit, C; Guillaumet, J P; Jouffroy-Bapicot, I; Blanchot, C; Dominik, J; Losno, R; Richard, H; Lévêque, J; Chateau, C

2004-02-01

The present study aims to document historical mining and smelting activities by means of geochemical and pollen analyses performed in a peat bog core collected around the Bibracte oppidum (Morvan, France), the largest settlement of the great Aeduan Celtic tribe (ca. 180 B.C. to 25 A.D.). The anthropogenic Pb profile indicates local mining operations starting from the Late Bronze Age, ca. cal. 1300 B.C. Lead inputs peaked at the height of Aeduan civilization and then decreased after the Roman conquest of Gaul, when the site was abandoned. Other phases of mining are recognized from the 11th century to modern times. They have all led to modifications in plant cover, probably related in part to forest clearances necessary to supply energy for mining and smelting. Zn, Sb, Cd, and Cu distributions may result from diffusional and biological processes or from the influence of groundwater and underlying mineral soil, precluding their interpretation for historical reconstruction. The abundance of mineral resources, in addition to the strategic location, might explain why early settlers founded the city of Bibracte at that particular place. About 20% of the anthropogenic lead record was accumulated before our era and about 50% before the 18th century, which constitutes a troublesome heritage. Any attempts to develop control strategies in accumulating environments should take into account past human activities in order to not overestimate the impact of contemporary pollution.

A coherent high-precision radiocarbon chronology for the Late-glacial sequence at Sluggan Bog, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowe, J. J.; Walker, M. J. C.; Scott, E. M.; Harkness, D. D.; Bryant, C. L.; Davies, S. M.

2004-02-01

Seventy-five radiocarbon dates are presented from Sluggan Bog in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Holocene peats are underlain by Late-glacial sediments, which also appear to have accumulated largely in a mire environment. The radiocarbon dates, from the Late-glacial and early Holocene part of the profile, were obtained from the humic and humin fractions of the sedimentary matrix, and from plant macrofossils. The last-named were dated by AMS and the sediment samples by radiometric (beta counting) methods. Age-depth models for the three dating series show a very high level of agreement between the two fractions and the macrofossils. No statistically significant difference is found between the beta counting and AMS results. Three tephras were located in the profile, the uppermost of which is in a stratigraphical position suggestive of the Vedde Ash, but the geochemical and radiocarbon evidence do not support this interpretation. The lower ashes are in the correct stratigraphical position for the Laacher See and Borrobol tephras, attributions substantiated by the radiocarbon evidence, but not by the geochemical data. The Sluggan sequence has generated one of the most internally consistent radiocarbon chronologies for any Late-glacial site in the British Isles, and it is suggested that in future more effort should be devoted to the search for, and analysis of, Late-glacial mire sequences, rather than the limnic records that have formed the principal focus of Late-glacial investigations hitherto. Copyright

Andromeda polifolia and Oxycoccus microcarpus as pollution indicators for ombrotrophic bogs in the Western Sudety Mountains (SW Poland).

PubMed

Wojtuń, Bronisław; Samecka-Cymerman, Aleksandra; Kolon, Krzysztof; Klink, Agnieszka; Kempers, Alexander J

2013-01-01

Concentrations of the elements Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, N, Ni, Pb and Zn in Andromeda polifolia, Oxycoccus microcarpus and in the peat in which these plants grew were measured in the Western Sudety (Karkonosze and Izerskie Mts., SW Poland). Of both the investigated plant fruit, O. microcarpus harvested from wild populations are commonly used as medicines. Samples from ombrotrophic bogs were investigated within the area influenced by exhausts of the former Black Triangle, one of the most heavily industrialized and polluted areas in Europe. A. polifolia and O. microcarpus growing at the highest elevations contained the highest Cu, Li, Ni, Mn and Zn concentrations and in addition O. microcarpus also contained the highest Cr concentrations. Both the investigated species have wide circumpolar distribution in ombrotrophic mires of the Northern hemisphere. As this type of mires is nourished solely by atmospheric deposition, the increased metal concentrations in A. polifolia and O. microcarpus may be an indication that their habitats receive an atmospheric input of long-range transported pollution. Our investigation proves that both species are able to accumulate elevated metal levels and may be used in the bioindication of the metal status in ombrotrophic mires. Controlling the collection of O. microcarpus fruit for consumption and medicinal purposes is recommended as this species can accumulate increased metal levels. However, further more detailed studies are necessary to verify the inner translocation of metals into fruit.

Peatlands and green frogs: A relationship regulated by acidity?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mazerolle, M.J.

2005-01-01

The effects of site acidification on amphibian populations have been thoroughly addressed in the last decades. However, amphibians in naturally acidic environments, such as peatlands facing pressure from the peat mining industry, have received little attention. Through two field studies and an experiment, I assessed the use of bog habitats by the green frog (Rana clamitans melanota), a species sensitive to various forestry and peat mining disturbances. First, I compared the occurrence and breeding patterns of frogs in bog and upland ponds. I then evaluated frog movements between forest and bog habitats to determine whether they corresponded to breeding or postbreeding movements. Finally, I investigated, through a field experiment, the value of bogs as rehydrating areas for amphibians by offering living Sphagnum moss and two media associated with uplands (i.e., water with pH ca 6.5 and water-saturated soil) to acutely dehydrated frogs. Green frog reproduction at bog ponds was a rare event, and no net movements occurred between forest and bog habitats. However, acutely dehydrated frogs did not avoid Sphagnum. Results show that although green frogs rarely breed in bogs and do not move en masse between forest and bog habitats, they do not avoid bog substrates for rehydrating, despite their acidity. Thus, bogs offer viable summering habitat to amphibians, which highlights the value of these threatened environments in terrestrial amphibian ecology.

Thirdfloor view looking north from the north wing along what ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Third-floor view looking north from the north wing along what had been the main corridor, after demolition and stabilization. - U. S. Naval Asylum, Biddle Hall, Gray's Ferry Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

A New Appraisal of Northern Peatlands and Global Atmospheric Methane Over the Holocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, G. M.; Holmquist, J. R.; Kremenetski, K.; Loisel, J.

2015-12-01

Use of large databases of peat cores to examine linkages between northern peatlands and atmospheric CH4 over the Holocene has been prone to uncertainties regarding 1. comparability of radiocarbon techniques and material dated, 2. appropriate summed probability distributions, 3. spatial representativeness of the sites, particularly in capturing sites south of the subarctic, 4. potential impacts of local lateral peatland expansion versus continental-scale peatland initiation, particularly in the late Holocene, and 5. impacts of changes in the proportion of high methane-producing fens vs Sphagnum bogs. We present a comparison of radiocarbon measurements from conventional counts, atomic mass spectrometry and differing peat materials to demonstrate a general compatibility of the various types of dates. We compare and apply several summed probability distribution methods to minimize any statistical bias in our analysis. We then present our analysis of a new data set of 7571 peatland cores from 4420 sites that extend into the temperate zone. Of these, 3732 cores inform on lateral expansion and 329 dates constrain the timing of fen-bog transition. Based on these data in original and gridded form we show that widespread peat initiation commenced at 16 kcal yr BP and reached a maximum rate at 11-8 kcal yr BP. Most sites began as fens, and peak transition to bogs occurred between 5 and 3 kcal yr BP, with a 1000 year lag between Eurasia and North America. There is no global late Holocene increase in lateral expansion. Based on modeled northern peatland area and ratio of fen/bog sites, CH4 production from northern peatlands increased rapidly from 11 to 9 cal yr BP, followed by slower increase until reaching a maximum at 5 kcal yr BP at 25 Tg per yr. From 4 kcal yr BP to Present, bogs become a dominant feature in the northern peatland landscape and CH4 production decreased to reach modern-day levels at about 20 Tg per yr. Northern peatlands have been a key infleunce on global

INTERIOR VIEW, NORTH QUARRY, LOOKING NORTH TOWARDS THE SITE OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

INTERIOR VIEW, NORTH QUARRY, LOOKING NORTH TOWARDS THE SITE OF THE HISTORIC THOMAS FURNACES WITH ACTIVE DOLOMITE EXTRACTION ONGOING IN THE FOREGROUND. FURNACE FOUNDATION RUINS ARE PICTURED ON THE TOP LEDGE (CENTER LEFT) OF THE QUARRY. ALSO PICTURED IS THE HISTORIC THOMAS COKEWORKERS WITH (LEFT TO RIGHT) THE POWER PLANT, BOILER HOUSE, AND COKEWORKS. JUST SOUTH OF THE COKEWORKS, IS AN ACTIVE DOLOMITE CRUSHING, SIZING, AND SCREENING PLANT - Wade Sand & Gravel Company, North Quarry, State Highway 78, Thomas, Jefferson County, AL

INTERIOR VIEW, NORTH QUARRY, LOOKING NORTH TOWARDS THE SITE OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

INTERIOR VIEW, NORTH QUARRY, LOOKING NORTH TOWARDS THE SITE OF THE HISTORIC THOMAS FURNACES WITH ACTIVE DOLOMITE EXTRACTION ONGOING IN THE FOREGROUND. FURNACE FOUNDATION RUINS ARE PICTURED ON THE TOP LEDGE (CENTER LEFT) OF THE QUARRY. ALSO PICTURED IS THE HISTORIC THOMAS COKEWORKS WITH (LEFT TO RIGHT) THE POWER PLANT, BOILER HOUSE, AND COKEWORKS. JUST SOUTH OF THE COKEWORKS IS AN ACTIVE DOLOMITE CRUSHING, SIZING, AND SCREENING PLANT. - Wade Sand & Gravel Company, North Quarry, State Highway 78, Thomas, Jefferson County, AL

3. View of north tower, facing north across the main ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. View of north tower, facing north across the main channel of the Columbus River from Clover Island. - Pasco-Kennewick Transmission Line, Columbia River Crossing Towers, Columbia Drive & Gum Street, Kennewick, Benton County, WA

Detail of north wing with rollup door on north elevation; ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Detail of north wing with roll-up door on north elevation; camera facing south. - Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Defense Electronics Equipment Operating Center, I Street, terminus west of Cedar Avenue, Vallejo, Solano County, CA

Life sciences building, north rear, also showing north hall to ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Life sciences building, north rear, also showing north hall to the right, and the library in the center distance. - San Bernardino Valley College, 701 South Mount Vernon Avenue, San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA

A 5 Year Study of Carbon Fluxes from a Restored English Blanket Bog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worrall, F.; Dixon, S.; Evans, M.

2014-12-01

, climatically marginal blanket bog. However, had water table restoration been conducted alongside revegetation then a significant decline in DOC concentrations could have also been realised.

31 CFR 500.554 - Gifts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian, or South Vietnamese origin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam. (b) Specific licenses are issued for the importation directly from North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam: (1) Of goods which are claimed by... acquired in North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam as a bona fide gift, subject to the...

View north at north end of drydock no. 2 with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View north at north end of drydock no. 2 with the foundry/propeller shop (Haer no. Pa-387-O), in background. - Naval Base Philadelphia-Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 2, League Island, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Coherent changes of wintertime surface air temperatures over North Asia and North America.

PubMed

Yu, Bin; Lin, Hai

2018-03-29

The surface temperature variance and its potential change with global warming are most prominent in winter over Northern Hemisphere mid-high latitudes. Consistent wintertime surface temperature variability has been observed over large areas in Eurasia and North America on a broad range of time scales. However, it remains a challenge to quantify where and how the coherent change of temperature anomalies occur over the two continents. Here we demonstrate the coherent change of wintertime surface temperature anomalies over North Asia and the central-eastern parts of North America for the period from 1951 to 2015. This is supported by the results from the empirical orthogonal function analysis of surface temperature and temperature trend anomalies over the Northern Hemisphere extratropical lands and the timeseries analysis of the regional averaged temperature anomalies over North Asia and the Great Plains and Great Lakes. The Asian-Bering-North American (ABNA) teleconnection provides a pathway to connect the regional temperature anomalies over the two continents. The ABNA is also responsible for the decadal variation of the temperature relationship between North Asia and North America.

4. VIEW NORTH, YARD NORTH OF ENGINE HOUSE, SHOWING WATER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. VIEW NORTH, YARD NORTH OF ENGINE HOUSE, SHOWING WATER TANK AND SHOP Photocopy of photograph, 1941 (Courtesy of Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum; L. W. Rice, photographer) - Chesapeake Beach Railroad Engine House, 21 Yost Place, Seat Pleasant, Prince George's County, MD

Eutrophication History of Small Shallow Lakes in Estonia: Evidence from Multiproxy Analysis of Lake Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koff, T.; Marzecova, A.; Vandel, E.; Mikomägi, A.; Avi, E.

2015-12-01

Human activities have impacted aquatic systems through the release of contaminants and the regulation of surface and groundwater. Although environmental monitoring has been essential in detecting eutrophication, biodiversity loss or water quality deterioration, monitoring activities are limited in time and are thus not sufficient in their scope to identify causality and thresholds. Paleolimnological studies increasingly show that the response of lakes to climatic and human influences is complex, multidimensional, and often indirectly mediated through watershed processes. In this study we examine the history of eutrophication processes in small lakes in Estonia using the multi-proxy analysis of sediment. Study sites represent lakes with different anthropogenic stressors: urbanisation and recreational use, run-off from an oil shale mine, and fish-kills and liming measures. We have used diverse analytical methods, such as elemental analysis, stable isotopes, fossil pigments, diatoms and Cladocera remains. The information derived from sedimentary indicators broadly agrees with the historical evidence of eutrophication and pollution. Moreover, the sediment records are indispensable for identifying additional issues such as: 1) earlier onset of cultural eutrophication; 2) the significant impact of catchment erosion on the deterioration of lake quality, particularly cyanobacterial blooms; and 3) changes in sedimentation processes with significance for internal biogeochemical cycling of nutrients. Importantly, the integration of several methods has significantly improved interpretation of sedimentary data and elucidated the different strengths of various indicator types. The project findings prove to be highly relevant for both the prediction of the ecological responses of lakes to different anthropogenic impacts and the establishment of reasonable reference target conditions in restoration schemes, as well as for methodological improvements of the sediment analysis.

Mining for Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase and Polyketide Synthase Genes Revealed a High Level of Diversity in the Sphagnum Bog Metagenome

PubMed Central

Müller, Christina A.; Oberauner-Wappis, Lisa; Peyman, Armin; Amos, Gregory C. A.; Wellington, Elizabeth M. H.

2015-01-01

Sphagnum bog ecosystems are among the oldest vegetation forms harboring a specific microbial community and are known to produce an exceptionally wide variety of bioactive substances. Although the Sphagnum metagenome shows a rich secondary metabolism, the genes have not yet been explored. To analyze nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs), the diversity of NRPS and PKS genes in Sphagnum-associated metagenomes was investigated by in silico data mining and sequence-based screening (PCR amplification of 9,500 fosmid clones). The in silico Illumina-based metagenomic approach resulted in the identification of 279 NRPSs and 346 PKSs, as well as 40 PKS-NRPS hybrid gene sequences. The occurrence of NRPS sequences was strongly dominated by the members of the Protebacteria phylum, especially by species of the Burkholderia genus, while PKS sequences were mainly affiliated with Actinobacteria. Thirteen novel NRPS-related sequences were identified by PCR amplification screening, displaying amino acid identities of 48% to 91% to annotated sequences of members of the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Some of the identified metagenomic clones showed the closest similarity to peptide synthases from Burkholderia or Lysobacter, which are emerging bacterial sources of as-yet-undescribed bioactive metabolites. This report highlights the role of the extreme natural ecosystems as a promising source for detection of secondary compounds and enzymes, serving as a source for biotechnological applications. PMID:26002894

Modeling CH 4 and CO 2 cycling using porewater stable isotopes in a thermokarst bog in Interior Alaska: results from three conceptual reaction networks

DOE PAGES

Neumann, Rebecca B.; Blazewicz, Steven J.; Conaway, Christopher H.; ...

2015-12-16

Quantifying rates of microbial carbon transformation in peatlands is essential for gaining mechanistic understanding of the factors that influence methane emissions from these systems, and for predicting how emissions will respond to climate change and other disturbances. In this study, we used porewater stable isotopes collected from both the edge and center of a thermokarst bog in Interior Alaska to estimate in situ microbial reaction rates. We expected that near the edge of the thaw feature, actively thawing permafrost and greater abundance of sedges would increase carbon, oxygen and nutrient availability, enabling faster microbial rates relative to the center ofmore » the thaw feature. We developed three different conceptual reaction networks that explained the temporal change in porewater CO2, CH4, δ13C-CO2 and δ13C-CH4. All three reaction-network models included methane production, methane oxidation and CO2 production, and two of the models included homoacetogenesis — a reaction not previously included in isotope-based porewater models. All three models fit the data equally well, but rates resulting from the models differed. Most notably, inclusion of homoacetogenesis altered the modeled pathways of methane production when the reaction was directly coupled to methanogenesis, and it decreased gross methane production rates by up to a factor of five when it remained decoupled from methanogenesis. The ability of all three conceptual reaction networks to successfully match the measured data indicate that this technique for estimating in-situ reaction rates requires other data and information from the site to confirm the considered set of microbial reactions. Despite these differences, all models indicated that, as expected, rates were greater at the edge than in the center of the thaw bog, that rates at the edge increased more during the growing season than did rates in the center, and that the ratio of acetoclastic to hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was

31 CFR 500.559 - Accounts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian or South Vietnamese sole proprietorships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam if the proprietor has emigrated from those countries... licenses do not unblock any indebtedness of the proprietorship due to persons in North Korea, North Viet... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Accounts of North Korean, North...

The use of Sphagnum cellulose oxygen isotope ratios in ombrotrophic peatlands as a proxy for paleoclimate.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, M.; Pendall, E.; Jackson, S.; Booth, R. K.; Nichols, J. E.; Huang, Y.

2006-12-01

Developing proxies for discerning paleoclimate that are independent of the pollen record can provide insight into various aspects of climate variability and improve confidence in the interpretation of climate-vegetation interactions. To date, proxies including plant macrofossils, humification indices, testate amoebae, and ratios of n-alkane abundances have been used to infer past climate variability from temperate ombrotrophic peatlands in upper Midwestern North America. These proxies are used to infer past changes in surface-moisture conditions, which in ombrotrophic peatlands is primarily a function of precipitation and temperature. This study investigates the potential uses of stable oxygen isotopes to complement hydrologic proxies. δ18O of surface water and Sphagnum moss cellulose from bogs throughout North America indicates a correlation between average growing season temperatures and δ18O-values. The existence of a modern temperature signal in moss cellulose suggests that δ18O-derived records will not only complement paleohydrological records, but also help assess relative changes in precipitation and temperature. Humification and testate amoebae data from two cores taken from Minden and Irwin Smith Bogs in central and northeastern Michigan have recorded several extreme drought events during the Holocene, including one at 1000 YBP. Comparison of δ18O-values of picked Sphagnum remains to down-core humification and testate amoebae data suggest good temporal correspondence, with the δ18O-values around 1000 YBP indicating a warmer growing season.

Export of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from drained and re-wetted bog sites in Lower Saxony (Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, Stefan; Tiemeyer, Bärbel; Freibauer, Annette

2014-05-01

Today, nearly all peatlands in Germany are drained for agriculture, forestry and peat cutting. The export of dissolved organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) may be important for the overall C and N balances and affects downstream ecosystems. While drainage generally increases solute losses, there is nearly no C and N export data of raised bogs in Germany which can be used to evaluate both the impact of drainage associated with intensive land use and the re-wetting of peat cutting sites. In the "Ahlenmoor" (North-Western Germany), four sampling points were chosen. Three sampling points represent a deeply drained intensively used grassland at various scales ranging from a drainage pipe (DP, 0.08 ha) and a drainage ditch (DD, 6.8 ha) to a collector ditch (CD, 20 ha). The fourth sampling point (RW) is a former peat cutting site (23 ha) re-wetted 10 years ago. At this site, polder technique was used to establish water tables at the soil surface. Sampling and discharge measurements were conducted bi-weekly from June 2011 to June 2013. Water table levels were recorded with automatic pressure sensors, and rating curves between discharge and water levels were used to calculate continuous discharge values. Samples were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-), sulphate (SO42-), pH, electric conductivity (EC) and specific UV absorbance (SUVA). The discharge did not vary strongly between the sampling points and was slightly lower in the second year. Concentrations of all measured solutes were higher at the intensive grassland (DP, DD and CD) than at the re-wetted site. Surprisingly, SUVA showed no difference between all sites, while the DOC to DON ratio was narrower at DP, DD and CD than at RW. This indicates an export of more degraded dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the drained area. At the grassland sites, no statistical differences were found between the three scales

North Korea Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2015-01-01

North Korea was once the industrial heartland of the Korean peninsula. Following the dissolution of the former Soviet Union in 1992, North Korea lost its major trading partner. North Korea's economy was unable to adapt, and its economy soon deteriorated. Without subsidized oil from the Soviet Union and China, North Korea was unable to meet its energy demand.

Quantifying the Microbial Utilization of Methanogenesis and Methane Loss from Northern Wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbett, J. E.; Tfaily, M.; Burdige, D.; Glaser, P. H.; Chanton, J.

2014-12-01

The importance of methanogenesis and percent of methane loss from the subsurface porewater in various northern wetland sites was quantified with isotope-mass balance equations. With equimolar amounts of CO2 and CH4 produced from methanogenesis, the amount of dissolved CO2 produced from methanogenesis as compared to other decomposition processes can be calculated and is equivalent to the amount of CH4 before loss due to ebullition, plant-mediated transport, and diffusion. This method was applied to porewater samples collected from various locations within permafrost collapse-scar bogs and northern peatlands. From the peatland sites, bogs produced less CO2-meth than fens (2.9 ± 1.3 mM and 3.7 ± 1.4 mM, respectively). Methanogenesis was a more utilized decomposition process in the bogs than the fens. However, greater amounts of CO2-meth found in fen sites was most likely due to the presence of more labile organic substrates resulting in greater overall production. More CH4 was lost in fens (89 ± 2.8%) than bogs (82 ± 5.3%) from plant-mediated transport as fens are dominated by vascular plants (Carex) while bogs are dominated by Sphagnum mosses. In permafrost sites, mid-bogs produced twice the amount of CO2-meth as bog moats (1.6 ± 0.63 mM and 0.82 ± 0.20 mM, respectively). Less methanogenesis was found in bog moats as recently thawed organic matter is exposed to initial decomposition processes and methane production grows over time. A similar amount of CH4 was lost from bog moats as mid bogs (63 ± 7.0% and 64 ± 9.3%, respectively) likely due to the greater density of vascular plants found within a bog moat.

Bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) extract reduces cultured Hep-G2, Caco-2, and 3T3-L1 cell viability, affects cell cycle progression, and has variable effects on membrane permeability.

PubMed

Liu, Jia; Zhang, Wei; Jing, Hao; Popovich, David G

2010-04-01

Bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) is a blue-pigmented edible berry related to bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and the common blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a bog bilberry anthocyanin extract (BBAE) on cell growth, membrane permeability, and cell cycle of 2 malignant cancer cell lines, Caco-2 and Hep-G2, and a nonmalignant murine 3T3-L1 cell line. BBAE contained 3 identified anthocyanins. The most abundant anthocyanin was cyanidin-3-glucoside (140.9 +/- 2.6 microg/mg of dry weight), followed by malvidin-3-glucoside (10.3 +/- 0.3 microg/mg) and malvidin-3-galactoside (8.1 +/- 0.4 microg/mg). Hep-G2 LC50 was calculated to be 0.563 +/- 0.04 mg/mL, Caco-2 LC50 was 0.390 +/- 0.30 mg/mL and 0.214 +/- 0.02 mg/mL for 3T3-L1 cells. LDH release, a marker of membrane permeability, was significantly increased in Hep-G2 cells and Caco-2 cells after 48 and 72 h compared to 24 h. The increase was 21% at 48 h and 57% at 72 h in Caco-2 cells and 66% and 139% in Hep-G2 cells compared to 24 h. However, 3T3-L1 cells showed an unexpected significant lower LDH activity (P < or = 0.05) after 72 h of exposure corresponding to a 21% reduction in LDH release. BBAE treatment increased sub-G1 in all 3 cell lines without influencing cells in the G2/M phase. BBAE treatment reduced the growth and increased the accumulation of sub-G1 cells in 2 malignant and 1 nonmalignant cell line; however, the effect on membrane permeability differs considerably between the malignant and nonmalignant cells and may in part be due to differences in cellular membrane composition.

Temporal distribution of Smittium culisetae in a wild population of Wyeomyia smithii from pitcher plants.

PubMed

Reeves, W K

2004-01-01

The fungus Smittium culisetae is a trichomycete that develops in the hindguts of larval aquatic Diptera. This is the first report of S. culisetae from the pitcher plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii. Larvae of the mosquito were collected from the purple pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, from a bog in Jackson County, North Carolina. The lowest proportions of colonized larvae occurred in December, January and July. The greatest proportions of colonized larvae occurred in October and March. The distribution of colonized larvae among pitchers did not differ significantly from a random distribution.

37. NORTH TO BINS ALONG NORTH WALL OF FACTORY BUILDING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

37. NORTH TO BINS ALONG NORTH WALL OF FACTORY BUILDING WHICH REMAIN FILLED WITH NEW OLD STOCK AND USED PARTS FOR ELI WINDMILLS. THE ROPE AT THE LOWER FOREGROUND WAS USED IN ERECTING WINDMILLS AND TOWERS FOR CUSTOMERS. - Kregel Windmill Company Factory, 1416 Central Avenue, Nebraska City, Otoe County, NE

31 CFR 500.560 - Bank accounts of official representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam. 500.560... governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North...

Rhodoblastus sphagnicola sp. nov., a novel acidophilic purple non-sulfur bacterium from Sphagnum peat bog.

PubMed

Kulichevskaya, Irina S; Guzev, Vladimir S; Gorlenko, Vladimir M; Liesack, Werner; Dedysh, Svetlana N

2006-06-01

An isolate of purple non-sulfur bacteria was obtained from an acidic Sphagnum peat bog and designated strain RS(T). The colour of cell suspensions of this bacterium growing in the light under anaerobic conditions is purplish red. Cells of strain RS(T) are rod-shaped, 0.8-1.0 microm wide and 2.0-6.0 microm long, motile by means of polar flagella, reproduce by budding and have a tendency to form rosette-like clusters in older cultures. The cells contain lamellar intracytoplasmic membranes underlying, and parallel to, the cytoplasmic membrane. The photosynthetic pigments are bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids; the absorption spectrum of living cells shows maxima at 377, 463, 492, 527, 592, 806 and 867 nm. The cells grow photoheterotrophically under anaerobic or microaerobic conditions with various organic carbon sources or grow photolithoautotrophically with H(2) and CO(2). Strain RS(T) is a moderately acidophilic organism exhibiting growth at pH values between 4.8 and 7.0 (with an optimum at pH 5.2-5.5). The major fatty acids are 16 : 1omega7c and 18 : 1omega7c; the major quinones are Q-10 and Q-9. The DNA G + C content of strain RS(T) is 62.6 mol%. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the novel isolate is most closely related (97.3 % sequence similarity) to the type strain ATCC 25092(T) of the moderately acidophilic purple non-sulfur bacterium Rhodoblastus acidophilus, formerly named Rhodopseudomonas acidophila. However, in contrast to Rbl. acidophilus, strain RS(T) is not capable of aerobic growth in the dark, has no spirilloxanthin among the carotenoids and differs in the pattern of substrate utilization. The value for DNA-DNA hybridization between strain RS(T) and Rbl. acidophilus ATCC 25092(T) is only 22 %. Thus, strain RS(T) represents a novel species of the genus Rhodoblastus, for which the name Rhodoblastus sphagnicola sp. nov. is proposed. Strain RS(T) (=DSM 16996(T) = VKM B-2361(T)) is the type strain.

Holocene climate dynamics in the Eastern Italian Alps: a multi-proxy study from ice and peat bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poto, Luisa; Gabrieli, Jacopo; Segnana, Michela; Festi, Daniela; Oeggl, Klaus; Barbante, Carlo

2014-05-01

The Eastern Italian Alps are located near one of the areas in the world with some of the longest records of extreme environmental use by human activity. In this area, paleo-climate studies are hampered by the lack of high-resolution multi-proxy records with adequate chronological control. With this project, we propose to reconstruct Holocene climatic and environmental variations in the Eastern Italian Alps using terrestrial and glaciological archives. We aim to study the characteristics of different climate stages in this sector of the Alps using an ice core drilled on the top of the Ortles glacier (46°30' N, 10°32 E, 3850 m a.s.l.) and ombrotrophic peat bog records from the Dolomites (Danta di Cadore, 46°34' N, 12°33 E, 1400 m a.s.l. and Coltrondo 46°39'28.37''N 12°26'59.17''E, 1800 m a.s.l., Belluno province). The study of global climatic change require a holistic and multi-proxy approach to better understand several complex and often non-linear relationships. In the Italian Alps our study on peat cores represents the first attempt where a multi-proxy approach is applied, and here we report our first results. A 7.0 m peat sequence was extracted in Danta di Cadore. The depth-age scale, based upon independent 14C and 210Pb dates and modeled with the Clam method (Blaauw, 2010), demonstrates that the archive covers more than 13,200 years (cal BP). We determined physical proprieties, Ca and Ti trends, pore water pH, conductivity, and Ca/Mg ratios to identify changes in trophic conditions. The results confirm that the uppermost 400 cm are composed of ombrotrophic peat representing the longest Eastern Alpine ombrotrophic record yet obtained, covering the last 7,000 years. The oldest radiocarbon age (13,200 years cal BP) provides evidence that, during the Bölling-Alleröd interstadial, the upper part of the Piave Glacier was ice-free up to 1400 m a.s.l.. At that time pollen assemblages show that a conifer forest characterized the local vegetation. This forest was

North American transportation corridor network

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-07-01

Trade flows across the three North American countries have increased substantially since the : implementation of the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but there is no movement toward : developing a true North American Transportation Corridor Ne...