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In large parts of the northern hemisphere, multiple deer species coexist, and management actions can strongly influence wild deer communities. Such changes may also indirectly influence other species in the community, such as small mammals and birds, because deer can have strong effects on their habitats and resources. Deer, small mammals and birds play an important role in the dynamics of tick-borne zoonotic diseases. It is, however, relatively underexplored how the abundance and composition of vertebrate communities may affect the outbreak potential, maintenance and circulation of tick-borne pathogens. In this study we focus on the outbreak potential by exploring how the basic reproduction number R 0 for different tick-borne pathogens depends on host community composition. We used published data on co-varying roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) densities following a hunting ban, and different small mammal and bird densities, to investigate how the change in host community influences the R 0 of four tick-borne pathogens: one non-zoonotic, namely Anaplasma phagocytophilum ecotype 2, and three zoonotic, namely A. phagocytophilum ecotype 1, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. We calculated R 0 using a next generation matrix approach, and used elasticities to quantify the contributions to R 0 of the different groups of host species. The value of R 0 for A. phagocytophilum ecotype 1 was higher with high fallow deer density and low roe deer density, while it was the other way round for A. phagocytophilum ecotype 2. For B. afzelii, R 0 was mostly related to the density of small mammals and for B. garinii it was mostly determined by bird density. Our results show that the effect of species composition is substantial in the outbreak potential of tick-borne pathogens. This implies that also management actions that change this composition, can (indirectly and unintentionally) affect the outbreak potential of tick-borne diseases.

Per- och polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser (PFAS) omfattar högfluorerade ämnen och representerar industriellt framställda svårnedbrytningsbara kemikalier med påvisade hälsoeffekter. I studien som genomfördes på Frösön och ett referensområde nära Umeå har vi samlat in prover från olika matriser som ingår i den terrestra näringskedjan. Proverna har analyserats för totalt 24 PFAS. Halterna av Summa PFAS visade stora variationer mellan arterna där halterna på Frösön fördelade sig enligt följande för markprover, svamp och bär: lingon < hallon < blåbär < blek taggsvamp << jord. Lingon hade de lägsta halterna bland biota (1,8±1,2 ng/g torrvikt) och blek taggsvamp de högsta (54,7±20,6 ng/g torrvikt). För viltproverna fördelade sig halterna enligt följande: lunga-älg ≈ muskel-älg < muskel[1]rådjur < lunga-rådjur < lever-älg < lever-rådjur << muskel-skogssork << hjärta-skogssork << mjälte[1]skogssork <<< njure-skogssork <<< lever-skogssork där halterna i lever hos skogssork var 4787,8±1229,2 ng/g våtvikt. EU:s gränsvärden för summa (PFAS4) i viltkött (muskel) överskreds inte i något av de undersökta proverna. Ett muskelprov från ett rådjur låg dock nära gränsvärdet för PFOS på 5 ng/g våtvikt (uppmätt halt 4,3 ng/g våtvikt). Gränsvärdet för PFOS i slaktbiprodukter (50 ng/g våtvikt) överskreds i leverprover från två rådjur. De uppmätta PFAS koncentrationerna i jord, blek taggsvamp och viltet – framför allt skogssork – är bekymmersamma ur ett ekosystemhälsa- och One Health perspektiv.

Unravelling patterns and mechanisms of biogeographical transitions is crucial if we are to understand compositional gradients at large spatial extents, but no studies have thus far examined breakpoints in community composition of freshwater plants across continents. Using a dataset of almost 500 observations of lake plant community composition from six continents, we examined, for the first time, if such breakpoints in geographical space exist for freshwater plants and how well a suite of ecological factors (including climatic and local environmental variables) can explain transitions in community composition from the subtropics to the poles. Our combination of multivariate regression tree (MRT) analysis and k-means partitioning suggests that the most abrupt breakpoint exists between temperate to boreal regions on the one hand and freshwater plant communities harbouring mainly subtropical or Mediterranean assemblages on the other. The spatially structured variation in current climatic conditions is the most likely candidate for controlling these latitudinal patterns, although one cannot rule out joint effects of eco-evolutionary constraints in the harsher high-latitude environments and post-glacial migration lags after Pleistocene Ice Ages. Overall, our study supports the foundations of global regionalisation for freshwater plants and anticipates further biogeographical research on freshwater plant communities once datasets have been harmonised for conducting large-scale spatial analyses.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated a search for reservoirs and species potentially involved in back and forth transmission. Studies have postulated bats as one of the key reservoirs of coronaviruses (CoVs), and different CoVs have been detected in bats. So far, CoVs have not been found in bats in Sweden and we therefore tested whether they carry CoVs. In summer 2020, we sampled a total of 77 adult bats comprising 74 Myotis daubentonii, 2 Pipistrellus pygmaeus, and 1 M. mystacinus bats in southern Sweden. Blood, saliva and feces were sampled, processed and subjected to a virus next-generation sequencing target enrichment protocol. An Alphacoronavirus was detected and sequenced from feces of a M. daubentonii adult female bat. Phylogenetic analysis of the almost complete virus genome revealed a close relationship with Finnish and Danish strains. This was the first finding of a CoV in bats in Sweden, and bats may play a role in the transmission cycle of CoVs in Sweden. Focused and targeted surveillance of CoVs in bats is warranted, with consideration of potential conflicts between public health and nature conservation required as many bat species in Europe are threatened and protected.

Ecosystem functioning and community structure are recognized as key components of ecosystem integrity, but comprehensive, standardized studies of the responses of both structural and functional indicators to different types of anthropogenic pressures remain rare. Consequently, we lack an empirical basis for (i) identifying when monitoring ecosystem structure alone misses important changes in ecosystem functioning, (ii) recommending sets of structural and functional metrics best suited for detecting ecological change driven by different anthropogenic pressures, and (iii) understanding the cumulative effects of multiple, co-occurring stressors on structure and function. We investigated variation in community structure and ecosystem functioning of stream ecosystems along three gradients (10–16 independent stream sites each) of increasing impact arising from agriculture, forestry and river regulation for hydropower, respectively. For each stream, we quantified variation in (i) the abiotic environment, (ii) community composition of four organism groups and (iii) three basal ecosystem processes underpinning carbon and nutrient cycling in streams. We assessed the responsiveness of multiple biodiversity, community structure and ecosystem functioning indicators based on variance explained and effect size metrics. Along a gradient of increasing agricultural impact, diatoms and fish were the most responsive groups overall, but significant variation was detected in at least one aspect of community composition, abundance and/or biodiversity of every organism group. In contrast, most of our functional metrics did not vary significantly along the agricultural gradient, possibly due to contrasting, antagonistic effects of increasing nutrient concentrations and turbidity on ecosystem process rates. The exception was detritivore-mediated litter decomposition which increased up to moderate levels of nutrient. Impacts of river regulation were most marked for diatoms, which were respons

Pathogens might affect behavior of infected reservoir hosts and hence their trappability, which could bias population estimates of pathogen prevalence. In this study, we used snap-trapping data on Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV)-infected (n = 1619) and noninfected (n = 6940) bank voles (Myodes glareolus) from five vole cycles, normally representing increase, peak, and decline phase, to evaluate if infection status affected trapping success. If PUUV infection, as previously suggested, increases activity and/or mobility, we would expect a higher proportion of infected than noninfected specimens in the first trapping night. However, the proportion of PUUV-infected voles did not differ across the three trapping nights. We conclude that PUUV infection did not affect trapping success, confirming snap trapping as an appropriate trapping method for studies on PUUV prevalence and likely other orthohantaviruses.

Robust demonstration case-studies are needed to evaluate whether improvements in ecosystem condition are translated into improvements in ecosystem services. This research is essential for effectively scaling-up nature-based solutions across Europe and providing the evidence to support transformation agendas in society and industries, and ultimately supporting the ambitions of the European Green Deal. Clear guidance and standardised indicators help monitor the impact of freshwater and wetland restoration measures on European Green Deal goals. These monitoring indicators should include environmental indicators (e.g. for biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions and water storage capacity) as well as socio-economic indicators such as stakeholder representation, private finance mobilisation and job creation. A combined Before-After-Control-Intervention (BACI) monitoring design is recommended to provide robust evidence and attribute change to the restoration measures. Benchmark (cost or effort) and local/regional context data (e.g. land use, governance) are also needed alongside monitoring of impacts to not just measure what has happened at a site but to understand why it has happened.