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.
Highlights
The accident on 26th April 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP) led to the release of an estimated 5300 PBq (5.3 × 1017 Bq) of radioactivity into the environment (UNSCEAR, 2000)
The proportion of females with broods was not related to radiation dose rate (Fig. 1, linear regression F = 3.262, df = 1, 10, r2 = 0.246 p = 0.101)
The research hypothesis for this work was that populations of the isopod crustacean Asellus aquaticus chronically exposed to ionising radiation at Chernobyl would display reduced reproductive output and altered timing of reproduction
Summary
The accident on 26th April 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP) led to the release of an estimated 5300 PBq (5.3 × 1017 Bq) of radioactivity into the environment (UNSCEAR, 2000) Vast areas of the former Soviet Union (fSU) and Western Europe were contaminated with radioactive substances, leading to radiation exposure of human and non-human organisms. Whilst dose rates decreased significantly in subsequent years owing to decay of short lived radionuclides and settling of radioactive substances to sediments, a number of ‘closed’ lake systems around Chernobyl retained relatively high levels of radioactivity Such systems are typified by a lack of significant inflow or outflows of water, and are widespread in the Pripyat flood plain area and fSU countries affected by the Chernobyl accident (Smith and Beresford, 2005). Understanding the effects of chronic radiation exposure on the aquatic environment is a highly pertinent issue
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