Mortality of the harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex owyheei) after exposure to /sup 137/Cs gamma radiation
Harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex owyheei Cole, irradiated with 3.5 kR to 268 kR of /sup 137/Cs gamma radiation, were maintained at simulated summer (27/sup 0/C) and winter (7/sup 0/C) temperature regimes. After thirty days, the cool series was warmed to 27/sup 0/C and observed for mortality along with the warm series.Though mortality was delayed in the cool series, each series reached 50% mortality at similar rates. Because the harvester ant is extremely tolerant to radiation and experimental rates used far exceed possible environmental exposure, it is unlikely that ant colonies dwelling among low-level nuclear waste storage sites will be deleteriously affected by radiation. This species has the capability of tunneling to a depth well within the range of some buried waste. Since these harvester ants are potential transporters of buried waste, they should be considered as a biotic factor in radioactive waste management operations in semi-arid regions.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5440316
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Entomol.; (United States), Vol. 10
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ANTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
MORTALITY
RADIOINDUCTION
CESIUM 137
GAMMA RADIATION
LETHAL RADIATION DOSE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DOSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HYMENOPTERA
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LETHAL DOSES
MANAGEMENT
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560153* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Invertebrates- (-1987)