Modelling transfer to animals accounting for trans-generational factors

Abstract

Abstract. The FASTer-lite model is multi-compartmental model that can be used to simulate transfer through a simple terrestrial food-chain. The model uses allometric relationships to describe dietary intake rates and radionuclide biological half-lives; the latter were mostly derived from published literature. This type of conventional modelling, for simulating the transfer of radionuclides to representative animals such as birds, results in the observation that activity concentrations associated with ecological compartments approach an equilibrium after a certain time interval. Whilst this approach has validity, however, it is not biologically plausible as it ignores reproduction. In this study we calculate how activity concentrations may vary if transfer to eggs and subsequent growth dilution occurring within juvenile birds is accounted for.