Horizon scanning of potential threats to high-Arctic biodiversity, human health and the economy from marine invasive alien species: A Svalbard case study

The high Arctic is considered a pristine environment compared with many other regions in the northern hemisphere. It is becoming increasingly vulnerable to invasion by invasive alien species (IAS), however, as climate change leads to rapid loss of sea ice, changes in ocean temperature and salinity, and enhanced human activities. These changes are likely to increase the incidence of arrival and the potential for establishment of IAS in the region. To predict the impact of IAS, a group of experts in taxonomy, invasion biology and Arctic ecology carried out a horizon scanning exercise using the Svalbard archipelago as a case study, to identify the species that present the highest risk to biodiversity, human health and the economy within the next 10 years. A total of 114 species, currently absent from Svalbard, recorded once and/or identified only from environmental DNA samples, were initially identified as relevant for review. Seven species were found to present a high invasion risk and to potentially cause a significant negative impact on biodiversity and five species had the potential to have an economic impact on Svalbard. Decapod crabs, ascidians and barnacles dominated the list of highest risk marine IAS. Potential pathways of invasion were also researched, the most common were found associated with vessel traffic. We recommend (i) use of this approach as a key tool within the application of biosecurity measures in the wider high Arctic, (ii) the addition of this tool to early warning systems for strengthening existing surveillance measures; and (iii) that this approach is used to identify high-risk terrestrial and freshwater IAS to understand the overall threat facing the high Arctic. Without the application of biosecurity measures, including horizon scanning, there is a greater risk that marine IAS invasions will increase, leading to unforeseen changes in the environment and economy of the high Arctic

Cottonseed meal as a supplement to pasture for fattening steers in the Black Belt of Alabama

Cover title. "March 1935." Also available in microfilm under: State agricultural papers

Use of ice in curing pork on the farm

Cover title. "October 1932." Also available in microfilm under: State agricultural papers

Some factors affecting the cost of raising pigs to weaning age

Cover title. "July 1934 (Reprinted August 1936)." Also available in microfilm under: State agricultural papers

Wintering steers in the black belt of Alabama

Cover title. "February 1935 (Reprinted 1937)." Also available in microfilm under: State agricultural papers

Feeding, docking, and castrating spring lambs

Cover title. "July 1934." "Reprinted August 1936." Includes bibliographical references (p. 4). Also available in microfilm under: State agricultural papers

State of knowledge regarding the potential of macroalgae cultivation in providing climate-related and other ecosystem services

Macroalgae (or seaweed) aquaculture can potentially provide many ecosystem services, including climate change mitigation, coastal protection, preservation of biodiversity and improvement of water quality. Nevertheless, there are still many constraints and knowledge gaps that need to be overcome, as well as potential negative impacts or scale-dependent effects that need to be considered, before macroalgae cultivation in Europe can be scaled up successfully and sustainably. To investigate these uncertainties, the Expert Working Group (EWG) on Macroalgae was established. Its role was to determine the state of knowledge regarding the potential of macroalgae culture in providing climate-related and other ecosystem services (ES) and to identify specific knowledge gaps that must be addressed before harvesting this potential. The methodological framework combined a multiple expert consultation with Delphi process and a Quick Scoping Review (QSR). To analyse the outcome of both approaches, the EWG classified the findings under the categories Political, Environmental, Social, Technical, Economic and Legal (PESTEL approach) and categorised the ES based on the CICES 5.1 classification. Although representative stakeholders from many different disciplines were contacted, the majority of responses to the Delphi process were from representatives of academia or research. While the results of each method differed in many ways, both methods identified the following top six ecosystem services provided by seaweed cultivation: i) provisioning food, ii) provisioning hydrocolloids and feed, iii) regulating water quality, iv) provisioning habitats, v) provisioning of nurseries and vi) regulating climate. Diverse technological knowledge gaps were identified by both methods at all scales of the macroalgae cultivation process, followed by economic and environmental knowledge gaps depending on the method used. Based on suggestions from the expert respondents in the Delphi process, there is a clear need for an European-wide strategy for reducing risks for seaweed producers, providing clear standards and guidelines for obtaining permits, and providing financial support to improve technological innovation, that will ensure consistent quality. Legal (e.g., safety regulations), economic (e.g., lack of demand for seaweeds in many countries) and technological (e.g., production at large scale) constraints represented almost 70% of the total responses in the Delphi process, whereas environmental and technical constraints were more dominant in the literature. The most commonly identified potential negative impacts of macroalgae cultivation both among the expert responses and the reviewed articles were unknown environmental impacts, e.g. to deep sea, benthic and pelagic ecosystems. The present study provides an assessment of the state of knowledge regarding ES provided by seaweed cultivation and identifies the associated knowledge gaps, constraints and potential negative impacts. One of the main hurdles recognised by the EWG was the understanding of ES themselves by the different stakeholders, as well as the issue of scale. Studies providing clear evidence of ES provided by seaweed cultivation and/or valorisation of these services were lacking in the literature, and some aspects, like cultural impact etc. were missing in the responses to the questionnaires during the Delphi process. The issue of scale and scaling-up was omnipresent both in assessing the ES provided by seaweed cultivation and in identifying knowledge gaps, constraints and potential negative impacts. For example, the ES provided will depend on the scale of cultivation, the main technological knowledge gaps were often related to scale of cultivation. Likewise at a large scale of operations, there could be multiple associated potential side effects, which need to be further investigated. Based on the outcomes of this investigation, we provide an outlook with open questions that need to be answered to support the sustainable scaling-up of seaweed cultivation in Europe

Ecosystem Services Provided by Seaweed Cultivation: State of the Art, Knowledge Gaps, Constraints and Future Needs for Achieving Maximum Potential in Europe

The potential of seaweed as a renewable resource is becoming increasingly recognized by diverse stakeholders in Europe. Currently, several initiatives are working on accelerating the development of the European algae industry. Seaweed cultivation can be an important cornerstone in developing EU aquaculture and achieving the European Green Deal. An expert working group was selected and established in February 2021 by the European knowledge brokering mechanism Eklipse. This group was tasked to explore and map the current state of knowledge regarding ecosystem services (ES) provided by seaweed cultivation, including knowledge gaps, constraints, potential negative impacts and tradeoffs. The study was based on the Delphi process and a Quick Scoping Review (QSR). The results of each method showed differences in constraints, negative impacts and knowledge gaps, revealing the need for better communication and collaboration between the involved stakeholders. Both methods identified the following six ES provided by seaweed cultivation: (i) provisioning food, (ii) provisioning hydrocolloids and feed, (iii) regulating water quality, (iv) provisioning habitats, (v) provisioning of nurseries and (vi) regulating climate. Nevertheless, the specific ES identified differed between seaweed taxa. In addition, both methods highlighted also potential negative environmental impacts (e.g., wider ecosystem effects), technological constraints and knowledge gaps (e.g., production). The identified knowledge gaps and constraints were further discussed and prioritized with stakeholders in a workshop in Brussels. This workshop identified the structural research needs for future investigations, including: improved knowledge of environmental impacts; better management of genetic diversity and clear definitions of legal frameworks to support the development of the EU initiative on seaweed sustainable use. This paper summarizes the findings of the investigations of the expert group and future challenges for seaweed cultivation under current and near-future climatic scenarios

Can a key boreal Calanus copepod species now complete its life-cycle in the Arctic? Evidence and implications for Arctic food-webs

The changing Arctic environment is affecting zooplankton that support its abundant wildlife. We examined how these changes are influencing a key zooplankton species, Calanus finmarchicus, principally found in the North Atlantic but expatriated to the Arctic. Close to the ice-edge in the Fram Strait, we identified areas that, since the 1980s, are increasingly favourable to C. finmarchicus. Field-sampling revealed part of the population there to be capable of amassing enough reserves to overwinter. Early developmental stages were also present in early summer, suggesting successful local recruitment. This extension to suitable C. finmarchicus habitat is most likely facilitated by the long-term retreat of the ice-edge, allowing phytoplankton to bloom earlier and for longer and through higher temperatures increasing copepod developmental rates. The increased capacity for this species to complete its life-cycle and prosper in the Fram Strait can change community structure, with large consequences to regional food-webs