pinball1970
Gold Member
2025 Award
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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
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