This report assesses the current knowledge of surface water acidification and its effects on aquatic biota in eastern Canada. We used a critical appraisal of recent research to draw answers to the important questions. What are the size, location, and current chemical condition of aquatic resources in eastern Canada that are thought to be vulnerable to acidic deposition. What are the extent and magnitude of chemical changes in surface waters of eastern Canada that can be attributed to acidic deposition. What evidence exists to support the hypothesis that biological changes in surface waters in eastern Canada have resulted from chemical changes associated with acidic deposition. How many aquatic systems in eastern Canada will become acidic at various levels of acidic deposition and within what length of time. What is the rate at which lake chemistry and aquatic biota improve when deposition is reduced. The aquatic resources evaluated in this assessment are in that area of Canada east of the Ontario-Manitoba border and south of 52/degree/N, excluding the Great Lakes, and encompassing part or all of the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. 202 refs., 19 figs., 7 tabs.
Coastal margin habitats (sand dunes and beaches, machair, saltmarsh, shingle and beaches, maritime cliffs) constitute a transition zone between terrestrial and marine habitats. They are doubly sensitive to climate change, experiencing changes in rainfall, temperature, storminess, etc., but also habitat loss due to coastal erosion and sea-level rise. Sediment supply and sediment transport are key natural processes these habitats require for a natural, dynamic state, on which their unique biodiversity depends. Coastal erosion and sea-level rise may increase or reduce sediment supply, depending on local context. However, change in the character or extent of these habitats is certain, requiring proactive management response. Where fixed landward assets prevent natural migration, habitat loss will occur due to coastal squeeze; in other locations rollback or managed realignment should be considered as management options. Coastal water tables may rise due to sea level rise, or fall due to changing rainfall, depending on local context. Both may have serious impacts on coastal biodiversity, and on other coastal land uses. Coastal margins are highly important for ecosystem service provision, primarily leisure and recreation, and coastal defence. Climate change may increase leisure uses but will create significant challenges for coastal defence, requiring integrated management of sediment budgets across all habitats.
Abstract Coastal sand dunes are widespread worldwide, including around the coasts of the British Isles and Europe, providing a wide range of functions some of which are recognized for their socio‐economic benefits. In some localities, their contribution to coastal defence and to tourism and regional character have been acknowledged in local plans, but this is far from ubiquitous. A rapid assessment was undertaken of the range of ecosystem services provided by coastal sand dune systems, using the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment ecosystem services classification augmented with habitat‐ and locally‐appropriate additions. Sand dunes were shown to provide a wide range of provisioning, regulatory, cultural and supporting services, many of which remain substantially overlooked. Although the importance of coastal sand dune for a diversity of characteristic and often rare organisms from a variety of taxa has been addressed, many of the broader ecosystem services that these habitats provide to society have been overlooked. This suggests that coastal sand dune systems are neglected ecosystems of significant and often under‐appreciated societal value. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sand dunes support a high level of biodiversity and ecological interest, but face a number of threats. In this article, key threats such as nitrogen deposition and climate change are discussed, together with implications for management to tackle them. Nitrogen promotes plant growth, causes declines in species richness and alters soil processes, typically speeding up rates of N cycling. Climate change has similar impacts, and slight changes in evapotranspiration and therefore the amount of recharge to groundwater may also cause drying of dune wetlands. These threats act synergistically, with warming exacerbating impacts of N deposition and vice versa. Management should consider impacts on both habitat suitability and on N removal, and be aware that under climate change and N deposition, management activities will need to become more frequent and often more intensive to counteract their combined effects.
Denna policybrief (D4.1) har tagits fram som en del av Horizon Europe PLAN-B-projekt (bidragsavtal nr. 101135308) i samarbete med sitt systerprojekt AquaPLAN (bidragsavtal nr. 101135471). Denna policybrief ger strategisk vägledning för Europeiska unionen att hantera ljusföroreningar, erkänna dess negativa miljöpåverkan, harmonisera insatser och tillhandahålla ett ramverk för samordnade nationella åtgärder, samt att främja vetenskapsbaserad reglering och hantering av artificiellt ljus på natten (Artificial Light at Night, ALAN). För att stödja politiska åtgärder för att minska ljusföroreningar uppmuntras individer att underteckna ett stödformulär, medan organisationer kan stödja initiativet genom att underteckna ett stödbrev, vilket finns tillgängligt på begäran från de kontakter som anges i policybriefingsdokumentet. Rekommenderad citeringYakushina, Y., Klenke, R., Fletcher, D., Jones, L., Nascimento, A. T. A., Teixeira, C. P., Goulart, V. D. L. R, Maggi, E., Hoelker, F., Barnett, C., Tysiac, P., Sanchez de Miguel, A., Sheriff, G., Lomas, M. J., Van Hoorick, G., & Wood, M.D. (2025). Restoring the night: A policy agenda for light pollution mitigation in Europe. Policy brief written by the PLAN-B project (Horizon Europe No. 101135308) and the AquaPLAN project (Horizon Europe No. 101135471). Översatt av Henrik Sandgren. Zenodo. Disclaimer This publication was produced under the Horizon Europe programme (Grant Agreement No. 101135308) as part of the PLAN-B project. The content reflects only the views of the authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein. The information is provided “as is” without warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. The PLAN-B Consortium accepts no liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages arising from its use. This is a Swedish translation of the Policy Brief “Restoring the Night: A Policy Agenda for Light Pollution Mitigation in Europe” (published June 2025) (access the original version here).
Soil greenhouse gas emissions from cattle grazed and un-grazed temperate upper salt marsh were measured using dark static chambers, monthly for one year. Below-ground gas sampling tubes were also used to measure soil methane (CH4) concentrations. CH4 efflux from grazed and un-grazed salt marsh did not differ significantly although grazing did lead to ‘hotspots’ of underground CH4 (up to 6% of total air volume) and CH4 efflux (peak of 9 mg m−2 h−1) significantly linked to high soil moisture content, low soil temperatures and the presence of Juncus gerardii. Carbon dioxide (CO2) efflux was greater from the un-grazed marsh (mean of 420 mg m−2 h−1) than the grazed marsh (mean of 333 mg m−2 h−1) throughout most of the year and was positively correlated with the deeper water table and greater soil temperatures. Grazing was not a significant predictor of nitrous oxide (N2O) soil emissions. Global Warming Potential (GWP; over 100 years), calculated from mean yearly chamber fluxes for CH4 and CO2, did not differ significantly with grazing treatment. Seasonal variation in the key drivers of soil greenhouse gas efflux; soil temperature, moisture and water table, plus the presence or absence of aerenchymatous plants such as J. gerardii were more important to the magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions than grazing management per se.
