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de Menezes AB, Gashchak S, Wood MD, Beresford NA. Relationships between radiation, wildfire and the soil microbial communities in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:175381. [PMID: 39122033 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
There is considerable uncertainty regarding radiation's effects on biodiversity in natural complex ecosystems typically subjected to multiple environmental disturbances and stresses. In this study we characterised the relationships between soil microbial communities and estimated total absorbed dose rates to bacteria, grassy vegetation and trees in the Red Forest region of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Samples were taken from sites of contrasting ecological histories and along burn and no burn areas following a wildfire. Estimated total absorbed dose rates to bacteria reached levels one order of magnitude higher than those known to affect bacteria in laboratory studies. Sites with harsher ecological conditions, notably acidic pH and low soil moisture, tended to have higher radiation contamination levels. No relationship between the effects of fire and radiation were observed. Microbial groups that correlated with high radiation sites were mostly classified to taxa associated with high environmental stress habitats or stress resistance traits. Distance-based linear models and co-occurrence analysis revealed that the effects of radiation on the soil microbiome were minimal. Hence, the association between high radiation sites and specific microbial groups is more likely a result of the harsher ecological conditions in these sites, rather than due to radiation itself. In this study, we provide a starting point for understanding the relationship between soil microbial communities and estimated total absorbed radiation dose rates to different components of an ecosystem highly contaminated with radiation. Our results suggest that soil microbiomes adapted to natural soil conditions are more likely to be resistant to ionising radiation than expected from laboratory studies, which demonstrates the importance of assessing the impact of ionising radiation on soil microbial communities under field conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Barretto de Menezes
- University of Galway, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Ryan Institute, University Road, H91 TK33, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Sergii Gashchak
- Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste & Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, Slavutych, Kyiv Region, Ukraine.
| | - Michael D Wood
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, United Kingdom.
| | - Nicholas A Beresford
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, United Kingdom; Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, CEH Lancaster, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Av., Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom
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2
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Car C, Quevarec L, Gilles A, Réale D, Bonzom JM. Evolutionary approach for pollution study: The case of ionizing radiation. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 349:123692. [PMID: 38462194 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123692] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Estimating the consequences of environmental changes, specifically in a global change context, is essential for conservation issues. In the case of pollutants, the interest in using an evolutionary approach to investigate their consequences has been emphasized since the 2000s, but these studies remain rare compared to the characterization of direct effects on individual features. We focused on the study case of anthropogenic ionizing radiation because, despite its potential strong impact on evolution, the scarcity of evolutionary approaches to study the biological consequences of this stressor is particularly true. In this study, by investigating some particular features of the biological effects of this stressor, and by reviewing existing studies on evolution under ionizing radiation, we suggest that evolutionary approach may help provide an integrative view on the biological consequences of ionizing radiation. We focused on three topics: (i) the mutagenic properties of ionizing radiation and its disruption of evolutionary processes, (ii) exposures at different time scales, leading to an interaction between past and contemporary evolution, and (iii) the special features of contaminated areas called exclusion zones and how evolution could match field and laboratory observed effects. This approach can contribute to answering several key issues in radioecology: to explain species differences in the sensitivity to ionizing radiation, to improve our estimation of the impacts of ionizing radiation on populations, and to help identify the environmental features impacting organisms (e.g., interaction with other pollution, migration of populations, anthropogenic environmental changes). Evolutionary approach would benefit from being integrated to the ecological risk assessment process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Car
- Laboratoire de Recherche sur Les Effets des Radionucléides sur L'écosystème (LECO), Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Saint-Paul Lèz Durance, France
| | - Loïc Quevarec
- Laboratoire de Recherche sur Les Effets des Radionucléides sur L'écosystème (LECO), Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Saint-Paul Lèz Durance, France.
| | - André Gilles
- UMR Risques, ECOsystèmes, Vulnérabilité, Environnement, Résilience (RECOVER), Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), Marseille, France
| | - Denis Réale
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université Du Québec à Montréal, (UQAM), Montréal, Canada
| | - Jean-Marc Bonzom
- Laboratoire de Recherche sur Les Effets des Radionucléides sur L'écosystème (LECO), Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Saint-Paul Lèz Durance, France
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3
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Perez M, Aroh O, Sun Y, Lan Y, Juniper SK, Young CR, Angers B, Qian PY. Third-Generation Sequencing Reveals the Adaptive Role of the Epigenome in Three Deep-Sea Polychaetes. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad172. [PMID: 37494294 PMCID: PMC10414810 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The roles of DNA methylation in invertebrates are poorly characterized, and critical data are missing for the phylum Annelida. We fill this knowledge gap by conducting the first genome-wide survey of DNA methylation in the deep-sea polychaetes dominant in deep-sea vents and seeps: Paraescarpia echinospica, Ridgeia piscesae, and Paralvinella palmiformis. DNA methylation calls were inferred from Oxford Nanopore sequencing after assembling high-quality genomes of these animals. The genomes of these worms encode all the key enzymes of the DNA methylation metabolism and possess a mosaic methylome similar to that of other invertebrates. Transcriptomic data of these polychaetes support the hypotheses that gene body methylation strengthens the expression of housekeeping genes and that promoter methylation acts as a silencing mechanism but not the hypothesis that DNA methylation suppresses the activity of transposable elements. The conserved epigenetic profiles of genes responsible for maintaining homeostasis under extreme hydrostatic pressure suggest DNA methylation plays an important adaptive role in these worms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeva Perez
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Oluchi Aroh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Yanan Sun
- Laboratory of Marine Organism Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Qingdao, China
| | - Yi Lan
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, China
| | - Stanley Kim Juniper
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | | | - Bernard Angers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, China
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Videvall E, Burraco P, Orizaola G. Impact of ionizing radiation on the environmental microbiomes of Chornobyl wetlands. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 330:121774. [PMID: 37178954 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Radioactive contamination has the potential to cause damage to DNA and other biomolecules. Anthropogenic sources of radioactive contamination include accidents in nuclear power plants, such as the one in Chornobyl in 1986 which caused long-term radioactive pollution. Studies on animals within radioactive zones have provided us with a greater understanding of how wildlife can persevere despite chronic radiation exposure. However, we still know very little about the effects of radiation on the microbial communities in the environment. We examined the impact of ionizing radiation and other environmental factors on the diversity and composition of environmental microbiomes in the wetlands of Chornobyl. We combined detailed field sampling along a gradient of radiation together with 16 S rRNA high-throughput metabarcoding. While radiation did not affect the alpha diversity of the microbiomes in sediment, soil, or water, it had a significant effect on the beta diversity in all environment types, indicating that the microbial composition was affected by ionizing radiation. Specifically, we detected several microbial taxa that were more abundant in areas with high radiation levels within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, including bacteria and archaea known to be radioresistant. Our results reveal the existence of rich and diverse microbiomes in Chornobyl wetlands, with multiple taxonomic groups that are able to thrive despite the radioactive contamination. These results, together with additional field and laboratory-based approaches examining how microbes cope with ionizing radiation will help to forecast the functionality and re-naturalization dynamics of radiocontaminated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Videvall
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA; Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA; Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 20013, Washington, DC, USA; Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pablo Burraco
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden; Doñana Biological Station, Spanish Research Council (EBD-CSIC), 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Germán Orizaola
- IMIB-Biodiversity Research Institute (Univ. Oviedo-CSIC-Princip. Asturias), 33600, Mieres, Asturias, Spain; Zoology Unit, Department of Biology of Organisms and Systems, University of Oviedo, 33071, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
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Lovecchio N, Costantini F, Nascetti A, de Cesare G, Caputo D. Thin-Film-Based Multifunctional System for Optical Detection and Thermal Treatment of Biological Samples. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12110969. [PMID: 36354478 PMCID: PMC9688047 DOI: 10.3390/bios12110969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we present a multifunctional Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platform based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon sensors suitable for a wide range of application in the fields of biochemical and food quality control analysis. The proposed system includes a LoC fabricated on a 5 cm × 5 cm glass substrate and a set of electronic boards for controlling the LoC functionalities. The presented Lab-on-Chip comprises light and temperature sensors, a thin film resistor acting as a heating source, and an optional thin film interferential filter suitable for fluorescence analysis. The developed electronics allows to control the thin film heater, a light source for fluorescence and absorption measurements, and the photosensors to acquire luminescent signals. All these modules are enclosed in a black metal box ensuring the portability of the whole platform. System performances have been evaluated in terms of sensor optical performances and thermal control achievements. For optical sensors, we have found a minimum number of detectable photons of 8 × 104 s-1·cm-2 at room temperature, 1.6 × 106 s-1·cm-2 in presence of fluorescence excitation source, and 2.4 × 106 s-1·cm-2 at 90 °C. From a thermal management point of view, we have obtained heating and cooling rates both equal to 2.2 °C/s, and a temperature sensor sensitivity of about 3 mV/°C even in presence of light. The achieved performances demonstrate the possibility to simultaneously use all integrated sensors and actuators, making promising the presented platform for a wide range of application fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Lovecchio
- Department of Information Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Costantini
- Department of Information Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
- CREA-DC Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, 00156 Rome, Italy
| | - Augusto Nascetti
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00138 Rome, Italy
| | - Giampiero de Cesare
- Department of Information Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Caputo
- Department of Information Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
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Maystrenko T, Rybak A. Radiation exposure and risk assessment to earthworms in areas contaminated with naturally occurring radionuclides. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:706. [PMID: 36001168 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10382-4] [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: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of radiation exposure on biota is one of the main parts of environment protection system. Earthworms have been recognized as an important organism group in the terrestrial ecosystems. According to many researchers the potential risks of naturally occurring radionuclides for soil invertebrates were not significant because the exposure doses to the invertebrate populations were low. Our study aimed to assess the radiation exposure and the radiological risks from naturally occurring radionuclides for earthworm populations at four sites. This research was based on three dosimetric approaches simultaneously: ERICA and RESRAD-BIOTA-the commonly used ones, and also on the original method proposed by Thomas and Liber (Environment International, 27, 341-353, 2001) for aquatic organisms. To calculate radiation dose rates to soil invertebrates inhabiting background and contaminated areas, the specific activities of radionuclides in soil, and, depending on the model, the default, or determined in this study, input mass-geometric parameters had been applied. The weighted absorbed dose rates calculated by different models and site-specific data were 0.3-1.4 μGy/h for the background and from 3.4 to 170 μGy/h for the contaminated sites. Analysis of radiation risks for earthworms indicated that 226Ra was the key contributor to the external dose rate; 226Ra and 210Po played a dominant role in formation of internal dose rate for radioecological situations in our study. More conservative radiation risk assessments were derived from RESRAD-BIOTA tool. Dose assessments obtained using various models had shown that there are real environmental situations in which the radiological risks to reference organisms are significantly higher than the lowest benchmark protection level proposed for ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Maystrenko
- Institute of Biology, Komi Scientific Center of Ural Branch of RAS, Syktyvkar, Russia.
| | - Anna Rybak
- Institute of Biology, Komi Scientific Center of Ural Branch of RAS, Syktyvkar, Russia
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Šrut M. Environmental Epigenetics in Soil Ecosystems: Earthworms as Model Organisms. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10070406. [PMID: 35878310 PMCID: PMC9323174 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10070406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
One of the major emerging concerns within ecotoxicology is the effect of environmental pollutants on epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene expression, meaning that the alterations of epigenetic marks can induce long-term physiological effects that can even be inherited across generations. Many invertebrate species have been used as models in environmental epigenetics, with a special focus on DNA methylation changes caused by environmental perturbations (e.g., pollution). Among soil organisms, earthworms are considered the most relevant sentinel organisms for anthropogenic stress assessment and are widely used as standard models in ecotoxicological testing of soil toxicity. In the last decade, several research groups have focused on assessing the impact of environmental stress on earthworm epigenetic mechanisms and tried to link these mechanisms to the physiological effects. The aim of this review is to give an overview and to critically examine the available literature covering this topic. The high level of earthworm genome methylation for an invertebrate species, responsiveness of epigenome to environmental stimuli, availability of molecular resources, and the possibility to study epigenetic inheritance make earthworms adequate models in environmental epigenomics. However, there are still many knowledge gaps that need to be filled in, before we can fully explore earthworms as models in this field. These include detailed characterization of the methylome using next-generation sequencing tools, exploration of multigenerational and transgenerational effects of pollutants, and information about other epigenetic mechanisms apart from DNA methylation. Moreover, the connection between epigenetic effects and phenotype has to be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Šrut
- Department of Zoology, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Jackson JA, Antwis RE, Beresford NA, Wood MD. Some observations on meaningful and objective inference in radioecological field studies. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1546-1553. [PMID: 35694769 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13743] [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: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic releases of radiation are of ongoing importance for environmental protection, but the radiation doses at which natural systems begin to show effects are controversial. More certainty is required in this area to achieve optimal regulation for radioactive substances. We recently carried out a large survey (268 sampled animals and 20 sites) of the association between environmental radiation exposures and small mammal gut-associated microbiomes (fungal and bacterial) in the Chornobyl Exclusion zone (CEZ). Using individual measurements of total absorbed dose rates and a study design and analyses that accounted for spatial non-independence, we found no, or only limited, association. Watts et al. have criticised our study: for not filtering candidate non-resident components prior to our fungal microbiome analyses, for our qualified speculations on the relative merits of faecal and gut samples, and for the design of our study which they felt lacked sufficient replication. The advantage of filtering non-resident-fungal taxa is not clear and it would not have changed the null (spatially adjusted) association we found between radioactive dose and mycobiome composition because the most discriminatory fungal taxa with regard to dose were non-resident taxa. We maintain that it was legitimate for us to make qualified discussion comments on the differences in results between our faecal and gut microbiome analyses and on the relative merits of these sample types. Most importantly, the criticism of our study design by Watts et al. and the designs and analysis of their recent studies in the CEZ show a misunderstanding of the true nature of independent replication in field studies. Recognising the importance of spatial non-independence is essential in the design and analysis of radioecological field surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Jackson
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Rachael E Antwis
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | | | - Michael D Wood
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
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Rasnaca I, Kille P, Newbold LK, Spurgeon DJ. Impacts of Life-Time Exposure of Arsenic, Cadmium and Fluoranthene on the Earthworms’ L. rubellus Global DNA Methylation as Detected by msAFLP. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050770. [PMID: 35627155 PMCID: PMC9140603 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This study reports on the effects of long-term exposure to the metals arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fluoranthene on the survival, growth, development and DNA methylation status of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. Exposures to the three chemicals were conducted over their whole juvenile developmental period from egg to adult. Significant effects on one or more measured endpoints were found for all three chemicals. Arsenic had no effect on survival, but had a significant effect on growth rates at concentrations of 36 mg/kg or higher and also slowed the rate of maturation. Cadmium significantly reduced juvenile survival at 500 mg/kg, juvenile growth at 148 mg/kg and maturation rates at all tested concentrations. Fluoranthene had no effect on survival or the developmental period, but did significantly reduce growth rates at 800 mg/kg. Effects at these concentrations are consistent with the known effects of these three chemicals on earthworms from previous studies conducted mainly with Eisenia fetida. Both As and Cd had no effect on DNA methylation patterning in earthworms measured at the end of the exposure. Fluoranthene was shown, for the first time. to have an effect on a species’ DNA methylation levels. These results suggest that apical phenotypic changes for As and Cd are not necessarily associated with changes in DNA methylation profiles. However, exposure to the organic chemical fluoranthene influenced DNA methylation patterns, suggesting wider remodelling of the epigenome for this chemical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilze Rasnaca
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK; (I.R.); (L.K.N.)
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, University of Cardiff, P.O. Box 915, Cardiff CF10 3TL, UK;
| | - Peter Kille
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, University of Cardiff, P.O. Box 915, Cardiff CF10 3TL, UK;
| | - Lindsay K. Newbold
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK; (I.R.); (L.K.N.)
| | - David J. Spurgeon
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK; (I.R.); (L.K.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-1487-772-561; Fax: +44-1487-773-467
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Beresford NA, Wood MD, Gashchak S, Barnett CL. Current ionising radiation doses in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone do not directly impact on soil biological activity. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263600. [PMID: 35196340 PMCID: PMC8865656 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although soil organisms are essential for ecosystem function, the impacts of radiation on soil biological activity at highly contaminated sites has been relatively poorly studied. In April-May 2016, we conducted the first largescale deployment of bait lamina to estimate soil organism (largely soil invertebrate) feeding activity in situ at study plots in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). Across our 53 study plots, estimated weighted absorbed dose rates to soil organisms ranged from 0.7 μGy h-1 to 1753 μGy h-1. There was no significant relationship between soil organism feeding activity and estimated weighted absorbed dose rate. Soil biological activity did show significant relationships with soil moisture content, bulk density (used as a proxy for soil organic matter) and pH. At plots in the Red Forest (an area of coniferous plantation where trees died because of high radiation exposure in 1986) soil biological activity was low compared to plots elsewhere in the CEZ. It is possible that the lower biological activity observed in the Red Forest is a residual consequence of what was in effect an acute high exposure to radiation in 1986.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A. Beresford
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, Lancaster, United Kingdom
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael D. Wood
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sergey Gashchak
- International Radioecology Laboratory, Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste & Radioecology, Slavutych, Kyiv Region, Ukraine
| | - Catherine L. Barnett
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, Lancaster, United Kingdom
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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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12
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Šrut M. Ecotoxicological epigenetics in invertebrates: Emerging tool for the evaluation of present and past pollution burden. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 282:131026. [PMID: 34111635 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The effect of environmental pollution on epigenetic changes and their heredity in affected organisms is of major concern as such changes can play a significant role in adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Changes of epigenetic marks including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA's can induce changes in gene transcription leading to physiological long-term changes or even transgenerational inheritance. Such mechanisms have until recently been scarcely studied in invertebrate organisms, mainly focusing on model species including Caenorhabditis elegans and Daphnia magna. However, more data are becoming available, particularly focused on DNA methylation changes caused by anthropogenic pollutants in a wide range of invertebrates. This review examines the literature from field and laboratory studies utilising invertebrate species exposed to environmental pollutants and their effect on DNA methylation. Possible mechanisms of epigenetic modifications and their role on physiology and adaptation as well as the incidence of intergenerational and transgenerational inheritance are discussed. Furthermore, critical research challenges are defined and the way forward is proposed. Future studies should focus on the use of next generation sequencing tools to define invertebrate methylomes under environmental stress in higher resolution, those data should further be linked to gene expression patterns and phenotypes and detailed studies focusing on transgenerational effects are encouraged. Moreover, studies of other epigenetic mechanisms in various invertebrate species, apart from DNA methylation would provide better understanding of interconnected cross-talk between epigenetic marks. Taken together incorporating epigenetic studies in ecotoxicology context presents a promising tool for development of sensitive biomarkers for environmental stress assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Šrut
- University of Innsbruck, Institute of Zoology, Technikerstraße 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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13
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Lavrinienko A, Hämäläinen A, Hindström R, Tukalenko E, Boratyński Z, Kivisaari K, Mousseau TA, Watts PC, Mappes T. Comparable response of wild rodent gut microbiome to anthropogenic habitat contamination. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:3485-3499. [PMID: 33955637 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Species identity is thought to dominate over environment in shaping wild rodent gut microbiota, but it remains unknown whether the responses of host gut microbiota to shared anthropogenic habitat impacts are species-specific or if the general gut microbiota response is similar across host species. Here, we compare the influence of exposure to radionuclide contamination on the gut microbiota of four wild mouse species: Apodemus flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, A. speciosus and A. argenteus. Building on the evidence that radiation impacts bank vole (Myodes glareolus) gut microbiota, we hypothesized that radiation exposure has a general impact on rodent gut microbiota. Because we sampled (n = 288) two species pairs of Apodemus mice that occur in sympatry in habitats affected by the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents, these comparisons provide an opportunity for a general assessment of the effects of exposure to environmental contamination (radionuclides) on gut microbiota across host phylogeny and geographical areas. In general agreement with our hypothesis, analyses of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that radiation exposure alters the gut microbiota composition and structure in three of the four species of Apodemus mice. The notable lack of an association between the gut microbiota and soil radionuclide contamination in one mouse species from Fukushima (A. argenteus) probably reflects host "radiation escape" through its unique tree-dwelling lifestyle. The finding that host ecology can modulate effects of radiation exposure offers an interesting counterpoint for future analyses into effects of radiation or any other toxic exposure on host and its associated microbiota. Our data show that exposure to radionuclide contamination is linked to comparable gut microbiota responses across multiple species of rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Lavrinienko
- Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Anni Hämäläinen
- Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Eugene Tukalenko
- Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Science, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Zbyszek Boratyński
- CIBIO-InBIO Associate Laboratory, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Kati Kivisaari
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Timothy A Mousseau
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.,SURA/LASSO/NASA, ISS Utilization and Life Sciences Division, Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL, USA
| | - Phillip C Watts
- Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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14
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Hollingsworth BA, Cassatt DR, DiCarlo AL, Rios CI, Satyamitra MM, Winters TA, Taliaferro LP. Acute Radiation Syndrome and the Microbiome: Impact and Review. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:643283. [PMID: 34084131 PMCID: PMC8167050 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.643283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Study of the human microbiota has been a centuries-long endeavor, but since the inception of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Microbiome Project in 2007, research has greatly expanded, including the space involving radiation injury. As acute radiation syndrome (ARS) is multisystemic, the microbiome niches across all areas of the body may be affected. This review highlights advances in radiation research examining the effect of irradiation on the microbiome and its potential use as a target for medical countermeasures or biodosimetry approaches, or as a medical countermeasure itself. The authors also address animal model considerations for designing studies, and the potential to use the microbiome as a biomarker to assess radiation exposure and predict outcome. Recent research has shown that the microbiome holds enormous potential for mitigation of radiation injury, in the context of both radiotherapy and radiological/nuclear public health emergencies. Gaps still exist, but the field is moving forward with much promise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brynn A Hollingsworth
- Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, United States
| | - David R Cassatt
- Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Andrea L DiCarlo
- Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Carmen I Rios
- Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Merriline M Satyamitra
- Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Thomas A Winters
- Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Lanyn P Taliaferro
- Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, United States
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15
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Antwis RE, Beresford NA, Jackson JA, Fawkes R, Barnett CL, Potter E, Walker L, Gaschak S, Wood MD. Impacts of radiation exposure on the bacterial and fungal microbiome of small mammals in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2172-2187. [PMID: 33901301 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Environmental impacts of the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident are much debated, but the effects of radiation on host microbiomes have received little attention to date. We present the first analysis of small mammal gut microbiomes from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in relation to total absorbed dose rate, including both caecum and faeces samples. We provide novel evidence that host species determines fungal community composition, and that associations between microbiome (both bacterial and fungal) communities and radiation exposure vary between host species. Using ambient versus total weighted absorbed dose rates in analyses produced different results, with the latter more robust for interpreting microbiome changes at the individual level. We found considerable variation between results for faecal and gut samples of bank voles, suggesting faecal samples are not an accurate indicator of gut composition. Associations between radiation exposure and microbiome composition of gut samples were not robust against geographical variation, although we identified families of bacteria (Lachnospiraceae and Muribaculaceae) and fungi (Steccherinaceae and Strophariaceae) in the guts of bank voles that may serve as biomarkers of radiation exposure. Further studies considering a range of small mammal species are needed to establish the robustness of these potential biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E Antwis
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Nicholas A Beresford
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK.,UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, UK
| | - Joseph A Jackson
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Ross Fawkes
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Catherine L Barnett
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, UK
| | - Elaine Potter
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, UK
| | - Lee Walker
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, UK
| | - Sergey Gaschak
- Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, Slavutych, Ukraine
| | - Michael D Wood
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
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16
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Huang C, Ge Y, Yue S, Qiao Y, Liu L. Impact of soil metals on earthworm communities from the perspectives of earthworm ecotypes and metal bioaccumulation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 406:124738. [PMID: 33316673 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The current study elucidates the impact of soil metal contamination on earthworm communities at the ecotype level. A total of 292 earthworms belonging to 13 species were collected in metal-contaminated soils from Wanshou (WSC), Daxing (DXC) and Lupu (LPC) plots (1.40-6.60, 29.4-126, 251-336 and 91.9-109 mg/kg for soil Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb, respectively) in Hunan Province, southern China. The results showed that the total earthworm density and biomass significantly decreased along the increasing metal-contaminated gradient while epigeic earthworms became more dominant than anecic and endogeic earthworms. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that soil pH, total nitrogen and Cd concentration were the primary factors influencing earthworm communities, explaining 33.7%, 29.1% and 26.7% of the total variance, respectively. In addition, epigeic earthworm Metaphire californica bioaccumulated more Cd (0.27-0.60 mmol/kg), while endogeic earthworm Amynthas hupeiensis and anecic earthworm Amynthas asacceus bioaccumulated more Cu (0.55-1.62 mmol/kg) and Zn (2.86-6.46 mmol/kg) from soil, respectively, which were related to their habit soils and showed the species-specific bioaccumulation features. Our study discovered the diverse responses of earthworm ecotypes to metal contamination and their specific features of metal bioaccumulation, provide insight for soil risk assessments and for biodiversity conservation from a niche partitioning perspective. CAPSULE: Earthworms of different ecotypes showed different responses to soil metal contamination and species-specific features of metal bioaccumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caide Huang
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yan Ge
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shizhong Yue
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Yuhui Qiao
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Organic Farming, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Longsheng Liu
- Hengyang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hengyang 421151, China
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17
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Mothersill CE, Oughton DH, Schofield PN, Abend M, Adam-Guillermin C, Ariyoshi K, Beresford NA, Bonisoli-Alquati A, Cohen J, Dubrova Y, Geras’kin SA, Hevrøy TH, Higley KA, Horemans N, Jha AN, Kapustka LA, Kiang JG, Madas BG, Powathil G, Sarapultseva EI, Seymour CB, Vo NTK, Wood MD. From tangled banks to toxic bunnies; a reflection on the issues involved in developing an ecosystem approach for environmental radiation protection. Int J Radiat Biol 2020; 98:1185-1200. [DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2020.1793022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paul N. Schofield
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Kentaro Ariyoshi
- Integrated Center for Science and Humanities, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima City, Japan
| | | | | | - Jason Cohen
- Department of Biology and Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Yuri Dubrova
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | | | - Kathryn A. Higley
- School of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Nele Horemans
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Awadhesh N. Jha
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | | | - Juliann G. Kiang
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Balázs G. Madas
- Environmental Physics Department, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gibin Powathil
- Department of Mathematics, Computational Foundry, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | | | - Nguyen T. K. Vo
- Department of Biology and Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Michael D. Wood
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
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