Genetic damage in a population of slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) inhabiting a radioactive reservoir.
Turtles inhabiting a radioactive reservoir appear to experience genetic damage due to environmental exposure to low concentrations of long-lived radionuclides. Total body burdens for the 50 reservoir turtles examined in the survey ranged from 164.7-4679.3 Bq for cesium-137 and from 462.6-5098.3 Bq for strontium-90. Flow cytometric (FCM) assays of red blood cell nuclei demonstrated significantly greater variation in DNA content for the reservoir turtles than for turtles from a nearby, non-radioactive site. Furthermore, two of the reservoir turtles possessed FCM profiles that are indicative of aneuploid mosaicism. These data strongly suggest that exposure to low-level radiation may involve a sensitive genetic response in a natural population.
Lamb
T
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Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E. Aiken, South Carolina 29801.
Bickham
J W
JW
Gibbons
J W
JW
Smolen
M J
MJ
McDowell
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001822:Body Burden; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D009030:Mosaicism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D014426:Turtles / Q000235:genetics*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive