As of: February 29, 2024, 4:58 p.m
By: Nico Reiter
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The eastern tree frog is usually light green (symbolic image) © blickwinkel/Imago
Animals were left behind in the exclusion zone around Chernobyl after the nuclear disaster.
A species of frog has adapted to its new conditions.
Chernobyl - After the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl in 1986, more than 120,000 people were evacuated - leaving the animals behind.
The populations of some animal species have been destroyed by the effects of radiation.
Some, such as dogs, have been preserved in the region.
While their health is affected, a study now shows a species that has adapted to the new conditions - the eastern tree frog.
Melanin protects against radiation: frogs change color from light green to black
Usually the eastern tree frogs (Hyla orientalis) have
a strong light green color.
In 2016, a team of researchers came across frogs of this species that had almost black skin.
For over three years, they monitored the population in the area and examined 200 frogs caught both inside and outside the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
The team found that the frogs inside the exclusion zone had clearly darker skin color than those outside.
Like humans, the darker skin color of frogs is caused by melanin.
“Dark color is known to protect against various sources of radiation by neutralizing free radicals and reducing DNA damage.
“Melanin pigmentation in particular could have a weakening effect against ionizing radiation,” say the researchers.
Fast evolution – dark frogs had a chance to reproduce
The coloring of the frogs is related to how badly the region was affected during the disaster.
Current radiation levels appear to have no effect on coloration.
Researchers speak of rapid evolution.
Frogs with less melanin would have fewer chances of survival and therefore fewer opportunities to reproduce than frogs that are protected by their darker skin color.
As they multiplied, the color was also passed on to their offspring.
Eastern tree frogs become fertile at two to three years of age.
In the almost 40 years that have passed since the nuclear disaster, ten to 15 generations of frogs have been able to reproduce.
That's why the resulting changes are so clearly visible.
The researchers want to try to understand the genetic mechanisms behind the darker color in more detail in order to find further consequences of the radiation on life in the region.
Wolves in the area have also changed and could now help cancer research.
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