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An integrated view of gamma radiation effects on marine fauna: from molecules to ecosystems

  • Molecular and cellular effects of contamination in aquatic ecosystems
  • Published:
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Abstract

Accidental release of nuclides into the ocean is causing health risks to marine organisms and humans. All life forms are susceptible to gamma radiation with a high variation, depending on various physical factors such as dose, mode, and time of exposure and various biological factors such as species, vitality, age, and gender. Differences in sensitivity of gamma radiation are also associated with different efficiencies of mechanisms related to protection and repair systems. Gamma radiation may also affect various other integration levels: from gene, protein, cells and organs, population, and communities, disturbing the energy flow of food webs that will ultimately affect the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Depending on exposure levels, gamma radiation induces damages on growth and reproduction in various organisms such as zooplankton, benthos, and fish in aquatic ecosystems. In this paper, harmful effects of gamma-irradiated aquatic organisms are described and the potential of marine copepods in assessing the risk of gamma radiation is discussed with respect to physiological adverse effects that even affect the ecosystem level.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant (2013R1A1A2013404) of the National Research Foundation funded to Eun-Ji Won.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Science, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746, South Korea

    Eun-Ji Won & Jae-Seong Lee

  2. Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hans-U. Dahms

  3. Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hans-U. Dahms

  4. Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, College of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 426-791, South Korea

    K. Suresh Kumar & Kyung-Hoon Shin

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  1. Eun-Ji Won
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  2. Hans-U. Dahms
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  3. K. Suresh Kumar
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Correspondence to Jae-Seong Lee.

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Won, EJ., Dahms, HU., Kumar, K.S. et al. An integrated view of gamma radiation effects on marine fauna: from molecules to ecosystems. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 17443–17452 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3797-4

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