Date of Award

Spring 2021

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Biological Sciences

Director of Thesis

Timothy Mousseau

Second Reader

Melissa Groleau

Abstract

Humans are usually evacuated following a nuclear power plant (NPP) accident; however, the wildlife remains in the surrounding area that is blanketed in radionuclides. Despite the known effects of exposure to ionizing radiation on an individual’s health, the effects on wildlife remain unclear. The exclusion zones surrounding the Chernobyl NPP and Fukushima NPP accident sites provide an ideal study system to examine how mammal populations are influenced by chronic, low-dose radiation exposure. The present study examines wild boar abundance and reproductive success in both locations to determine how not only radiation exposure but also the sudden changes in human disturbance following such a disaster affect these populations. Both locations showed increasing abundances with the lower areas of radiation likely due to a reduction in hunting pressure. Despite this release from human disturbance, boar abundance still decreased in the areas of highest radiation. The ratio of adults to juveniles was greater in Chernobyl than in Fukushima perhaps due to the much higher radiation levels in Chernobyl or the consequences of chronic multi-decadal exposure on wild boar health. Directions for future studies should build on exactly how radiation affects certain species, which species are most vulnerable to negative effects, and how these effects may carry throughout the food chain.

First Page

1

Last Page

47

Rights

© 2021, Victoria Bosch

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