Can models based on phylogeny be used to predict radionuclide activity concentrations in crops?

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiochemistry
• Plant Biology

Background:

• Current radionuclide transfer models rely on empirical soil-plant concentration ratios, which are often uncertain and incomplete.
• Phylogenetic models have been proposed as an alternative for predicting radionuclide uptake by plants.
• These models offer the advantage of incorporating site-specific soil factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare predictions from phylogenetic models with observed transfer of cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) to various crops across different soil types.
• To evaluate the accuracy and limitations of phylogenetic models in radionuclide transfer assessment.

Main Methods:

• Application of phylogenetic models to predict Cs and Sr transfer to crops grown on diverse soils.
• Comparison of model predictions against empirical data for radionuclide concentrations in plants.

Main Results:

• Phylogenetic model predictions for Cs and Sr transfer were generally acceptable, falling within an order of magnitude of observed data.
• Strontium (Sr) concentrations were over-predicted in fruits and tubers.
• This over-prediction is likely due to models being parameterized using data from green shoots.

Conclusions:

• Phylogenetic models present significant advantages for modeling radionuclide transfer, including consideration of soil factors.
• Validation of these models is crucial.
• Future model development requires datasets that include radionuclide concentrations in edible plant parts, not solely green shoots.