Challenging the current strategy of radiological protection of the environment: arguments for an ecosystem approach

The system of radiological protection of the environment that is currently under development is onecontribution to the general need to adequately protect the environment against stress. Dominated byoperational goals, it emphasizes conceptual and methodological approaches that are readily accessibletoday: reference organisms supported by individual-based traditional ecotoxicological data. Whilst thereare immediate advantages to this approach (pragmatism, consistency with other approaches in use forman and biota), there are also clear limitations, especially in a longer run perspective, that need to beacknowledged and further considered. One can mention a few: uncertainties generated by the need forvarious extrapolations (from lower to higher levels of biological organisation,.), various features missedsuch as potential ecological impact through impairment of ecosystem processes, trans-generationalimpacts as mediated through genomic instability, indirect effects mediated through trophic interactionsor disruption of ecological balances,. Such limitations have already been faced in other fields of environmentalprotection against other stressors, pushing a number of environment professionals to assignstronger emphasis on more systemic approaches. This review discusses the advantages and limitations ofthe current approach designed for the radiological protection of non-human biota in the broader contextof environment protection as a whole, with especial reference to upcoming trends and evolutions. Thisleads in particular to advocating the need to boost scientific and methodological approaches featuringthe ecosystem concept as a mean to access a unified goal of protection: preserving life sustainabilitythrough protection of ecosystem structure and functioning