Sources of Contradictions in the Evaluation of Population Genetic Consequences after the Chernobyl Disaster

Abstract

The review covers the analysis of our own and published data pertaining to population and genetic consequences in various mammalian species under conditions of high levels of ionizing radiation as a result of the Chernobyl accident. The findings indicate that these conditions have promoted the reproduction of heterozygotes in polyloci spectra of molecular genetic markers and animals with a relatively increased stability of the chromosomal apparatus. The prospects of using the reproductive success of the carriers of these characteristics as an integral indicator of the selective influence of environmental stress factors are discussed.