Historical records of total organic carbon (TOC), black carbon (BC), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were reconstructed in dated sediment cores from four nearby lakes in central Switzerland. In the sub-Alpine Lake Thun, located at 558 m a.s.l., the proximity to anthropogenic emission sources is reflected in higher input of BC and PAHs into sediments with fluxes only slightly decreas...

The Lake Malawi haplochromine cichlid flock is one of the largest vertebrate adaptive radiations. The geographical source of the radiation has been assumed to be rivers to the south and east of Lake Malawi, where extant representatives of the flock are now present. Here, we provide mitochondrial DNA evidence suggesting the sister taxon to the Lake Malawi radiation is within the Great Ruaha rive...

Virophages are parasites of giant viruses that infect eukaryotic organisms and may affect the ecology of inland water ecosystems. Despite the potential ecological impact, limited information is available on the distribution, diversity, and hosts of virophages in ecosystems. Metagenomics revealed that virophages were widely distributed in inland waters with various environmental characteristics ...

In a high mountain lake and catchment area, a natural process of phosphorus enrichment is observed, induced by the iron-cycle. Investigations focus on the speciation of P and Fe in iron and manganese rich oxidic mineral crusts formed at the surface of rock pebbles. Iron and phosphorus are spatially associated although they are not forming iron phosphate minerals. While Fe and P K edge XAS spect...

Background: Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a common disabling condition in individuals experiencing high altitudes, which may progress to life-threatening high altitude cerebral edema. Today, no established biomarkers are available for prediction the susceptibility of AMS. MicroRNAs emerge as promising sensitive and specific biomarkers for a variety of diseases. Thus, we sought to identify ci...

Ryan P. Kovach,∗ ¶ Gordon Luikart,† Winsor H. Lowe,‡ Matthew C. Boyer,§ and Clint C. Muhlfeld∗† ∗U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Glacier National Park West Glacier, MT 59936, U.S.A. †Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT 59860, U.S.A. ‡Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, U.S.A. §Montana Fish, W...

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of acute mountain sickness (AMS), the frequency of summiting success, and the factors that affect these in trekkers on Kilimanjaro, one of the world's most summitted high-altitude peaks. METHODS The study group comprised 312 trekkers attempting Mt Kilimanjaro summit by the Marango Route. Trekkers ascended over 4 or 5 days along a fixed ascent profile, stop...

Stream terraces of the Salt River form the interpretive backbone of Plio-Pleistocene landscape evolution of central Arizona, because they represent the base level of all tributary streams. This paper presents a new addition to T.L. Péwé’s Salt River Terrace sequence (in decreasing topographic position and age: Sawik, Mesa, Blue Point, and Lehi) that has been unrefined for the last 30 years. The...