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Mammals in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone's Red Forest: a motion-activated camera trap study

Beresford, NA; Gashchak, S; Wood, M; Barnett, C

Mammals in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone's Red Forest: a motion-activated camera trap study Thumbnail


Authors

NA Beresford

S Gashchak

Profile image of Mike Wood

Prof Mike Wood M.D.Wood@salford.ac.uk
Associate Dean Research & Innovation

C Barnett



Abstract

Since the accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986, there have been few studies published on medium and large mammals inhabiting the area from which the human population was removed (now referred to as the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, CEZ). The dataset presented in this paper describes a motion-activated camera trap study (n=21 cameras) conducted from September 2016 to September 2017 in the Red Forest located within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. The Red Forest, which is likely the most anthropogenically contaminated radioactive terrestrial ecosystem on earth, suffered a severe wildfire in July 2016. The motion-activated trap cameras were therefore in place as the Red Forest recovered from the wildfire. A total of 45 859 images were captured, and of these 19 391 contained identifiable species or organism types (e.g. insects). A total of 14 mammal species were positively identified together with 23 species of birds (though birds were not a focus of the study).

Weighted absorbed radiation dose rates were estimated for mammals across the different camera trap locations; the number of species observed did not vary with estimated dose rate. We also observed no relationship between estimated weighted absorbed radiation dose rates and the number of triggering events for the four main species observed during the study (brown hare, Eurasian elk, red deer, roe deer).

The data presented will be of value to those studying wildlife within the CEZ from the perspectives of the potential effects of radiation on wildlife and also rewilding in this large, abandoned area. They may also have value in any future studies investigating the impacts of the recent Russian military action in the CEZ.

Citation

Beresford, N., Gashchak, S., Wood, M., & Barnett, C. (2023). Mammals in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone's Red Forest: a motion-activated camera trap study. Earth System Science Data, 15, 911-920

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 24, 2023
Publication Date Feb 23, 2023
Deposit Date Mar 16, 2023
Publicly Available Date Mar 16, 2023
Journal Earth System Science Data
Print ISSN 1866-3508
Electronic ISSN 1866-3516
Publisher Copernicus Publications
Volume 15
Pages 911-920
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-911-2023
Additional Information Projects : RED FIRE project (Radioactive Environment Damaged by Fire: a Forest in Recovery

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