Changes in mollusc communities on Fangataufa atoll after nuclear testing

Fangataufa atoll, in the Tuamotu Archipelago was used by the French government as a site for nuclear testing. From 1966 to 1970, four atmospheric nuclear tests were carried out, followed by underground tests until 1996. The French Direction des Centres d'Expérimentations Nucléaires asked ecologists to examine how mollusc communities on the reefs were affected by the nuclear tests

The heat generated by the nuclear tests resulted in the partial eradication of reef molluscs and complete eradication of molluscs in other areas. Afterwards larvae from the ocean recolonized the reefs but the mollusc communities did not return to the same as before. Community compositions differed significantly before and after the tests. The post-nuclear test mollusc communities were distinct from the original ones.

The full article is available here: (Legendre and Salvat, 2015)