Differences in effects of radiation on abundance of animals in Fukushima and Chernobyl

摘要: Abstract Radioactive contamination can negatively affect the abundance of living beings through radiation and chemical toxic effects radionuclides or mutation accumulation over time. If radiotoxic were main determinant organisms, we should expect a reduction in immediately following radioactive contamination, while gradual increase negative time if was determinant. In particular, at recently contaminated site Fukushima to mainly be due radiotoxicity, Chernobyl which has been since 1986 mixture effects. We censused spiders, grasshoppers, dragonflies, butterflies, bumblebees, cicadas birds 1198 sites Fukushima-Daiichi, where major nuclear accidents happened 25 years 6 months ago, respectively. The mean level higher less variable than Chernobyl, implying that more on animals immediate important. While all taxa showed significant declines with increasing background only three out seven such an effect Fukushima. differed between two areas for grasshoppers but not bumblebees. These findings are consistent being radiotoxicity those may accumulation, because chronic exposure have present many generations thereby allowing mutations.