The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on 137Cs accumulation in higher fungi after the accident at Chernobyl NPP

Levels of soil contamination with 137Cs, the belonging of fungi to a certain ecological group, the localization depth of the main part of mycelium in soil are the primary factors influencing the value of 137Cs specific activity in higher fungi after the accident at Chernobyl NPP. It has been found that the value of 137Cs specific activity in fungi of one species could vary by more than 10 times during a vegetation period. A correlation between the changes of 137Cs content in fungi during the vegetation period and the amount of precipitates during various periods preceding the collection of samples has not been determined. An assumption has been proposed stating dependence between peculiarities of mycelium growth during the vegetation period and the changes of 137Cs specific activity in fungi.