TITLE:
Radioecology: Why Bother?
AUTHORS:
Emily Amanda Caffrey, Mary Elizabeth Leonard, Jonathan Bamberger Napier, Delvan Reed Neville, Kathryn Ann Higley
KEYWORDS:
Radioecology; Wildlife Dose Calculations; Nuclear Waste Disposal; Environmental Protection
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.5 No.3,
February
28,
2014
ABSTRACT:
The importance
of radioecology to the discussion of radioactive contamination is discussed
here. This paper discusses the history of radioecology, alongside the most
recent developments in the science. It describes the need for more
environmental data, and explains where the gaps in current knowledge lie. The
calculation of radiation dose to wildlife along with the complications in
performing such calculations is discussed. The paper also tackles the difficult
question of the implications of radioecology on nuclear waste management and
site decommissioning policies. From the beginnings of the science to today,
radioecology is poised to be an important field of study as humans continue to
rely on ionizing radiation to improve their lives.