Species richness and abundance of forest birds in relation to radiation at Chernobyl
- PMID:17698449
- PMCID: PMC2394539
- DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0226
Species richness and abundance of forest birds in relation to radiation at Chernobyl
Abstract
The effects of low-level radiation on the abundance of animals are poorly known, as are the effects on ecosystems and their functioning. Recent conclusions from the UN Chernobyl forum and reports in the popular media concerning the effects of radiation from Chernobyl on animals have left the impression that the Chernobyl exclusion zone is a thriving ecosystem, filled with an increasing number of rare species. Surprisingly, there are no standardized censuses of common animals in relation to radiation, leaving the question about the ecological effects of radiation unresolved. We conducted standardized point counts of breeding birds at forest sites around Chernobyl differing in level of background radiation by over three orders of magnitude. Species richness, abundance and population density of breeding birds decreased with increasing level of radiation, even after controlling statistically for the effects of potentially confounding factors such as soil type, habitat and height of the vegetation. This effect was differential for birds eating soil invertebrates living in the most contaminated top soil layer. These results imply that the ecological effects of Chernobyl on animals are considerably greater than previously assumed.
Figures


Similar articles
- Reduced abundance of insects and spiders linked to radiation at Chernobyl 20 years after the accident.Møller AP, Mousseau TA.Møller AP, et al.Biol Lett. 2009 Jun 23;5(3):356-9. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0778. Epub 2009 Mar 18.Biol Lett. 2009.PMID:19324644Free PMC article.
- Soil nematode assemblages as bioindicators of radiation impact in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.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.Lecomte-Pradines C, et al.Sci Total Environ. 2014 Aug 15;490:161-70. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.04.115. Epub 2014 May 21.Sci Total Environ. 2014.PMID:24852614
- High frequency of albinism and tumours in free-living birds around Chernobyl.Møller AP, Bonisoli-Alquati A, Mousseau TA.Møller AP, et al.Mutat Res. 2013 Sep 18;757(1):52-9. doi: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2013.04.019. Epub 2013 Jul 12.Mutat Res. 2013.PMID:23850808
- Effects of non-human species irradiation after the Chernobyl NPP accident.Geras'kin SA, Fesenko SV, Alexakhin RM.Geras'kin SA, et al.Environ Int. 2008 Aug;34(6):880-97. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2007.12.012. Epub 2008 Jan 30.Environ Int. 2008.PMID:18234336Review.
- Radiation-induced effects on plants and animals: findings of the United Nations Chernobyl Forum.Hinton TG, Alexakhin R, Balonov M, Gentner N, Hendry J, Prister B, Strand P, Woodhead D.Hinton TG, et al.Health Phys. 2007 Nov;93(5):427-40. doi: 10.1097/01.HP.0000281179.03443.2e.Health Phys. 2007.PMID:18049219Review.
Cited by
- Ecosystems effects 25 years after Chernobyl: pollinators, fruit set and recruitment.Møller AP, Barnier F, Mousseau TA.Møller AP, et al.Oecologia. 2012 Dec;170(4):1155-65. doi: 10.1007/s00442-012-2374-0. Epub 2012 Jun 17.Oecologia. 2012.PMID:22707037
- Highly reduced mass loss rates and increased litter layer in radioactively contaminated areas.Mousseau TA, Milinevsky G, Kenney-Hunt J, Møller AP.Mousseau TA, et al.Oecologia. 2014 May;175(1):429-37. doi: 10.1007/s00442-014-2908-8. Epub 2014 Mar 4.Oecologia. 2014.PMID:24590204
- Capacity of blood plasma is higher in birds breeding in radioactively contaminated areas.Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Møller AP, Mousseau TA, Soler JJ.Ruiz-Rodríguez M, et al.PLoS One. 2017 Jun 29;12(6):e0179209. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179209. eCollection 2017.PLoS One. 2017.PMID:28662048Free PMC article.
- Fibroblasts from bank voles inhabiting Chernobyl have increased resistance against oxidative and DNA stresses.Mustonen V, Kesäniemi J, Lavrinienko A, Tukalenko E, Mappes T, Watts PC, Jurvansuu J.Mustonen V, et al.BMC Cell Biol. 2018 Aug 29;19(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s12860-018-0169-9.BMC Cell Biol. 2018.PMID:30157751Free PMC article.
- Defenses against keratinolytic bacteria in birds living in radioactively contaminated areas.Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Møller AP, Mousseau TA, Soler JJ.Ruiz-Rodríguez M, et al.Naturwissenschaften. 2016 Oct;103(9-10):71. doi: 10.1007/s00114-016-1397-5. Epub 2016 Aug 19.Naturwissenschaften. 2016.PMID:27542091
References
- Bibby C.J, Hill D.A, Burgess N.D, Mustoe S. Academic Press; London, UK: 2005. Bird census techniques.
- Burnham K.P, Anderson D.R. 2nd edn. Springer; New York, NY: 2002. Model selection and multimodel inference.
- Chernobyl Forum. IAEA, WHO, UNDP; New York, NY: 2005a. Chernobyl's legacy: health, environmental and socio-economic impacts.
- Chernobyl Forum. 20 years later a UN report provides definitive answers and ways to repair lives. IAEA, WHO, UNDP; New York, NY: 2005b. Chernobyl: the true scale of the accident.
- Ellegren H, Lindgren G, Primmer C.R, Møller A.P. Fitness loss and germline mutations in barn swallows breeding in Chernobyl. Nature. 1997;389:593–596.doi:10.1038/39303 - DOI - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources