Responses of the bacterial community to chronic gamma radiation in a rice paddy ecosystem.

Purpose: Public concern about radiation protection of the environment and non-human species is increasing. The potential impact of chronic gamma radiation on the bacterial community in a rice paddy ecosystem was investigated.

Materials And Methods: Paddy field microcosm samples were continuously exposed at a dose rate of 1 Gy day(-1) for five days after which the bacterial community structures in them were compared with those of unirradiated control samples by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene.