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Emelyanova A, Blix BH, Larsson A, Olafsdottir SA, Rautio A. Age-inclusive Arctic outdoor spaces: a policy review in four Nordic countries. Int J Circumpolar Health 2024; 83:2339561. [PMID: 38615335 PMCID: PMC11017993 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2024.2339561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, policy strategies were adopted in response to population ageing in the Nordic countries. Governmental actions have to be evaluated in terms of their efficacy. The objective of this article is to identify and review the policies related to age-inclusive outdoor spaces in the Arctic regions of Nordic countries. Our analysis focuses on central government white papers that address the older adults in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. A review of such policy documents provides insights into the predominant understandings of older adults and healthy ageing. Moreover, such analysis may identify "blind spots" in the national policies, especially regarding the sparsely researched northernmost and rural Arctic territories. Our results demonstrate how the older populations in the Nordic Arctic and their access to outdoor spaces are addressed in the policy documents. We found that with few exceptions, the older people of the rural Arctic is strikingly absent in the Nordic national governmental papers. Moreover, access to outdoor spaces is mentioned in general terms, and specific challenges of the rural Arctic context, such as the harsh climate, long winters and geographical distances are not addressed. The noticed omissions might be the result of "urban-rural", "south-north", "indoor-outdoor", and "generalisation" biases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Emelyanova
- Thule Institute, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Bodil H. Blix
- Department of health and care sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Faculty of education, arts and sports, Western Norway University of Applied Science, Bergen, Norway
| | - Agneta Larsson
- Division of Health, Medicine and Rehabilitation, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Steinunn A. Olafsdottir
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Arja Rautio
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Kennedy J, Gunnarsson Á, Pampoulie C, Wienerroither R. Nesting behavior of greater eelpout (Lycodes esmarkii), identified through a predation event by spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor). J Fish Biol 2024; 104:1247-1250. [PMID: 38193598 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The stomach of a spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) caught in Icelandic waters was found to contain ~727 greater eelpout larvae (Lycodes esmarkii). All the larvae were of similar size and at a similar state of digestion, indicating they were all consumed together. The likely explanation for this observation is that greater eelpout lay their eggs in a nest, with the larvae remaining in the nest for a short period after hatching. The larvae were then predated upon by the spotted wolffish while still in the nest. This study sheds new light on greater eelpout in Icelandic waters, with recently hatched larvae being present in March, breeding at a depth of ~200-250 m, and likely exhibiting nesting behavior, which has not previously been documented.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Kennedy
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Ísafjörður, Iceland
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Greenblatt SH, Bjarnason T, Thoroddsdottir T, Guðmundsson K, Hagan MJ, Telfeian AE. How a Scoville aneurysm clip fought in the Cold War and helped to establish neurosurgery in Iceland. J Neurosurg 2024; 140:463-468. [PMID: 37548578 DOI: 10.3171/2023.5.jns23214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
It can be said that the specialty of neurosurgery in Iceland had its beginnings on November 30, 1971, with the arrival of a huge American C-130 Hercules aircraft. It was carrying a small package containing Scoville aneurysm clips. They were sent to the late Bjarni Hannesson (1938-2013), who had received his neurosurgical training in 1967-1971 at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (then known as Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital and located in Hanover, New Hampshire). He used one to clip the right posterior communicating artery aneurysm of a 34-year-old fisherman, who recovered well. The apparent reason for the use of such a huge aircraft for such a small payload is to be found in the sociocultural politics of the Cold War. It involved the continued presence of the American base at Keflavík, where the C-130 landed. The base was under pressure to be closed by Iceland's left-leaning, nominally communist government. The C-130's arrival generated welcome publicity for the continued operation of the American base, which is still there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel H Greenblatt
- 1Department of Neurosurgery, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | | | | | - Matthew J Hagan
- 1Department of Neurosurgery, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Albert E Telfeian
- 1Department of Neurosurgery, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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Xuereb N, Ólafsdóttir K, Samarra F, Svavarsson J, Magnúsdóttir EE. POPs in long-finned pilot whales mass stranded in Iceland as a proxy for their physiological condition. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 197:115758. [PMID: 37979533 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) are the most frequently stranded cetaceans in the world; however, the predominant drivers of these events are poorly understood. In this study the levels of persistent organic pollutants from pilot whales stranded in North-east Iceland were quantified and compared to historical data and physical parameters to investigate whether contaminant load may have influenced the physiological state of stranded individuals, how these loads fluctuate with sex and age group, and if this is consistent with the literature. Historical comparison was also carried out to discern how pollutant contamination has changed throughout the past few decades. DDE, transnonachlor and PCB-153 were the top three pollutants respectively. The accumulation of POPs was greater on average in immature individuals than adults, whilst among adults, males had higher concentration than females. Moreover, despite an indication of decreasing POP loads throughout the years, knowledge of harmful thresholds remains exceedingly limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholai Xuereb
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Kristín Ólafsdóttir
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Iceland, Hofsvallagata 53, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Filipa Samarra
- University of Iceland's Institute of Research Centers, Ægisgata 2, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
| | - Jörundur Svavarsson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Edda Elísabet Magnúsdóttir
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland; Faculty of Subject Teacher Education, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
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Jónsson JE, Rickowski FS, Ruland F, Ásgeirsson Á, Jeschke JM. Long-term data reveal contrasting impacts of native versus invasive nest predators in Iceland. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:2066-2076. [PMID: 37818595 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Bird species on islands are strongly impacted by biological invasions, with the Icelandic common eider (Somateria mollissima borealis) being particularly threatened. Down collection by local families in Breiðafjörður, West Iceland, provided long-term datasets of nests from two archipelagos, covering 95 islands over 123 years and 39 islands over 27 years, respectively. Using these exceptional datasets, we found that the arrival of the invasive semi-aquatic American mink (Neogale vison) was a more impactful driver of population dynamics than climate. This invasive predator heavily reduced eider nest numbers by ca. 60% in the Brokey archipelago. In contrast, we detected an apparently adaptive response to the return of the native fox in the Purkey archipelago, with dense nests on islands inaccessible to the fox and no apparent impact on eider populations. This difference might be due to the eiders lacking a joint evolutionary history with the mink and therefore lacking appropriate antipredator responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jón Einar Jónsson
- University of Iceland's Research Center at Snaefellsnes, Stykkishólmur, Iceland
| | - Fiona S Rickowski
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Ruland
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Árni Ásgeirsson
- University of Iceland's Research Center at Snaefellsnes, Stykkishólmur, Iceland
| | - Jonathan M Jeschke
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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Harning DJ, Sacco S, Anamthawat-Jónsson K, Ardenghi N, Thordarson T, Raberg JH, Sepúlveda J, Geirsdóttir Á, Shapiro B, Miller GH. Delayed postglacial colonization of Betula in Iceland and the circum North Atlantic. eLife 2023; 12:RP87749. [PMID: 37955570 PMCID: PMC10642962 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
As the Arctic continues to warm, woody shrubs are expected to expand northward. This process, known as 'shrubification,' has important implications for regional biodiversity, food web structure, and high-latitude temperature amplification. While the future rate of shrubification remains poorly constrained, past records of plant immigration to newly deglaciated landscapes in the Arctic may serve as useful analogs. We provide one new postglacial Holocene sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) record of vascular plants from Iceland and place a second Iceland postglacial sedaDNA record on an improved geochronology; both show Salicaceae present shortly after deglaciation, whereas Betulaceae first appears more than 1000 y later. We find a similar pattern of delayed Betulaceae colonization in eight previously published postglacial sedaDNA records from across the glaciated circum North Atlantic. In nearly all cases, we find that Salicaceae colonizes earlier than Betulaceae and that Betulaceae colonization is increasingly delayed for locations farther from glacial-age woody plant refugia. These trends in Salicaceae and Betulaceae colonization are consistent with the plant families' environmental tolerances, species diversity, reproductive strategies, seed sizes, and soil preferences. As these reconstructions capture the efficiency of postglacial vascular plant migration during a past period of high-latitude warming, a similarly slow response of some woody shrubs to current warming in glaciated regions, and possibly non-glaciated tundra, may delay Arctic shrubification and future changes in the structure of tundra ecosystems and temperature amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Harning
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderUnited States
| | - Samuel Sacco
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa CruzSanta CruzUnited States
| | | | - Nicolò Ardenghi
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderUnited States
| | - Thor Thordarson
- Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of IcelandReykjavikIceland
| | - Jonathan H Raberg
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderUnited States
| | - Julio Sepúlveda
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderUnited States
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderUnited States
| | | | - Beth Shapiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa CruzSanta CruzUnited States
| | - Gifford H Miller
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderUnited States
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderUnited States
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Ortiz-Rivero J, Garrido-Benavent I, Heiðmarsson S, de los Ríos A. Moss and Liverwort Covers Structure Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities Differently in the Icelandic Highlands. Microb Ecol 2023; 86:1893-1908. [PMID: 36802019 PMCID: PMC10497656 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02194-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cryptogamic covers extend over vast polar tundra regions and their main components, e.g., bryophytes and lichens, are frequently the first visible colonizers of deglaciated areas. To understand their role in polar soil development, we analyzed how cryptogamic covers dominated by different bryophyte lineages (mosses and liverworts) influence the diversity and composition of edaphic bacterial and fungal communities as well as the abiotic attributes of underlying soils in the southern part of the Highlands of Iceland. For comparison, the same traits were examined in soils devoid of bryophyte covers. We measured an increase in soil C, N, and organic matter contents coupled with a lower pH in association with bryophyte cover establishment. However, liverwort covers showed noticeably higher C and N contents than moss covers. Significant changes in diversity and composition of bacterial and fungal communities were revealed between (a) bare and bryophyte-covered soils, (b) bryophyte covers and the underlying soils, and (c) moss and liverworts covers. These differences were more obvious for fungi than bacteria, and involved different lineages of saprotrophic and symbiotic fungi, which suggests a certain specificity of microbial taxa to particular bryophyte groups. In addition, differences observed in the spatial structure of the two bryophyte covers may be also responsible for the detected differences in microbial community diversity and composition. Altogether, our findings indicate that soil microbial communities and abiotic attributes are ultimately affected by the composition of the most conspicuous elements of cryptogamic covers in polar regions, which is of great value to predict the biotic responses of these ecosystems to future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Ortiz-Rivero
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), C/ Serrano 115 dpdo, E-28045 Madrid, Spain
| | - Isaac Garrido-Benavent
- Departament de Botànica i Geologia, Fac. CC. Biològiques, Universitat de València, C/ Doctor Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot, Valencia Spain
| | - Starri Heiðmarsson
- Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Akureyri Division, Borgir Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri, Iceland
- Present address: Northwest Iceland Nature Research Centre, Aðalgötu 2, 550 Sauðárkrókur, Iceland
| | - Asunción de los Ríos
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), C/ Serrano 115 dpdo, E-28045 Madrid, Spain
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Ragozin AV, Safonov AL, Grishin VV, Stochik AA. [WORLD EXPERIENCE: HOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRINCIPLES OF ACADEMICIAN OF THE ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES OF THE USSR N. A. SEMASHKO HELPED ICELAND TO CREATE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. PART 2. PRINCIPLES FUNCTIONING OF THE ICELANDIC HEALTH SYSTEM]. Probl Sotsialnoi Gig Zdravookhranenniiai Istor Med 2023; 31:1290-1296. [PMID: 38069900 DOI: 10.32687/0869-866x-2023-31-s2-1290-1296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Annotation. The review article is devoted to the healthcare system of Iceland, which demonstrates some of the best indicators of public health in the world at relatively low costs for a developed European country. The successful experience of Icelandic healthcare is important for Russia, on the one hand, due to the proximity of this country to many Russian regions in terms of climatic and geographical location, demography and territorial development. On the other hand, the success of Iceland's healthcare is closely linked to the development of a model, in many ways similar to the Soviet model of Nikolai Semashko, which Russia has abandoned. The authors believe that Iceland's experience can be used in the modernization of regional healthcare systems in Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Arctic, as well as Russian healthcare in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- A V Ragozin
- Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A L Safonov
- Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation,
| | - V V Grishin
- Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A A Stochik
- Scientific Research Institute of Healthcare Organization and Medical Management at the Department of Healthcare of Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation
- FGBNU "N. A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health" of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation
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Ragozin AV, Safonov AL, Grishin VV, Stochik AA. [WORLD EXPERIENCE: HOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRINCIPLES OF ACADEMICIAN OF THE ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES OF THE USSR N. A. SEMASHKO HELPED ICELAND TO CREATE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. PART 1. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW]. Probl Sotsialnoi Gig Zdravookhranenniiai Istor Med 2023; 31:1282-1289. [PMID: 38069899 DOI: 10.32687/0869-866x-2023-31-s2-1282-1289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Annotation. The review article is devoted to the healthcare system of Iceland, which demonstrates some of the best indicators of public health in the world at relatively low costs for a developed European country. The successful experience of Icelandic healthcare is important for Russia, on the one hand, due to the proximity of this country to many Russian regions in terms of climatic and geographical location, demography and territorial development. On the other hand, the success of Iceland's healthcare is closely linked to the development of a model, in many ways similar to the Soviet model of Nikolai Semashko, which Russia has abandoned. The authors believe that Iceland's experience can be used in the modernization of regional healthcare systems in Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Arctic, as well as Russian healthcare in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- A V Ragozin
- Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A L Safonov
- Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation,
| | - V V Grishin
- Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A A Stochik
- Scientific Research Institute of Healthcare Organization and Medical Management at the Department of Healthcare of Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation
- FGBNU "N. A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health" of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation
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Lagunas M, Pálsson A, Jónsson B, Jóhannsson M, Jónsson ZO, Snorrason SS. Genetic structure and relatedness of brown trout ( Salmo trutta) populations in the drainage basin of the Ölfusá river, South-Western Iceland. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15985. [PMID: 37692111 PMCID: PMC10487600 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Lake Þingvallavatn in Iceland, a part of the river Ölfusá drainage basin, was presumably populated by brown trout soon after it formed at the end of the last Ice Age. The genetic relatedness of the brown trout in Þingvallavatn to other populations in the Ölfusá drainage basin is unknown. After the building of a dam at the outlet of the lake in 1959 brown trout catches declined, though numbers have now increased. The aim of this study was to assess effects of geographic isolation and potential downstream gene flow on the genetic structure and diversity in brown trout sampled in several locations in the western side of the watershed of River Ölfusá. We hypothesized that brown trout in Lake Þingvallavatn constituted several local spawning populations connected by occasional gene flow before the damming of the lake. We also estimated the effective population size (NE) of some of these populations and tested for signs of a recent population bottleneck in Lake Þingvallavatn. Methods We sampled brown trout inhabiting four lakes and 12 rivers within and near the watershed of River Ölfusá by means of electro- and net- fishing. After stringent data filtering, 2,597 polymorphic loci obtained from ddRADseq data from 317 individuals were ascertained as putative neutral markers. Results Overall, the genetic relatedness of brown trout in the Ölfusá watershed reflected the connectivity and topography of the waterways. Ancestry proportion analyses and a phylogenetic tree revealed seven distinct clusters, some of which corresponded to small populations with reduced genetic diversity. There was no evidence of downstream gene flow from Lake Þingvallavatn, although gene flow was observed from much smaller mountain populations. Most locations showed low NE values (i.e., ~14.6 on average) while the putative anadromous trout from River Sog and the spawning population from River Öxará, that flows into Lake Þingvallavatn, showed notably higher NE values (i.e., 71.2 and 56.5, respectively). No signals of recent population bottlenecks were detected in the brown trout of Lake Þingvallavatn. Discussion This is the first time that the genetic structure and diversity of brown trout in the watershed of River Ölfusá have been assessed. Our results point towards the presence of a metapopulation in the watershed of Lake Þingvallavatn, which has been influenced by restoration efforts and is now dominated by a genetic component originated in River Öxará. Many of the locations studied represent different populations. Those that are isolated in headwater streams and lakes are genetically distinct presenting low genetic diversity, yet they can be important in increasing the genetic variation in downstream populations. These populations should be considered for conservation and direct management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Lagunas
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Arnar Pálsson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Benóný Jónsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Selfoss, Iceland
| | | | - Zophonías O. Jónsson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Sigurður S. Snorrason
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Abstract
Some island nations in the Southern Hemisphere might survive a severe sun-reducing catastrophe such as nuclear winter and be well placed to help reboot-collapsed human civilization. Such islands must be resilient to the cascading effects abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios (ASRS) would impose beyond the impacts on agricultural systems. We aimed to identify island nations whose societies are most likely to survive nuclear winter or other ASRS. We also aimed to conduct a case study of one island nation to consider how it might enhance its resilience and therefore its chance of aiding a global reboot of complex technological society. We performed a threshold analysis on food self-sufficiency under severe nuclear winter conditions to identify islands. We then profiled each island across global macroindices representing resilience factors reported in the literature. We undertook a case study of the island nation of New Zealand. The island nations of Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu appear most resilient to ASRS. However, our case-study island nation of New Zealand is threatened in scenarios of no/low trade, has precarious aspects of its energy supply, and shortcomings in manufacturing of essential components. Therefore, inadequate preparations and critical failures in these systems could see rapid societal breakdown. Despite some islands' favorable baseline conditions and apparent food security even in a severe ASRS, cascading impacts through other socioecological systems threaten complex functioning. We identified specific resilience measures, many with cobenefits, which may protect island nodes of sustained complexity in ASRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Boyd
- Adapt Research Ltd, Reefton, New Zealand
| | - Nick Wilson
- University of Otago Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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Jouet D, Snæþórsson AÖ, Skírnisson K. Wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus L.) as intermediate host for Mesocestoides canislagopodis (Rudolphi, 1810) (Krabbe 1865) in Iceland. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2119-2134. [PMID: 37410124 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07911-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Mesocestoides canislagopodis is a common parasite of the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) in Iceland. In the past, household dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) were also reported in Iceland to be infected. Recently, scolices of a non-maturing Mesocestoides sp. were detected in the intestines of the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), and tetrathyridia were isolated in the body cavity of rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) and subsequently described. All stages were confirmed, using both morphological and molecular methods, to belong to the same species, M. canislagopodis. In the present study, post-mortem examination of wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), sampled in autumn 2014 on a farm in Northeast Iceland, revealed the presence of tetrathyridia in the peritoneal cavity and in the liver. Most tetrathyridia in the peritoneal cavity were free, but some were encapsulated in a thin connective tissue stroma and loosely attached to the inner organs. They appear as whitish, heart-shaped, flattened, unsegmented bodies with a slightly pointed posterior end. In the liver, tetrathyridia were seen as pale-tanned nodules embedded in the parenchyma. Comparative molecular analysis, both at the generic level (D1 domain LSU ribosomal DNA), and at the specific level (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) and 12S mitochondrial DNA), revealed that the tetrathyridia belonged to M. canislagopodis. A. sylvaticus represents a new second intermediate host record in Iceland, and the first description of a rodent as intermediate host for this species, thus participating in the life cycle of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Jouet
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, UFR de Pharmacie, EA7506 Biospect, 51 Rue Cognacq-Jay, 51096, Reims Cedex, France.
| | | | - Karl Skírnisson
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldur, IS-112, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Donovan A, Pfeffer M, Barnie T, Sawyer G, Roberts T, Bergsson B, Ilyinskaya E, Peters N, Buisman I, Snorrason A, Tsanev V, Oppenheimer C. Insights into volcanic hazards and plume chemistry from multi-parameter observations: the eruptions of Fimmvörðuháls and Eyjafjallajökull (2010) and Holuhraun (2014-2015). Nat Hazards (Dordr) 2023; 119:463-495. [PMID: 37719282 PMCID: PMC10499761 DOI: 10.1007/s11069-023-06114-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
The eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010 (including its initial effusive phase at Fimmvörðuháls and its later explosive phase from the central volcano) and Bárðarbunga volcano in 2014-2015 (at Holuhraun) were widely reported. Here, we report on complementary, interdisciplinary observations made of the eruptive gases and lavas that shed light on the processes and atmospheric impacts of the eruptions, and afford an intercomparison of contrasting eruptive styles and hazards. We find that (i) consistent with other authors, there are substantial differences in the gas composition between the eruptions; namely that the deeper stored Eyjafjallajökull magmas led to greater enrichment in Cl relative to S; (ii) lava field SO2 degassing was measured to be 5-20% of the total emissions during Holuhraun, and the lava emissions were enriched in Cl at both fissure eruptions-particularly Fimmvörðuháls; and (iii) BrO is produced in Icelandic plumes in spite of the low UV levels. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11069-023-06114-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Donovan
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, UK
| | - Melissa Pfeffer
- Icelandic Met Office/Veðurstofa Íslands, Bústaðavegi 7-9, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Talfan Barnie
- Icelandic Met Office/Veðurstofa Íslands, Bústaðavegi 7-9, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Tjarda Roberts
- Laboratoire de Physique et de Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace, CNRS, Université d’Orléans, Orléans, France
- Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, IPSL, CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Sorbonne Université, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Baldur Bergsson
- Icelandic Met Office/Veðurstofa Íslands, Bústaðavegi 7-9, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Nial Peters
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK
| | - Iris Buisman
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, UK
| | - Arní Snorrason
- Icelandic Met Office/Veðurstofa Íslands, Bústaðavegi 7-9, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Vitchko Tsanev
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, UK
| | - Clive Oppenheimer
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, UK
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14
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Johansson AL, Skog A, Johannesen TB, Myklebust TÅ, Skovlund CW, Mørch LS, Friis S, Gamborg M, Kristiansen MF, Pettersson D, Ólafsdóttir EJ, Birgisson H, Palsson R, Eythorsson E, Irenaeus S, Lambe M, Ursin G. Were cancer patients worse off than the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic? A population-based study from Norway, Denmark and Iceland during the pre-vaccination era. Lancet Reg Health Eur 2023; 31:100680. [PMID: 37547277 PMCID: PMC10398597 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Background In a population-based setting, we investigated the risks of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and developing severe COVID-19 outcomes among cancer patients compared with the general population. Methods In nationwide cohorts, we identified all individuals in Norway, Denmark and Iceland who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 or had a severe COVID-19 outcome (hospitalisation, intensive care, and death) from March until December 2020, using data from national health registries. We estimated standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing cancer patients with the general population. Findings During the first wave of the pandemic, cancer patients in Norway and Denmark had higher risks of testing SARS-CoV-2 positive compared to the general population. Throughout 2020, recently treated cancer patients were more likely to test SARS-CoV-2 positive. In Iceland, cancer patients experienced no increased risk of testing positive. The risk of COVID-19-related hospitalisation was higher among cancer patients diagnosed within one year of hospitalisation (Norway: SIR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.89-3.09; Denmark: 2.23, 1.96-2.54) and within five years (Norway: 1.58, 1.35-1.83; Denmark: 1.54, 1.42-1.66). Risks were higher in recently treated cancer patients and in those diagnosed with haematologic malignancies, colorectal or lung cancer. Risks of COVID-19-related intensive care and death were higher among cancer patients. Interpretation Cancer patients were at increased risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first pandemic wave when testing availability was limited, while relative risks of severe COVID-19 outcomes remained increased in cancer patients throughout 2020. Recent cancer treatment and haematologic malignancy were the strongest risk factors. Funding Nordic Cancer Union.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L.V. Johansson
- Cancer Registry of Norway, P.O. Box 5313 Majorstuen, Oslo N-0304, Norway
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, P.O. Box 281, Stockholm SE-17177, Sweden
| | - Anna Skog
- Cancer Registry of Norway, P.O. Box 5313 Majorstuen, Oslo N-0304, Norway
| | | | - Tor Åge Myklebust
- Cancer Registry of Norway, P.O. Box 5313 Majorstuen, Oslo N-0304, Norway
- Department of Research and Innovation, Møre and Romsdal Hospital Trust, Ålesund, Norway
| | - Charlotte Wessel Skovlund
- Cancer Surveillance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Lina Steinrud Mørch
- Cancer Surveillance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Søren Friis
- Cancer Surveillance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Mads Gamborg
- Cancer Surveillance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Marnar Fríðheim Kristiansen
- Center of Health Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- National Hospital of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - David Pettersson
- National Board of Health and Welfare, Stockholm SE-106 30, Sweden
| | - Elínborg J. Ólafsdóttir
- ICS Research and Registration Center, Icelandic Cancer Society, P.O. Box 5420, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Helgi Birgisson
- ICS Research and Registration Center, Icelandic Cancer Society, P.O. Box 5420, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Runolfur Palsson
- Landspitali-The National University Hospital of Iceland, Saemundargata 2, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
- University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Elias Eythorsson
- Landspitali-The National University Hospital of Iceland, Saemundargata 2, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Sandra Irenaeus
- Regional Cancer Center Central Sweden, Akademiska Sjukhuset, Uppsala SE-751 85, Sweden
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Lambe
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, P.O. Box 281, Stockholm SE-17177, Sweden
- Regional Cancer Center Central Sweden, Akademiska Sjukhuset, Uppsala SE-751 85, Sweden
| | - Giske Ursin
- Cancer Registry of Norway, P.O. Box 5313 Majorstuen, Oslo N-0304, Norway
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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15
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Daussin A, Vannier P, Mater É, Šantl-Temkiv T, Cockell C, Marteinsson VÞ. Survival of Icelandic airborne microbes towards simulated atmospheric stress factors. Extremophiles 2023; 27:17. [PMID: 37418077 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-023-01302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Surface microbes are aerosolized into the atmosphere by wind and events such as dust storms, wildland fires, and volcano eruptions. Only microbial cells that survive the various atmospheric stressors during their transportation will deposit and colonize new environments. These stressors include desiccation, oxidative stress, solar radiation, osmotic shock, and freeze-thaw cycles. In this paper, we specifically studied the survival of representative microbial model strains isolated from the atmosphere over pristine volcanic landscapes to understand their potential to successfully disperse to novel terrestrial environments. In line with previous studies, we found that the most stringent selection factors were the freeze-thaw and osmotic shock cycles and that the strains affiliated with Proteobacteria and Ascomycota were the best to survive simulated atmospheric stresses. Specifically, isolates belonging to Paracoccus marinus, Janthinobacterium rivuli, and Sarocladium kiliense exhibited the highest levels of resistance to atmospheric stress. However, the number of strains tested in our study was limited and caution should be taken when generalizing these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Daussin
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Department of Research and Innovation, MATIS, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Pauline Vannier
- Department of Research and Innovation, MATIS, Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Émilien Mater
- University of Technology of Compiègne, Compiègne, France
| | - Tina Šantl-Temkiv
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Center, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, iCLIMATE Aarhus University Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Charles Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Viggó Þór Marteinsson
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
- Department of Research and Innovation, MATIS, Reykjavík, Iceland.
- The Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarnes, Iceland.
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16
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Johannesen TB, Munkstrup C, Edslev SM, Baig S, Nielsen S, Funk T, Kristensen DK, Jacobsen LH, Ravn SF, Bindslev N, Gubbels S, Voldstedlund M, Jokelainen P, Hallstrøm S, Rasmussen A, Kristinsson KG, Fuglsang-Damgaard D, Dessau RB, Olsén AB, Jensen CS, Skovby A, Ellermann-Eriksen S, Jensen TG, Dzajic E, Østergaard C, Lomborg Andersen S, Hoffmann S, Andersen PH, Stegger M. Increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections and emergence of novel, rapidly expanding sub-lineage of the virulent Streptococcus pyogenes M1 clone, Denmark, 2023. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:2300291. [PMID: 37382884 PMCID: PMC10311951 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.26.2300291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A highly virulent sub-lineage of the Streptococcus pyogenes M1 clone has been rapidly expanding throughout Denmark since late 2022 and now accounts for 30% of the new invasive group A streptococcal infections. We aimed to investigate whether a shift in variant composition can account for the high incidence rates observed over winter 2022/23, or if these are better explained by the impact of COVID-19-related restrictions on population immunity and carriage of group A Streptococcus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte Munkstrup
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sofie Marie Edslev
- Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sharmin Baig
- Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stine Nielsen
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tjede Funk
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Signe Fischer Ravn
- Data Integration and Analysis, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Bindslev
- Data Integration and Analysis, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sophie Gubbels
- Data Integration and Analysis, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Pikka Jokelainen
- Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren Hallstrøm
- Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Astrid Rasmussen
- Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karl Gústaf Kristinsson
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Landspitali - the National University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Ram B Dessau
- Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Zealand University Hospital, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Agnieszka Barbara Olsén
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital - University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Annette Skovby
- Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | | | - Thøger Gorm Jensen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital and Research Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Odense, Denmark
| | - Esad Dzajic
- Clinical Diagnostic Department, Clinical Microbiology, Hospital South West Jutland, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark
| | - Claus Østergaard
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Lillebælt Hospital, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark
| | - Steen Lomborg Andersen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sønderjylland Hospital, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Aabenraa, Denmark
| | - Steen Hoffmann
- Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Henrik Andersen
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marc Stegger
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
- Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
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17
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Siltanen J, Petursson JG, Cook D, Davidsdottir B. Evaluating economic impacts of protected areas in contexts with limited data; the case of three national parks in Iceland. J Environ Manage 2023; 342:118085. [PMID: 37229934 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Economic impacts of protected areas (PAs) are receiving more attention in recent years and methodology in this area is advancing. Multiple studies have illustrated that PAs are a potent land use strategy to generate multiple and direct economic benefits. These benefits are driven by tourism as the central economic activity in PAs worldwide. This study takes the case of Snæfellsjökull, Vatnajökull and þingvellir National Parks (NPs) in Iceland, characterized by limited regional economic data and multi-destination and -purpose visitor travel patterns. Its main objective is to advance understanding of the economic impacts related to PAs in the context of limited data availability. Our analysis is based on the widely used Money Generation Model (MGM2) -methodology, localized to the Icelandic context by using Icelandic labour data and national input-output (I-O) tables regionalized using the Flegg Location Quotient (FLQ). We provide a consistent approach for handling multi-destination and -purpose trips, and separating spending data between local and overall impacts. Based on 2019 visitor and economic data, the visitors (N = 2087) spent, on average, $113 per day in the parks and generated estimated total economic impacts between $30-99 MM with 347-1140 jobs generated across the study sites. For example, in Vatnajökull NP's southern region, the jobs supported locally by the park constituted 36% of all the jobs in the municipalities. Combined tax revenue to the state from the three parks was $88 MM. The localized methodology generated similar economic impacts as earlier studies but showed that employment impacts were previously overestimated by the default models. Our approach and findings can be used as a reference for others applying the MGM2 or similar methods, and they support policy development, decision-making and informed discussion between researchers, practitioners in PA and tourism management, municipalities and communities around PAs. Being able to show economic impacts is increasingly important for PAs to ensure sustained funding amid budget cuts and the transition of government bodies to business units. Limitations of the study include a lack of winter data for Vatnajökull and þingvellir NPs and broad categorization of the Icelandic economic data used in the I-O table regionalization. In further research, a comprehensive sustainability analysis is needed to complement the economic impact analysis and site-specific factors could be analysed in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jukka Siltanen
- Environment and Natural Resources, School of Social Sciences and School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Jon Geir Petursson
- Environment and Natural Resources, School of Social Sciences and School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - David Cook
- Environment and Natural Resources, School of Social Sciences and School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Brynhildur Davidsdottir
- Environment and Natural Resources, School of Social Sciences and School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
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18
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Alola AA, Adebayo TS. Analysing the waste management, industrial and agriculture greenhouse gas emissions of biomass, fossil fuel, and metallic ores utilization in Iceland. Sci Total Environ 2023; 887:164115. [PMID: 37172848 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
With Iceland's CAP 2020, the country aims significant improvement in the state of its environment through reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission especially in energy production and small industry, waste management, ships and ports, land transport, and agriculture by 2030. Considering this ambition, this study queries whether the consumptions of domestic materials i.e., DMC (especially metallic ores, biomass, and fossil fuels) exhibit differential impact on (i) aggregated greenhouse gas emissions i.e., GHG, (ii) waste management greenhouse gas emission i.e., WGHG, (ii) industrial greenhouse gas emission i.e., IGHG, and (iv) agriculture greenhouse gas emission i.e., AGHG during the period 1990 to 2019. By using Fourier function approaches, the investigation establishes that metallic ores DMC spur GHG, but biomass and fossil fuel DMC mitigate GHG in the long run. Additionally, biomass DMC mitigates AGHG and WGHG by respective elasticities of 0.04 and 0.025 in the long run. While IGHG is significantly reduced by fossil fuel DMC with elasticity of 0.18 in the long run, the AGHG and WGHG are unaffected by the consumption of fossil fuel domestic materials. Moreover, metallic ores DMC spurs only IGHG by elasticity of ~0.24. The overall evidence shows the need for more stringent material use and resource circularity (especially for metallic ores and fossil fuels) for the country to stay on course of the CAP 2020 and maintain environmental sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Adewale Alola
- CREDS-Centre for Research on Digitalization and Sustainability, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway; South Ural State University (National Research University), Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation.
| | - Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo
- Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Science, Cyprus International University, via Mersin-10, Turkey
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19
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Saarma U, Skirnisson K, Björnsdottir TS, Laurimäe T, Kinkar L. Cystic echinococcosis in Iceland: a brief history and genetic analysis of a 46-year-old Echinococcus isolate collected prior to the eradication of this zoonotic disease. Parasitology 2023:1-6. [PMID: 37161714 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is considered the most severe parasitic disease that ever affected the human population in Iceland. Before the start of eradication campaign in the 1860s, Iceland was a country with very high prevalence of human CE, with approximately every fifth person infected. Eradication of CE from Iceland by 1979 was a huge success story and served as a leading example for other countries on how to combat such a severe One Health problem. However, there is no genetic information on Echinococcus parasites before eradication. Here, we reveal the genetic identity for one of the last Echinococcus isolates in Iceland, obtained from a sheep 46 years ago (1977). We sequenced a large portion of the mitochondrial genome (8141 bp) and identified the isolate as Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto genotype G1. As G1 is known to be highly infective genotype to humans, it may partly explain why such a large proportion of human population in Iceland was infected at a time . The study demonstrates that decades-old samples hold significant potential to uncover genetic identities of parasites in the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, 50409 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Karl Skirnisson
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldur, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Teivi Laurimäe
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, 50409 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Liina Kinkar
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, 50409 Tartu, Estonia
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20
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Rögnvaldsson S, Long TE, Thorsteinsdottir S, Love TJ, Kristinsson SY. Validity of chronic disease diagnoses in Icelandic healthcare registries. Scand J Public Health 2023; 51:173-178. [PMID: 34903105 DOI: 10.1177/14034948211059974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate the validity of recorded chronic disease diagnoses in Icelandic healthcare registries. METHODS Eight different chronic diseases from multiple sub-specialties of medicine were validated with respect to accuracy, but not to timeliness. For each disease, 30 patients with a recorded diagnosis and 30 patients without the same diagnosis were randomly selected from >80,000 participants in the iStopMM trial, which includes 54% of the Icelandic population born before 1976. Each case was validated by chart review by physicians using predefined criteria. RESULTS The overall accuracy of the chronic disease diagnoses was 96% (95% CI 94-97%), ranging from 92 to 98% for individual diseases. After weighting for disease prevalence, the accuracy was estimated to be 98.5%. The overall positive predictive value (PPV) of chronic disease diagnosis was 93% (95% CI 89-96%) and the overall negative predictive value (NPV) was 99% (95% CI 96-100%). There were disease-specific differences in validity, most notably multiple sclerosis, where the PPV was 83%. Other disorders had PPVs between 93 and 97%. The NPV of most disorders was 100%, except for hypertension and heart failure, where it was 97 and 93%, respectively. Those who had the registered chronic disease had objective findings of disease in 96% of cases. CONCLUSIONS
When determining the presence of chronic disease, diagnosis data from the Icelandic healthcare registries has a high PPV, NPV and accuracy. Furthermore, most diagnoses can be confirmed by objective findings such as imaging or blood testing. These findings can inform the interpretation of studies using diagnostic data from the Icelandic healthcare registries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thorir Einarsson Long
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland.,Department of Nephrology, Lund University Hospital, Sweden
| | - Sigrun Thorsteinsdottir
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland.,Department of Haematology, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - Thorvardur Jon Love
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland.,Department of Science and Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Iceland
| | - Sigurður Yngvi Kristinsson
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland.,Department of Haematology, Landspítali University Hospital, Iceland
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21
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Gudmundsson G. Letter from Iceland. Respirology 2023; 28:404-405. [PMID: 36855238 DOI: 10.1111/resp.14481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Gudmundsson
- Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.,Staff Physician Landspitali, The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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22
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Kristmundsson Á, Rut Svavarsdóttir F, Árnason F, Antonsson Þ, Guðbergsson G, Magnúsdóttir H, Andrew Freeman M. Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae and proliferative kidney disease in Icelandic salmonids - Comparative data from two different time periods. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:207-220. [PMID: 36822541 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae is a myxozoan parasite and the causative agent of proliferative kidney disease (PKD), a serious, temperature-dependent and emerging disease affecting salmonid fish. It was first identified in Iceland in 2008, from Arctic charr inhabiting a shallow lowland lake. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution and prevalence of macroscopic and subclinical T. bryosalmonae infections in Icelandic salmonids and compare different time periods, in context with depths, volumes, altitudes and areas of the lakes and fish age. Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) from 34 lakes, sampled between 1994-1998 and 2009-2017, were examined for macroscopic signs of PKD (n = 2,151) and the presence of T. bryosalmonae infections (n = 1,424). In the earlier period, 43% of lakes (10/23) harboured T. bryosalmonae -infected fish. The mean prevalence in those lakes was 62.1%, being most common in shallow lowland lakes whilst deeper lakes at high altitudes were all free from infection. Only a single fish from one lake showed macroscopic signs of PKD, a shallow lowland lake in southwestern Iceland. In the latter period, T. bryosalmonae was found in 16/18 lakes studied (89%), with a mean prevalence of 78-79% (excluding T.b. free lakes), being most common in the smaller, shallower lakes at lower alttudes. Macroscopic signs of PKD were observed in 11 of 18 of the lakes studied (61%) with prevalences up to 67%, most common in younger fish inhabiting small shallow lowland lakes. The results indicate that the distribution of T. bryosalmonae and the presence of PKD in Iceland have increased over the last few decades. The disease was almost non-existent in the 1990s but has become very common during the last decade or two. With further water temperature increases, as predicted by climate models, PKD is likely to increasingly affect wild salmonid populations in Iceland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Árni Kristmundsson
- Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | - Fjóla Rut Svavarsdóttir
- Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland; The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Iceland, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
| | - Friðþjófur Árnason
- The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Iceland, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
| | - Þórólfur Antonsson
- The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Iceland, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
| | - Guðni Guðbergsson
- The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Iceland, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
| | - Hildur Magnúsdóttir
- Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Mark Andrew Freeman
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
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23
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Pampoulie C, Berg PR, Jentoft S. Hidden but revealed: After years of genetic studies behavioural monitoring combined with genomics uncover new insight into the population dynamics of Atlantic cod in Icelandic waters. Evol Appl 2023; 16:223-233. [PMID: 36793686 PMCID: PMC9923494 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Stock structure is of paramount importance for sustainable management of exploited resources. In that context, genetic markers have been used for more than two decades to resolve spatial structure of marine exploited resources and to fully fathom stock dynamics and interactions. While genetic markers such as allozymes and RFLP dominated the debate in the early era of genetics, technology advances have provided scientists with new tools every decade to better assess stock discrimination and interactions (i.e. gene flow). Here, we provide a review of genetic studies performed to understand stock structure of Atlantic cod in Icelandic waters, from the early allozyme approaches to the genomic work currently carried out. We further highlight the importance of the generation of a chromosome-anchored genome assembly together with whole-genome population data, which drastically changed our perception of the possible management units to consider. After nearly 60 years of genetic investigation of Atlantic cod structure in Icelandic waters, genetic (and later genomic) data combined with behavioural monitoring using Data Storage Tags shifted the attention from geographical population structures to behavioural ecotypes. This review also demonstrates the need for future research to further disentangle the impact of these ecotypes (and gene flow among them) on the population structure of Atlantic cod in Icelandic waters. It also highlights the importance of whole-genome data to unravel unexpected within-species diversity related to chromosomal inversions and associated supergenes, which are important to consider for future development of sustainable management programmes of the species within the North Atlantic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Ragnar Berg
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research Oslo Norway.,Department of Natural Sciences, Centre for Coastal Research (CCR) University of Agder Kristiansand Norway
| | - Sissel Jentoft
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis Oslo Norway
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24
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Grout L, Gottfreðsson M, Kvalsvig A, Baker MG, Wilson N, Summers J. Comparing COVID-19 pandemic health responses in two high-income island nations: Iceland and New Zealand. Scand J Public Health 2023:14034948221149143. [PMID: 36717984 PMCID: PMC9892804 DOI: 10.1177/14034948221149143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
AIMS We aimed to compare COVID-19 control measures, epidemiological characteristics and economic performance measures in two high-income island nations with small populations, favorable border control options, and relatively good outcomes: Iceland and New Zealand (NZ). METHODS We examined peer-reviewed journal articles, official websites, reports, media releases and press articles for data on pandemic preparedness and COVID-19 public health responses from 1 January 2020 to 1 June 2022 in Iceland and NZ. We calculated epidemiological characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as measures of economic performance. RESULTS Both nations had the lowest excess mortality in the OECD from the start of the pandemic up to June 2022. Iceland pursued a mitigation strategy, never used lockdowns or officially closed its border to foreign nationals, and instead relied on extensive testing and contact tracing early in the pandemic. Meanwhile, NZ pursued an elimination strategy, used a strict national lockdown to stop transmission, and closed its international border to everyone except citizens and permanent residents going through quarantine and testing. Iceland experienced a larger decrease in gross domestic product in 2020 (relative to 2019) than NZ (-8·27% vs. -1·22%, respectively). In late 2021, NZ announced a shift to a suppression strategy and in 2022 began to reopen its border in stages, while Iceland ended all public restrictions on 25 February 2022. CONCLUSIONS
Many of Iceland's and NZ's pandemic control measures appeared successful and features of the responses in both countries could potentially be adopted by other jurisdictions to address future disease outbreaks and pandemic threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Grout
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand,Leah Grout, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA. E-mail:
| | - Magnús Gottfreðsson
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland,Landspitali University Hospital, Iceland
| | - Amanda Kvalsvig
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Michael G. Baker
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Nick Wilson
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jennifer Summers
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
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25
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Langridge S, Michaud T. Stakeholder perceptions of managing an emergent tourist destination: the Fagradalsfjall volcanic eruption in Iceland. Bull Volcanol 2023; 85:11. [PMID: 36721850 PMCID: PMC9880912 DOI: 10.1007/s00445-023-01629-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The 2021 volcanic eruption at Fagradalsfjall, Iceland, provides a case study for examining an active collaboration between stakeholders in the development of an emergent volcanic site into a tourism destination from its inception. Stakeholders for this research include municipal actors and representatives; landowners; commercial tour companies and operators; the Federal Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, civil protection, and search and rescue. These stakeholder perceptions of the management process are analyzed within a responsible and sustainable tourism framework by a constant comparative method of interview text. The results bring to light issues deemed important during the site management and destination development process around concepts of authority, responsibility, safety, funding, and access. According to stakeholders, the management of the emergent Fagradalsfjall destination while positively perceived initially has gaps surrounding ongoing sustainable and responsible management that could have impacts on the participation of various stakeholder groups in the destination's ongoing development. This research has implications for other emergent volcanic tourist sites in Iceland and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tracy Michaud
- Tourism & Hospitality, University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth St., Portland, ME USA
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26
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Williams A, Ólafsdóttir R. Nature-based tourism as therapeutic landscape in a COVID era: autoethnographic learnings from a visitor's experience in Iceland. GeoJournal 2023; 88:1737-1754. [PMID: 35911588 PMCID: PMC9326961 DOI: 10.1007/s10708-022-10713-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
One of the few silver linings in the COVID pandemic has been a new appreciation for, interest in, and engagement with nature. As countries open, and travel becomes accessible again, there is an opportunity to reimagine sustainable nature-based tourism from a therapeutic landscape lens. Framed within the therapeutic landscape concept, this paper provides an autoethnographic account of a visitor's experience of three different natural landscapes in Iceland shortly after the country's fourth wave of the pandemic. It adds to the understanding of the healing effects of the multi-colored natural landscapes of Iceland. The natural landscapes of interest herein include: the southern part of the Westfjörd peninsula, Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, and the Central Highlands. In totality, the natural, built and symbolic environments worked in synchronicity to produce three thematic results: restoration, awe and concern, all which provided reduced stress, renewed attention, as well as enhanced physical and psycho-social benefits for the autoethnographic visiting researcher. Implications of these restorative outcomes for sustainable nature-based tourism in a post-COVID era are discussed. This paper highlights how health and tourism geographers can work collaboratively to recognize, protect, and sustain the therapeutic elements of natural landscapes, recognized as a cultural ecosystem service. In so doing, such collaborations can positively influence sustainable nature-based tourism development and consumption through proper and appropriate planning and development of such tourism destinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Williams
- School of Earth, Environment & Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Rannveig Ólafsdóttir
- Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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27
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Gass JD, Dusek RJ, Hall JS, Hallgrimsson GT, Halldórsson HP, Vignisson SR, Ragnarsdottir SB, Jónsson JE, Krauss S, Wong SS, Wan XF, Akter S, Sreevatsan S, Trovão NS, Nutter FB, Runstadler JA, Hill NJ. Global dissemination of influenza A virus is driven by wild bird migration through arctic and subarctic zones. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:198-213. [PMID: 36239465 PMCID: PMC9797457 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAV) circulate endemically among many wild aquatic bird populations that seasonally migrate between wintering grounds in southern latitudes to breeding ranges along the perimeter of the circumpolar arctic. Arctic and subarctic zones are hypothesized to serve as ecologic drivers of the intercontinental movement and reassortment of IAVs due to high densities of disparate populations of long distance migratory and native bird species present during breeding seasons. Iceland is a staging ground that connects the East Atlantic and North Atlantic American flyways, providing a unique study system for characterizing viral flow between eastern and western hemispheres. Using Bayesian phylodynamic analyses, we sought to evaluate the viral connectivity of Iceland to proximal regions and how inter-species transmission and reassortment dynamics in this region influence the geographic spread of low and highly pathogenic IAVs. Findings demonstrate that IAV movement in the arctic and subarctic reflects wild bird migration around the perimeter of the circumpolar north, favouring short-distance flights between proximal regions rather than long distance flights over the polar interior. Iceland connects virus movement between mainland Europe and North America, consistent with the westward migration of wild birds from mainland Europe to Northeastern Canada and Greenland. Though virus diffusion rates were similar among avian taxonomic groups in Iceland, gulls play an outsized role as sinks of IAVs from other avian hosts prior to onward migration. These data identify patterns of virus movement in northern latitudes and inform future surveillance strategies related to seasonal and emergent IAVs with potential public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon D. Gass
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
| | | | | | | | | | - Solvi Runar Vignisson
- University of Iceland’s Research Centre in Suðurnes
- Suðurnes Science and Learning Center
| | | | | | - Scott Krauss
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
| | - Sook-San Wong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
| | - Xiu-Feng Wan
- Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID), University of Missouri, Columbia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia
- Department of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, University of Missouri, Columbia
| | - Sadia Akter
- Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID), University of Missouri, Columbia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia
- Department of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, University of Missouri, Columbia
| | | | - Nídia S. Trovão
- Division of International Epidemiology and Population Studies, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health
| | - Felicia B. Nutter
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
| | - Jonathan A. Runstadler
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
| | - Nichola J. Hill
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston
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28
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Tzachor A, Richards CE, Smidt-Jensen A, Skúlason AÞ, Ramel A, Geirsdóttir M. The Potential Role of Iceland in Northern Europe's Protein Self-Sufficiency: Feasibility Study of Large-Scale Production of Spirulina in a Novel Energy-Food System. Foods 2022; 12:foods12010038. [PMID: 36613252 PMCID: PMC9818573 DOI: 10.3390/foods12010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Europe is dependent on protein-rich crop imports to meet domestic food demand. This has moved the topic of sustainable protein self-sufficiency up the policy agenda. The current study assesses the feasibility of protein self-sufficiency in Iceland, and its capacity to meet Northern Europe's demand, based on industrial-scale cultivation of Spirulina in novel production units. Production units currently operating in Iceland, and laboratory-derived nutritional profile for the Spirulina cultivated, provide the basis for a theoretical protein self-sufficiency model. Integrating installed and potentially installed energy generation data, the model elaborates six production scale-up scenarios. Annual biomass produced is compared with recommended dietary allowance figures for protein and essential amino acids to determine whether Northern Europe's population demands can be met in 2030. Results show that Iceland could be protein self-sufficient under the most conservative scenario, with 20,925 tonnes of Spirulina produced using 15% of currently installed capacity. In a greater allocation of energy capacity used by heavy industry, Iceland could additionally meet the needs of Lithuania, or Latvia, Estonia, Jersey, Isle of Man, Guernsey, and Faroe Islands. Under the most ambitious scenario utilizing planned energy projects, Iceland could support itself plus Denmark, or Finland, or Norway, or Ireland with up to 242,366 tonnes of biomass. On a protein-per-protein basis, each kilogram of Spirulina consumed instead of beef could save 0.315 tonnes CO2-eq. Under the most ambitious scenario, this yields annual savings of 75.1 million tonnes CO2-eq or 7.3% of quarterly European greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, practicalities of production scale-up are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asaf Tzachor
- Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1SB, UK
- School of Sustainability, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
- Correspondence:
| | - Catherine E. Richards
- Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1SB, UK
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Asger Smidt-Jensen
- Centre for Food Technology, Danish Technological Institute (DTI), 8000 Århus, Midtjylland, Denmark
| | - Arnar Þór Skúlason
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Ssn. 600169-2039, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Alfons Ramel
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Ssn. 600169-2039, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland
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29
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Kirchmair M, Embacher J, Heimdörfer D, Walch G, Neuhauser S. Penicillium poederi and P. tirolense, two new species of section Torulomyces. Fungal Syst Evol 2022; 10:91-101. [PMID: 36789281 PMCID: PMC9903346 DOI: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we describe two new species of the genus Penicillium section Torulomyces with solitary phialides. Penicillium poederi sp. nov. was isolated from volcanic soils in Iceland. Penicillium tirolense sp. nov. was isolated from a sporocarp of Serpula lacrymans. Both species are characterised by slow growth rates and the production of a brown soluble pigment on CYA, conidiophores with solitary ampulliform phialides with smooth-walled stipes and warty, globose conidia and with connectives without visible rings. The spores of. P. poederi are 2.5 μm diam, while the spores of P. tirolense are 2.0 μm diam. In a multigene phylogeny based on the ITS, BenA, CaM and RPB2 gene regions P. tubakianum and P. wollemiicola are the closest relatives of P. poederi. This species differs from P. tubakianum and P. wollemiicola by its growth rates and by its pigmentation. The holotype of P. poederi is IB2017/0007, while SF014017 (CBS 147622) is a culture derived from the holotype. The closest relatives of P. tirolense are P. austricola and P. riverlandense. It differs from P. austricola by lower growth rates on all tested media and temperatures and by its larger spores. It differs from P. riverlandense by lower growth rates and the absence of growth at 37 °C. The holotype of P. tirolense is IBF2019/0162, while SF015108 (CBS 147625) is a culture derived from the holotype. Citation: Kirchmair M, Embacher J, Heimdörfer D, Walch G, Neuhauser S (2022). Penicillium poederi and Penicillium tirolense, two new species of section Torulomyces. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10: 91-101. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.03.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Kirchmair
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria,*Corresponding author:
| | - J. Embacher
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - D. Heimdörfer
- Division of Genomics and RNomics, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - G. Walch
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - S. Neuhauser
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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30
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Günther A, Krone O, Svansson V, Pohlmann A, King J, Hallgrimsson GT, Skarphéðinsson KH, Sigurðardóttir H, Jónsson SR, Beer M, Brugger B, Harder T. Iceland as Stepping Stone for Spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus between Europe and North America. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:2383-2388. [PMID: 36261139 PMCID: PMC9707596 DOI: 10.3201/eid2812.221086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of hemagglutinin type H5 and clade 2.3.4.4b have widely spread within the northern hemisphere since 2020 and threaten wild bird populations, as well as poultry production. We present phylogeographic evidence that Iceland has been used as a stepping stone for HPAIV translocation from northern Europe to North America by infected but mobile wild birds. At least 2 independent incursions of HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b assigned to 2 hemagglutinin clusters, B1 and B2, are documented for summer‒autumn 2021 and spring 2022. Spread of HPAIV H5N1 to and among colony-breeding pelagic avian species in Iceland is ongoing. Potentially devastating effects (i.e., local losses >25%) on these species caused by extended HPAIV circulation in space and time are being observed at several affected breeding sites throughout the North Atlantic.
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31
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Twing KI, Ward LM, Kane ZK, Sanders A, Price RE, Pendleton HL, Giovannelli D, Brazelton WJ, McGlynn SE. Microbial ecology of a shallow alkaline hydrothermal vent: Strýtan Hydrothermal Field, Eyjafördur, northern Iceland. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:960335. [PMID: 36466646 PMCID: PMC9713835 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.960335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Strýtan Hydrothermal Field (SHF) is a submarine system located in Eyjafördur in northern Iceland composed of two main vents: Big Strýtan and Arnarnesstrýtan. The vents are shallow, ranging from 16 to 70 m water depth, and vent high pH (up to 10.2), moderate temperature (T max ∼70°C), anoxic, fresh fluids elevated in dissolved silica, with slightly elevated concentrations of hydrogen and methane. In contrast to other alkaline hydrothermal vents, SHF is unique because it is hosted in basalt and therefore the high pH is not created by serpentinization. While previous studies have assessed the geology and geochemistry of this site, the microbial diversity of SHF has not been explored in detail. Here we present a microbial diversity survey of the actively venting fluids and chimneys from Big Strýtan and Arnarnesstrýtan, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Community members from the vent fluids are mostly aerobic heterotrophic bacteria; however, within the chimneys oxic, low oxygen, and anoxic habitats could be distinguished, where taxa putatively capable of acetogenesis, sulfur-cycling, and hydrogen metabolism were observed. Very few archaea were observed in the samples. The inhabitants of SHF are more similar to terrestrial hot spring samples than other marine sites. It has been hypothesized that life on Earth (and elsewhere in the solar system) could have originated in an alkaline hydrothermal system, however all other studied alkaline submarine hydrothermal systems to date are fueled by serpentinization. SHF adds to our understandings of hydrothermal vents in relationship to microbial diversity, evolution, and possibly the origin of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina I. Twing
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Weber State University, Ogden, UT, United States
| | - L. M. Ward
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Geosciences, Smith College, Northampton, MA, United States
| | - Zachary K. Kane
- Department of Microbiology, Weber State University, Ogden, UT, United States
| | - Alexa Sanders
- Department of Microbiology, Weber State University, Ogden, UT, United States
| | - Roy Edward Price
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - H. Lizethe Pendleton
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Donato Giovannelli
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - William J. Brazelton
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Shawn E. McGlynn
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan
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32
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Blasizzo AY, Ukstins IA, Scheidt SP, Graettinger AH, Peate DW, Carley TL, Moritz AJ, Thines JE. Vikrahraun-the 1961 basaltic lava flow eruption at Askja, Iceland: morphology, geochemistry, and planetary analogs. Earth Planets Space 2022; 74:168. [PMID: 36397812 PMCID: PMC9653356 DOI: 10.1186/s40623-022-01711-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED We examine the morphology and chemistry of the Vikrahraun basaltic eruption emplaced at Askja Volcano, Iceland, from Oct. 26-Dec. 17, 1961. The eruption had three eruptive events, initiating with a'a and followed by alternating a'a and pahoehoe lava flow emplacement. We determine that while the eruption is chemically homogenous (Fe/Mg = 1.9-2.2, 47-52 wt.% SiO2), it demonstrates transitions from high to low viscosity lava flow morphologies. A'a flows have a total crystallinity (phenocryst and microlite abundance by area) ranging from 85-100%, which increases by 1% per km from the vents, while pahoehoe flows range from 55-86% and increase at a higher rate of 5% per km. Vesicularity systematically decreases with distance from the vent by 3% per km. Pahoehoe and vent samples have calculated temperatures 50 °C higher than a'a samples, which we interpret to be due to the difference between tube fed pahoehoe and open channel a'a lavas. The homogenous nature of the Vikrahraun lava makes it an excellent testbed to study the effects of observational scale and satellite resolution on the interpretation of surficial textures. Festoons, which are downslope pointed convex ridges from 1 to 5 m high and ~ 10 m long, are observed in event 2 a'a lavas in satellite imagery and topographic profiles. Features of this scale have previously only been documented in terrestrial rhyolitic lavas, leading planetary researchers to infer that festooned lava flows on Venus and Mars may be silicic. The diverse morphologies and homogenous composition make Vikrahraun an important planetary analog, where morphological complexity is over-attributed to chemical variation and suggests the need to re-evaluation planetary lava flow interpretations. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40623-022-01711-5.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ingrid A. Ukstins
- The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142 New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jennifer E. Thines
- New Mexico State University, 1780 E University Ave, Las Cruces, NM 88003 USA
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Boulanger-Lapointe N, Ágústsdóttir K, Barrio IC, Defourneaux M, Finnsdóttir R, Jónsdóttir IS, Marteinsdóttir B, Mitchell C, Möller M, Nielsen ÓK, Sigfússon AÞ, Þórisson SG, Huettmann F. Herbivore species coexistence in changing rangeland ecosystems: First high resolution national open-source and open-access ensemble models for Iceland. Sci Total Environ 2022; 845:157140. [PMID: 35803416 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rangeland ecosystems are changing worldwide with the abandonment of extensive pastoralism practices and greater interest for species coexistence. However, the lack of compiled data on current changes in the abundance and distribution of herbivores challenges rangeland management decisions. Here we gathered and made available for the first time the most extensive set of occurrence data for rangeland herbivores in Iceland in an Open Access framework for transparent and repeatable science-based decisions. We mapped fine scale species distribution overlap to identify areas at risk for wildlife-livestock conflict and overgrazing. Nationwide and long term (1861-2021) occurrence data from 8 independent datasets were used alongside 11 predictor raster layers ("Big Data") to data mine and map the distribution of the domestic sheep (Ovis aries), feral reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus), pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus), and rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta islandorum) over the country during the summer. Using algorithms of Maxent in R, RandomForest, TreeNet (stochastic gradient boosting) and MARS (Splines) in Minitab-SPM 8.3, we computed 1 km pixel predictions from machine learning-based ensemble models. Our high-resolution models were tested with alternative datasets, and Area Under the Curve (AUC) values that indicated good (reindeer: 0.8817 and rock ptarmigan: 0.8844) to high model accuracy (sheep: 0.9708 and pink-footed goose: 0.9143). Whenever possible, source data and models are made available online and described with ISO-compliant metadata. Our results illustrate that sheep and pink-footed geese have the greatest overlap in distribution with potential implication for wildlife-livestock conflicts and continued ecosystem degradation even under diminishing livestock abundance at higher elevation. These nationwide models and data are a global asset and a first step in making available the best data for science-based sustainable decision-making about national herbivores affecting species coexistence and environmental management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie Boulanger-Lapointe
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 7 Sturlugötu, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | | | - Isabel C Barrio
- Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, 22 Árleyni, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Mathilde Defourneaux
- Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, 22 Árleyni, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Rán Finnsdóttir
- Soil Conservation Service of Iceland, Gunnarsholti, 851 Hella, Iceland
| | | | | | - Carl Mitchell
- The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucester GL2 7BT, United Kingdom
| | - Marteinn Möller
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 7 Sturlugötu, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Ólafur Karl Nielsen
- Icelandic Institute of Natural History, 6-8 Urriðaholtsstræti, 210 Garðabær, Iceland
| | | | | | - Falk Huettmann
- EWHALE lab- Institute of Arctic Biology, Biology & Wildlife Department, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), 2140 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775, United States
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34
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Burlat L, Thorsteinsson T. Seasonal variation in the correlation between beach wrack and marine litter on a sandy beach in West Iceland. Mar Pollut Bull 2022; 183:114072. [PMID: 36057152 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coastal plastic pollution is a global problem, it affects local ecosystems, and can have economic and social implications. Plastic pollution is pervasive at high latitudes but there is a lack of data on the spatial and temporal amount of marine litter entering coastal systems. In this study, a seasonal accumulation survey of anthropogenic debris and beach wrack was conducted for the first time in Iceland. One hundred data collections were performed on a coast in the Snæfellsnes peninsula throughout one year. Of all the debris retrieved, over 9000 items (0.2 to 50 cm), 78.5 % were plastics. Beach wrack correlated strongly with the quantities of plastic debris entering the coastal environment (R2 > 0.9; p < 10-11), with a different slope for each season. The presence of beach wrack informed important daily and spatial fluctuations in the quantities of plastic debris, while seasonal fluctuations demonstrated higher arrival rate of plastic in autumn and winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laureen Burlat
- Environment and Natural Resources & Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Iceland
| | - Throstur Thorsteinsson
- Environment and Natural Resources & Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Iceland.
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Duhamel S, Hamilton CW, Pálsson S, Björnsdóttir SH. Microbial Response to Increased Temperatures Within a Lava-Induced Hydrothermal System in Iceland: An Analogue for the Habitability of Volcanic Terrains on Mars. Astrobiology 2022; 22:1176-1198. [PMID: 35920884 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fossil hydrothermal systems on Mars are important exploration targets because they may have once been habitable and could still preserve evidence of microbial life. We investigated microbial communities within an active lava-induced hydrothermal system associated with the 2014-2015 eruption of Holuhraun in Iceland as a Mars analogue. In 2016, the microbial composition in the lava-heated water differed substantially from that of the glacial river and spring water sources that fed into the system. Several taxonomic and metabolic groups were confined to the water emerging from the lava and some showed the highest sequence similarities to subsurface ecosystems, including to the predicted thermophilic and deeply branching Candidatus Acetothermum autotrophicum. Measurements show that the communities were affected by temperature and other environmental factors. In particular, comparing glacial river water incubated in situ (5.7°C, control) with glacial water incubated within a lava-heated stream (17.5°C, warm) showed that microbial abundance, richness, and diversity increased in the warm treatment compared with the control, with the predicted major metabolism shifting from lithotrophy toward organotrophy and possibly phototrophy. In addition, thermophilic bacteria isolated from the lava-heated water and a nearby acidic hydrothermal system included the known endospore-formers Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Paenibacillus cisolokensis as well as a potentially novel taxon within the order Hyphomicrobiales. Similar lava-water interactions on Mars could therefore have generated habitable environments for microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Duhamel
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Division of Biology and Paleo Environment, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
| | | | - Snæbjörn Pálsson
- Department of Biology, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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36
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Óskarsson GK, Agnarsson S, Davíðsdóttir B. Waste management in Iceland: Challenges and costs related to achieving the EU municipal solid waste targets. Waste Manag 2022; 151:131-141. [PMID: 35944430 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.07.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Waste management in Iceland has developed considerably in recent years. Before 1990, most of the waste was either burnt in open pits or landfilled. In the past, information about waste management in Iceland used to be almost exclusively published in reports and was primarily based on rough estimates. Currently, incinerators and landfilling sites are highly regulated and follow EU legislation. Additionally, reporting has gradually improved and is approaching EU standards, although improvement is still needed. In an international context, Iceland is far behind the other Nordic countries as well as the EU-27 countries in reducing landfill rates and enhancing energy recovery and recycling rates. According to the EU landfill directive, the total amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled must be below 10% by 2035; however, it is currently over 60%. Other targets are similarly far off, and it is unlikely that Iceland will meet those in time without immediate and significant changes in waste management. This article aims to evaluate MSW management in Iceland at the national and regional levels, its compliance with the EU's targets for waste management and the associated costs inflicted on municipalities. Hence, annual accounts data were used when comparing regions and municipalities. It was found that there are significant differences in per capita waste management expenditure between municipalities with less than 1,000 inhabitants (€379) and ones with more than 10,000 inhabitants (€106). Without changes in proposed future waste management strategies, this gap will inevitably increase in the upcoming years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sveinn Agnarsson
- School of Business, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | - Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir
- Environment and Natural Resources, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland.
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Brix S, Kaiser S, Lörz AN, Le Saout M, Schumacher M, Bonk F, Egilsdottir H, Olafsdottir SH, Tandberg AHS, Taylor J, Tewes S, Xavier JR, Linse K. Habitat variability and faunal zonation at the Ægir Ridge, a canyon-like structure in the deep Norwegian Sea. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13394. [PMID: 35726260 PMCID: PMC9206436 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ægir Ridge System (ARS) is an ancient extinct spreading axis in the Nordic seas extending from the upper slope east of Iceland (∼550 m depth), as part of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), to a depth of ∼3,800 m in the Norwegian basin. Geomorphologically a rift valley, the ARS has a canyon-like structure that may promote increased diversity and faunal density. The main objective of this study was to characterize benthic habitats and related macro- and megabenthic communities along the ARS, and the influence of water mass variables and depth on them. During the IceAGE3 expedition (Icelandic marine Animals: Genetics and Ecology) on RV Sonne in June 2020, benthic communities of the ARS were surveyed by means of a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) and epibenthic sledge (EBS). For this purpose, two working areas were selected, including abyssal stations in the northeast and bathyal stations in the southwest of the ARS. Video and still images of the seabed were usedtoqualitatively describebenthic habitats based on the presence of habitat-forming taxa and the physical environment. Patterns of diversity and community composition of the soft-sediment macrofauna, retrieved from the EBS, were analyzed in a semiquantitative manner. These biological data were complemented by producing high-resolution bathymetric maps using the vessel's multi-beam echosounder system. As suspected, we were able to identify differences in species composition and number of macro- and megafaunal communities associated with a depth gradient. A biological canyon effect became evident in dense aggregates of megafaunal filter feeders and elevated macrofaunal densities. Analysis of videos and still images from the ROV transects also led to the discovery of a number ofVulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) dominated by sponges and soft corals characteristic of the Arctic region. Directions for future research encompass a more detailed, quantitative study of the megafauna and more coherent sampling over the entire depth range in order to fully capture the diversity of the habitats and biota of the region. The presence of sensitive biogenic habitats, alongside seemingly high biodiversity and naturalness are supportive of ongoing considerations of designating part of the ARS as an "Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area" (EBSA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Brix
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg Nature Research Society, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kaiser
- Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, Łódź, Poland,INES Integrated Environmental Solutions UG, Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen, Germany
| | - Anne-Nina Lörz
- Institute for Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries Science, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Mia Schumacher
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
| | - Frederic Bonk
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg Nature Research Society, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - James Taylor
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg Nature Research Society, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simon Tewes
- Bundesamt für Seeschiffahrt und Hydrographie, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joana R. Xavier
- CIIMAR–Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research of the University of Portro, Matosinhos, Portugal,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Katrin Linse
- British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Bergsten P, Vannier P, Frion J, Mougeolle A, Marteinsson VÞ. Culturable Bacterial Diversity from the Basaltic Subsurface of the Young Volcanic Island of Surtsey, Iceland. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1177. [PMID: 35744695 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The oceanic crust is the world’s largest and least explored biosphere on Earth. The basaltic subsurface of Surtsey island in Iceland represents an analog of the warm and newly formed-oceanic crust and offers a great opportunity for discovering novel microorganisms. In this study, we collected borehole fluids, drill cores, and fumarole samples to evaluate the culturable bacterial diversity from the subsurface of the island. Enrichment cultures were performed using different conditions, media and temperatures. A total of 195 bacterial isolates were successfully cultivated, purified, and identified based on MALDI-TOF MS analysis and by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Six different clades belonging to Firmicutes (40%), Gammaproteobacteria (28.7%), Actinobacteriota (22%), Bacteroidota (4.1%), Alphaproteobacteria (3%), and Deinococcota (2%) were identified. Bacillus (13.3%) was the major genus, followed by Geobacillus (12.33%), Enterobacter (9.23%), Pseudomonas (6.15%), and Halomonas (5.64%). More than 13% of the cultured strains potentially represent novel species based on partial 16S rRNA gene sequences. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the isolated strains were closely related to species previously detected in soil, seawater, and hydrothermal active sites. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains were aligned against Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) from the previously published 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence datasets obtained from the same samples. Compared with the culture-independent community composition, only 5 out of 49 phyla were cultivated. However, those five phyla accounted for more than 80% of the ASVs. Only 121 out of a total of 5642 distinct ASVs were culturable (≥98.65% sequence similarity), representing less than 2.15% of the ASVs detected in the amplicon dataset. Here, we support that the subsurface of Surtsey volcano hosts diverse and active microbial communities and that both culture-dependent and -independent methods are essential to improving our insight into such an extreme and complex volcanic environment.
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Unnarsdóttir AB, Hauksdóttir A, Aspelund T, Gunnarsdóttir V, Tómasson G, Jakobsdóttir J, Valdimarsdóttir UA, Thordardottir EB. Sleep disturbances among women in a Subarctic region: a nationwide study. Sleep 2022; 45:6582689. [PMID: 35532192 PMCID: PMC9366651 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsac100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES To date, few studies have assessed sleep problems among women residing in Subarctic regions. Therefore, the aim of this large-scale population-based study was to assess the prevalence of severe sleep problems and associated factors among Icelandic women, living at 63-66°N. METHODS Participants were 29 681 women (18-69 years old) who took part in the Icelandic Stress-And-Gene-Analysis study in 2018-2019. Background information, health-related behavior, and mental health symptoms were assessed with an online questionnaire. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess severe sleep problems during the past month. Adjusting for age, marital status, number of children, education, personal income, work schedule, region, and response period, we used modified Poisson log-linear models to obtain prevalence ratios (PRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS Overall, 24.2% of women reported severe sleep problems (PSQI >10). Women responding in the winter presented with an overall higher prevalence of severe sleep problems, compared to those responding in the summer (PR 1.21; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.28). Severe sleep problems were more prevalent among young and late-midlife women, those who were single, had children, socio-economic challenges, worked shifts, and flexible hours. Furthermore, obesity, suboptimal health behaviors, excessive screen time, and mental health problems were associated with severe sleep problems. CONCLUSION Severe sleep problems are more common among women in Subarctic regions than elsewhere, particularly during winter. These findings motivate the development of preventive strategies and interventions for women in the Subarctic who suffer from sleep problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bára Unnarsdóttir
- Corresponding author. Anna Bára Unnarsdóttir, Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 8, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | - Arna Hauksdóttir
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Thor Aspelund
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Vigdís Gunnarsdóttir
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Gunnar Tómasson
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland,Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Jóhanna Jakobsdóttir
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edda Bjork Thordardottir
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Cuschieri S, Pallari E, Hatziyianni A, Sigurvinsdottir R, Sigfusdottir ID, Sigurðardóttir ÁK. A year of Covid-19: Experiences and lessons learnt by small European island states: Cyprus, Iceland, and Malta. Eur J Public Health 2022; 32:316-321. [PMID: 34978569 PMCID: PMC8755372 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background COVID-19 became a global pandemic within weeks, as every country including small states and islands experienced a surge in cases. Small islands are known to face several challenges in the quest to curb the viral spread, but with the absence of land boarders and small population size, these factors should have played to their advantage to minimize the spread. The aim of this article was to compare and contrast the COVID-19 situation, restrictions, preparedness, management and the healthcare systems between the small population island states of Cyprus, Iceland and Malta. Methods Data were obtained from Ministry of Health websites and COVID dashboards of the three respective Island states in Europe. Comparisons were made between the reported cases, deaths, excess deaths, years of life lost, swabbing rates, restrictive measures, vaccination roll-out and healthcare system structures. Results Cyprus and Malta contained the COVID-19 spread better than Iceland during the first wave. However, a significantly higher viral spread and mortality rates were observed in Malta during the second waves. Similar healthcare preparedness and services, restrictions and relaxation measures were implemented across the three islands with some exceptions. Covid-19 vaccination has initiated across all Islands with Malta leading the vaccination roll-out. Conclusion The small population size and island status proved to be an asset during the first wave of COVID-19, but different governance approaches led to a different COVID-19 outcomes, including high mortality rates during the transition phases and the subsequent waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Cuschieri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Elena Pallari
- MRC Clinical Trials and Methodology Unit, University College London, London, England
| | - Amalia Hatziyianni
- Ammochostos General Hospital, 25 Christou Kkeli, Paralimni, 5310, Cyprus
| | | | - Inga Dora Sigfusdottir
- Reykjavik University, School of Health and Education.,Teacher's College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA), Reykjavik, Iceland
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Bergsten P, Vannier P, Mougeolle A, Rigaud L, Marteinsson VT. Rhodothermus bifroesti sp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium isolated from the basaltic subsurface of the volcanic island Surtsey. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2022; 72. [PMID: 35072600 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.005214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel thermophilic heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from the subsurface of the volcanic island Surtsey off the south coast of Iceland. The strains were isolated from tephra core and borehole fluid samples collected below 70 m depth. The Gram-negative bacteria were rod-shaped (0.3-0.4 µm wide, 1.5-7 µm long), aerobic, non-sporulating and non-motile. Optimal growth was observed at 70 °C, at pH 7-7.5 and with 1% NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis identified the strains as members of the genus Rhodothermus. The type strain, ISCAR-7401T, was genetically distinct from its closest relatives Rhodothermus marinus DSM 4252T and Rhodothermus profundi PRI 2902T based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (95.81 and 96.01%, respectively), genomic average nucleotide identity (73.73 and 72.61%, respectively) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (17.6 and 16.9%, respectively). The major fatty acids of ISCAR-7401T were iso-C17:0, anteiso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0 and iso-C15:0 (>10 %). The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-7 while phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminophospholipid and a phospholipid were the predominant polar lipid components. Based on comparative chemotaxonomic, genomic and phylogenetic analyses, we propose that the isolated strain represents a novel species of the genus Rhodothermus with the name Rhodothermus bifroesti sp. nov. The type strain is ISCAR-7401T (=DSM 112103T=CIP 111906T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Bergsten
- Matís, Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Pauline Vannier
- Matís, Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Alan Mougeolle
- Matís, Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Louise Rigaud
- Matís, Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Viggó Thór Marteinsson
- Matís, Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Egilsdóttir H, Jónsdóttir H, Klinke ME. Living in Rural Areas and Receiving Cancer Treatment Away From Home: A Qualitative Study Foregrounding Temporality. Glob Qual Nurs Res 2022; 9:23333936221111802. [PMID: 35875361 PMCID: PMC9305796 DOI: 10.1177/23333936221111802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We used explorative interviews to gauge (inter)personal, physiological, and emotional challenges of seven rural cancer patients who traveled long distances to cancer treatment centers. After a thematic analysis, we foregrounded experiences of temporality by using a phenomenologically inspired approach. The analysis resulted in three themes: (a) An epiphany of “what really matters in life”—time gains new meaning, (b) Feeling out of sync with others and own body—striving for coherence and simultaneity, and (c) Being torn between benefits of home and treatments site—time and distance as a tangible aspect of traveling and being away. Under these themes, 13 meaning units were generated, which reflected changes in temporality. During treatment, life primarily revolved around repeating circles of travel arrangements, staying on top of treatment schedule, and synchronizing a home life with a life away from home. Nurses should provide comprehensive care to enhance stability in cancer patients’ temporal experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marianne Elisabeth Klinke
- University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.,Landspitali, The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Cuschieri S, Pallari E, Hatziyianni A, Sigurvinsdottir R, Sigfusdottir ID, Sigurðardóttir ÁK. Mortality comparisons of COVID-19 with all-cause and non-communicable diseases in Cyprus, Iceland and Malta: lessons learned and forward planning. Public Health 2022; 202:52-57. [PMID: 34891099 PMCID: PMC8059981 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the world, including Cyprus, Iceland and Malta. Considering the small population sizes of these three island countries, it was anticipated that COVID-19 would be adequately contained and mortality would be low. This study aims to compare and contrast COVID-19 mortality with mortality from all causes and common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) over 8 months between these three islands. METHODS Data were obtained from the Ministry of Health websites and COVID dashboards from Cyprus, Iceland and Malta. The case-to-fatality ratio (CFR) and years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated. Comparisons were made between the reported cases, deaths, CFR, YLLs, swabbing rates, restrictions and mitigation measures. RESULTS Low COVID-19 case numbers and mortality rates were observed during the first wave and transition period in Cyprus, Iceland and Malta. The second wave saw a drastic increase in the number of confirmed cases and mortality rates, especially for Malta, with high CFR and YLLs. Similar restrictions and measures were evident across the three island countries. Results show that COVID-19 mortality was generally lower than mortality from NCDs. CONCLUSIONS The study highlights that small geographical and population size, along with similar restrictive measures, did not appear to have an advantage against the spread and mortality rate of COVID-19, especially during the second wave. Population density, an ageing population and social behaviours may play a role in the burden of COVID-19. It is recommended that a country-specific syndemic approach is used to deal with the local COVID-19 spread based on the population's characteristics, behaviours and the presence of other pre-existing epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cuschieri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
| | - E Pallari
- University College London, MRC Clinical Trials and Methodology Unit, London, England.
| | - A Hatziyianni
- Ammochostos General Hospital, 25 Christou Kkeli, Paralimni, 5310, Cyprus.
| | | | - I D Sigfusdottir
- Department of Psychology, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland; Teacher's College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Á K Sigurðardóttir
- School of Health Science, University of Akureyri, Sólborg, Iceland; Akureyri Hospital, Akureyri, Iceland.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Machine learning (ML) is expected to play an increasing role within primary health care (PHC) in coming years. No peer-reviewed studies exist that evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ML models compared to general practitioners (GPs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an ML classifier on primary headache diagnoses in PHC, compare its performance to GPs, and examine the most impactful signs and symptoms when making a prediction. DESIGN A retrospective study on diagnostic accuracy, using electronic health records from the database of the Primary Health Care Service of the Capital Area (PHCCA) in Iceland. SETTING Fifteen primary health care centers of the PHCCA. SUBJECTS All patients that consulted a physician, from 1 January 2006 to 30 April 2020, and received one of the selected diagnoses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive Value, Matthews Correlation Coefficient, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, and Area under the ROC curve (AUROC) score for primary headache diagnoses, as well as Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) values of the ML classifier. RESULTS The classifier outperformed the GPs on all metrics except specificity. The SHAP values indicate that the classifier uses the same signs and symptoms (features) as a physician would, when distinguishing between headache diagnoses. CONCLUSION In a retrospective comparison, the diagnostic accuracy of the ML classifier for primary headache diagnoses is superior to GPs. According to SHAP values, the ML classifier relies on the same signs and symptoms as a physician when making a diagnostic prediction.KeypointsLittle is known about the diagnostic accuracy of machine learning (ML) in the context of primary health care, despite its considerable potential to aid in clinical work. This novel research sheds light on the diagnostic accuracy of ML in a clinical context, as well as the interpretation of its predictions. If the vast potential of ML is to be utilized in primary health care, its performance, safety, and inner workings need to be understood by clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steindor Ellertsson
- Primary Health Care Service of the Capital Area, Reykjavik, Iceland
- CONTACT Steindor Ellertsson Primary Health Care Service of the Capital Area, Grenimelur 44, 107, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Hrafn Loftsson
- Department of Computer Science, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Emil L. Sigurdsson
- Primary Health Care Service of the Capital Area, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Development Centre for Primary Health Care in Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Nicoletti C, Procházková L, Nedbalová L, Mócsai R, Altmann F, Holzinger A, Remias D. Thorsmoerkia curvula gen. et spec. nov. (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta), a semi-terrestrial microalga from Iceland exhibits high levels of unsaturated fatty acids. J Appl Phycol 2021; 33:3671-3682. [PMID: 35309180 PMCID: PMC7612509 DOI: 10.1007/s10811-021-02577-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A terrestrial green alga was isolated at Iceland, and the strain (SAG 2627) was described for its morphology and phylogenetic position and tested for biotechnological capabilities. Cells had a distinctly curved, crescent shape with conical poles and a single parietal chloroplast. Phylogenetic analyses of 18S rDNA and rbcL markers placed the strain into the Trebouxiophyceae (Chlorophyta). The alga turned out to belong to an independent lineage without an obvious sister group within the Trebouxiophyceae. Based on morphological and phylogenetic data, the strain was described as a new genus and species, Thorsmoerkia curvula gen. et sp. nov. Biomass was generated in column reactors and subsequently screened for promising metabolites. Growth was optimized by pH-regulated, episodic CO2 supplement during the logarithmic growth-phase, and half of the biomass was thereafter exposed to nitrogen and phosphate depletion. The biomass yield reached up to 53.5 mg L-1 day-1. Fatty acid (FA) production peaked at 24 mg L-1 day-1 and up to 83% of all FAs were unsaturated. At the end of the log phase, approximately 45% of dry mass were lipids, including eicosapentaenoic acid. Carotenoid production reached up to 2.94 mg L-1 day-1 but it was halted during the stress phase. The N-linked glycans of glycoproteins were assessed to reveal chemotaxonomic patterns. The study demonstrated that new microalgae can be found at Iceland, potentially suitable for applied purposes. The advantage of T. curvula is its robustness and that significant amounts of lipids are already accumulated during log phase, making a subsequent stress exposure dispensable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Nicoletti
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Stelzhamerstr. 23, 4600 Wels, Austria
| | - Lenka Procházková
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czech Republic
- Centre for Phycology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, 37982 Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Linda Nedbalová
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czech Republic
- Centre for Phycology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, 37982 Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Réka Mócsai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 19, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Friedrich Altmann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 19, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Holzinger
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Daniel Remias
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Stelzhamerstr. 23, 4600 Wels, Austria
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46
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Uhlir C, Schwentner M, Meland K, Kongsrud JA, Glenner H, Brandt A, Thiel R, Svavarsson J, Lörz AN, Brix S. Adding pieces to the puzzle: insights into diversity and distribution patterns of Cumacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) from the deep North Atlantic to the Arctic Ocean. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12379. [PMID: 34824910 PMCID: PMC8590803 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Nordic Seas have one of the highest water-mass diversities in the world, yet large knowledge gaps exist in biodiversity structure and biogeographical distribution patterns of the deep macrobenthic fauna. This study focuses on the marine bottom-dwelling peracarid crustacean taxon Cumacea from northern waters, using a combined approach of morphological and molecular techniques to present one of the first insights into genetic variability of this taxon. In total, 947 specimens were assigned to 77 morphologically differing species, representing all seven known families from the North Atlantic. A total of 131 specimens were studied genetically (16S rRNA) and divided into 53 putative species by species delimitation methods (GMYC and ABGD). In most cases, morphological and molecular-genetic delimitation was fully congruent, highlighting the overall success and high quality of both approaches. Differences were due to eight instances resulting in either ecologically driven morphological diversification of species or morphologically cryptic species, uncovering hidden diversity. An interspecific genetic distance of at least 8% was observed with a clear barcoding gap for molecular delimitation of cumacean species. Combining these findings with data from public databases and specimens collected during different international expeditions revealed a change in the composition of taxa from a Northern Atlantic-boreal to an Arctic community. The Greenland-Iceland-Scotland-Ridge (GIS-Ridge) acts as a geographical barrier and/or predominate water masses correspond well with cumacean taxa dominance. A closer investigation on species level revealed occurrences across multiple ecoregions or patchy distributions within defined ecoregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Uhlir
- Center of Natural History (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg Research Institute, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Schwentner
- Center of Natural History (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kenneth Meland
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jon Anders Kongsrud
- Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen (ZMBN), Bergen, Norway
| | - Henrik Glenner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Centre of Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (CMEC), Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Angelika Brandt
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ralf Thiel
- Center of Natural History (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jörundur Svavarsson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Anne-Nina Lörz
- Institute for Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries Science, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Saskia Brix
- German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg Research Institute, Hamburg, Germany
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47
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Barraquand F, Nielsen ÓK. Survival rates of adult and juvenile gyrfalcons in Iceland: estimates and drivers. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12404. [PMID: 34900413 PMCID: PMC8621780 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of survival rates and their potential covariation with environmental drivers, for both adults and juveniles, is paramount to forecast the population dynamics of long-lived animals. Long-lived bird and mammal populations are indeed very sensitive to change in survival rates, especially that of adults. Here we report the first survival estimates for the Icelandic gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) obtained by capture-mark-recapture methods. We use a mark-recapture-recovery model combining live and dead encounters into a unified analysis, in a Bayesian framework. Annual survival was estimated at 0.83 for adults and 0.40 for juveniles. Positive effects of main prey density on juvenile survival (5% increase in survival from min to max density) were possible though not likely. Weather effects on juvenile survival were even less likely. The variability in observed lifespan suggests that adult birds could suffer from human-induced alteration of survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Barraquand
- Institute of Mathematics of Bordeaux, CNRS, Talence, France
- Integrative and Theoretical Ecology, Labex COTE, University of Bordeaux, Pessac, France
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Thrastardottir R, Olafsdottir HT, Thorarinsdottir RI. Yellow Mealworm and Black Soldier Fly Larvae for Feed and Food Production in Europe, with Emphasis on Iceland. Foods 2021; 10:2744. [PMID: 34829029 DOI: 10.3390/foods10112744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects are part of the diet of over 2 billion people worldwide; however, insects have not been popular in Europe, neither as food nor as a feed ingredient. This has been changing in recent years, due to increased knowledge regarding the nutritional benefits, the need for novel protein production and the low environmental impact of insects compared to conventional protein production. The purpose of this study is to give an overview of the most popular insects farmed in Europe, yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, and black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, together with the main obstacles and risks. A comprehensive literature study was carried out and 27 insect farming companies found listed in Europe were contacted directly. The results show that the insect farming industry is increasing in Europe, and the success of the frontrunners is based on large investments in technology, automation and economy of scale. The interest of venture capital firms is noticeable, covering 90% of the investment costs in some cases. It is concluded that insect farming in Europe is likely to expand rapidly in the coming years, offering new proteins and other valuable products, not only as a feed ingredient, but also for human consumption. European regulations have additionally been rapidly changing, with more freedom towards insects as food and feed. There is an increased knowledge regarding safety concerns of edible insects, and the results indicate that edible insects pose a smaller risk for zoonotic diseases than livestock. However, knowledge regarding risk posed by edible insects is still lacking, but food and feed safety is essential to put products on the European market.
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49
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Pushkareva E, Barrantes I, Leinweber P, Karsten U. Microbial Diversity in Subarctic Biocrusts from West Iceland following an Elevation Gradient. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2195. [PMID: 34835321 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are essential communities of organisms in the Icelandic soil ecosystem, as they prevent erosion and cryoturbation and provide nutrients to vascular plants. However, biocrust microbial composition in Iceland remains understudied. To address this gap in knowledge, we applied high-throughput sequencing to study microbial community composition in biocrusts collected along an elevation gradient (11–157 m a.s.l.) stretching away perpendicular to the marine coast. Four groups of organisms were targeted: bacteria and cyanobacteria (16S rRNA gene), fungi (transcribed spacer region), and other eukaryotes (18S rRNA gene). The amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the dominance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. Within the cyanobacteria, filamentous forms from the orders Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales prevailed. Furthermore, fungi in the biocrusts were dominated by Ascomycota, while the majority of reads obtained from sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene belonged to Archaeplastida. In addition, microbial photoautotrophs isolated from the biocrusts were assigned to the cyanobacterial genera Phormidesmis, Microcoleus, Wilmottia, and Oscillatoria and to two microalgal phyla Chlorophyta and Charophyta. In general, the taxonomic diversity of microorganisms in the biocrusts increased following the elevation gradient and community composition differed among the sites, suggesting that microclimatic and soil parameters might shape biocrust microbiota.
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50
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Bergsten P, Vannier P, Klonowski AM, Knobloch S, Gudmundsson MT, Jackson MD, Marteinsson VT. Basalt-Hosted Microbial Communities in the Subsurface of the Young Volcanic Island of Surtsey, Iceland. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:728977. [PMID: 34659155 PMCID: PMC8513691 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.728977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The island of Surtsey was formed in 1963–1967 on the offshore Icelandic volcanic rift zone. It offers a unique opportunity to study the subsurface biosphere in newly formed oceanic crust and an associated hydrothermal-seawater system, whose maximum temperature is currently above 120°C at about 100m below surface. Here, we present new insights into the diversity, distribution, and abundance of microorganisms in the subsurface of the island, 50years after its creation. Samples, including basaltic tuff drill cores and associated fluids acquired at successive depths as well as surface fumes from fumaroles, were collected during expedition 5059 of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program specifically designed to collect microbiological samples. Results of this microbial survey are investigated with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and scanning electron microscopy. To distinguish endemic microbial taxa of subsurface rocks from potential contaminants present in the drilling fluid, we use both methodological and computational strategies. Our 16S rRNA gene analysis results expose diverse and distinct microbial communities in the drill cores and the borehole fluid samples, which harbor thermophiles in high abundance. Whereas some taxonomic lineages detected across these habitats remain uncharacterized (e.g., Acetothermiia, Ammonifexales), our results highlight potential residents of the subsurface that could be identified at lower taxonomic rank such as Thermaerobacter, BRH-c8a (Desulfallas-Sporotomaculum), Thioalkalimicrobium, and Sulfurospirillum. Microscopy images reveal possible biotic structures attached to the basaltic substrate. Finally, microbial colonization of the newly formed basaltic crust and the metabolic potential are discussed on the basis of the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Bergsten
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland.,Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Pauline Vannier
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Stephen Knobloch
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Marie Dolores Jackson
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Viggó Thor Marteinsson
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland.,Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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