LTSER Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères - France

The LTSER Zone Atelier Territoires Uranifères belongs to LTER-France network and is located in center of France. ZATU’s goal is to develop a multidisciplinary approach confronting the views of biologists, chemists, geographers , ecologists, geologists, physicians , physicists, sociologists on life in environments characterized by chronic natural or enhanced natural radiation . The ZA research program is built around three main themes centered on human and social sciences, radiochemistry , and biology. The ZA provides a framework for interaction between these research areas and therefore offers opportunities for developing truly interdisciplinary projects with a systemic approach. Indeed , interactions and strong feedback exist between living systems, human beings and the long-term future of radionuclides. Human acts on his environment through mining, large-scale development, and post-mining management), creating new life habitats and impacting the long term fake of radionuclides (management of water flows , introduction of radioactive material confinement cover , ...). Similarly, the presence of radioactivity impacts the relationship of man to his environment in terms of understanding risk and implementing prevention process. Finally, if the radioactivity affects living systems, living systems can also act on the fate of radionuclides. For instance, bacteria can induce change in speciation.