Nearly a
decade after the bombing that occurred in Fukishima, Japan, researchers are
finding that wildlife populations are thriving in areas that are void of human
life, despite the nuclear fallout that occurred after the bombing in 1945. This
study was conducted by snapping photos of 20 species of different animals that
live near the site – including wild boar, Japanese hare, foxes and pheasants.
During their
observations, researchers sectioned off three different areas to take pictures –
no human presence due to high nuclear contamination; limited human presence due
to contamination; and areas where humans actively inhabit due to “background”
radiation not being as severe. These zones were previously established by the Japanese
government in 2011, and the research correlated with their distinctions. The area
void of human interaction served as the control for the experiment, despite
their not being any previous data on wildlife populations in evacuated areas.
Researchers
quickly discovered that species such as the wild boar were exceedingly abundant
in the zone with no human interaction, in much bigger populations. Normally,
humans and boars would share territory, so without any human interference, the
boar population grew quickly. Other species seen in high numbers across the restricted
area were raccoons, Japanese marten, and Japanese macaque.
Anticipating
questions about the physiological condition of the wildlife in the evacuated
area, Hinton stated that the study is not an evaluation of the physical
wellbeing of the animals living in the area. “This research makes an important
contribution because it examines radiological impacts to populations of
wildlife, whereas most previous studies have looked for effects to individual
animals," said Hinton. The area studied during their research was also
incredibly diverse, containing mountainous and coastal areas, which were also
considered during the study.
Based on
their findings, researchers concluded that the main factors- elevation, presence
of humans and habitat type were the primary influencers on the population
present in the radioactive areas, rather than just the effects of the
radiation. The results indicated that most species aligned with their natural
or well-known patterns after the evacuation, which caused populations of
certain species to boom.
One
exception to this theory was the Japanese serow, a goat-like mammal. Traditionally
the serow lived far away from humans, but after the evacuation, the population was
frequently seen on footage migrating towards rural human-inhabited mountain
areas. Researchers also suggested that this move could be because of the
rapidly growing boar and black bear population in evacuated areas, pushing them
out of their original habitat.
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| Wild Boar Spotted in Fukishima |
Gianna Gisotti
It is wonderful to hear that biotic and abiotic life is flourishing after severe radiation. It is interesting that the lack of human inhabitance has allowed the wild boar population to grow. The impact this has had on the Japanese serow is equally as fascinating. I like how you mentioned that animal populations can have an effect on other species growth and migration.
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy to think that disasters lead to scientific data like this. I like how this topic further proves the point that humans interfere with species and how they live. It would be cool to see more data on this, such as the health of the animals and if they are continuing to thrive!
ReplyDeleteThis topic is really interesting and one I hadn't considered before. I also like that you mentioned generalists species, further emphasizing what we learned in class that generalist species are able to adapt but specialists are especially vulnerable to extinction.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the topic that you chose. I thought it was a really interesting topic because we always talk about how humans are affecting certain species, but me personally I have never seen a study like this. It was really interesting how even with the nuclear explosion they were still surviving better than they would have with human interaction.
ReplyDeleteI never would have thought that after a nuclear strike animals in that location would start to become abundant and thrive. It seems that no human interaction helped this species even if the land was bombed prior.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting topic and it just goes to show how much humans' presence, or lack of it, affects how different species react and move forward. It perfectly relates to our teachings, which detail how species adapt to the circumstances we create for them. Generalist species like the boar, find a way to live and thrive within the new environment, despite its flaws, while the Serow moves on to a new and more suitable area..
ReplyDeleteIt is very surprising to hear that there is a growing ecosystem where there was a nuclear explosion. I would have thought that the radiation would have prevented new life from inhabiting the area.
ReplyDeleteThis was such an interesting topic! The part that surprised me was when you said that the research found human's were having more impact on the animals and their habitat than the radiation. Great job!
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought that nature would come back full force after a nuclear explosion? Thanks for picking such a cool topic!
ReplyDeleteI really like this topic and it was very interesting to read. I think you did a good job writing about this topic.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to think that if humans destroyed the world with nuclear weapons, life would find a way to somehow keep on living. Interestingly hopeful topic to research about.
ReplyDelete