Radioecology STAR project publications

This Performance report  is the final evaluation of the STAR project The first section is the “Final Evaluation Report” produced by the External Advisory Board (EAB) of STAR. The second section is the review of the Performance Indicators initially proposed in the STAR Deliverable of Work (DoW). Overall, STAR has achieved all its initial objectives and the project has made considerable progress in enhancing the long term stability and sustainability of radioecology in Europe. The collaborative work and joint research conducted has strengthened radioecology and integration was attained much further than was imagined at the beginning of the project.

The EAB evaluation of STAR reflects this success - they commented in their report that “Overall, the EAB is very positive about the accomplishments and European added value of STAR. The EAB is certain that STAR has increased interest and awareness about radioecological issues in the European Community and beyond strengthening future scientific excellence and societal relevance on this important topic.”

Radioecology STAR D1.12

To address emerging issues in radioecology within Europe, eight organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formed the European Radioecology ALLIANCE . The MoU states the intentions of ALLIANCE members to integrate a portion of their respective R&D efforts into a trans-national programme that will enhance and sustain European radioecological competences and experimental infrastructures.

The ALLIANCE members recognise that their shared radioecological research can be enhanced by efficiently pooling resources among its partner organizations and prioritising group efforts along common themes of mutual interest. A major step in this prioritisation process is to develop a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). An EC-funded Network of Excellence in Radioecology, called STAR (Strategy for Allied Radioecology), was formed to, among other tasks, develop the SRA. This manuscript is the first published draft of the SRA.

Radioecology STAR D2.1

STAR deliverable 2.2 deals with the objective, to produce an inventory of infrastructure including databases and sample archives. The task will help ensure effective collaboration and integration between the partners, with the possibility to enlarge to other radioecology institutes in Europe and worldwide.

Radioecology STAR D2.2

This STAR deliverable 2.3 looks at the selected radioecological observatories sites 1) Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Ukraine) and 2) Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Poland)

Radioecology STAR D2.3

STAR deliverable 2.4 looks at the virtual laboratory which will be developed from information collated as part of Deliverable 2.2 (joint infrastructure description) and will have a dedicated area on the Radioecology Exchange website. It will focus on providing information related to each of the following four categories: 

1. Methodological: descriptions of analytical methods (including problems likely to be  encountered); video clips of methods; protocols and manuals used in WP4/5
2. Informative: fact and datasheets, databases, sample archives and examples of  sources of environmental dose 
3. How to use models: CROM and ERICA  
4. Training: lectures and videos and links to other websites related to training activities

Radioecology STAR D2.4

In November 2012 a workshop was held in Paris to discuss the first version of the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for radioecology with key stakeholders. Supported by the European Radioecology ALLIANCE, a web-consultation was also organised to collect comments on the SRA. The SRA was subsequently amended taking into account comments received and the responses to comments are documented in the current SRA version SRA version.

Radioecology STAR D2.5

STAR deliverable 2.6 provides information on the major achievements in joint programming and integration, how they have been accomplished under the STAR NoE and how they promote the ultimate goal of setting up management structures, procedures, funding plans and legal structures, as well as joint use and development of new infrastructures.

The final plan for integration accounts for the new European landscape: some of the issues regarding integration have already been taken in charge by projects (e.g. COMET) or the European platform (the ALLIANCE). This new landscape is presented in section 4. Above all the report describes the way forward, in other words how the work started in the STAR NoE will continue after STAR.

Radioecology STAR D2.6

In STAR deliverable 3.1 despite some conceptual differences, the assessment models for both humans and wildlife require contamination levels of environmental media such as air, freshwater, soil, etc. as inputs. Currently regulators and other end-users have to use different tools for human and environmental assessment. These tools may not even use the same sub-model to estimate media activity concentrations. The commonality in required inputs was here used in a pragmatic approach to design a first step combined human-environment assessment model.

Based in state-of-the-art models for human exposure assessment the combined model provides the first step of iteratively proceeding towards process-oriented modelling. Starting from a known (either measured or calculated) contamination of environmental media (air, water, soil, etc.), the contamination of non-human species is generally calculated using empirical parameters such as whole-organism concentration ratios (CR) and sediment-water distribution coefficients (Kd)

Radioecology STAR D3.1

The assessment of the exposure of humans and wildlife to ionising radiation for planned, existing and emergency exposure scenarios requires us to make predictions of the transfer of a wide range of radionuclides to a diversity of species and food products.

We are unlikely to ever have sufficiently robust measurement data to populate all of the potential parameters required. Therefore, we need robust extrapolation approaches which allow us to make best use of our available knowledge. In the STAR deliverable 3.2 we have reviewed, developed, tested and validated various extrapolation approaches.

Radioecology STAR D3.2

STAR deliverable 3.3 summarises the main issues related with the International Wildlife Dosimetry Workshop, organized by STAR in June 2014. All the information from the workshop: the agenda, the presentations of all the speakers and the minutes of the discussion sessions are available here. 

The workshop addressed a wide spectrum of questions related to the ionising radiation dose estimation in animals and plants, involving world leading experts in each of the subjects treated. There were 30 participants from 12 countries (Belgium, Canada, USA, Spain, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, Russia and Sweden).

Radioecology STAR D3.3

STAR deliverable 3.4 summarises investigations of process-orientated modelling to reduce uncertainties of empirical parameters using 4 examples for radioecological scenarios.

Radioecology STAR D3.4

STAR deliverable 3.5 reports on experiments conducted addressing the extent to which contaminated sediments can serve as a source of radioactive caesium for benthic food webs. It also describes radiocaesium measurements of biota collected from several research cruises off Fukushima, focusing on benthic organisms, but also contrasting them with some pelagic organisms at the same sites. Experiments have generated trophic uptake and elimination parameters for Cs in key benthic animals. 

Experimental results show (1) that Cs can desorb from contaminated sediments at rates influenced by bioturbation, (2) sediment can be a source of Cs for marine benthic fauna, and (3) efficient assimilation of Cs from preycan lead to its build-up in benthic food chains.

Radioecology STAR D3.5

Overview of existing approaches, methods and tools developed in ecotoxicology for assessing exposures, effects and risks in a mixed contaminant context

Radioecology STAR D4.1

Tools for assessing availability and exposure in a multiple contaminant context: the scientific basis and associated tools to assess radionuclide availability and exposure under multiple contaminant conditions

Radioecology STAR D4.2

Tools for mechanistic understanding of induced effects for mixed exposure

Radioecology STAR D4.3

Critical evaluation of Robustness of Protection Levels in a Multiple Contaminant Context

Radioecology STAR D4.4

This is the first deliverable from STAR work package 5 dedicated to “ecologically-relevant low doses effects to non-human species”. Readers will find herein a description of the basic concepts, needs, data generation and mathematical treatment for the approaches STAR will implement to understand, quantify and model effects of ionising radiation in non-human species for chronic low dose rates exposure situations.

Radioecology STAR D5.1

The STAR deliverable 5.2 describes in details the basic concepts, needs and data treatment for the population modeling approaches that have been implemented under WP-5 dedicated to “ecologicallyrelevant low doses effects to non-human species” as part of Task 5.1 devoted to the derivation of population-level protection criteria. Two modeling approaches are presented for extrapolating radiation dose effects from individuals to populations of non-human biota. 

The first approach, developed as part of the STAR programme, is inspired from method which are increasingly used in ecotoxicology to address population effects of chemical contaminants.The second approach evolves from a model specifically developed to address radiation effects at the population level in the European lobster and generalised to some mammalian species during the IAEA programme EMRAS II from 2009 to 2011

Radioecology STAR D5.2

The STAR deliverable 5.3 addresses some of the issues associated with the impact of radiation quality on biological effects in non-human organisms. It is a summary of work in progress to (ultimately) test the overarching hypotheses that RBEs and radiation weighting factors for ecologically relevant endpoints will be different to those for human cancer risks.

The deliverable starts with a review of the state-of-the-art in RBE and radiation quality, including the ways in which biomarker and “omic” approaches can help in understanding MoA. Section 3  addresses experimental design issues and section 4 presents the results of ongoing studies. Overall conclusions and future work is given in section 5. 

Radioecology STAR D5.3

In STAR deliverable 5.4, understanding how toxic contaminants affect wildlife species at various levels of biological organisation (sub-cellular, histological, physiological, organism, population levels) is a major research goal in both ecotoxicology and radioecology. A mechanistic understanding of the links between the different observed perturbations is necessary to predict consequences for survival, growth and reproduction which are critical for population dynamics. However, time scales at which such links are established in the laboratory are rarely relevant for natural populations.

Multigenerational exposures are much more representative of the real context of field populations for which exposure can last for durations which largely exceed individual longevity and involve exposure of many successive generations. In this context, STAR conducted both experimental and modelling studies under controlled conditions in three model species: two animals: the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the cladoceran microcrustacean Daphnia magna and one plant the macrophyte Lemna minor.

This deliverable is structured as follows. In the introduction first a general description of DEB-tox concepts is given followed by an in depth mathematical description of the model used for the animal studies and a comparison between animal and plant models. Subsequently the dependency of radiation on dose rate and the possible modes of action of radiation in plants and animals is given. The final part of the introduction touches upon the mechanistic comparison of toxicity between alpha and gamma radiation and whether relative biological effectiveness can be analysed using a DEB-tox approach. The major part of the report contains three sections successively describing the results obtained for C. elegans, D. magna and L. minor. Finally the major conclusions of the work performed in WP5.4 and perspectives for the work within the remaining months of STAR are given.

Radioecology STAR D5.4

The first deliverable from STAR work package 6 is now available. In 2011, two stakeholder workshops were arranged to give insight into the recruitment needs. The first workshop in Helsinki concentrated on the demand for E&T in radioecology, and the second in Oslo on supply. A total of 47 stakeholders from outside the STAR network participated, providing invaluable input and advice on the education and training work planned in STAR.

Radioecology STAR D5.4

The Radioecology Education and Training Platform (E&T platform) is a website focal point for students and professionals interested in radioecology. The platform presents an overview of education and training course modules within radioecology/environmental radioactivity presently offered by the STAR consortium. Information on course curriculums and learning outcomes are provided, with recommended pathways to obtained academic merited education (MSc, PhD).

The Radioecology E&T platform also provides links to other E&T platforms, such as those within Radiochemistry, Radiobiology and Radiation Protection. This is an important outreach mechanism for the Radioecology E&T platform, as – for example – many of the basic course modules within radioecology are also relevant for other nuclear science students, and vice versa. The E&T platform is described fully in deliverable 6.2

Radioecology STAR D6.2

A sustainable nuclear energy programme requires a trained and competent workforce. To achieve this vibrant and sustainable skill base in radioecology and a long-term training and education within the nuclear sciences is required.

The STAR deliverable 6.3 provides information on the implementation and test runs of course modules within radioecology, describing the content of the courses, experts teaching the courses, number of students and trainees participating, as well as the development of the courses held within STAR.

Radioecology STAR D6.3

Studies undertaken in the last decade by European and international organizations, have shown that regarding the nuclear sciences (including radioecology) there is a decreased student interest, decreased course numbers and ageing faculty members and facilities. 

In this STAR deliverable 6.4 the E&T platform in radioecology developed by STAR is presented (Section 2). The E&T platform is part of “The Radioecology Exchange”, a web resource that is intended to become a ‘gateway’ for information related to European (and wider) radioecological research. Section 2 also describes the importance of forums, such as websites, conferences, meetings, social media, to stimulate students and facilitate their interaction with experts.

Radioecology STAR D6.4

This dissemination plan is intended to be a long-term plan for dissemination of radioecological activities and outputs within a sustainable framework of ALLIANCE co-operation building based on experience within STAR. The deliverable therefore briefly describes the dissemination activities that have been carried out in STAR, the progression via COMET and how ongoing plans are proceedings to ensure that long term dissemination of the ALLIANCE activities can be sustained. 

Dissemination activities in STAR have been carried out via a range of activities, the most important of which has been the development of the Radioecology Exchange. Prior to STAR, there was no single web site giving freely available, good quality information and recent news on environmental radioactivity. The creation of www.radioecology-exchange.org as the gateway to accessing on-line radioecological resources and news items, is a major step forward in providing a wide range of information on environmental radioactivity in a single web site. Analysis of a questionnaire distributed at the STAR dissemination event showed that feedback from participants was good and most people liked the site and intended to use the site in future. Recent agreements between STAR, COMET and the ALLIANCE has ensured that much of the information collated on the site will be held in a sustainable format and manner providing a valuable future resource to support radioecology.

Radioecology STAR D7.2

This deliverable summarises the activities conducted during the STAR project related to data. As the majority of the information is available from the Radioecology Exchange or the STAR project website this deliverable is deliberately brief and provides hyperlinks to the relevant information. 

The transparency and provenance of data derived and collated has been enhanced and made more accessible to the wider community during STAR. A STAR member’s data holdings wiki has been implemented from which information collated was used to populate the radioecology data catalogue. The catalogue currently provides access to radioecology data held by partners and further data produced during STAR will be added to the catalogue as it is published. SomeINSPIRE compliant data has also been made available via the NERC Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC); more will be made available in the near future.

STAR has provided guidance on how to curate and make data available at meetings and at an international “making data available” STAR workshop. Workshops have been held on radioecological data; two on Kd, and one on ‘making data available’. The outputs from these workshops are accessible on the STAR and COMET Workshop.

STAR has pioneered mechanisms to improve the transparency of radioecological data. The approaches developed within STAR are leading the community at international level via the interaction with IAEA MODARIA programme where STAR partners chair four of the working groups. Examples of enhancing the availability and transparency of some major international data sets are being taken forward in co-operation with the IAEA MODARIA programme; e.g. soil and freshwater partition coefficients (Kd), biological half-life values for wildlife and animal product transfer parameter values.

Improving current practices of data curation, availability and transparency makes national and international data sets more accessible and greatly facilitates more frequent updates of key databases such as radioecological parameter values.

Radioecology STAR D7.3