Ecological consentration of radio active matter in the forest and its inpact to a raptor

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26440254
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Nishiumi Isao 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, 動物研究部, 研究主幹 (90290866)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: セシウム / フクロウ / 腐食連鎖 / 成長曲線 / ネズミ類 / 抗酸化物質 / カロテノイド / 巣箱

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I investigated the harmful effects of radiation exposure on breeding of Eurasian Owls by setting over 80 nest-boxes in Fukushima Prefecture. The owls bred even in the highly contaminated areas from 2 to 4 μSv/h and there were no relationships of occupation rates of nest-boxes, the number of eggs, nor hatching rate with radiation level in the nest-boxes. The eggs of the owls were contaminated by cesium 137 with the level of 10% of the soil, which is lower than the level of their prey, mice. This suggests that bioaccumulation of cesium does not likely occur, but relatively high cesium in the eggs of the owls compared with those of Great Tits likely moves through the detrital food chain. Harmful effects of radiation exposure to condition of chicks were suggested in low growth rate and low carotenoid level of chicks in highly contaminated areas.

Free Research Field

鳥類生態学