2016 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Development and application of the flux approach for modelling of the long-term radiocesium cycling in Fukushima forests
| Project/Area Number |
15K00563
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| Research Institution | Fukushima University |
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Principal Investigator |
Yoschenko Vasyl 福島大学, 環境放射能研究所, 特任教授 (40745569)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
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| Keywords | radiocesium / Fukushima accident / stable cesium / Japanese cedar / forest ecosystems / radiocesium fluxes / root uptake |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
We completed measurements of the radiocesium activities in the samples collected in 2015 and 2016 at the Yamakiya site. We continued monitoring of soil moisture fluxes in the root inhabited layers of soil, calculated annual discharges and obtained the retention curves. We obtained from Ukrainian partners the independent data set necessary for validation of the model. We choose and characterized three new experimental sites in the Fukushima zone. Current results allow formulation of several important conclusions for radiocesium in Japanese cedar forests:
- up to 90% of the radiocesium deposition is found in soil;
- 80-90% of the total soil and litter deposition of radiocesium is localized in 5-cm topsoil layer;
- root uptake flux can be estimated as (1.9±1.4)% of its inventory in the ecosystem
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
The main results expected for the FY 2016 have been achieved. We extended our study at the new experimental sites and obtained the reliable data enabling prediction of the long-term redistribution of radiocesium in Fukushima forests. We showed similarity of the processes at different sites. We obtained the independent data set for the model validation exercises. We widely presented and discussed the results at the set of the international conferences and published / submitted to the leading journals. Our results received the high evaluation from the international radioecologists community. There is no significant delays in realization of the whole project research program
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
During FY 2017 we will finalize the researches planned within the project framework and provide the final estimates of the radiocesium fluxes in the studied Japanese cedar forest ecosystems; for one ecosystem (Yamakiya forest), we will also calculate the stable cesium fluxes;
- validate the model of the long-term radiocesium redistribution in the forest ecosystems and adjust it for specifics of the studied species (accumulation of cesium in heartwood);
- based on all obtained results, make the prediction of the long-term dynamics of radiocesium in the Japanese cedar forests.
The main results of the project will be prepared for publication. We will also draw up the program for the future studies including the need to address the above-mentioned high radiosensitivity of Japanese red pine
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