Beach litter composition, distribution patterns and annual budgets on Novaya Zemlya archipelago, Russian Arctic.

Beached macrolitter (>2,5 cm) abundance and composition in the Russian (Eastern) part of the Barents Sea and the adjacent part of the Kara Sea was assessed for 2021-2023. Average densities of beach litter on the coasts are 675 items/100 m and 37 kg/100 m (0.27 items/m2 and 0.015 kg/m2). Annual litter budgets for Cape Zhelaniya beaches are 0.49 items/m2 per year and 0.023 kg/m2 per year. The northernmost tip of Novaya Zemlya is shown to be a beach litter accumulation hot-spot on Novaya Zemlya archipelago, where litter is brought by surface currents and trapped by sea ice margins. Up to 80 % of beached marine macrolitter is made of plastics, originating from vessels. A certain accumulation strip of a beach was identified (14 m - 27.5 m distance from the waterline), and significance of the beach backshore was shown in litter accumulation. Beach litter accounting methodologies on the Arctic beaches are discussed.

Stakeholders' perceptions of value of nature-based interventions in promoting health in people with stress-related illness: a qualitative study.

Stress-related illness is a common and increasing cause for sick leave in Sweden. Spending time in nature reduces stress and promotes health and well-being. Accordingly, nature-based interventions (NBI) for people with stress-related illness have been developed and implemented in southern Scandinavia; however, such interventions are uncommon in the Circumpolar North. Previous studies have examined the effects and experiences of participating in NBI, but research about different stakeholders' perspectives on NBI is lacking. The aim of this study was to explore different key stakeholders' perceptions of the value of NBI in promoting health in people with stress-related illness. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 persons with stress-related illness experience, 14 healthcare professionals, and 11 entrepreneurs offering NBI. Qualitative content analysis resulted in four categories: Providing opportunity for recovery, Offering new perspectives and opportunity for reflection, Empowering balance and control in life, and Enabling one to overcome barriers. Although the study was conducted in a region where NBI is not widely implemented, the different stakeholders expressed similar perceptions of the value of NBI, indicating that NBI may be a valuable complement to health care which reaches people with stress-related illness needs and promotes their health.

Evaluating plans for sustainable development in Arctic cities.

Cities located in the Arctic often have extreme geographic and environmental contexts and unique sociopolitical and economic trajectories that, when combined with amplified effects of climate change in the region, impact future sustainable development. Well-recognized and standardized sustainable development indicator (SDI) frameworks such as ISO 37120 or UN-Habitat City Prosperity Index are often used to compare data across cities globally using comprehensive sets of indicators. While such indexes help characterize progress toward development and guide short- and long-term decision-making, they often lack relevance to specific contexts or characterize future visions of urban growth. To evaluate the extent of these deficiencies and to provide a comparative analysis of approaches to sustainable urban growth in the Arctic, this paper analyzes city planning documents for five northern cities - Anchorage (USA), Utqiagvik (USA), Reyjavik (ISL), Iqaluit, (CAN), Whitehorse, (CAN) - for goals, targets, and indicators and compare these to thematic areas and indicators defined by ISO 37120:2018 Sustainable Cities and Communities. The results confirm that although international SDI frameworks may be useful for comparative analysis of cities across diverse regions, they exclude important local factors that influence goal-oriented urban sustainability planning strategies employed in the Arctic region.

Characterization of hydrocarbon degraders from Northwest Passage beach sediments and assessment of their ability for bioremediation.

Global warming-induced sea ice loss in the Canadian Northwest Passage (NWP) will result in more shipping traffic, increasing the risk of oil spills. Microorganisms inhabiting NWP beach sediments may degrade hydrocarbons, offering a potential bioremediation strategy. In this study, the characterization and genomic analyses of 22 hydrocarbon-biodegradative bacterial isolates revealed that they contained a diverse range of key alkane and aromatic hydrocarbon-degradative genes, as well as cold and salt tolerance genes indicating they are highly adapted to the extreme Arctic environment. Some isolates successfully degraded Ultra Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (ULSFO) at temperatures as low as -5 °C and high salinities (3%-10%). Three isolates were grown in liquid medium containing ULSFO as sole carbon source over 3 months and variation of hydrocarbon concentration was measured at three time points to determine their rate of hydrocarbon biodegradation. Our results demonstrate that two isolates (Rhodococcus sp. R1B_2T and Pseudarthrobacter sp. R2D_1T) possess complete degradation pathways and can grow on alkane and aromatic components of ULSFO under Arctic conditions. Overall, these results demonstrate that diverse hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms exist in the NWP beach sediments, offering a potential bioremediation strategy in the events of a marine fuel spill reaching the shores of the NWP.

Increasing multi-hazard climate risk and financial and health impacts on northern homeowners.

Currently, more than half of the world's human population lives in urban areas, which are increasingly affected by climate hazards. Little is known about how multi-hazard environments affect people, especially those living in urban areas in northern latitudes. This study surveyed homeowners in Anchorage and Fairbanks, USA, Alaska's largest urban centers, to measure individual risk perceptions, mitigation response, and damages related to wildfire, surface ice hazards, and permafrost thaw. Up to one third of residents reported being affected by all three hazards, with surface ice hazards being the most widely distributed, related to an estimated $25 million in annual damages. Behavioral risk response, policy recommendations for rapidly changing urban environments, and the challenges to local governments in mitigation efforts are discussed.

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.

Assessment of persistent organic pollutants in killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the Canadian Arctic: Implications for subsistence consumption and conservation strategies.

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) historically restricted to certain Arctic regions due to extensive sea ice have recently been documented farther north and for longer durations in the Canadian Arctic. These apex predators accumulate high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentrations and profiles of POPs in killer whales of the Canadian Arctic, thus determining potential risks for Inuit communities if consumed. Biopsies were collected from 33 killer whales across areas of the Canadian Arctic between 2009 and 2021. Significant variability in POP concentrations was observed among whales. The cumulative POP concentrations ranged from 12 to >2270 mg/kg lw, representing ∼200-fold increase from the least to the most contaminated individual. The rank order of concentrations of the top five contaminant classes was ∑DDT, ∑PCB, ∑CHL, ∑Toxaphene, and Dieldrin. Several emerging Arctic contaminants were detected, including chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, pentachloroanisole, and polychlorinated naphthalenes, although at relatively lower concentrations than legacy POPs. Considering the elevated blubber POP levels in killer whales, recommended daily consumption thresholds, established based on human tolerable daily intake (TDI) values, were notably restricted for ∑PCB (<0.14 g), ∑DDT (<6.9 g), ∑CHL (<13 g), dieldrin (<8 g) and heptachlor epoxide (<5 g). Killer whales in the Canadian Arctic exhibited higher POP concentrations than other commonly hunted species such as polar bears, ringed seals, and Arctic char. We acknowledge that a more holistic risk assessment of diet is required to assess the cumulative impacts of contaminant mixtures as well as nutritional quality of tissues commonly consumed by northern communities.

Socio-economic predictors of Inuit hunting choices and their implications for climate change adaptation.

In the Arctic, seasonal variation in the accessibility of the land, sea ice and open waters influences which resources can be harvested safely and efficiently. Climate stressors are also increasingly affecting access to subsistence resources. Within Inuit communities, people differ in their involvement with subsistence activities, but little is known about how engagement in the cash economy (time and money available) and other socio-economic factors shape the food production choices of Inuit harvesters, and their ability to adapt to rapid ecological change. We analyse 281 foraging trips involving 23 Inuit harvesters from Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, Canada using a Bayesian approach modelling both patch choice and within-patch success. Gender and income predict Inuit harvest strategies: while men, especially men from low-income households, often visit patches with a relatively low success probability, women and high-income hunters generally have a higher propensity to choose low-risk patches. Inland hunting, marine hunting and fishing differ in the required equipment and effort, and hunters may have to shift their subsistence activities if certain patches become less profitable or less safe owing to high costs of transportation or climate change (e.g. navigate larger areas inland instead of targeting seals on the sea ice). Our finding that household income predicts patch choice suggests that the capacity to maintain access to country foods depends on engagement with the cash economy. This article is part of the theme issue 'Climate change adaptation needs a science of culture'.

A comprehensive satellite-based assessment across the Pacific Arctic Distributed Biological Observatory shows widespread late-season sea surface warming and sea ice declines with significant influences on primary productivity.

Massive declines in sea ice cover and widespread warming seawaters across the Pacific Arctic region over the past several decades have resulted in profound shifts in marine ecosystems that have cascaded throughout all trophic levels. The Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) provides sampling infrastructure for a latitudinal gradient of biological "hotspot" regions across the Pacific Arctic region, with eight sites spanning the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. The purpose of this study is two-fold: (a) to provide an assessment of satellite-based environmental variables for the eight DBO sites (including sea surface temperature (SST), sea ice concentration, annual sea ice persistence and the timing of sea ice breakup/formation, chlorophyll-a concentrations, primary productivity, and photosynthetically available radiation (PAR)) as well as their trends across the 2003-2020 time period; and (b) to assess the importance of sea ice presence/open water for influencing primary productivity across the region and for the eight DBO sites in particular. While we observe significant trends in SST, sea ice, and chlorophyll-a/primary productivity throughout the year, the most significant and synoptic trends for the DBO sites have been those during late summer and autumn (warming SST during October/November, later shifts in the timing of sea ice formation, and increases in chlorophyll-a/primary productivity during August/September). Those DBO sites where significant increases in annual primary productivity over the 2003-2020 time period have been observed include DBO1 in the Bering Sea (37.7 g C/m2/year/decade), DBO3 in the Chukchi Sea (48.0 g C/m2/year/decade), and DBO8 in the Beaufort Sea (38.8 g C/m2/year/decade). The length of the open water season explains the variance of annual primary productivity most strongly for sites DBO3 (74%), DBO4 in the Chukchi Sea (79%), and DBO6 in the Beaufort Sea (78%), with DBO3 influenced most strongly with each day of additional increased open water (3.8 g C/m2/year per day). These synoptic satellite-based observations across the suite of DBO sites will provide the legacy groundwork necessary to track additional and inevitable future physical and biological change across the region in response to ongoing climate warming.

Long-term assessment of relationships between changing environmental conditions and the physiology of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus).

Climate change is influencing polar bear (Ursus maritimus) habitat, diet, and behavior but the effects of these changes on their physiology is not well understood. Blood-based biomarkers are used to assess the physiologic health of individuals but their usefulness for evaluating population health, especially as it relates to changing environmental conditions, has rarely been explored. We describe links between environmental conditions and physiologic functions of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears using data from blood samples collected from 1984 to 2018, a period marked by extensive environmental change. We evaluated associations between 13 physiologic biomarkers and circumpolar (Arctic oscillation index) and regional (wind patterns and ice-free days) environmental metrics and seasonal and demographic co-variates (age, sex, season, and year) known to affect polar bear ecology. We observed signs of dysregulation of water balance in polar bears following years with a lower annual Arctic oscillation index. In addition, liver enzyme values increased over time, which is suggestive of potential hepatocyte damage as the Arctic has warmed. Biomarkers of immune function increased with regional-scale wind patterns and the number of ice-free days over the Beaufort Sea continental shelf and were lower in years with a lower winter Arctic oscillation index, suggesting an increased allocation of energetic resources for immune processes under these conditions. We propose that the variation in polar bear immune and metabolic function is likely indicative of physiologic plasticity, a response that allows polar bears to remain in homeostasis even as they experience changes in nutrition and habitat in response to changing environments.

Risk communication and perceptions about lead ammunition and Inuit health in Nunavik, Canada.

Lead ammunition is commonly used to hunt waterfowl and other wildlife in the Arctic. Hunting with lead is problematic because the toxicant can be transferred to the consumer. Therefore, it is critical to evaluate perceptions and awareness of the risks associated with using lead ammunition among Arctic populations. Results of the Nunavik Child Development Study (a longitudinal health study gathering information on health and well-being among Inuit in Nunavik, Canada) included advice to eliminate the use of lead ammunition in hunting practices. We surveyed 112 Nunavik residents (93 women; 18 men) about their awareness of lead related messages, use of lead ammunition and risk perceptions about contaminants. Sixty-seven participants (59.8%) reported there was an active hunter in their household. We found that only 27% of participants had heard or seen the messages about reducing lead ammunition. After participants viewed the Nunavik Child Development Study messages about lead, 44% stated they would stop using lead ammunition. However, 28% indicated that they would continue using lead ammunition. We conclude that, while messages had an overall positive effect, further study is required to understand why people continue to use lead ammunition.

Review of quantitative methods to assess impacts of changing climate and socioeconomic conditions on Arctic transportation systems.

Rapid climate and socioeconomic changes are transforming Arctic human-earth systems. An integral part of these systems is mobility, which encompasses the transport of humans and goods into, out of, and between Arctic regions. Impacts of climate and socioeconomic drivers on Arctic mobility are heterogenous. Methodologies are needed to quantify these impacts in measures that can be linked with broader socioeconomic systems. This article reviews existing methods and organizes them into a conceptual framework to understand trends and gaps in the literature. We found methods quantifying impacts of a range of climate drivers on most transportation modes present in the Arctic, but few methods focused on socioeconomic drivers. In addition, underrepresented were methods explicitly considering adaptive capacity of transportation systems. We provide insight into the data and relationships relevant to understanding impacts of Arctic change on transportation systems, laying a foundation for future work that investigates how these impacts fit into broader human-arth systems.

Three-dimensional anthropogenic underwater noise modeling in an Arctic fjord for acoustic risk assessment.

Sea-ice covering is drastically declining in the Arctic, opening new maritime routes and thus introducing underwater noise pollution in nearly pristine acoustic environments. Evaluating underwater noise pollution requires good acoustic propagation modeling to predict sound exposure levels. However, underwater noise modeling for acoustic risk assessments has often been carried out using simplistic propagation models, which approximate a 3D propagation in several planes (Nx2D), instead of using full 3D propagation models. However, Nx2D propagation models are impractical for winding geography and steep bathymetry as found in Arctic fjords. The purpose of this study is to estimate disturbance and masking effects on Arctic animal species from shipping noises, modeled through a traditional Nx2D BELLHOP model and a full 3D BELLHOP model. Classical Nx2D propagation modeling largely underestimates the anthropogenic noise footprint in Arctic fjords compared to using a full 3D propagation model.

Diving below the surface: A framework for arctic health research to support thriving communities.

AIMS: Historically, health research in the Arctic has focused on documenting ill-health using a narrow set of deficit-oriented epidemiologic indicators (i.e., prevalence of disease and mortality rates). While useful, this type of research does not adequately capture the breadth and complexities of community health and well-being, and fails to highlight solutions. A community's context, strengths, and continued expressions of well-being need to guide inquiries, inform processes, and contextualize recommendations. In this paper, we present a conceptual framework developed to address the aforementioned concerns and inform community-led health and social research in the Arctic. METHODS: The proposed framework is informed by our collective collaborations with circumpolar communities, and syntheses of individual and group research undertaken throughout the Circumpolar North. Our framework encourages investigation into the contextual factors that promote circumpolar communities to thrive. RESULTS: Our framework centers on the visual imagery of an iceberg. There is a need to dive deeper than superficial indicators of health to examine individual, family, social, cultural, historical, linguistic, and environmental contexts that support communities in the Circumpolar North to thrive. A participatory community-based approach in conjunction with ongoing epidemiologic research is necessary in order to effectively support health and wellness. Conclusions: The iceberg framework is a way to conceptualize circumpolar health research and encourage investigators to both monitor epidemiologic indicators and also dive below the surface using participatory methodology to investigate contextual factors that support thriving communities.

[The competence in health issues of population of circumpolar region of the Russian Federation].

The health literacy of citizen is determined by a set of demographic and social factors. The deficiency of health literacy of population in the Russian Arctic Zone conditions delay in indicators characterizing population health from their all-Russian values and menaces ability to achieve the targets of the National Strategy of Development of Russian Arctic Zone and Ensuring National Security up to 2035.The purpose of the study is to assess level of health literacy of patients and healthy population residing in circumpolar territories of Russia (Arkhangelsk Oblast).The level of general health literacy in the subgroups of respondents varied in narrow range of 26.9-36.3 points. The most significant difference was established between scores of interactive health literacy (Δ = 4.1 points) and critical health literacy (Δ = 3.4 points), which were higher in group of healthy respondents. The predictors of level of general health literacy are clinical status (value of dependent variables in healthy respondents was on average higher on 0.75-1.73 points), self-assessment of one's positioning in society (every additional point increases average level of general health literacy by 0.47-0.79 points) and age (every additional year of life reduces level of general health literacy by 0.08 - 0.09 points). The results of the study indicate on dependency between clinical status and the level of health literacy, determine social characteristics of risk group with low health literacy as object of additional preventive measures directed at citizen residing in in circumpolar terrotories of The Russian Federation.

Vegetation type is an important predictor of the arctic summer land surface energy budget.

Despite the importance of high-latitude surface energy budgets (SEBs) for land-climate interactions in the rapidly changing Arctic, uncertainties in their prediction persist. Here, we harmonize SEB observations across a network of vegetated and glaciated sites at circumpolar scale (1994-2021). Our variance-partitioning analysis identifies vegetation type as an important predictor for SEB-components during Arctic summer (June-August), compared to other SEB-drivers including climate, latitude and permafrost characteristics. Differences among vegetation types can be of similar magnitude as between vegetation and glacier surfaces and are especially high for summer sensible and latent heat fluxes. The timing of SEB-flux summer-regimes (when daily mean values exceed 0 Wm-2) relative to snow-free and -onset dates varies substantially depending on vegetation type, implying vegetation controls on snow-cover and SEB-flux seasonality. Our results indicate complex shifts in surface energy fluxes with land-cover transitions and a lengthening summer season, and highlight the potential for improving future Earth system models via a refined representation of Arctic vegetation types.

[The natality and mortality of population in various social economic regions of the Far North].

The issues of improving demographic situation in Russia at large and in its particular subjects are of special actuality. Therefore, the study was carried out concerning actual characteristics of population natural movement with consideration of regional specifics of the northern and eastern territories of the country. Nowadays, in Far North regions, Arctic and Sub-Arctic territories, Far East territories that occupy almost 2/3 of the area of the Russian Federation reside less than 10% of total population. By virtue of immense industrial and resource potential of these regions, the issue of natural population increase in the northern and arctic territories is of strategic importance for the Russian Federation. The entire territory of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is included in the Far North regions. The demographic situation in this territory is determined both by processes of national level and specific climatic, economic and other conditions specific for northern and arctic territories. The study was carried out to comparatively analyze indices of population natural movement in various social economic regions of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) such as arctic, agricultural and industrial, including Yakutsk. It was established that most unfavorable demographic situation from point of view of processes of population natural reproduction is observed in industrial regions, where lowest natality indices are observed at high mortality rates. The highest natality indices were noted in agricultural regions. The highest mortality indices were specific for Arctic and industrial regions and the lowest ones for Yakutsk. Since 2014, occurs slowdown of natural population increase in all groups of regions, while in industrial areas in 2006 and 2020, natural population loss was recorded. The revealed differences in medical and demographic indices are a basis of implementation of regional programs targeted to development of social economic living conditions and improvement of demographic policy in regions of the Far North.

Special issue on the AMAP 2021 assessment of mercury in the Arctic.

This Editorial presents an overview of the Special Issue on advances in Arctic mercury (Hg) science synthesized from the 2021 assessment of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Mercury continues to travel to Arctic environments and threaten wildlife and human health in this circumpolar region. Over the last decade, progress has been achieved in addressing policy-relevant uncertainties in environmental Hg contamination. This includes temporal trends of Hg, its transport to and within the Arctic, methylmercury cycling, climate change influences, biological effects of Hg on fish and wildlife, human exposure to Hg, and forecasting of Arctic responses to different future scenarios of anthropogenic Hg emissions. In addition, important contributions of Indigenous Peoples to Arctic research and monitoring of Hg are highlighted, including through projects of knowledge co-production. Finally, policy-relevant recommendations are summarized for future study of Arctic mercury. This series of scientific articles presents comprehensive information relevant to supporting effectiveness evaluation of the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury.