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Modern Radioecological Situation in Forest and Fallow Ecosystems of Kaluga Oblast

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Moscow University Soil Science Bulletin Aims and scope

Abstract

This paper presents an assessment of the modern radioecological situation in forest (pine, spruce, and birch forests) and fallow ecosystems in contaminated areas of Kaluga oblast, Russian Federation. The densities of soil contamination with natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, and 40K) in the study area conform to the background levels; while the soil contamination with the technogenic radionuclide (137Cs) significantly exceeds the background level (3 kBq/m2) varying from 60.8 to 273.8 kBq/m2. Forest ecosystems (especially coniferous ones) are contaminated with 137Cs to the highest extent, while fallow ecosystems are least contaminated. The 137Cs contamination density in the soils has decreased by more than 3 times in comparison with the initial period after the fallout (1986); however, it still significantly exceeds the permissible level (37 kBq/m2). The total specific activity of soils and equivalent absorbed dose rates in ecosystems of contaminated areas are primarily determined by the 137Cs contribution; while, in background areas, it is determined by the 40K contribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    O. B. Tsvetnova, O. P. Kononets & A. I. Shcheglov

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  1. O. B. Tsvetnova
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  2. O. P. Kononets
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  3. A. I. Shcheglov
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Correspondence to O. B. Tsvetnova, O. P. Kononets or A. I. Shcheglov.

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Conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.Statement on the welfare of humans or animals. This article does not contain any studies involving animals performed by any of the authors.

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Translated by L. Emeliyanov

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Tsvetnova, O.B., Kononets, O.P. & Shcheglov, A.I. Modern Radioecological Situation in Forest and Fallow Ecosystems of Kaluga Oblast. Moscow Univ. Soil Sci. Bull. 75, 176–183 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0147687420040067

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