Where the wild things are: influence of radiation on the distribution of four mammalian species within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Abstract
Although nearly 30 years have passed since the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident near the town of Pripyat, Ukraine, the status and health of mammal populations within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone ( CEZ ) remain largely unknown, and are of substantial scientific and public interest. Information regarding the response of flora and fauna to chronic radiation exposure is important in helping us understand the ecological consequences of past (eg Chernobyl and Fukushima) and potential future nuclear accidents. We present the results of the first remote‐camera scent‐station survey conducted within the CEZ . We observed individuals of 14 mammalian species in total; for those species with sufficiently robust visitation rates to allow occupancy to be modeled (gray wolf [ Canis lupus ], raccoon dog [ Nyctereutes procyonoides ], Eurasian boar [ Sus scrofa ], and red fox [ Vulpes vulpes ]), we found no evidence to suggest that their distributions were suppressed in highly contaminated areas within the CEZ . These data support the results of other recent studies, and contrast with research suggesting that wildlife populations are depleted within the CEZ .
- Authors:
-
- University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Aiken SC, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens GA
- University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Aiken SC
- University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Aiken SC, Odum School of Ecology University of Georgia Athens GA
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity Fukushima University Fukushima Japan
- Sosnovy Bor Vitebsk Region Belarus
- Publication Date:
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1401426
- Grant/Contract Number:
- DE‐FC09‐07SR22506
- Resource Type:
- Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Journal Volume: 14 Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 1540-9295
- Publisher:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Citation Formats
Webster, Sarah C., Byrne, Michael E., Lance, Stacey L., Love, Cara N., Hinton, Thomas G., Shamovich, Dmitry, and Beasley, James C. Where the wild things are: influence of radiation on the distribution of four mammalian species within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1002/fee.1227.
Webster, Sarah C., Byrne, Michael E., Lance, Stacey L., Love, Cara N., Hinton, Thomas G., Shamovich, Dmitry, & Beasley, James C. Where the wild things are: influence of radiation on the distribution of four mammalian species within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1227
Webster, Sarah C., Byrne, Michael E., Lance, Stacey L., Love, Cara N., Hinton, Thomas G., Shamovich, Dmitry, and Beasley, James C. Mon .
"Where the wild things are: influence of radiation on the distribution of four mammalian species within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1227.
@article{osti_1401426,
title = {Where the wild things are: influence of radiation on the distribution of four mammalian species within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone},
author = {Webster, Sarah C. and Byrne, Michael E. and Lance, Stacey L. and Love, Cara N. and Hinton, Thomas G. and Shamovich, Dmitry and Beasley, James C.},
abstractNote = {Although nearly 30 years have passed since the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident near the town of Pripyat, Ukraine, the status and health of mammal populations within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone ( CEZ ) remain largely unknown, and are of substantial scientific and public interest. Information regarding the response of flora and fauna to chronic radiation exposure is important in helping us understand the ecological consequences of past (eg Chernobyl and Fukushima) and potential future nuclear accidents. We present the results of the first remote‐camera scent‐station survey conducted within the CEZ . We observed individuals of 14 mammalian species in total; for those species with sufficiently robust visitation rates to allow occupancy to be modeled (gray wolf [ Canis lupus ], raccoon dog [ Nyctereutes procyonoides ], Eurasian boar [ Sus scrofa ], and red fox [ Vulpes vulpes ]), we found no evidence to suggest that their distributions were suppressed in highly contaminated areas within the CEZ . These data support the results of other recent studies, and contrast with research suggesting that wildlife populations are depleted within the CEZ .},
doi = {10.1002/fee.1227},
journal = {Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment},
number = 4,
volume = 14,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Apr 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Mon Apr 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1227
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