Skin patch shows promise for toddlers with peanut allergy

Lurie Children’s clinical trials program for food allergies contributed to global study

Peer-Reviewed Publication

ANN & ROBERT H. LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO

A global phase 3 clinical trial that included Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that a year-long immunotherapy through a skin patch safely desensitized toddlers with peanut allergy, lowering the risk of a severe allergic reaction from accidental exposure. Results of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for children 1-3 years of age, funded by DBV Technologies, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“We were excited to contribute to this landmark study that carries so much promise for our young patients with peanut allergy,” said co-author Melanie Makhija, MD, who was the Principal Investigator of the study at Lurie Children’s and is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Children who originally reacted to a small fraction of a peanut were able to tolerate the equivalent of one to four peanuts after completing the treatment course. This means that these children will be well protected from accidental exposure to peanuts. Importantly, we found that the peanut patch was safe, with very low chances of a severe allergic reaction. This is terrific news for families of kids with peanut allergies.”

Peanut allergy affects approximately 2 percent of children in the United States, Canada and other westernized countries, and it commonly persists into adulthood. Life-threatening allergic reactions can be triggered by unintentional exposure to minute quantities, including through products manufactured on shared equipment as peanuts. Currently, there are no approved treatments for peanut-allergic children younger than 4 years of age.

Since 2012, the clinical trials program for food allergies at Lurie Children’s has enrolled patients on numerous studies of novel treatments, including the oral immunotherapy for peanuts that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ongoing trials are available for all age groups, from infancy to young adulthood. The program is led by Principal Investigators Elizabeth Lippner, MD, and Abigail Lang, MD, MSCI. For information on the available clinical trials for food allergies, please contact the program at 312.227.6474 or AllergyResearchNurse@luriechildrens.org.

Research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute. The Manne Research Institute is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

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JOURNAL

New England Journal of Medicine

ARTICLE TITLE

Phase 3 Trial of Epicutaneous Immunotherapy in Toddlers with Peanut Allergy

UC San Diego first to test cancer drugs in space using private astronaut mission

The latest space experiments will explore leukemia, breast cancer and colorectal cancer, and also monitor astronauts’ stem cell health over time

Business Announcement

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN DIEGO

 

IMAGE: RESEARCHERS AT THE UC SAN DIEGO SANFORD STEM CELL INSTITUTE EVALUATE CELL SAMPLES AFTER THEY HAVE RETURNED FROM LOW EARTH ORBIT. view more 

CREDIT: UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH SCIENCES

On May 21, 2023, scientists at University of California San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute launched several new nanobioreactor experiments onto the International Space Station (ISS) via the second Axiom Space Private Astronaut Mission, Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2). The latest experiments expand their research on human stem cell aging, inflammation and cancer in low Earth orbit.

Increasing evidence shows that microgravity conditions can accelerate aging, inflammation and immune dysfunction in human stem cells. Understanding this process is not only helpful for keeping astronauts healthy — it could also teach us how to better treat cancer on Earth.

During Axiom Space’s first Private Astronaut Mission, Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the researchers discovered that in low Earth orbit, cancer stem cells appeared to regenerate more easily and become more resistant to standard therapies. The Ax-2 mission will now determine if two inhibitory drugs can reverse the regeneration in an organoid model of breast cancer. Another line of experiments will track the health of astronauts’ blood stem cells before, during and after spaceflight to evaluate the effects of the space environment on stem cell aging, immune function and cancer stem cell generation.

These projects are part of the NASA-funded Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research (ISSCOR) Center, a collaboration between UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, JM Foundation and Axiom Space. The experiments will take place over 10 days in orbit, with subsequent data collection and analysis performed at UC San Diego.

“Space is a uniquely stressful environment,” said Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Koman Family Presidential Endowed Chair in Cancer Research at UC San Diego Health and director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute. “By conducting these experiments in low Earth orbit, we are able to understand mechanisms of cancer evolution in a compressed time frame and inform the development of new cancer stem cell inhibitory strategies.”

The findings will inform the development of predictive models for cancer and immune dysfunction-related diseases and could lead to the development of new drugs to prevent or treat these conditions during space exploration and here on Earth.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity with our private astronaut missions to advance this important work, aligned with the White House Cancer Moonshot initiatives,” said Christian Maender, executive vice president of in-space solutions at Axiom Space. “Our mission is to improve life on Earth and foster the possibilities beyond by building and operating the world’s first commercial space station. Together with the Sanford Stem Cell Institute team, we are building history.” 

Cancer in Low Earth Orbit

In UC San Diego’s initial experiments under the ISSCOR program, the researchers sent blood stem cells aboard the ISS across four launches and found that several pre-cancerous markers were elevated after one month in space. Of particular note was the activation of APOBEC3C and ADAR1, two enzymes that edit DNA and RNA, respectively, and promote cancer proliferation and immune evasion.

The researchers will now build on these initial findings during the Ax-2 mission, led by Jamieson and her collaborators Sheldon Morris, MD, PhD, and Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD, both associate professors at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

In the latest launch, the scientists have sent tumor organoid models of leukemia, colorectal and breast cancer into low Earth orbit, where the microgravity conditions will accelerate insights into how cancers adopt stem cell properties that make them resistant to standard therapy, including dormancy, regeneration and longevity. The researchers will also test two ADAR1 inhibitors, Fedratinib and Rebecsinib, to see if the drugs can reverse the process of malignant regeneration and potentially prevent cancer progression. These experiments mark the start of a developing program at the Sanford Stem Cell Institute to expand stem cell translational research and drug discovery in space.

Space Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging 

A second longitudinal study will monitor the health of astronauts’ stem cells over time to learn how they are affected by spaceflight. Blood samples will be collected from the crew members before, during and immediately after the mission, with up to five years of annual follow-ups after the trip. 

The scientists will assess the activity of DNA and RNA-editing enzymes such as APOBEC3C and ADAR1 in the blood stem cells and cancer organoids. Dysregulation of these enzymes has been linked to immune dysfunction and potential pre-cancer changes, so understanding when and how they become perturbed in the astronauts will allow researchers to develop potential countermeasures.

“With the growing support of NASA, philanthropic funders and our partners in commercial spaceflight, this is just the beginning of a long line of exciting and impactful health science advances that will be enabled by space,” said Jamieson.

Research favors testing and voluntary isolation over closures in disease outbreaks

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

Regular diagnostic testing and self-isolation can be more effective than school and business closures when it comes to combating infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, according to a new study by University of Wyoming researchers.

The findings appear today (Monday) in Scientific Reports, an online, open access journal from the publishers of Nature.

UW Department of Economics faculty members Stephen Newbold, David Finnoff, Jason Shogren and Linda Thunstrom, along with recent Ph.D. graduate Madison Ashworth, developed an epidemiological and economic model to compare the effectiveness of physical distancing mandates with policies encouraging regular testing and self-isolation to combat an emerging pandemic. They found that, in most scenarios considered, a random testing strategy would outperform a physical distancing strategy for mitigating COVID-19 or similar diseases.

“The United States initially attempted to combat the spread of (COVID-19) using a portfolio of controls that is heavy on physical distancing and masks and light on regular diagnostic testing with self-isolation,” the researchers wrote, noting that the former included work-from-home requirements, school and business closures, and travel restrictions. “However, these same measures also have led to reduced employment, lost earnings and a variety of adverse physical and mental health impacts due to withdrawing from economic activities and curtailing social interactions for long periods.”

While a number of researchers and public health experts have conducted studies suggesting testing and self-isolation would be more effective than large-scale shutdowns, the UW study is the first to take into account the concept of “superspreading” -- in which a large share of people are exposed to a pathogen by a small number of infected individuals.

The UW researchers also used a wide variety of model variations looking at both economic benefits and costs, and health outcomes, of the two approaches to combating a disease outbreak. The study took into account diagnostic test error rates, self-isolation compliance rates, the cost of testing and lost economic productivity from physical distancing or isolation.

The researchers acknowledge that there is no clear answer to whether government policy in the event of an outbreak should focus on suppressing the disease through aggressive actions or slowing the spread through less aggressive measures -- apparently subtle differences can lead to one approach performing better than the other in any given case.

The main implications of the study, however, centered on the relative performance of physical distancing vs. testing.

“We found that for an epidemic similar to the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2, an optimized strategy of random testing with voluntary self-isolation can deliver higher net benefits than a physical distancing strategy over a wide range of plausible conditions in our model,” the economists wrote, adding that incorporating the concept of superspreading makes the testing-isolation approach even more effective than physical-distancing mandates.

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JOURNAL

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-023-35083-x 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Physical distancing versus testing with self-isolation for controlling an emerging epidemic

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-May-2023

BOILERS USED IN OIL FIELDS USE BRACKISH WATER

Researchers examine cooling power plants with brackish groundwater

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

A new analysis led by a University of Wyoming researcher shows that brackish or salty groundwater has the potential to replace fresh water to cool coal- and natural gas-fired power plants and strengthen resilience in the energy infrastructure, although there’s a cost associated with doing so.

With freshwater supplies threatened due to drought, climate change and rapid socioeconomic growth, water competition is increasing between the electric power sector and other sectors. While transitioning to a low-carbon energy future, decarbonization of fossil fuel-fired power plants by carbon capture and storage would significantly increase water consumption and exacerbate water competition. Water challenges drive power plant operators to explore alternative water sources.

“Nontraditional water sources can be deployed to help cope with climate-induced water risks and tackle the increasing water demand for decarbonization of fossil fuel-fired power plants,” wrote the research team, led by Haibo Zhai, UW’s Roy and Caryl Cline Distinguished Chair in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. “Treatment of brackish groundwater for thermoelectric generation cooling can help alleviate potential competition for freshwater resources among various sectors in water-stressed regions.”

The research appears in the journal Nature Water, with Zhai’s UW Ph.D. student, Zitao Wu, as the lead author of the paper. Other contributors are from the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pa. This journal publishes the best research on the evolving relation between water and society. It’s the second paper of a multiyear project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy; the first paper, published last year in the journal Applied Energy, examined the possibility of switching from water cooling towers to dry cooling systems at fossil fuel-fired plants.

Removing excess dissolved salts and minerals from brackish water can itself be energy intensive and produce concentrated brines requiring disposal. A method called zero liquid discharge minimizes environmental impacts of desalination but is particularly costly.

The researchers examined the technical and economic feasibility of multiple desalination processes. They also estimated how much fresh water would be saved as a result of treating brackish water for power plant cooling, and they evaluated the cost-effectiveness of brackish water treatment retrofits -- and the impact on the net generating capacity of power plants. They concluded that retrofitting power plants to treat brackish groundwater could nearly eliminate the use of fresh water but would increase the cost of electricity generation by 8 percent to 10 percent.

“Our study reveals trade-offs in freshwater savings, cost and generating capacity shortfalls from desalination deployment,” Wu says.

The researchers call for further development of technologies to treat brackish water, along with exploration of using other nontraditional water sources for cooling of power plants. Those include treated municipal wastewater, as well as water produced from oil and gas extraction and carbon dioxide storage reservoirs.

The trade-offs identified for various nontraditional water sources will fill knowledge gaps to better inform water-for-energy decisions and management, the researchers say.

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JOURNAL

Nature Water

DOI

10.1038/s44221-023-00072-x 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Treatment of brackish water for fossil power plant cooling

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-May-2023

KULTURKANPF AGAINST LGBTQ RIGHTS

'Everybody is mad': Experts explain why the Bud Light boycott is working

THE EMOTIONAL PLAGUE INFECTS THE RIGHT

Critics of Bud Light burned empty beer boxes and fired bullets at cans as part of an anti-trans backlash against the brand that erupted early last month. Since then, the anger has grown.

Sales of Bud Light have recorded declines for six consecutive weeks after a product endorsement from Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, set off ire among many conservatives.

Consumer boycotts typically fizzle but this one has expanded for an array of reasons: a hot-button political controversy over a product with ample alternatives, outcry from political figures and celebrities and amplification on social media, experts told ABC News.

The boycott grew even larger, meanwhile, after the initial response from the company was perceived as conciliatory by some LGBTQ advocates, prompting a wave of frustration on the left, the experts added.

"Generally, boycotts get called and have very little effect," Gerald Davis, a professor of organizational behavior at the Michigan University Graduate School of Business. "For now, everybody is mad."

Sales of Bud Light fell nearly 25% over the week ending on May 13 compared to the same period a year ago, according to data from Bump Williams Consulting and Nielsen NIQ obtained by ABC News.MORE: What to know about the Montana TikTok ban

The most recent decline showed a deepening of losses after a drop of some 23% the week prior compared to a year ago and a roughly 7% year-over-year drop for the week ending on April 9, soon after the boycott began, the data showed.

Meanwhile, sales of rival beers have surged. Sales of Coors Light jumped almost 23% over the week ending on May 13 compared to a year ago; while sales of Miller Lite climbed 21% over that period, the data showed.


"In the beer world, there are thousands of other options readily available at similar price points," Anson Frericks, a former Anheuser-Busch executive, told ABC News. "Every grocery store and bar usually has the other options."

In all, the stock price for Anheuser-Busch InBev, the maker of Bud Light, has fallen about 11% since Mulvaney posted the brief Instagram endorsement video that sparked the backlash.

In a statement to ABC News, an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said, "Bud Light remains the #1 brand in the US nationally in volume and dollar sales despite regional differences."

After the initial boycott, Anheuser-Busch InBev posted a statement from CEO Brendan Whitworth on its website.MORE: Debt ceiling breach could cut millions of jobs. Here's who would lose employment first

"We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people," Whitworth said. "We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer."



Dylan Mulvaney attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards, Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles.© Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The company also placed two executives who oversaw the endorsement of Mulvaney's Instagram post on leave, the Wall Street Journal reported last month.

The response drew sharp criticism from some LGBTQ advocates who considered it a capitulation to the backlash. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, suspended the company's Corporate Equality Index score, USA Today reported on Thursday. Previously, the company scored 100, the top rating.

"More and more people on the left are upset that the company is not supporting these progressive values in a more outspoken way," Frericks said.

The scale and longevity of the backlash also underscore the intensity of anti-trans sentiment among conservatives, experts said.

As of last week, more than 520 anti-LGBTQ bills had been introduced in state legislatures, including over 220 bills specifically targeting transgender and non-binary people, the Human Rights Campaign found.MORE: Who pays for medical bills after mass shootings?

Far-right House Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. last month reposted a video to her 700,000 followers that sharply criticized Bud Light. Celebrities like Kid Rock and Ted Nugent had previously voiced similar messages.

"This anti-woke agenda and the idea of trans rights broadly has become a wedge issue," Maurice Schweitzer, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business who studies consumer movements, told ABC News. "It has gained and attracted a great deal of attention."

Anheuser-Busch InBev stands in a difficult position as it faces frustration on both sides of the political spectrum, said Davis, of Michigan University.

"A dynamic has been set in motion that's going to be very complicated for the company to navigate," Davis said. "What stance could they take now that would make one side or the other say, 'Oh, OK'?"

Survivors of firearm injury carry long term physical and mental burdens that are poorly understood

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS

1. Survivors of firearm injury carry long term physical and mental burdens that are poorly understood 

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-0309  

URL goes live when the embargo lifts 

A timely research report evaluating firearm injury survivors has found that despite medical advancements that improve survival from firearm injuries, many survivors experience long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and poor physical quality of life. The report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.  

Firearm injury is a public health crisis in the United States. Organizations including the American College of Physicians and Annals of Internal Medicine have called for the consideration of long-term consequences of firearm violence. Interpersonal firearm violence survivors report significantly worse physical health and functioning compared with the general population and other mechanisms of traumatic injury. Yet, there is limited work examining self-reported mental and physical health consequences of firearm violence for survivors acutely after injury, thwarting health care systems’ ability to comprehensively intervene. 

Researchers from Medical College of Wisconsin studied 87 survivors of firearm injury between 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2021 to describe the mental health symptoms and health-related quality of life of firearm injury survivors. Participants were evaluated at baseline and at 6 months after injury. The authors found that participants experienced chronic PTSD symptoms across time and worsened symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Participants also reported poor health-related quality of life at both baseline and 6 months from injury, but their quality of life did not worsen during this period. According to the authors, this preliminary study highlights the need to better understand and manage the mental health consequences of firearm injury. They suggest that early screening and comprehensive care may improve outcomes in this at-risk population.  

Note: Annals of Internal Medicine offers a resource hub for firearms-related content to help internal medicine physicians address firearm injury and violence as a public health issue and to provide strategies to help keep patients and their loved ones safe. This article and others are available for free at https://www.acponline.org/firearms.  

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at acollom@acponline.org. To speak with corresponding author Sydney Timmer-Murillo, PhD, please contact the Medical College of Wisconsin media office at media@mcw.edu. 

-------------------------------- 

JOURNAL

Annals of Internal Medicine

DOI

10.7326/M23-0309 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Mental Health and Health-Related Quality of Life After Firearm Injury: A Preliminary Descriptive Study

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

23-May-2023

THE HIDDEN INJURIES OF CLASS AND GENDER

In 2050, over 800 million people globally estimated to be living with back pain

Analysis also dispels common back pain myth

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

Analysis of over 30 years of data has shown the number of cases of low back pain is growing, with modelling suggesting by 2050, 843 million people will be affected by the condition largely due to population increases and ageing of populations.

The continued lack of a consistent approach on back pain treatment, and limited treatment options have researchers concerned that this will lead to a healthcare crisis, as low back pain is the leading cause of disability in the world.

In Australia, there will be a nearly 50 percent increase in cases by 2050. The landscape of back pain cases is set to shift, with the biggest increases in back pain cases to be in Asia and Africa. 

The findings are published in Lancet Rheumatology today, and is the new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study.

“Our analysis paints a picture of growing low back pain cases globally, putting enormous pressure on our healthcare system. We need to establish a national, consistent approach to managing low back pain that is informed by research,” says lead author, Professor Manuela Ferreira from Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, an initiative of the University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District and Northern Sydney Local Health District.

“Currently, how we have been responding to back pain has been reactive. Australia is a global leader in back pain research; we can be proactive and lead by example on back pain prevention”, said Professor Ferreira who is based at Sydney’s Kolling Institute.

The study reveals several milestones in back pain cases. Since 2017, the number of low back pain cases has ticked over to more than half a billion people.

In 2020, there were approximately 619 million cases of back pain.

At least one third of the disability burden associated with backpain was attributable to occupational factors, smoking and being overweight.

A widespread misconception is that low back pain mostly affects adults of working age. But researchers say this study has confirmed that low back pain is more common among older people. Low back pain cases were also higher among females compared to males.

This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date available data that includes for the first time global projections and the contribution of GBD risk factors to low back pain. The work was made possible by the joint efforts of The University of Sydney, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine (healthdata.org), IHME’s international collaborators, and the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health (gmusc.com).

“We also know that most available data come from high-income countries, making it sometimes hard to interpret these results for low to mid-income countries. We urgently need more population-based back pain and musculoskeletal data from countries of low to mid-income,” said senior author Professor Lyn March from Sydney Musculoskeletal Health and the Kolling Institute.

The study analysed GBD data from 1990 to 2020 from over 204 countries and territories to map the landscape of back pain cases over time. The GBD is the most comprehensive picture of mortality and disability across countries, time, age, and It is also the first study to be used for modelling the future prevalence of back pain cases.

"Health systems need to respond to this enormous and rising burden of low back pain that is affecting people globally.  Much more needs to be done to prevent low back pain and ensure timely access to care, as there are effective ways of helping people in pain” said Prof Anthony Woolf, co-chair of the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health which is calling for priority to be given to addressing the growing burden of musculoskeletal conditions.

“Ministries of health cannot continue ignoring the high prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions including low back pain. These conditions have important social and economic consequences, especially considering the cost of care. Now is the time to learn about effective strategies to address the high burden and to act” said Dr Alarcos Cieza, Unit Head, World Health Organization, Headquarters, Geneva.

National guidelines will form basis of back pain prevention

In 2018, experts (independent to this study) voiced their concerns in The Lancet and gave recommendations, especially regarding exercise and education, about the need for a change in global policy on the best way to prevent and manage low back pain to stop the rise of inappropriate treatments.

However, since then, there has been little change. Common treatments recommended for low back pain have been found to have unknown effectiveness or to be ineffective – this includes some surgeries and opioids.

Professor Ferreira says there is a lack of consistency in how health professionals manage back pain cases and how the healthcare system needs to adapt.

“It may come as a surprise to some that current clinical guidelines for back pain treatment and management do not provide specific recommendations for older people.”

“Older people have more complex medical histories and are more likely to be prescribed strong medication, including opioids for back pain management, compared to younger adults. But this is not ideal and can have a negative impact on their function and quality of life, especially as these analgesics may interfere with their other existing medications. This is just one example of why we need to update clinical guidelines to support our health professionals.”

Co-author Dr Katie de Luca, from CQUniversity, said if the right action is not taken, low back pain can become a precursor to chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental health conditions, invasive medical procedures, and significant disability.

“Low back pain continues to be the greatest cause of disability burden worldwide. There are substantial socio-economic consequences of this condition, and the physical and personal impact directly threatens healthy ageing.”

-ENDS-

• Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation | media@healthdata.org

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JOURNAL

The Lancet Rheumatology

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990–2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Coastal ecosystems are a net greenhouse gas sink, new research shows

From mangroves to fjords, coastal ecosystems can take up or emit greenhouse gases. But globally, they’re a vital sink

Peer-Reviewed Publication

SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: FJORDS ARE COASTAL SYSTEMS THAT ACT SIMILAR TO THE OCEAN. THEY TAKE UP LARGE AMOUNTS OF CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE. SOME FJORDS EMIT ALSO N2O AND SMALL AMOUNTS OF CH4. ON BALANCE, FJORDS ARE A GREENHOUSE GAS SINK. view more 

CREDIT: DONG ZHANG ON UNSPLASH

A new greenhouse gas budget shows coastal ecosystems globally are a net greenhouse gas sink for carbon dioxide (CO2) but emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) counteract some of the CO2 uptake, according to international researchers led by Australia’s Southern Cross University.

The new findings of the coastal greenhouse gas balance (CO2 + CH4 + N2O) in ten world regions and globally are outlined in the paper, Coastal vegetation and estuaries collectively are a greenhouse gas sink, published today in Nature Climate Change.

From tropical lagoons to polar fjords, from coastal mangrove forests to underwater seagrass communities, many coastlines around the world show high diversity in greenhouse gas sinks and emissions.

“Understanding how and where greenhouse gases are released and absorbed in coastal ecosystems is an important first step for implementing effective climate mitigation strategies,” said lead researcher, Dr Judith Rosentreter, Senior Research Fellow at Southern Cross University.

“For example, protecting and restoring mangrove and salt marsh habitats is a promising strategy to strengthen the CO2 uptake by these coastal wetlands.”

Other activities to curb human impact, like reducing nutrients, organic matter, and wastewater inputs into coastal waterways, can reduce the amount of CH4 and N2O released to the atmosphere.

The global team of scientists looked at ten different world regions: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Russia, West Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia and Australasia (see Figure 1).

They found the strongest coastal greenhouse gas (GHG) sink was in Southeast Asia because of its extensive and productive tropical coastal wetlands that take up CO2. A second sink hotspot is North America, with its large areas of coastal wetlands but also CO2-uptaking fjords.

“Our new research shows that fjords around the world take up ~40% of CO2 that would otherwise be released from tidal systems, deltas and lagoons. Most (86%) of this important CO2 uptake by fjords comes from the North America region, mostly Greenland,” said co-author Professor Bradley Eyre, Professor of Biogeochemistry at Southern Cross University.

Dr Rosentreter added: “Other coastal habitats are sources of greenhouse gases. For example, coastal wetlands such as mangrove forests, coastal salt marshes and seagrasses, release more than three-times more CH4 than all estuaries in the world.”

At the same time coastal wetlands, also called coastal ‘blue carbon’ wetlands, can be strong sinks of CO2 and some also take up N2O, which, on balance, makes them a net GHG sink for the atmosphere when all three greenhouse gases are considered.

“In our new study, we show that when we consider all three greenhouse gases (CO2 + CH4 + N2O), eight out of the 10 world regions are a coastal net greenhouse gas sink,” Dr Rosentreter said.

The findings will inform the efforts of the Global Carbon Project’s RECCAP2.

“The research was initiated by the Global Carbon Project to establish greenhouse gas budgets of large regions covering the entire globe, and for which the contribution of these coastal ecosystems remained unaccounted for,” said co-author Pierre Regnier, Professor of Earth System Science at Université Libre de Bruxelles.

 

Snapshot: coastal greenhouse gas sinks and sources around the world

A dataset of observations from 738 sites from studies published between 1975 and 2020 was compiled to quantify CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes in estuaries and coastal vegetation in 10 global regions.

Special coastal features (climate, hydrology, abundance) in each region around the world drive the GHG uptake and/or release from coastal systems.

Strongest coastal greenhouse gas sinks:

• Top: the archipelagic region of Southeast Asia, because of its extensive and productive tropical mangrove forests and seagrasses that take up large amounts of CO2.
• Next: North America because of its large areas of salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses but also CO2-uptaking fjords.
• Third: Africa with large CO2 uptake by mangroves and seagrasses that is moderately reduced by estuarine GHG emissions.

Moderate coastal greenhouse gas sinks:

• South America: moderate CO2 uptake by coastal wetlands, especially mangroves, and some estuarine GHG emissions.
• Australasia: long stretches of coastal wetlands that take up CO2, but this region also has a large number of estuaries along its coasts, many of which are a source of CO2, CH4 and N2O.
• West Asia: weak estuarine GHG source and moderate CO2 uptake by coastal wetlands, mostly seagrasses.

Weak coastal greenhouse gas sinks:

• East Asia and South Asia: the moderate coastal wetlands CO2 sink is largely reduced by estuarine GHG emissions.

Weak coastal greenhouse gas sources:

• Europe and Russia: both regions release more coastal GHG than they can take up from the atmosphere. These regions have many impacted tidal estuaries that release greenhouse gases; a colder climate also means they have fewer coastal wetlands (eg mangroves) that would otherwise take up large amounts of CO2.

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JOURNAL

Nature Climate Change

DOI

10.1038/s41558-023-01682-9 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Systematic review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Coastal vegetation and estuaries are collectively a greenhouse gas sink

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

23-May-2023