Radiocesium accumulation in the anuran frog, Rana tagoi tagoi, in forest ecosystems after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident

Environ Pollut. 2015 Apr:199:89-94. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.01.018. Epub 2015 Jan 29.

Abstract

Amphibians are key components in forest food webs. When examining radioactive contamination in anurans, it is important to understand how radiocesium transfer occurs from lower to higher trophic levels in forest ecosystems. We investigated the activity concentration of radiocesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in Tago's brown frog (Rana tagoi tagoi) captured on the forest floor approximately 2.5 years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident. We collected 66 R. tagoi tagoi at different distances from the FNPP. Radiocesium accumulation showed positive correlations with the air radiation dose rate and litter contamination but not with distance from the FNPP. Whole-body radioactivity showed no correlation with body mass or length. Our results suggest that differences in the available food items result in large variability in individual contamination. Contamination level monitoring in terrestrial and aquatic amphibian is necessary for clarifying the processes and mechanisms of radiocesium transfer through forest food webs.

Keywords: Contamination; FNPP; Forest floor; Radioactivity; Tago's brown frog.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cesium Radioisotopes / analysis
  • Cesium Radioisotopes / metabolism*
  • Ecosystem
  • Forests*
  • Fukushima Nuclear Accident*
  • Nuclear Power Plants
  • Radiation Monitoring*
  • Radioactive Pollutants / metabolism*
  • Ranidae / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cesium Radioisotopes
  • Radioactive Pollutants