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Baker LA, Beauger A, Kolovi S, Voldoire O, Allain E, Breton V, Chardon P, Miallier D, Bailly C, Montavon G, Bouchez A, Rimet F, Chardon C, Vasselon V, Ector L, Wetzel CE, Biron DG. Diatom DNA metabarcoding to assess the effect of natural radioactivity in mineral springs on ASV of benthic diatom communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 873:162270. [PMID: 36801401 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Little is still known about the low dose effects of radiation on the microbial communities in the environment. Mineral springs are ecosystems than can be affected by natural radioactivity. These extreme environments are, therefore, observatories for studying the influence of chronic radioactivity on the natural biota. In these ecosystems we find diatoms, unicellular microalgae, playing an essential role in the food chain. The present study aimed to investigate, using DNA metabarcoding, the effect of natural radioactivity in two environmental compartments (i.e. spring sediments and water) on the genetic richness, diversity and structure of diatom communities in 16 mineral springs in the Massif Central, France. Diatom biofilms were collected during October 2019, and a 312 bp region of the chloroplast gene rbcL (coding for the Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase) used as a barcode for taxonomic assignation. A total of 565 amplicon sequence variants (ASV) were found. The dominant ASV were associated with Navicula sanctamargaritae, Gedaniella sp., Planothidium frequentissimum, Navicula veneta, Diploneis vacillans, Amphora copulata, Pinnularia brebissonii, Halamphora coffeaeformis, Gomphonema saprophilum, and Nitzschia vitrea, but some of the ASVs could not be assigned at the species level. Pearson correlation failed to show a correlation between ASV' richness and radioactivity parameters. Non-parametric MANOVA analysis based on ASVs occurrence or abundances revealed that geographical location was the main factor influencing ASVs distribution. Interestingly, 238U was the second factor that explained diatom ASV structure. Among the ASVs in the mineral springs monitored, ASV associated with one of the genetic variants of Planothidium frequentissimum was well represented in the springs and with higher levels of 238U, suggesting its high tolerance to this particular radionuclide. This diatom species may therefore represent a bio-indicator of high natural levels of uranium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lory-Anne Baker
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Aude Beauger
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Sofia Kolovi
- LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS/IN2P3, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont (LPC), UMR 6533, F-63178 Aubière Cedex, France
| | - Olivier Voldoire
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Elisabeth Allain
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Vincent Breton
- LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS/IN2P3, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont (LPC), UMR 6533, F-63178 Aubière Cedex, France
| | - Patrick Chardon
- LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS/IN2P3, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont (LPC), UMR 6533, F-63178 Aubière Cedex, France
| | - Didier Miallier
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS/IN2P3, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont (LPC), UMR 6533, F-63178 Aubière Cedex, France
| | - Céline Bailly
- Laboratoire SUBATECH, UMR 6457, IN2P3/CNRS/IMT Atlantique, Université de Nantes, 4, rue Alfred Kastler, BP 20722, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3, France
| | - Gilles Montavon
- LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France; Laboratoire SUBATECH, UMR 6457, IN2P3/CNRS/IMT Atlantique, Université de Nantes, 4, rue Alfred Kastler, BP 20722, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3, France
| | - Agnès Bouchez
- Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, INRAE, UMR CARRTEL, 75 bis avenue de Corzent, FR-74200 Thonon-les-Bains, France
| | - Frédéric Rimet
- Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, INRAE, UMR CARRTEL, 75 bis avenue de Corzent, FR-74200 Thonon-les-Bains, France
| | - Cécile Chardon
- Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, INRAE, UMR CARRTEL, 75 bis avenue de Corzent, FR-74200 Thonon-les-Bains, France
| | - Valentin Vasselon
- Science-Management Interface for Biodiversity Conservation (SCIMABIO Interface),74200 Thonon-les-Bains, France
| | - Luc Ector
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Department Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN), Observatory for Climate, Environment and Biodiversity (OCEB), 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Carlos E Wetzel
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Department Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN), Observatory for Climate, Environment and Biodiversity (OCEB), 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - David G Biron
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; LTSER "Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères", Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Car C, Gilles A, Armant O, Burraco P, Beaugelin‐Seiller K, Gashchak S, Camilleri V, Cavalié I, Laloi P, Adam‐Guillermin C, Orizaola G, Bonzom J. Unusual evolution of tree frog populations in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Evol Appl 2022; 15:203-219. [PMID: 35233243 PMCID: PMC8867709 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the ubiquity of pollutants in the environment, their long‐term ecological consequences are not always clear and still poorly studied. This is the case concerning the radioactive contamination of the environment following the major nuclear accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Notwithstanding the implications of evolutionary processes on the population status, few studies concern the evolution of organisms chronically exposed to ionizing radiation in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Here, we examined genetic markers for 19 populations of Eastern tree frog (Hyla orientalis) sampled in the Chernobyl region about thirty years after the nuclear power plant accident to investigate microevolutionary processes ongoing in local populations. Genetic diversity estimated from nuclear and mitochondrial markers showed an absence of genetic erosion and higher mitochondrial diversity in tree frogs from the Chernobyl exclusion zone compared to other European populations. Moreover, the study of haplotype network permitted us to decipher the presence of an independent recent evolutionary history of Chernobyl exclusion zone's Eastern tree frogs caused by an elevated mutation rate compared to other European populations. By fitting to our data a model of haplotype network evolution, we suspected that Eastern tree frog populations in the Chernobyl exclusion zone have a high mitochondrial mutation rate and small effective population sizes. These data suggest that Eastern tree frog populations might offset the impact of deleterious mutations because of their large clutch size, but also question the long‐term impact of ionizing radiation on the status of other species living in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Car
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) PSE‐ENV/SRTE/LECO Cadarache France
| | - André Gilles
- UMR RECOVER INRAE Aix‐Marseille Université, Centre Saint‐Charles Marseille France
| | - Olivier Armant
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) PSE‐ENV/SRTE/LECO Cadarache France
| | - Pablo Burraco
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Evolutionary Biology Centre Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | | | - Sergey Gashchak
- Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety Radioactive Waste and Radioecology Slavutych Ukraine
| | - Virginie Camilleri
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) PSE‐ENV/SRTE/LECO Cadarache France
| | - Isabelle Cavalié
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) PSE‐ENV/SRTE/LECO Cadarache France
| | - Patrick Laloi
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) PSE‐ENV/SRTE/LECO Cadarache France
| | | | - Germán Orizaola
- IMIB‐Biodiversity Research Institute (Univ. Oviedo‐CSIC‐Princip. Asturias)Universidad de Oviedo Mieres‐Asturias Spain
- Department Biology Organisms and Systems Zoology Unit University of Oviedo Oviedo‐Asturias Spain
| | - Jean‐Marc Bonzom
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) PSE‐ENV/SRTE/LECO Cadarache France
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Matsushima N, Ihara S, Inaba O, Horiguchi T. Assessing the impact of large-scale farmland abandonment on the habitat distributions of frog species after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Oecologia 2021; 196:1219-1232. [PMID: 34313837 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04991-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Rice paddies function as wetlands; therefore, abandoned paddy fields cause a loss of habitats for aquatic species, such as amphibians. Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, paddy fields around the plant were abandoned and rapidly dried. To identify the impact of large-scale abandonment of paddy fields on the habitats of frogs, we investigated changes in the distributions of four frogs that breed in paddy fields using niche modeling and field surveys. The spatial distributions of suitable habitats before and after the accident for each frog were created using MaxEnt. In the area where rice cropping was restricted due to radioactive contamination, the areas of suitable habitats decreased for Pelophylax porosus porosus but increased or remained unchanged for other frogs after the accident. Additionally, field surveys conducted in 2014 indicated that the ratios of breeding sites in the area where rice cropping was restricted were significantly lower for P. p. porosus and Hyla japonica than outside this area. Thus, 3 years after the accident, one species strongly dependent upon paddy fields rapidly disappeared over a large area. Although amphibian populations or monitoring data were not available to examine changes directly after the accident in the study area, this research showed that the combination of niche modeling and field survey was effective for predicting species response after an accident and revealed that large-scale disasters sufficient to disrupt agricultural activity could markedly change the distribution of species reliant on habitats created by human activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noe Matsushima
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, Miyama-2-2-1, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan. .,Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan.
| | - Sadao Ihara
- Environmental Education, Regional Education Development, Hokkaido University of Education, 1-15-55 Shiroyama, Kushiro, Hokkaido, 085-8580, Japan
| | - Osamu Inaba
- Education Division, Board of Education, Iitate Village Office, Iitate, Fukushima, 960-1892, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Horiguchi
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
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Lerebours A, Robson S, Sharpe C, Nagorskaya L, Gudkov D, Haynes-Lovatt C, Smith JT. Transcriptional Changes in the Ovaries of Perch from Chernobyl. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:10078-10087. [PMID: 32686935 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fish have been highly exposed to radiation in freshwater systems after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident in 1986 and in freshwater and marine systems after the more recent Fukushima NPP accident in 2011. In the years after the accident, the radioactivity levels rapidly declined due to radioactive decay and environmental processes, but chronic lower dose exposures persisted. To gain insights into the long-term effects of environmental low dose radiation on fish ovaries development, a high-throughput transcriptomic approach including a de novo assembly was applied to different gonad phenotypes of female perch: developed gonads from reference lakes, developed/irradiated from medium contaminated lake, and both developed/irradiated and undeveloped from more highly contaminated lakes. This is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the gene responses in wildlife reproductive system to radiation. Some gene responses that were modulated in irradiated gonads were found to be involved in biological processes including cell differentiation and proliferation (ggnb2, mod5, rergl), cytoskeleton organization (k1C18, mtpn), gonad development (nell2, tcp4), lipid metabolism (ldah, at11b, nltp), reproduction (cyb5, cyp17A, ovos), DNA damage repair (wdhd1, rad51, hus1), and epigenetic mechanisms (dmap1). Identification of these genes provides a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms underpinning the development of the gonad phenotypes of wild perch and how fish may respond to chronic exposure to radiation in their natural environment, though causal attribution of gene responses remains unclear in the undeveloped gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adélaïde Lerebours
- School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3QL, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Robson
- Centre for Enzyme Innovation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Sharpe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
| | - Liubov Nagorskaya
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk 220072, Belarus
| | - Dmitri Gudkov
- Institute of Hydrobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev UA-04210, Ukraine
| | | | - Jim T Smith
- School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3QL, United Kingdom
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5
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Lerebours A, Robson S, Sharpe C, Smith JT. Subtle effects of radiation on embryo development of the 3-spined stickleback. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 248:126005. [PMID: 32032873 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) accidents that occurred in 1986 and 2011 respectively have led to many years of chronic radiation exposure of wildlife. However, controversies remain on the dose threshold above which an impact on animal health occurs. Fish have been highly exposed immediately after both accidents in freshwater systems around Chernobyl and in freshwater and marine systems around Fukushima. The dose levels decreased during the years after the accidents, however, little is known about the effects of environmental low doses of radiation on fish health. The present laboratory study assesses the effects of an environmentally relevant dose range of radiation (0.1, 1 and 10 mGy/day) on early life stages of the 3-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. The cardiac physiology and developmental features (head width, diameter, area) of high exposed embryos (10 mGy/day) showed no significant change when compared to controls. Embryos exposed to the medium and high dose were slower to hatch than the controls (between 166 and 195 h post-fertilization). After 10 days of exposure (at 240 h post-fertilization), larvae exposed to the high dose displayed comparable growth to controls. High-throughput sequence analysis of transcriptional changes at this time point revealed no significant changes in gene regulation compared to controls regardless of exposure conditions. Our results suggest that exposure of fish embryos to environmental radiation elicits subtle delays in hatching times, but does not impair the overall growth and physiology, nor the gene expression patterns in the recently hatched larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adélaïde Lerebours
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3QL, United Kingdom; School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, United Kingdom.
| | - Samuel Robson
- Centre for Enzyme Innovation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DT, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Sharpe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
| | - Jim T Smith
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3QL, United Kingdom
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6
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Shuryak I. Review of resistance to chronic ionizing radiation exposure under environmental conditions in multicellular organisms. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 212:106128. [PMID: 31818732 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation resistance occurs among many phylogenetic groups and its mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Tolerances to acute and chronic irradiation do not always correlate because different mechanisms may be involved. The radioresistance phenomenon becomes even more complex in the field than in the laboratory because the effects of radioactive contamination on natural populations are intertwined with those of other factors, such as bioaccumulation of radionuclides, interspecific competition, seasonal variations in environmental conditions, and land use changes due to evacuation of humans from contaminated areas. Previous reviews of studies performed in radioactive sites like the Kyshtym, Chernobyl, and Fukushima accident regions, and of protracted irradiation experiments, often focused on detecting radiation effects at low doses in radiosensitive organisms. Here we review the literature with a different purpose: to identify organisms with high tolerance to chronic irradiation under environmental conditions, which maintained abundant populations and/or outcompeted more radiosensitive species at high dose rates. Taxa for which consistent evidence for radioresistance came from multiple studies conducted in different locations and at different times were found among plants (e.g. willow and birch trees, sedges), invertebrate and vertebrate animals (e.g. rotifers, some insects, crustaceans and freshwater fish). These organisms are not specialized "extremophiles", but tend to tolerate broad ranges of environmental conditions and stresses, have small genomes, reproduce quickly and/or disperse effectively over long distances. Based on these findings, resistance to radioactive contamination can be examined in a more broad context of chronic stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Shuryak
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, VC-11-234/5, New York, NY, USA.
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7
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Beresford NA, Horemans N, Copplestone D, Raines KE, Orizaola G, Wood MD, Laanen P, Whitehead HC, Burrows JE, Tinsley MC, Smith JT, Bonzom JM, Gagnaire B, Adam-Guillermin C, Gashchak S, Jha AN, de Menezes A, Willey N, Spurgeon D. Towards solving a scientific controversy - The effects of ionising radiation on the environment. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 211:106033. [PMID: 31451195 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- N A Beresford
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, CEH Lancaster, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Av., Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP, United Kingdom; School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, M5 4WT, United Kingdom.
| | - N Horemans
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK●CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - D Copplestone
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
| | - K E Raines
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
| | - G Orizaola
- Universidad de Oviedo - Campus de Mieres, Edificio de Investigación 5a Planta, C/ Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirós s/n, 33600, Mieres-Asturias, Spain
| | - M D Wood
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, M5 4WT, United Kingdom
| | - P Laanen
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK●CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium; University of Hasselt, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - H C Whitehead
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, M5 4WT, United Kingdom
| | - J E Burrows
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
| | - M C Tinsley
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
| | - J T Smith
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3QL, United Kingdom
| | - J-M Bonzom
- IRSN, Centre de Cadarache, 13115, St Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - B Gagnaire
- IRSN, Centre de Cadarache, 13115, St Paul Lez Durance, France
| | | | - S Gashchak
- Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste & Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 77th Gvardiiska Dyviiya Str.11, P.O. Box 151, 07100, Slavutych, Kiev Region, Ukraine
| | - A N Jha
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, United Kingdom
| | - A de Menezes
- Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
| | - N Willey
- Centre for Research in Bioscience, Dept. of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Frenchay, BS16 1QY, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - D Spurgeon
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
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Smith J. Field evidence of significant effects of radiation on wildlife at chronic low dose rates is weak and often misleading. A comment on "Is non-human species radiosensitivity in the lab a good indicator of that in the field? Making the comparison more robust" by Beaugelin-Seiller et al. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 211:105895. [PMID: 30773307 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jim Smith
- School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 3QL, UK.
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9
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Kesäniemi J, Jernfors T, Lavrinienko A, Kivisaari K, Kiljunen M, Mappes T, Watts PC. Exposure to environmental radionuclides is associated with altered metabolic and immunity pathways in a wild rodent. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:4620-4635. [PMID: 31498518 PMCID: PMC6900138 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife inhabiting environments contaminated by radionuclides face putative detrimental effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, with biomarkers such as an increase in DNA damage and/or oxidative stress commonly associated with radiation exposure. To examine the effects of exposure to radiation on gene expression in wildlife, we conducted a de novo RNA sequencing study of liver and spleen tissues from a rodent, the bank vole Myodes glareolus. Bank voles were collected from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), where animals were exposed to elevated levels of radionuclides, and from uncontaminated areas near Kyiv, Ukraine. Counter to expectations, we did not observe a strong DNA damage response in animals exposed to radionuclides, although some signs of oxidative stress were identified. Rather, exposure to environmental radionuclides was associated with upregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation in the livers - an apparent shift in energy metabolism. Moreover, using stable isotope analysis, we identified that fur from bank voles inhabiting the CEZ had enriched isotope values of nitrogen: such an increase is consistent with increased fatty acid metabolism, but also could arise from a difference in diet or habitat between the CEZ and elsewhere. In livers and spleens, voles inhabiting the CEZ were characterized by immunosuppression, such as impaired antigen processing, and activation of leucocytes involved in inflammatory responses. In conclusion, exposure to low dose environmental radiation impacts pathways associated with immunity and lipid metabolism, potentially as a stress-induced coping mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Kesäniemi
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Toni Jernfors
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Anton Lavrinienko
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Kati Kivisaari
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Mikko Kiljunen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Phillip C Watts
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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10
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Fuller N, Ford AT, Lerebours A, Gudkov DI, Nagorskaya LL, Smith JT. Chronic radiation exposure at Chernobyl shows no effect on genetic diversity in the freshwater crustacean, Asellus aquaticus thirty years on. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:10135-10144. [PMID: 31624541 PMCID: PMC6787803 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of genetic diversity represents a fundamental component of ecological risk assessments in contaminated environments. Many studies have assessed the genetic implications of chronic radiation exposure at Chernobyl, generally recording an elevated genetic diversity and mutation rate in rodents, plants, and birds inhabiting contaminated areas. Only limited studies have considered genetic diversity in aquatic biota at Chernobyl, despite the large number of freshwater systems where elevated dose rates will persist for many years. Consequently, the present study aimed to assess the effects of chronic radiation exposure on genetic diversity in the freshwater crustacean, Asellus aquaticus, using a genome-wide SNP approach (Genotyping-by-sequencing). It was hypothesized that genetic diversity in A. aquaticus would be positively correlated with dose rate. A. aquaticus was collected from six lakes in Belarus and the Ukraine ranging in dose rate from 0.064 to 27.1 µGy/hr. Genotyping-by-sequencing analysis was performed on 74 individuals. A significant relationship between geographical distance and genetic differentiation confirmed the Isolation-by-Distance model. Conversely, no significant relationship between dose rate and genetic differentiation suggested no effect of the contamination gradient on genetic differentiation between populations. No significant relationship between five measures of genetic diversity and dose rate was recorded, suggesting that radiation exposure has not significantly influenced genetic diversity in A. aquaticus at Chernobyl. This is the first study to adopt a genome-wide SNP approach to assess the impacts of environmental radiation exposure on biota. These findings are fundamental to understanding the long-term success of aquatic populations in contaminated environments at Chernobyl and Fukushima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Fuller
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of PortsmouthPortsmouthUK
| | - Alex T. Ford
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of PortsmouthPortsmouthUK
| | - Adélaïde Lerebours
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of PortsmouthPortsmouthUK
| | - Dmitri I. Gudkov
- Department of Freshwater RadioecologyInstitute of HydrobiologyKievUkraine
| | - Liubov L. Nagorskaya
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of BelarusMinskBelarus
| | - Jim T. Smith
- School of Earth & Environmental SciencesUniversity of PortsmouthPortsmouthUK
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11
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Hevrøy TH, Golz AL, Hansen EL, Xie L, Bradshaw C. Radiation effects and ecological processes in a freshwater microcosm. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 203:71-83. [PMID: 30870637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem response to gamma radiation exposure depends on the different species sensitivities and the multitude of direct and indirect pathways by which individual organisms can be affected, including the potential for complex interactions across multiple trophic levels. In this study, multi-species microcosms were used to investigate effects of ionizing radiation in a model freshwater ecosystem, including endpoints at both structural and functional levels and ecological interactions. Microcosms were exposed for 22 days to a gradient of gamma radiation with four dose rates from 0.72 to 19 mGy h-1, which are within the range of those seen at contaminated sites. Results showed significant dose related effects on photosynthetic parameters for all macrophyte species. No significant effects of radiation were observed for the consumers in the microcosms, however trends indicate the potential for longer-term effects. We also witnessed a different response of Daphnia magna and Lemna minor compared to previous single-species studies, illustrating the importance of multispecies studies, which aim to encompass systems more realistic to natural ecosystems. Microcosms allowed us to isolate specific relationships between interacting species in an ecosystem and test the effects, both direct and indirect, of radiation on them. In addition, the ecological pathways and processes, and the experimental design itself, was central to understanding the results we witnessed. This type of study is important for radioecology research that has been very much limited to high dose rates and single species studies. This approach to radioecology has been strongly promoted in recent decades and, to our knowledge, this is the first microcosm study performed at dose rates similar to those at contaminated field sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya H Hevrøy
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Grini næringspark 13, 1361, Østerås, Norway; CERAD Center of Excellence in Environmental Radioactivity, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432, Ås, Norway.
| | - Anna-Lea Golz
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Elisabeth L Hansen
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Grini næringspark 13, 1361, Østerås, Norway; CERAD Center of Excellence in Environmental Radioactivity, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432, Ås, Norway.
| | - Li Xie
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalleen 21, 0349, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Clare Bradshaw
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
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12
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Goodman J, Copplestone D, Laptev GV, Gashchak S, Auld SKJR. Variation in chronic radiation exposure does not drive life history divergence among Daphnia populations across the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2640-2650. [PMID: 30891205 PMCID: PMC6405491 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation is a mutagen with known negative impacts on individual fitness. However, much less is known about how these individual fitness effects translate into population-level variation in natural environments that have experienced varying levels of radiation exposure. In this study, we sampled genotypes of the freshwater crustacean, Daphnia pulex, from the eight inhabited lakes across the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). Each lake has experienced very different levels of chronic radiation exposure since a nuclear power reactor exploded there over thirty years ago. The sampled Daphnia genotypes represent genetic snapshots of current populations and allowed us to examine fitness-related traits under controlled laboratory conditions at UK background dose rates. We found that whilst there was variation in survival and schedules of reproduction among populations, there was no compelling evidence that this was driven by variation in exposure to radiation. Previous studies have shown that controlled exposure to radiation at dose rates included in the range measured in the current study reduce survival, or fecundity, or both. One limitation of this study is the lack of available sites at high dose rates, and future work could test life history variation in various organisms at other high radiation areas. Our results are nevertheless consistent with the idea that other ecological factors, for example competition, predation or parasitism, are likely to play a much bigger role in driving variation among populations than exposure to the high radiation dose rates found in the CEZ. These findings clearly demonstrate that it is important to examine the potential negative effects of radiation across wild populations that are subject to many and varied selection pressures as a result of complex ecological interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Goodman
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural SciencesStirling UniversityStirlingUK
| | - David Copplestone
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural SciencesStirling UniversityStirlingUK
| | | | - Sergey Gashchak
- International Chornobyl Center 11SlavutychKyiv RegionUkraine
| | - Stuart K. J. R. Auld
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural SciencesStirling UniversityStirlingUK
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13
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Shuryak I. Modeling species richness and abundance of phytoplankton and zooplankton in radioactively contaminated water bodies. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2018; 192:14-25. [PMID: 29883873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Water bodies polluted by the Mayak nuclear plant in Russia provide valuable information on multi-generation effects of radioactive contamination on freshwater organisms. For example, lake Karachay was probably the most radioactive lake in the world: its water contained ∼2 × 107 Bq/L of radionuclides and estimated dose rates to plankton exceeded 5 Gy/h. We performed quantitative modeling of radiation effects on phytoplankton and zooplankton species richness and abundance in Mayak-contaminated water bodies. Due to collinearity between radioactive contamination, water body size and salinity, we combined these variables into one (called HabitatFactors). We employed a customized machine learning approach, where synthetic noise variables acted as benchmarks of predictor performance. HabitatFactors was the only predictor that outperformed noise variables and, therefore, we used it for parametric modeling of plankton responses. Best-fit model predictions suggested 50% species richness reduction at HabitatFactors values corresponding to dose rates of 104-105 μGy/h for phytoplankton, and 103-104 μGy/h for zooplankton. Under conditions similar to those in lake Karachay, best-fit models predicted 81-98% species richness reductions for various taxa (Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda), ∼20-300-fold abundance reduction for total zooplankton, but no abundance reduction for phytoplankton. Rotifera was the only taxon whose fractional abundance increased with contamination level, reaching 100% in lake Karachay, but Rotifera species richness declined with contamination level, as in other taxa. Under severe radioactive and chemical contamination, one species of Cyanobacteria (Geitlerinema amphibium) dominated phytoplankton, and rotifers from the genus Brachionus dominated zooplankton. The modeling approaches proposed here are applicable to other radioecological data sets. The results provide quantitative information and easily interpretable model parameter estimates for the shapes and magnitudes of freshwater plankton responses to a wide range of radioactive contamination levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Shuryak
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
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14
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Lerebours A, Gudkov D, Nagorskaya L, Kaglyan A, Rizewski V, Leshchenko A, Bailey EH, Bakir A, Ovsyanikova S, Laptev G, Smith JT. Impact of Environmental Radiation on the Health and Reproductive Status of Fish from Chernobyl. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:9442-9450. [PMID: 30028950 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic organisms at Chernobyl have now been chronically exposed to environmental radiation for three decades. The biological effects of acute exposure to radiation are relatively well documented, but much less is known about the long-term effects of chronic exposure of organisms in their natural environment. Highly exposed fish in freshwater systems at Chernobyl showed morphological changes in their reproductive system in the years after the accident. However, the relatively limited scope of past studies did not allow robust conclusions to be drawn. Moreover, the level of the radiation dose at which significant effects on wildlife occur is still under debate. In the most comprehensive evaluation of the effects of chronic radiation on wild fish populations to date, the present study measures specific activities of 137Cs, 90Sr, and transuranium elements (238Pu, 239,240Pu, and 241Am), index conditions, distribution and size of oocytes, as well as environmental and biological confounding factors in two fish species perch ( Perca fluviatilis) and roach ( Rutilus rutilus) from seven lakes. In addition, relative species abundance was examined. The results showed that both fish species are, perhaps surprisingly, in good general physiological and reproductive health. Perch, however, appeared to be more sensitive to radiation than roach: in the most contaminated lakes, a delay of the maturation of the gonads and the presence of several undeveloped phenotypes were evident only for perch and not for roach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adélaïde Lerebours
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences , University of Portsmouth , Portsmouth , PO1 3QL , United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences , University of Portsmouth , Portsmouth , PO1 2DY , United Kingdom
| | - Dmitri Gudkov
- Institute of Hydrobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , Kiev , UA-04210 , Ukraine
| | - Liubov Nagorskaya
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus , Minsk , 220072 , Belarus
| | - Alexander Kaglyan
- Institute of Hydrobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , Kiev , UA-04210 , Ukraine
| | - Viktor Rizewski
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus , Minsk , 220072 , Belarus
| | - Andrey Leshchenko
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus , Minsk , 220072 , Belarus
| | - Elizabeth H Bailey
- School of Biosciences , University of Nottingham , Loughborough , LE12 5RD , United Kingdom
| | - Adil Bakir
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences , University of Portsmouth , Portsmouth , PO1 3QL , United Kingdom
| | - Svetlana Ovsyanikova
- Belarussian State University, Faculty of Chemistry, Research Laboratory of Radiochemistry , Minsk , 220030 , Belarus
| | - Gennady Laptev
- Ukrainian HydroMeteorological Institute , Kiev , 03028 , Ukraine
| | - Jim T Smith
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences , University of Portsmouth , Portsmouth , PO1 3QL , United Kingdom
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15
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Fuller N, Ford AT, Nagorskaya LL, Gudkov DI, Smith JT. Reproduction in the freshwater crustacean Asellus aquaticus along a gradient of radionuclide contamination at Chernobyl. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 628-629:11-17. [PMID: 29427871 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima have led to contamination of the environment that will persist for many years. The consequences of chronic low-dose radiation exposure for non-human organisms inhabiting contaminated environments remain unclear. In radioecology, crustaceans are important model organisms for the development of environmental radioprotection. Previous laboratory studies have demonstrated deleterious effects of radiation exposure on crustacean reproduction. However, no studies have documented the effects of chronic radiation exposure on the reproduction of natural crustacean populations. Based on data from laboratory exposures, we hypothesised that populations of the freshwater isopod Asellus aquaticus exposed to radiation for thirty years at Chernobyl would display reduced reproductive output and altered timing of reproduction. To test this hypothesis, A. aquaticus was collected from six lakes at Chernobyl over two years with total dose rates ranging from 0.06-27.1μGy/h. No significant differences in the fecundity, mass of broods or proportion of reproducing female A. aquaticus were recorded. Significant differences in the body mass of gravid females were recorded suggesting different timings of reproduction, however this was not related to radiation contamination. No significant effect of a range of environmental parameters on A. aquaticus reproduction was recorded. Our data suggests current dose rates at Chernobyl are not causing discernible effects on the reproductive output of A. aquaticus. This study is the first to assess the effects of chronic low-dose radiation exposure on the reproductive output of an aquatic invertebrate at Chernobyl. These findings are consistent with proposed radiological protection benchmarks for the maintenance of wildlife populations and will assist in management of environments impacted by radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Fuller
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Alex T Ford
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Liubov L Nagorskaya
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Academicheskaya Str., 220072 Minsk, Belarus
| | - Dmitri I Gudkov
- Department of Freshwater Radioecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Geroyev Stalingrada Ave. 12, UA-04210 Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Jim T Smith
- School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3QL, UK.
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16
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Shuryak I. Quantitative modeling of responses to chronic ionizing radiation exposure using targeted and non-targeted effects. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176476. [PMID: 28441437 PMCID: PMC5404850 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological effects of chronic ionizing radiation exposure can be difficult to study, but important to understand in order to protect the health of occupationally-exposed persons and victims of radiological accidents or malicious events. They include targeted effects (TE) caused by ionizations within/close to nuclear DNA, and non-targeted effects (NTE) caused by damage to other cell structures and/or activation of stress-signaling pathways in distant cells. Data on radiation damage in animal populations exposed over multiple generations to wide ranges of dose rates after the Chernobyl nuclear-power-plant accident are very useful for enhancing our understanding of these processes. We used a mechanistically-motivated mathematical model which includes TE and NTE to analyze a large published data set on chromosomal aberrations in pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) embryos collected over 16 years from water bodies contaminated by Chernobyl fallout, and from control locations. The fraction of embryo cells with aberrations increased dramatically (>10-fold) and non-linearly over a dose rate range of 0.03–420 μGy/h (0.00026–3.7 Gy/year). NTE were very important for describing the non-linearity of this radiation response: the TE-only model (without NTE) performed dramatically worse than the TE+NTE model. NTE were predicted to reach ½ of maximal intensity at 2.5 μGy/h (0.022 Gy/year) and to contribute >90% to the radiation response slope at dose rates <11 μGy/h (0.1 Gy/year). Internally-incorporated 90Sr was possibly more effective per unit dose than other radionuclides. The radiation response shape for chromosomal aberrations in snail embryos was consistent with data for a different endpoint: the fraction of young amoebocytes in adult snail haemolymph. Therefore, radiation may affect different snail life stages by similar mechanisms. The importance of NTE in our model-based analysis suggests that the search for modulators of NTE-related signaling pathways could be a promising strategy for mitigating the deleterious effects of chronic irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Shuryak
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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17
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Fuller N, Smith JT, Nagorskaya LL, Gudkov DI, Ford AT. Does Chernobyl-derived radiation impact the developmental stability of Asellus aquaticus 30years on? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 576:242-250. [PMID: 27788439 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Effects of long-term, environmentally relevant doses of radiation on biota remain unclear due to a lack of studies following chronic exposure in contaminated environments. The 1986 Chernobyl accident dispersed vast amounts of radioactivity into the environment which persists to date. Despite three decades of research, impacts of the incident on non-human organisms continues to be contested within the scientific literature. The present study assessed the impact of chronic radiation exposure from Chernobyl on the developmental stability of the model aquatic isopod, Asellus aquaticus using fluctuating asymmetry (FA) as an indicator. Fluctuating asymmetry, defined as random deviations from the expected perfect bilateral symmetry of an organism, has gained prominence as an indicator of developmental stability in ecotoxicology. Organisms were collected from six lakes along a gradient of radionuclide contamination in Belarus and the Ukraine. Calculated total dose rates ranged from 0.06-27.1μGy/h. Fluctuating asymmetry was assessed in four meristic and one metrical trait. Significant differences in levels of pooled asymmetry were recorded between sample sites independent of sex and specific trait measured. However, there was no correlation of asymmetry with radiation doses, suggesting that differences in asymmetry were not attributed to radionuclide contamination and were driven by elevated asymmetry at a single site. No correlation between FA and measured environmental parameters suggested a biotic factor driving observed FA differences. This study appears to be the first to record no evident increase in developmental stability of biota from the Chernobyl region. These findings will aid in understanding the response of organisms to chronic pollutant exposure and the long term effects of large scale nuclear incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Fuller
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Jim T Smith
- School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3QL, UK
| | - Liubov L Nagorskaya
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Academicheskaya Str., 220072 Minsk, Belarus
| | - Dmitri I Gudkov
- Department of Freshwater Radioecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Geroyev Stalingrada Ave. 12, UA-04210 Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Alex T Ford
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK.
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18
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Bonzom JM, Hättenschwiler S, Lecomte-Pradines C, Chauvet E, Gaschak S, Beaugelin-Seiller K, Della-Vedova C, Dubourg N, Maksimenko A, Garnier-Laplace J, Adam-Guillermin C. Effects of radionuclide contamination on leaf litter decomposition in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 562:596-603. [PMID: 27110974 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The effects of radioactive contamination on ecosystem processes such as litter decomposition remain largely unknown. Because radionuclides accumulated in soil and plant biomass can be harmful for organisms, the functioning of ecosystems may be altered by radioactive contamination. Here, we tested the hypothesis that decomposition is impaired by increasing levels of radioactivity in the environment by exposing uncontaminated leaf litter from silver birch and black alder at (i) eleven distant forest sites differing in ambient radiation levels (0.22-15μGyh(-1)) and (ii) along a short distance gradient of radioactive contamination (1.2-29μGyh(-1)) within a single forest in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In addition to measuring ambient external dose rates, we estimated the average total dose rates (ATDRs) absorbed by decomposers for an accurate estimate of dose-induced ecological consequences of radioactive pollution. Taking into account potential confounding factors (soil pH, moisture, texture, and organic carbon content), the results from the eleven distant forest sites, and from the single forest, showed increased litter mass loss with increasing ATDRs from 0.3 to 150μGyh(-1). This unexpected result may be due to (i) overcompensation of decomposer organisms exposed to radionuclides leading to a higher decomposer abundance (hormetic effect), and/or (ii) from preferred feeding by decomposers on the uncontaminated leaf litter used for our experiment compared to locally produced, contaminated leaf litter. Our data indicate that radio-contamination of forest ecosystems over more than two decades does not necessarily have detrimental effects on organic matter decay. However, further studies are needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms of the results reported here, in order to draw firmer conclusions on how radio-contamination affects decomposition and associated ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marc Bonzom
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, France.
| | - Stephan Hättenschwiler
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE), 1919 Route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Catherine Lecomte-Pradines
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Eric Chauvet
- EcoLab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, INPT, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex, France
| | - Sergey Gaschak
- Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 07100 Slavutych, Ukraine
| | - Karine Beaugelin-Seiller
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Claire Della-Vedova
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Nicolas Dubourg
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Andrey Maksimenko
- Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 07100 Slavutych, Ukraine
| | - Jacqueline Garnier-Laplace
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Christelle Adam-Guillermin
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, France
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19
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Bréchignac F, Oughton D, Mays C, Barnthouse L, Beasley JC, Bonisoli-Alquati A, Bradshaw C, Brown J, Dray S, Geras'kin S, Glenn T, Higley K, Ishida K, Kapustka L, Kautsky U, Kuhne W, Lynch M, Mappes T, Mihok S, Møller AP, Mothersill C, Mousseau TA, Otaki JM, Pryakhin E, Rhodes OE, Salbu B, Strand P, Tsukada H. Addressing ecological effects of radiation on populations and ecosystems to improve protection of the environment against radiation: Agreed statements from a Consensus Symposium. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2016; 158-159:21-9. [PMID: 27058410 PMCID: PMC4976067 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/26/2016] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
This paper reports the output of a consensus symposium organized by the International Union of Radioecology in November 2015. The symposium gathered an academically diverse group of 30 scientists to consider the still debated ecological impact of radiation on populations and ecosystems. Stimulated by the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters' accidental contamination of the environment, there is increasing interest in developing environmental radiation protection frameworks. Scientific research conducted in a variety of laboratory and field settings has improved our knowledge of the effects of ionizing radiation on the environment. However, the results from such studies sometimes appear contradictory and there is disagreement about the implications for risk assessment. The Symposium discussions therefore focused on issues that might lead to different interpretations of the results, such as laboratory versus field approaches, organism versus population and ecosystemic inference strategies, dose estimation approaches and their significance under chronic exposure conditions. The participating scientists, from across the spectrum of disciplines and research areas, extending also beyond the traditional radioecology community, successfully developed a constructive spirit directed at understanding discrepancies. From the discussions, the group has derived seven consensus statements related to environmental protection against radiation, which are supplemented with some recommendations. Each of these statements is contextualized and discussed in view of contributing to the orientation and integration of future research, the results of which should yield better consensus on the ecological impact of radiation and consolidate suitable approaches for efficient radiological protection of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Bréchignac
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Centre of Cadarache, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, Cedex, France; International Union of Radioecology (IUR), Center of Cadarache, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance, Cedex, France.
| | - Deborah Oughton
- Center for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway.
| | - Claire Mays
- Institut Symlog de France, 262 rue Saint-Jacques, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Lawrence Barnthouse
- LWB Environmental Services, Inc., 1620 New London Rd., Hamilton, OH 45013, USA.
| | - James C Beasley
- University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory & Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, PO Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA.
| | - Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati
- School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
| | - Clare Bradshaw
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Justin Brown
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), Østerås, Norway.
| | - Stéphane Dray
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, France; CNRS, UMR5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | | | - Travis Glenn
- Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Kathy Higley
- School of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
| | - Ken Ishida
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
| | - Lawrence Kapustka
- LK Consultancy, P.O. Box 373, Turner Valley, Alberta T0L 2A0, Canada.
| | - Ulrik Kautsky
- Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., (SKB), P.O. Box 250, SE-101 24 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Wendy Kuhne
- Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC, USA.
| | - Michael Lynch
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland.
| | - Steve Mihok
- 388 Church Street, Russell, Ontario K4R 1A8, Canada.
| | - Anders P Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, Cedex, France.
| | - Carmel Mothersill
- Department of Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Timothy A Mousseau
- Department of Biological Sciences, and, the School of Earth, Ocean and Environment, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
| | - Joji M Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.
| | - Evgeny Pryakhin
- Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Vorovsky Str. 68a, 454076 Chelyabinsk, Russia.
| | - Olin E Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL), Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA.
| | - Brit Salbu
- Center for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway.
| | - Per Strand
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Universitetstunet 3, 1430 Ås, Norway.
| | - Hirofumi Tsukada
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima-shi, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan.
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Beresford NA, Fesenko S, Konoplev A, Skuterud L, Smith JT, Voigt G. Thirty years after the Chernobyl accident: What lessons have we learnt? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2016; 157:77-89. [PMID: 27018344 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
April 2016 sees the 30(th) anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. As a consequence of the accident populations were relocated in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine and remedial measures were put in place to reduce the entry of contaminants (primarily (134+137)Cs) into the human food chain in a number of countries throughout Europe. Remedial measures are still today in place in a number of countries, and areas of the former Soviet Union remain abandoned. The Chernobyl accident led to a large resurgence in radioecological studies both to aid remediation and to be able to make future predictions on the post-accident situation, but, also in recognition that more knowledge was required to cope with future accidents. In this paper we discuss, what in the authors' opinions, were the advances made in radioecology as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident. The areas we identified as being significantly advanced following Chernobyl were: the importance of semi-natural ecosystems in human dose formation; the characterisation and environmental behaviour of 'hot particles'; the development and application of countermeasures; the "fixation" and long term bioavailability of radiocaesium and; the effects of radiation on plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Beresford
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK.
| | - S Fesenko
- International Atomic Energy Agency, 1400 Vienna, Austria
| | - A Konoplev
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, Kanayagawa 1, Fukushima, 960-1296 Japan
| | - L Skuterud
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, 1332 Østerås, Norway
| | - J T Smith
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Portsmouth, PO1 3QL, UK
| | - G Voigt
- r.e.m., Franz-Siegel-Gasse 26, 2380 Perchtoldsdorf, Austria
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21
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Fuller N, Lerebours A, Smith JT, Ford AT. The biological effects of ionising radiation on Crustaceans: A review. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2015; 167:55-67. [PMID: 26261880 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Historic approaches to radiation protection are founded on the conjecture that measures to safeguard humans are adequate to protect non-human organisms. This view is disparate with other toxicants wherein well-developed frameworks exist to minimise exposure of biota. Significant data gaps for many organisms, coupled with high profile nuclear incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, have prompted the re-evaluation of our approach toward environmental radioprotection. Elucidating the impacts of radiation on biota has been identified as priority area for future research within both scientific and regulatory communities. The crustaceans are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, comprising greater than 66,000 species of ecological and commercial importance. This paper aims to assess the available literature of radiation-induced effects within this subphylum and identify knowledge gaps. A literature search was conducted pertaining to radiation effects on four endpoints as stipulated by a number of regulatory bodies: mortality, morbidity, reproduction and mutation. A major finding of this review was the paucity of data regarding the effects of environmentally relevant radiation doses on crustacean biology. Extremely few studies utilising chronic exposure durations or wild populations were found across all four endpoints. The dose levels at which effects occur was found to vary by orders of magnitude thus presenting difficulties in developing phyla-specific benchmark values and reference levels for radioprotection. Based on the limited data, mutation was found to be the most sensitive endpoint of radiation exposure, with mortality the least sensitive. Current phyla-specific dose levels and limits proposed by major regulatory bodies were found to be inadequate to protect species across a range of endpoints including morbidity, mutation and reproduction and examples are discussed within. These findings serve to prioritise areas for future research that will significantly advance understanding of radiation-induced effects in aquatic invertebrates and consequently enhance ability to predict the impacts of radioactive releases on the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Fuller
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Adélaïde Lerebours
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Jim T Smith
- School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3QL, UK
| | - Alex T Ford
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK.
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22
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Lecomte-Pradines C, Bonzom JM, Della-Vedova C, Beaugelin-Seiller K, Villenave C, Gaschak S, Coppin F, Dubourg N, Maksimenko A, Adam-Guillermin C, Garnier-Laplace J. Soil nematode assemblages as bioindicators of radiation impact in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 490:161-170. [PMID: 24852614 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.04.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/27/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In radioecology, the need to understand the long-term ecological effects of radioactive contamination has been emphasised. This requires that the health of field populations is evaluated and linked to an accurate estimate of received radiological dose. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of current radioactive contamination on nematode assemblages at sites affected by the fallout from the Chernobyl accident. First, we estimated the total dose rates (TDRs) absorbed by nematodes, from measured current soil activity concentrations, Dose Conversion Coefficients (DCCs, calculated using EDEN software) and soil-to-biota concentration ratios (from the ERICA tool database). The impact of current TDRs on nematode assemblages was then evaluated. Nematodes were collected in spring 2011 from 18 forest sites in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) with external gamma dose rates, measured using radiophotoluminescent dosimeters, varying from 0.2 to 22 μGy h(-1). These values were one order of magnitude below the TDRs. A majority of bacterial-, plant-, and fungal-feeding nematodes and very few of the disturbance sensitive families were identified. No statistically significant association was observed between TDR values and nematode total abundance or the Shannon diversity index (H'). The Nematode Channel Ratio (which defines the relative abundance of bacterial- versus fungal-feeding nematodes) decreased significantly with increasing TDR, suggesting that radioactive contamination may influence nematode assemblages either directly or indirectly by modifying their food resources. A greater Maturity Index (MI), usually characterising better soil quality, was associated with higher pH and TDR values. These results suggest that in the CEZ, nematode assemblages from the forest sites were slightly impacted by chronic exposure at a predicted TDR of 200 μGy h(-1). This may be imputable to a dominant proportion of pollutant resistant nematodes in all sites. This might result from a selection at the expense of sensitive species after the accident.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Lecomte-Pradines
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PRP-ENV/SERIS, LECO, Building 186, Cadarache 13115 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex, France.
| | - J-M Bonzom
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PRP-ENV/SERIS, LECO, Building 186, Cadarache 13115 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex, France
| | | | - K Beaugelin-Seiller
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PRP-ENV/SERIS, LM2E, Building 159, Cadarache 13115 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex, France
| | - C Villenave
- ELISOL Environment, Building 12, Campus de la Gaillarde, 2 place Viala, 34060 Montpellier cedex 2, France
| | - S Gaschak
- Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 07100 Slavutych, Ukraine
| | - F Coppin
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PRP-ENV/SERIS, L2BT, Building 186, Cadarache 13115 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex, France
| | - N Dubourg
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PRP-ENV/SERIS, GARM Building 186, Cadarache 13115 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex, France
| | - A Maksimenko
- Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 07100 Slavutych, Ukraine
| | - C Adam-Guillermin
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PRP-ENV/SERIS, LECO, Building 186, Cadarache 13115 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex, France
| | - J Garnier-Laplace
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PRP-ENV/SERIS, Building 159, Cadarache 13115 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex, France
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23
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Dallas LJ, Keith-Roach M, Lyons BP, Jha AN. Assessing the Impact of Ionizing Radiation on Aquatic Invertebrates: A Critical Review. Radiat Res 2012; 177:693-716. [DOI: 10.1667/rr2687.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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