Antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus-like organisms isolated from a recreational sea beach on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea as one of the consequences of anthropogenic pressure

Antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus-like organisms (STLO) isolated from a recreational sea beach located on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea was studied. The results of the present study showed that STLO inhabiting sand and seawater of the beach strongly differed in the resistance level to tested antibiotics. These microorganisms were most resistant to ampicillin, penicillin, oxytetracycline and susceptible to gentamicin, neomycin and streptomycin. Moreover, the level of antibiotic resistance among bacteria isolated from different parts of the beach also differed. Bacteria inhabiting the seawater, shoreline and the middle part of the beach were more antibiotic-resistant than bacteria isolated from the dune. The majority of bacteria inhabiting the seawater and sand were resistant to 3–8 antibiotics out of 12 tested in this study. Generally, there was no difference in antibiotic resistance between Staphylococcus-like organisms isolated from the surface and subsurface sand layers. STLO strains isolated from Ustka Beach were most resistant to β-lactam and tetracycline antibiotics, and most susceptible to aminoglycosides.     

Reference organisms for assessing the impact of ionizing radiation on the environment of the southern Baltic Sea

Assessing the impact of ionizing radiation on the marine environment requires a well-defined methodology, which includes, among other elements, the analysis of exposure and effects. One of the most important components of the assessment system is the choice of reference organisms specific for the assessed area that fulfill requirements such as radioecological sensitivity, widespread distribution, and amenability to research and monitoring. The following species specific to the southern Baltic Sea that represent diversified ecological niches were proposed as reference organisms. Polysiphonia fucoides was proposed as a representative of macroalgae. Pelagic and benthic fauna were represented by Crangon crangon (crustacean), Saduria entomon (crustacean), Hediste diversicolor (polychaete), and Mytilus trossulus (mollusc). Fish were represented by Clupea harengus (pelagic planctotrophic fish), Gadus morhua (pelagic carnivorous fish), and Platichthys flesus (benthic fish). Activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs were determined in reference biota as well as in seawater, as required for the total dose-rate evaluation, and relevant concentration factors were calculated.     

Composition of protozoan communities at two sites in the coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea

Protozoan communities were studied in the coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea. Stable environmental conditions and typical, bimodal seasonal changes in the protozoan biomass were observed at the sampling site in Sopot (2003–2004). At the sampling site in Ustka (2007–2008), strong benthic resuspension and irregular impacts of fresh water resulted in atypical seasonal changes in the protozoan biomass with a summer peak only. The mean annual biomass had similar values at both sites: 43.2 μg C dm^?3 in Sopot and 38.6 μg C dm^?3 in Ustka. The protozoan community in Sopot was dominated by ciliates (48% of the biomass), whereas in Ustka — by heterotrophic nanoflagellates (53%).     

Modeling of egg production by Temora longicornis from the southern Baltic Sea including salinity

The paper presents modeling of egg production (Egg — no. of eggs female^?1 d^?1) by Temora longicornis in the changing environmental conditions of the southern Baltic Sea (Gdańsk Deep). It is hypothesized that the food-saturated rate of egg matter production is equivalent to the specific growth rate of copepods. Based on the findings from the south-western Baltic Sea, Egg of T. longicornis is evaluated as a function of food concentration, temperature and salinity over a wide range of these parameters. Subsequently, the rate of reproduction during the seasons in the Gulf of Gdańsk is determined. According to our calculations, values of Egg reach ca 11 eggs per day in April and decline strongly in June-July, while the second smaller peak in reproduction occurs in September, ca 8 eggs per day. Our results suggest that egg production rates of T. longicornis depend not only on food concentration and temperature, but also on salinity, which is a masking factor in the Baltic Sea.     

Community structure of psammon ciliates in sandy beaches of lakes

Ciliate abundance and species composition were studied in the sandy beaches of six lakes of different trophic status (Poland). Samples of wet sand were taken in June 2007 from the euarenal (emergent sand), hygroarenal (sand wetted by lake waves) and hydroarenal (submerged sand) zones. The numbers of ciliates ranged from 105 to 2933 ind. cm^?3 of sand and did not show any visible trend with lake productivity. In all the studied lakes, ciliates were much more numerous in the euarenal than in the hydroarenal. Small bacterivorous scuticociliates dominated in the euarenal, while Hymenostomatida, Cyrtophorida, Hypotrichida as well as Scuticociliatida comprised a significant part of the ciliate community in the hygro- and hydroarenal zones. There were positive correlations between ciliates and the concentrations of chlorophyll a and total nitrogen.     

Dissolved silver in the Baltic Sea

The increased use of silver as a biocide in nanoparticle formulations has heightened concern on possible environmental implications owing to its toxicity. There is however very little data on the concentration levels of silver in marine and freshwaters. Here, I report data on dissolved (<0.4 μm filter) silver concentration in the surface waters of the Baltic Sea, the first such data reported for a European coastal water body. Levels of dissolved silver in the Baltic are comparable to those reported for other American estuarine waters and range from non-detectable in the open Baltic Sea Proper (<1 pM) to 9.4 pM (1 ng/L) in the Stockholm Archipelago, with a mean of 2.8 pM (0.2 ng/L). Inputs from wastewater treatment are clearly discernable and might constitute the main source of silver to the Stockholm Archipelago and possibly the Baltic Sea Proper.     

Phosphate exchange across the sediment-water interface under oxic and hypoxic/anoxic conditions in the southern Baltic Sea

Benthic fluxes of phosphate and phosphorus distribution in sediments from the southern Baltic Sea were investigated in spring and autumn in 2005 and 2007–2010. Strong spatial variability of phosphate fluxes was observed across the sediment-water interface. The highest values of phosphate flux from sediment (up to 37 μmol m^?2 h^?1), resulting from the high mineralization rate of organic matter and rapid phosphorus turnover due to macrofaunal activity and hydrodynamic conditions, were observed in the shallow area at depths ranging from 50 to 69 m. The rate of phosphate exchange in the transportation and accumulation bottom area with the water depth ≥72 m was several times lower (2.12–6.22 μmol m^?2 h^?1). In continuously hypoxic or anoxic sediments, phosphorus was preserved in the refractory organic form, and sediments were depleted of redox-dependent phosphorus forms. In shallow area with well oxygenated near-bottom water, phosphorus was present mainly in the calcium-bound form.     

The role of lakes in inflow of water and biogenic substances in the polish part of the southern Baltic Sea

Polish rivers, which make up 20% of the Baltic Sea’s catchment area, transport a load of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds into the sea. Theoretically, this load should be strongly correlated with the amount of water flowing in those rivers. However, this is not the case, especially in terms of the phosphorus compounds, since most of them come from point source pollution. The outflow load is also significantly influenced by nonpoint source pollution from farmland, which is very difficult to quantify. About 50% of nitrogen and 30% of phosphorus appear to come from nonpoint source pollution. It is important to realize that the load from nonpoint source pollution also includes the load of phosphorus and nitrogen transformed by lakes. Only recently, however, has this issue been mentioned in the specialist literature. In Polish studies on lake balance this remains a marginal issue. A limited number of observations indicate that lakes are capable of both limiting and increasing the load (mainly from the bottom sediments). This article presents some data on this issue which suggest that the roles of lakes in the transformation of the load of biogenic substances may be significant, but diverse.     

Survey of cnidarian accident records in some beaches of the coast of Pernambuco (Brazil)

Cnidarians are among the most venomous organisms known to man. They are characterized by stinging cells called cnidocytes, and several species, such as the Portuguese-man-of-war and the jellyfish, can cause harm to human beings. Despite not attracting () much attention on the Brazilian coast, the studies that have been carried out to date show that the occurrence of this kind of accident is significant. The aim of this study was to survey cnidarian related accidents with beach goers on some beaches of the state of Pernambuco, as well as to investigate the knowledge of relevant professions on this theme. () Archives of hospitals and life guard posts were visited for the survey, and 17 professionals were interviewed. During the visits, records were obtained for a total of 35 accidents at Boa Viagem Beach (Recife) over a two-year period, as well as informal records of an average of four to five cases a week at Piedade Beach and an average of two to three cases a week for Pontas de Pedras Beach. As to the knowledge of the professionals interviewed, most answers agree, in general, with the literature available, despite a certain level of inadequate or insufficient information on the theme.     

Factors determining dry deposition of total mercury and organic carbon in house dust of residents of the Tri-city and the surrounding area (Baltic Sea coast)

The purpose of this study was to find out what factors determine the deposition levels of mercury and organic carbon in household dust in the Tri-city region (southern Baltic Sea coast). Analyses were performed on samples collected over the period of 2 years, from 2013 to 2015, always in the heating season. The deposition of organic carbon was between 4and 210 mg m^?2 month^?1, while mercury deposition ranged from 4 to 1336 ng m^?2 month^?1. Deposition of mercury in household dust during the heating season was three times lower and deposition of organic carbon one and a half times lower than outdoor deposition obtained in the Baltic Sea region by other researchers. In the non-heating period, deposition of mercury in household dust was similar to outdoor deposition while deposition of OC was one and a half times higher. Both of the analyzed dust components reached higher deposition in rural areas than in cities, and both mercury and organic carbon were found to have higher deposition in single-family houses than in buildings housing several families. The increased level of OC was conditioned by the vicinity of the building to a road or street with a high level of traffic, and dust collected on the ground floor had higher Hg depositions. The presence of plants and pets, as well as smoking more than ten cigarettes per day, resulted in higher depositions of both the compounds present in household dust within the Tri-city region.     

Effect of temperature on physiology and bioenergetics of adult Harris mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould, 1841) from the southern Baltic Sea

Rates of physiological processes and bioenergetics of the Harris mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii were determined during a 7-day experiment on adult males (mean wet weight 0.83 ± 0.16 g) exposed to temperatures of 15°C and 20°C (S = 7). The results show that the change in temperature by 5°C caused detectable changes in locomotor activity, food consumption and faeces production and significant (p < 0.05) changes in metabolic rates. Food assimilation efficiency and the ammonia excretion rate did not change significantly (p > 0.05). The energy expended on metabolic processes was similar at both temperatures (15°C and 20°C) and amounted to 17.7 ± 6.4% and 16.7 ± 4.3% of the assimilated energy, respectively. Similar values were obtained for net production efficiency K2 (P/A) at 15°C and 20°C, i.e. 80.4 ± 22.4% and 82.9 ± 9.7%, respectively. The amount of energy available for production was 2-fold higher at a temperature of 20°C than at 15°C and amounted to 103.69 ± 25.61 and 206.40 ± 20.76 J d^?1g^?1 wet wt, respectively. The results show that from the bioenergetic point of view, higher experimental temperature is more “profitable” for adult R. harrisii specimens because it provides better conditions for the growth and reproduction.     

Diet composition of herring (Clupea harengus L.) and cod (Gadus morhua L.) in the southern Baltic Sea in 2007 and 2008

Diet composition of two commercial fish species, herring and cod, were studied in some regions (mainly Gda’nsk and Bornholm Basins, and the Polish coast) of the southern Baltic Sea in 2007 and 2008. Herring is the dominant zooplanktivorous species in the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea, but apart from mesoplanktonic organisms it also eats macroplanktonic and benthic species in considerable amount. The diet of cod consists of fish and crustaceans from pelagic, hyperbenthic and benthic habitats. The feeding preferences of fish indirectly reflect changes in the whole food chain in the Baltic Sea. This research focuses specifically on these invertebrate species, which are eliminated from the environment by most of the ichthyofauna of this region. The aim of this research is to examine the role of invertebrate organisms belonging to Crustacea in the diet of herring and adult cod to supply updated results about feeding of these fish as little data have been collected since the 1990s. The present study is a preliminary survey and results can not be considered conclusive. The restricted numbers of analyzed stomachs of fish and selected seasons of the year addressed in this paper are a starting point for further studies with a larger scope. In this study, 20 to 90% of herring had empty stomachs. Mesozooplankton dominated the diets of small and large herring. Mysidacea, which were historically important prey for herring, are now scarce and have been replaced by planktonic Amphipoda. In the case of cod, consumption of Mysidacea has never been as low as in this study. As for other invertebrate prey, the benthic isopod Saduria and Crangon shrimp achieved the highest amount by number and weight. These results show distinct changes in diet when compared to previous investigations and require verification at a larger spatial scale.     

Occurrence and intake of cobalt in Baltic Sea fishes in Poland

On the basis of literature data and own data the "typical levels" of cobalt in muscles of Baltic fish related to wet-weight (microgram/kg) has been specified as 3.9 for cod, for 8.9 for herring, 6.3 for sprat, 5.6 for flatfish, 8.1 for salmonfish, 6.7 for eel, 10 for pike, 10 for perch and pikeperch, and less than 10 for roach. A dietary intake of cobalt from Baltic fish in Poland is estimated as from 95 to 243 in the years 1950-1970 and from 245 to 354 ng/person/week in the years 1971-1985, on average.     

Spatial impact of the Oder river plume on water quality along the south-western Baltic coast.

The Oder (Odra) river is the most important nutrient source and pollutant for the south-western Baltic Sea. Adjacent German-Polish coastal waters, the Oder (Szczecin) Lagoon and the Oder (Pomeranian) Bight therefore suffer from severe eutrophication and water quality problems. At the same time, summer (bathing) tourism is the most important economical factor in this coastal zone, especially on the islands of Usedom and Wolin. On the basis of model simulations and remote sensing data we analysed the spatial extent and variability of the Oder river plume in the lagoon and the Balic Sea in common summer situations and during the extreme Oder flood in August 1997. Water quality shows pronounced gradients between coastal waters and open Baltic Sea. In the lagoon, it usually takes more than 6 weeks until Oder water enters the large western bay, the Kleines Haff. During transport, degradation, transformation and sedimentation processes alter the water quality and prevent the inner coast of Usedom from direct impact of polluted Oder water. Ongoing nutrient supply promotes intensive algal proliferation in all parts of the lagoon and contributes to the low water transparency. Oder water passing the lagoon and entering the Baltic Sea is transported over long distances in narrow bands along the shore. Under easterly winds the water quality near well-known spas on Usedom is reduced due to Oder river plume impact. Upwelling effects can have negative impact on water quality, too. Intensive blooms of potentially toxic blue-green algae species, are the rule in the lagoon and frequent in the Oder Bight in summer. They are a hazard and limit the acceptance of swimming beaches at the inner coast of Usedom. Practical consequences of variable water quality gradients e.g. on hygienic water sampling are discussed.     

A long-term trend and temporal fluctuations of the sea level at the Polish Baltic coast

The analysis of sea level record series along the Polish coast is presented. The main aim was to identify linear trends in the sea level changes at the coastal (?winouj?cie, Ko?obrzeg, Ustka, ?eba, W?adys?awowo, Hel, Gdynia, Gdańsk), lagoonal (Trzebie?, Tokmicko) and riverine (Szczecin) gauge stations. The analysis showed individual coastal stations to differ in the rate of sea level changes. During 60 years of continuous observations (1947–2006), the differences varied from 1.0 (the western part of the coast) to 2.5 mm year^?1 (the eastern part of the coast). The longest, more than 100-yr-long data series showed the sea level rise in ?winouj?cie and Ko?obrzeg to be about 0.5 mm year^?1; 1.57 mm year^?1 being revealed in Gdańsk. Spectral analysis applied to the data showed numerous fluctuations and cyclicity in changes of the annual mean sea level at the Polish coast. A distinct, major 3-year cycle was revealed. In addition, three secondary cycles of 4.6, 6.7, and 8.6 years were present in the data, more or less clearly identifiable at individual stations.