Study of the effects of radiation on birds in the Chernobyl area

A research team from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, studied two songbird species in Chernobyl, the great tit (Major releases) and white-browed black flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). “Our hypothesis is that ecological diversity in polluted areas may be affected, leading to changes in the reproductive activity, diet and gut microbiota of birds,” Interesting Engineering Sameli Piirt, a member of the research team, said on July 3. Piirt and his colleagues wanted to shed light on the long-term effects of the nuclear accident on wildlife.

By placing nest boxes in high- and low-contamination areas of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, the researchers monitored the songbirds’ behavior and collected fecal samples to learn about their diet and gut flora. The songbirds nested in both areas, suggesting that radiation levels did not appear to influence their nesting decisions. Additionally, the team found no major changes in either species in terms of reproductive ecology or nest health. In particular, the birds had access to a wider variety of insects in the contaminated area.

As for the songbirds’ gut health, radiation levels did not appear to affect the bacteria in their guts. However, radiation did appear to change the relative composition of the microbiome. Further research will be needed to understand whether changes in diet and gut microbiome affect the birds’ health.

The differences may seem small, but other research suggests that radiation is affecting birds in the Chernobyl exclusion zone in more profound ways. A 2011 analysis of 550 birds from 48 species living near Chernobyl found that they had smaller brain inputs because low levels of radiation stunted their growth, possibly even affecting their cognitive abilities. The new research was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Experimental Biology in Prague earlier this week.

Nearly 40 years ago, on April 26, 1986, the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine marked a terrible tragedy in human history. The toxic clouds that spread exposed about 8.4 million people to nuclear radiation. More than 250,000 people developed cancer and about 100,000 died.

The Soviet Union established the 2,700-square-kilometer “Chernobyl Exclusion Zone” around the plant, erecting a fence with a radius of about 30 kilometers and prohibiting public access due to contamination. In addition to the human suffering to this day, the Chernobyl disaster devastated the landscape by causing extensive damage to living things and infrastructure.