Chornobyl Dark coloured tree frogs

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SUMMARY

The study on Chornobyl tree frogs indicates that melanin pigmentation serves as a buffering mechanism against ionizing radiation, leading to a selection for darker coloration in these frogs post-accident. The research highlights that dark individuals, although rare, were also found outside the Chornobyl area, suggesting that existing color variability may have been advantageous for survival in high radiation environments. This phenomenon aligns with broader concepts of industrial melanism and natural selection influenced by environmental stressors.

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pinball1970
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TL;DR
The Chornobyl accident (1986) represents the largest release of radioactive material to the environment. Our aim was to examine how exposure to radiation from the Chornobyl accident influences dorsal skin coloration of Eastern tree frog
"..melanin pigmentation has been proposed as a buffering mechanism against ionizing radiation.
Our results suggest that exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation, likely at the time of the accident, may have been selected for darker coloration in Chornobyl tree frogs."

Part of the discussion

“Variability in coloration, including dark or grey individuals, is often described in tree frogs of the Hyla genus
In our study, dark individuals were also detected (although in very low proportions) in localities outside the Chornobyl area
It is, thus, plausible that selective processes acting on existing colour variability favoured individuals with darker coloration,
linked to higher survival rates in dark frogs under extremely high radiation conditions shortly after the accident.”

The paper.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eva.13476

Further reading about Chernobyl as a unique Ecosystem, demonstrating the resurgence of rare species and increase in biodiversity.

https://www.euronews.com/green/2021...nuclear-disaster-was-an-environmental-success

Related study.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982215009884
 
Biology news on Phys.org
"Chernobyl" is from the Russian spelling.
"Chornobyl" is from the Ukrainian spelling.
 
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.Scott said:
"Chernobyl" is from the Russian spelling.
"Chornobyl" is from the Ukrainian spelling.
The authors are connected with different Universities, Sweden, Spain Glasgow not Ukraine.

The frog and study are in the Ukraine so that makes sense.

There are examples where industrialization has influenced natural selection in terms of melanin in the eco system

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_melanism
 

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