What Caused Declines in Intertidal Invertebrate Populations around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster?

We discuss possible causal factors for the decline in intertidal invertebrate populations around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear disaster on the basis of existing knowledge about the effects of radionuclides and ionizing radiation on aquatic organisms. We found a gap between effects observed in the laboratory and those observed in natural aquatic environments, and discuss possible reasons why. Considering the complexity of the environment, we conclude that it is critical to evaluate the effects of ionizing radiation combined with other biotic and abiotic environmental factors, together with the life-history traits of the species examined, for realistic assessment of population-level effects. Finally, we present possible causal factors for strange or abnormal phenomena observed in intertidal biota near FDNPP, namely declines in population densities and number of species of invertebrates, delayed recovery from these declines, and continuous sexual maturation in the rock shell population.

Automated summary

This article discusses possible reasons for the decline in intertidal invertebrate populations near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. It highlights the gap between laboratory and natural environment observations and emphasizes the importance of considering ionizing radiation, other environmental factors, and species life-history traits for realistic assessment of population-level effects. The article also presents possible causal factors for strange or abnormal phenomena observed in intertidal biota near FDNPP.