Comparative analysis of epigenetic variability in two pine species exposed to chronic radiation in the chernobyl and fukushima affected zones

Comparative analysis of epigenetic variability in two pine species affected as a result of the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents is presented. The absorbed dose rate within the affected Chernobyl sites varies over a wider range (1.5-24.6 μGy/h) than within the Fukushima sites (3.5-6.5 μGy/h). It was shown that chronic irradiation can change the level of whole genome methylation in pine populations, but in different ways. The genomes of Japanese red pines are hypomethylated, and the degree of methylation and hydroxymethylation decreases with an increase in the level of radiation exposure. In contrast, the percentages of genome methylation and hydroxymethylation in Scots pine populations exceed the reference levels. The observed discrepancy in the patterns of genome-wide DNA methylation can be attributed partly to the design of the study (differences in the climate, radiation dose, age and species of the pines) which could affect the results. In the frame of IRAP analysis, a larger number of different bands was observed in the Chernobyl populations compared to the Japanese populations. Both the Japanese and Chernobyl populations are characterized by significant genetic variability. However, the main part of this variability is observed within populations. The dendrograms, based on presence/absence of IRAP fragments and Nei's genetic distances, revealed subdivisions of the Chernobyl and Japanese populations according to the level of radioactive contamination. Analysis of the results presented will improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the responses of pine trees to chronic radiation exposure.

Multifaceted effects of chronic radiation exposure in Japanese red pines from Fukushima prefecture

Despite many studies carried out to date, the long-term effects of chronic exposure on plants and animals inhabiting the territories affected by the Fukushima Dai-Ichi NPP accident remain the subject of scientific discussions. Our investigations were performed on Japanese red pine, the native tree species that is widely spread in the radioactive contaminated areas. Earlier observations revealed the radiation-induced cancellation of the apical dominance in young trees of this species. To understand the mechanism of such transformation, we evaluated the morphometric parameters of needles, the frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities, and the concentrations of the major classes of phytohormones in several natural populations of young red pine trees growing under different exposure conditions in Fukushima prefecture. No significant relationships between the morphometric parameters of needles and dose rates at the experimental sites were revealed. The frequencies of aberrant cells in the needle's intercalary meristem and the frequencies of cancellation of the apical dominance in the young pine populations in the radioactive contaminated areas were significantly higher than in the reference population. However, only cytogenetic abnormalities increased with the dose rate. We have not found the relation between the frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities in needles and cancellation of the apical dominance in the individual trees. In this paper, for the first time, it is shown that chronic radiation exposure changes the concentration ratio of the major classes of phytohormones in the needles of Japanese red pine. Given the complete lack of information about the most important regulatory system of plants in chronically irradiated populations, this study fills a substantial gap in our knowledge. Finally, our findings indicated that the most probable causes of the cancellation of apical dominance observed in chronically exposed Japanese red pines are radiation damage to the apical meristems of the trees and changes in their phytohormonal balance.

Cataract in the chronically exposed residents of the Techa riverside villages

The present study is based on a retrospective analysis of archive data of the Clinical Department of the Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine that has been established to examine and treat accidentally exposed residents of the Urals Region. All individuals included in this study were examined by an ophthalmologist. The study of cataract incidence has been conducted retrospectively for the period from 1951 till 2000 among chronically exposed residents of the Techa riverside villages (6343 persons). Individual accumulated absorbed doses to soft tissues (analogue of eye dose) reached 1.18 Gy (mean 0.12 Gy) while for 88.9% of the study group the dose did not exceed 0.1 Gy. There was no evidence of the influence of low-dose and low-dose rate on cataract incidence. Excess relative risk of cataract formation per 1 Gy was 0.40 (95% CI -0.43; 1.47). It is noted that 15% of all excess cases were registered in persons with soft tissue dose above 0.3 Gy, though their fraction among all examined persons was only 4.1%. Risk of cataract development significantly increased in exposed individuals with retinal angiosclerosis, diabetes and arterial hypertension.

Genetic diversity in Scots pine populations along a radiation exposure gradient

Polymorphisms of antioxidant enzymes were studied in the endosperm and embryos of seeds from Scots pine populations inhabiting sites in the Bryansk region of Russia radioactively contaminated as a result of the Chernobyl accident. Chronic radiation exposure at dose rates from 0.8 μGy/h led to a significant increase in the rate of enzymatic loci mutations. The main parameters of genetic variability of the affected Scots pine populations had considerably higher values than those from the reference site. Changes in the genetic makeup of Scots pine populations were observed at dose rates greater than 10.4 μGy/h. However, the higher mutation rate had no effect on the activities of antioxidant enzymes.

Soil nematode assemblages as bioindicators of radiation impact in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

In radioecology, the need to understand the long-term ecological effects of radioactive contamination has been emphasised. This requires that the health of field populations is evaluated and linked to an accurate estimate of received radiological dose. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of current radioactive contamination on nematode assemblages at sites affected by the fallout from the Chernobyl accident. First, we estimated the total dose rates (TDRs) absorbed by nematodes, from measured current soil activity concentrations, Dose Conversion Coefficients (DCCs, calculated using EDEN software) and soil-to-biota concentration ratios (from the ERICA tool database). The impact of current TDRs on nematode assemblages was then evaluated. Nematodes were collected in spring 2011 from 18 forest sites in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) with external gamma dose rates, measured using radiophotoluminescent dosimeters, varying from 0.2 to 22 μGy h(-1). These values were one order of magnitude below the TDRs. A majority of bacterial-, plant-, and fungal-feeding nematodes and very few of the disturbance sensitive families were identified. No statistically significant association was observed between TDR values and nematode total abundance or the Shannon diversity index (H'). The Nematode Channel Ratio (which defines the relative abundance of bacterial- versus fungal-feeding nematodes) decreased significantly with increasing TDR, suggesting that radioactive contamination may influence nematode assemblages either directly or indirectly by modifying their food resources. A greater Maturity Index (MI), usually characterising better soil quality, was associated with higher pH and TDR values. These results suggest that in the CEZ, nematode assemblages from the forest sites were slightly impacted by chronic exposure at a predicted TDR of 200 μGy h(-1). This may be imputable to a dominant proportion of pollutant resistant nematodes in all sites. This might result from a selection at the expense of sensitive species after the accident.