Parasites of an Arctic scavenger; the wolverine (Gulo gulo).

Parasites are fundamental components within all ecosystems, shaping interaction webs, host population dynamics and behaviour. Despite this, baseline data is lacking to understand the parasite ecology of many Arctic species, including the wolverine (Gulo gulo), a top Arctic predator and scavenger. Here, we combined traditional count methods (i.e. adult helminth recovery, where taxonomy was confirmed by molecular identification) with 18S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to document the wolverine parasite community. Further, we investigated whether the abundance of parasites detected using traditional methods were associated with host metadata, latitude, and longitude (ranging from the northern limit of the boreal forest to the low Arctic and Arctic tundra in Nunavut, Canada). Adult parasites in intestinal contents were identified as Baylisascaris devosi in 72% (n = 39) of wolverines and Taenia spp. in 22% (n = 12), of which specimens from 2 wolverines were identified as T. twitchelli based on COX1 sequence. 18S rRNA high-throughput sequencing on DNA extracted from faeces detected additional parasites, including a pseudophyllid cestode (Diplogonoporus spp. or Diphyllobothrium spp.), two metastrongyloid lungworms (Angiostrongylus spp. or Aelurostrongylus spp., and Crenosoma spp.), an ascarid nematode (Ascaris spp. or Toxocara spp.), a Trichinella spp. nematode, and the protozoan Sarcocystis spp., though each at a prevalence less than 13% (n = 7). The abundance of B. devosi significantly decreased with latitude (slope = -0.68; R2 = 0.17; P = 0.004), suggesting a northerly limit in distribution. We describe B. devosi and T. twitchelli in Canadian wolverines for the first time since 1978, and extend the recorded geographic distribution of these parasites ca 2000 km to the East and into the tundra ecosystem. Our findings illustrate the value of molecular methods in support of traditional methods, encouraging additional work to improve the advancement of molecular screening for parasites.

Source Water Characteristics and Building-specific Factors Influence Corrosion and Point of Use Water Quality in a Decentralized Arctic Drinking Water System.

Access to clean and safe drinking water is a perpetual concern in Arctic communities because of challenging climatic conditions, limited options for the transportation of equipment and process chemicals, and the ongoing effects of colonialism. Water samples were gathered from multiple locations in a decentralized trucked drinking water system in Nunavut, Canada, over the course of one year. The results indicate that point of use drinking water quality was impacted by conditions in the source water and in individual buildings and strongly suggest that lead and copper measured at the tap were related to corrosion of onsite premise plumbing components. Humic-like substances were the dominant organic fraction in all samples, as determined by regional integration of fluorescence data. Iron and manganese levels in the source water and throughout the water system were higher in the winter and lower in the summer months. Elevated concentrations of copper (>2000 µg L-1) and lead (>5 µg L-1) were detected in tap water from some buildings. Field flow fractionation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and ultraviolet-visible spectrometry was used to demonstrate the link between source water characteristics (high organics, iron and manganese) and lead and copper in point of use drinking water.

Manganese Increases Lead Release to Drinking Water.

Lead and manganese are regulated in drinking water due to their neurotoxicity. These elements have been reported to co-occur in drinking water systems, in accordance with the metal-scavenging properties of MnO2. To the extent that manganese is a driver of lead release, controlling it during water treatment may reduce lead levels. We investigated transport of lead and manganese at the tap in a full-scale distribution system: consistent with a cotransport phenomenon, the two metals were detected in the same colloidal size fraction by size-exclusion chromatography with multielement detection. We also studied the effect of manganese on lead release using a model distribution system: increasing manganese from 4 to 215 µg L-1 nearly doubled lead release. This effect was attributed primarily to deposition corrosion of lead by oxidized phases of manganese, and we used 16S rRNA sequencing to identify bacteria that may be relevant to this process. We explored the deposition corrosion mechanism by coupling pure lead with either MnO2-coated lead or pure lead exposed to MnO2 in suspension; we observed galvanic currents in both cases. We attributed these to reduction of Mn(IV) under anaerobic conditions, and we attributed the additional current under aerobic conditions to oxygen reduction catalyzed by MnO2.

Discrimination factors of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes from diet to hair in captive large Arctic carnivores of conservation concern.

RATIONALE: Stable isotope analysis is widely used to reconstruct diet, delineate trophic interactions, and determine energy pathways. Such ecological inferences are based on the idea that animals are, isotopically, what they eat but with a predictable difference between the isotopic ratio of a consumer and that of its diet, coined as the discrimination factor. Providing correct estimates of diet-consumer isotopic discrimination in controlled conditions is key for a robust application of the stable isotopes technique in the wild. METHODS: Using a Finnigan Mat Delta Plus isotope-ratio mass spectrometer, we investigated isotopic discrimination of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ13 C and δ15 N values) in guard hairs of four Arctic predators; the wolf (n = 7), the wolverine (n = 2), the grizzly bear (n = 2), and the polar bear (n = 3). During a 3-month trial, carnivores were fed a mixed diet. The δ13 C and δ15 N values, and the mass (g) of diet items, were monitored weekly for each individual to determine their Total Diet Average ratios. RESULTS: Diet-hair isotopic discrimination (Δx) varied according to species, ranging [1.88 ± 0.69‰: 3.2 ± 0.69‰] for δ13 C values, and [1.58 ± 0.17‰: 3.81 ± 0.22‰] for δ15 N values. Adult wolves Δ13 C average (2.03 ± 0.7‰) was lower than that of young wolves (2.60 ± 0.8‰) and any other species (combined average of 2.59 ± 0.28‰), except for the wolverine (2.12 ± 0.23‰). Wolves Δ15 N averages (juveniles: 3.51 ± 0.34‰, adults: 3.68 ± 0.28‰) were higher than those of any other species (combined average: 2.50 ± 0.58‰). CONCLUSIONS: The discrimination factors for δ13 C and δ15 N values calculated in this study could be used in ecological studies dealing with free-ranging animals, with implications for non-invasive research approaches. As in other controlled discrimination studies, we recommend caution in applying our discrimination factors when the population structure is heterogeneous.

Landscape heterogeneity drives intra-population niche variation and reproduction in an arctic top predator.

While intra-population variability in resource use is ubiquitous, little is known of how this measure of niche diversity varies in space and its role in population dynamics. Here we examined how heterogeneous breeding environments can structure intra-population niche variation in both resource use and reproductive output. We investigated intra-population niche variation in the Arctic tundra ecosystem, studying peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius, White) breeding within a terrestrial-marine gradient near Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada. Using stable isotope analysis, we found that intra-population niches varied at the individual level; we examined within-nest and among-nest variation, though only the latter varied along the terrestrial-marine gradient (i.e., increased among-nest variability among birds nesting within the marine environment, indicating higher degree of specialization). Terrestrial prey species (small herbivores and insectivores) were consumed by virtually all falcons. Falcons nesting within the marine environment made use of marine prey (sea birds), but depended heavily on terrestrial prey (up to 90% of the diet). Using 28-years of peregrine falcon nesting data, we found a positive relationship between the proportion of terrestrial habitat surrounding nest sites and annual nestling production, but no relationship with the likelihood of successfully rearing at least one nestling reaching 25 days old. Annually, successful inland breeders raised 0.47 more young on average compared to offshore breeders, which yields potential fitness consequences for this long-living species. The analyses of niche and reproductive success suggest a potential breeding cost for accessing distant terrestrial prey, perhaps due to additional traveling costs, for those individuals with marine nest site locations. Our study indicates how landscape heterogeneity can generate proximate (niche variation) and ultimate (reproduction) consequences on a population of generalist predator. We also show that within-individual and among-individual variation are not mutually exclusive, but can simultaneously arise and structure intra-population niche variation.

Marine mammal strandings and environmental changes: a 15-year study in the St. Lawrence ecosystem.

Understanding the effects of climatic variability on marine mammals is challenging due to the complexity of ecological interactions. We used general linear models to analyze a 15-year database documenting marine mammal strandings (1994-2008; n = 1,193) and nine environmental parameters known to affect marine mammal survival, from regional (sea ice) to continental scales (North Atlantic Oscillation, NAO). Stranding events were more frequent during summer and fall than other seasons, and have increased since 1994. Poor ice conditions observed during the same period may have affected marine mammals either directly, by modulating the availability of habitat for feeding and breeding activities, or indirectly, through changes in water conditions and marine productivity (krill abundance). For most species (75%, n = 6 species), a low volume of ice was correlated with increasing frequency of stranding events (e.g. R(2)adj = 0.59, hooded seal, Cystophora cristata). This likely led to an increase in seal mortality during the breeding period, but also to increase habitat availability for seasonal migratory cetaceans using ice-free areas during winter. We also detected a high frequency of stranding events for mysticete species (minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and resident species (beluga, Delphinapterus leucas), correlated with low krill abundance since 1994. Positive NAO indices were positively correlated with high frequencies of stranding events for resident and seasonal migratory cetaceans, as well as rare species (R(2)adj = 0.53, 0.81 and 0.34, respectively). This contrasts with seal mass stranding numbers, which were negatively correlated with a positive NAO index. In addition, an unusual multiple species mortality event (n = 114, 62% of total annual mortality) in 2008 was caused by a harmful algal bloom. Our findings provide an empirical baseline in understanding marine mammal survival when faced with climatic variability. This is a promising step in integrating stranding records to monitor the consequences of environmental changes in marine ecosystems over long time scales.