UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2022 Feb 23;17(2):e0263600. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263600. eCollection 2022.
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.
尽管土壤生物对于生态系统功能至关重要，但在高度污染的地点，辐射对土壤生物活性的影响相对研究较少。2016 年 4 月至 5 月，我们首次大规模部署了诱饵片，以原位估计切尔诺贝利隔离区（CEZ）研究点的土壤生物（主要是土壤无脊椎动物）摄食活动。在我们的 53 个研究点中，估计的土壤生物加权吸收剂量率范围为 0.7 μGy h-1 至 1753 μGy h-1。土壤生物摄食活动与估计的加权吸收剂量率之间没有显著关系。土壤生物活性与土壤水分含量、体积密度（用作土壤有机质的替代物）和 pH 值有显著关系。在红色森林（一片松树林区，由于 1986 年辐射暴露过高，树木死亡）的研究点，土壤生物活性与 CEZ 其他地区相比较低。在红色森林中观察到的较低生物活性可能是 1986 年急性高辐射暴露的残留后果。
