Chernobyl radiation exposure reduces microfungal community diversity and selects for pigmented species

[Emily]

http://www.formatex.info/microbiology2/88-94.pdf

Characteristics of Extremophylic Fungi from Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
Т. Belozerskaya 1, K. Aslanidi2, А. Ivanova3, N. Gessler1, A. Egorova1, Yu. Karpenko4, and S.
Olishevskaya4
1 A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia,
2 Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region,
Russia,
3 Soil Science Department, Moscow State University, Moscow; Russia,
4 Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, National Academy of Sciences, Ukraine

[snip]
melanin-like pigments, flexible morphology, and growth under limited nutrient content in the habitat. Recent work from in and around the remains of the ChNPP demonstrates that soil microfungal communities have been altered by the intense radiation fallout, leading to simpler community structure and a dominance of melanin containing (pigmented) fungal species [6]. During the last 15 years, about 2000 strains of 200 species of 98 genera of fungi have been isolated around the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station. Some of these microfungi show formerly unknown adaptive features, such as directed growth of fungi to sources of ionizing radiation [7, 8]....

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20002051

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 Nov;1181:237-54.
9. Chernobyl's radioactive impact on flora.
Yablokov AV.
Source

Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 33, Office 319, 119071 Moscow, Russia. Yablokov@ecopolicy.ru
Abstract

Plants and mushrooms accumulate the Chernobyl radionuclides at a level that depends upon the soil, the climate, the particular biosphere, the season, spotty radioactive contamination, and the particular species and populations (subspecies, cultivars), etc. Each radionuclide has its own accumulation characteristics (e. g., levels of accumulation for Sr-90 are much higher than for Cs-137, and a thousand times less than that for Ce-144). Coefficients of accumulation and transition ratios vary so much in time and space that it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the actual levels of Cs-137, Sr-90, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, and Am-241 at each place and time and for each individual plant or fungus. Chernobyl irradiation has caused structural anomalies and tumorlike changes in many plant species. Unique pathologic complexes are seen in the Chernobyl zone, such as a high percentage of anomalous pollen grains and spores. Chernobyl's irradiation has led to genetic disorders, sometimes continuing for many years, and it appears that it has awakened genes that have been silent over a long evolutionary time. (Shades of Jurassic Park. :tiphat

A positive spin in the article below-the surviving mutants do grow bigger:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070522-fungi.html

Fungi Gobble Radiation to Grow, Study Says
By Scott Norris
for National Geographic News
May 22, 2007

Some fungi eat radiation to fuel their growth, a new study suggests.

Three species of fungi containing the black pigment melanin?a substance also present in human skin?grew larger and faster when exposed to high levels of radiation, even when deprived of nutrients....