When a duck is not a duck; a new interdisciplinary synthesis for environmental radiation protection

This consensus paper presents the results of a workshop held in Essen, Germany in September 2017, called to examine critically the current approach to radiological environmental protection. The meeting brought together participants from the field of low dose radiobiology and those working in radioecology. Both groups have a common aim of identifying radiation exposures and protecting populations and individuals from harmful effects of ionising radiation exposure, but rarely work closely together. A key question in radiobiology is to understand mechanisms triggered by low doses or dose rates, leading to adverse outcomes of individuals while in radioecology a key objective is to recognise when harm is occurring at the level of the ecosystem. The discussion provided a total of six strategic recommendations which would help to address these questions. •The importance of gathering large, complex and broad datasets from contaminated and control sites.•Using environmental data to contextualise findings in key species where a holistic view of the ecosystem is unfeasible.•Recognition of the importance of multi-stressors in the analysis of radiation effects especially in the context of low dose.•The importance of historic dose and non-targeted radiation effects.•Utility of applying biomarkers from radiation biology to individual organisms; need for population biomarkers of fitness.