Soil biological activity in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine in September 2016, March 2017 and September 2017 following a severe wildfire in July 2016

https://doi.org/10.5285/7833bdf5-3e85-44d3-8e7d-c9bf0632e38b

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Data comprise site location, soil chemistry information (pH, soil moisture, Loss on Ignition (LOI)), an estimate of ground burn extent and soil biological activity (derived from application of bait lamina sticks) at 23 sites in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), Ukraine in September 2016, March 2017 and September 2017; there were three replicate plots at each site. The estimated ambient dose rate at each plot is also provided. The primary purpose of these data was to enable an evaluation of the potential impact of wildfire on soil organisms. The work was carried out by UKCEH, Chornobyl Centre for Nuclear Safety and the University of Salford. Funding for this work was via the NERC REDFIRE project (NE/P015212/).

Publication date: 2025-04-08

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View numbers valid from 08 April 2025 Download numbers valid from 08 April 2025 (information prior to this was not collected)

Format

Comma-separated values (CSV)

Spatial information

Study area

Spatial representation type

Tabular (text)

Spatial reference system

WGS 84

Temporal information

Temporal extent

2016-09-01 to 2017-09-30

Provenance & quality

Bait lamina sticks were inserted into the soil at each of the replicate plots and left in place for 18 days in September 2016, 41-44 days in March 2017 and 55-58 days in September 2017. Following removal the sticks were gently wiped clean and assessed for evidence of soil invertebrate feeding; the observations were recorded into MSExcel files by two members of UKCEH staff (reader 1 and reader 2). Soil was sampled at each plot on multiple occasions and the pH was determined in September 2016 and September 2017, soil dry matter (DM) was determined in September 2016, March 2017 and September 2017 and soil Loss on Ignition (LOI) was determined in September 2016 and September 2017; all soil chemistry data were directly input to MSExcel files. The estimated ambient dose rate (µSv per hour) at each plot was measured in September 2016 and March 2017 and the site and plot field notes were recorded in September 2016. All field data were and transposed to MSExcel files by Chornobyl Center staff and supplied to UKCEH. All data were supplied to EIDC as csv files.

Licensing and constraints

This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence

Cite this dataset as:

Barnett, C.L.; Gashchak, S.; Wells, C.; Wood, M.D.; Beresford, N.A. (2025). Soil biological activity in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine in September 2016, March 2017 and September 2017 following a severe wildfire in July 2016. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/7833bdf5-3e85-44d3-8e7d-c9bf0632e38b

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