Description
Mechanisms of long range transport by wind and ocean currents cause persistent pollutants to accumulate in arctic wildlife and biomagnify upwards the food web. Persistent pollutants accumulate and biomagnify in seabirds migrating to Svalbard, and are transferred to the tundra underneath bird cliffs, with the bird’s guano. Environmental contaminants could harm populations of Collembolans, which are an important group of soil animals on Svalbard. The aims of this study are to determine the DNA damage in different terrestrial Collembolan species caused by transferred marine pollutants to the tundra by seabirds and compare species differences in sensitivity. The project is planned in close cooperation with scientists from the University of Oslo in order to increase my skills and competences, enhance cooperation and knowledge transfer between Czech and Norwagian Universities and to get excellent results.
Summary of project results
Mechanisms of long range transport by wind and ocean currents cause persistent pollutants to accumulate in arctic wildlife and biomagnify upwards the food web. Persistent pollutants accumulate and biomagnify in seabirds migrating to Svalbard, and are transferred to the tundra underneath bird cliffs, with the bird’s guano. Environmental contaminants could harm populations of Collembolans, which are an important group of soil animals on Svalbard. The aims of this study are to determine the DNA damage in different terrestrial Collembolan species caused by transferred marine pollutants to the tundra by seabirds and compare species differences in sensitivity. The project is planned in close cooperation with scientists from the University of Oslo in order to increase my skills and competences, enhance cooperation and knowledge transfer between Czech and Norwagian Universities and to get excellent results.
Summary of bilateral results
Increased skills/competences of staff