Development of ecocentric radiation protection: issues, challenges and approaches

Area of Science:

• Radioecology
• Ecosystem Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• The triple planetary crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution) necessitates holistic ecosystem approaches.
• Renewed interest in nuclear power, including small modular reactors, highlights the need for advanced radioecology.
• Existing single-stressor approaches are insufficient for complex environmental challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify challenges in developing eco-centric and holistic approaches to ionizing radiation impacts on ecosystems.
• To expand the boundaries of current radioecology by considering ecosystem complexity and multiple stressors.
• To bridge the gap between individual/population responses and ecosystem-level impacts.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of existing radiation protection tools: Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) analysis, biomarkers, microcosms, mesocosms, and modeling.
• Exploration of 'ecological network analysis' metrics.
• Consideration of complexity and chaos modeling.

Main Results:

• Biomarker and AOP approaches primarily address individual levels, struggling to capture ecosystem interrelationships.
• Novel ideas include constructing multiple-stressor AOPs and incorporating time as a critical factor.
• Ecological network analysis offers a framework for understanding ecosystem component interactions.

Conclusions:

• There are significant gaps in current methods for assessing radiation impacts at the ecosystem level.
• Developing multiple-stressor AOPs and utilizing ecological network analysis are promising future directions.
• Integrating information from microcosms, field studies, and ecosystem communication systems can improve understanding.