The Pale Grass Blue Butterfly as an Indicator for the Biological Effect of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Abstract

The pale grass blue butterfly (Zizeeria maha) has been used as an indicator for the biological effect of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) since 2011. Various biological aspects have been examined that point out the biological impact of the FNPP accident through the morphological abnormalities and death of the butterfly. However, the mechanisms responsible for such biological effect in the contaminated field remain elusive. In this article, previous and current studies on the pale grass blue butterfly in response to the FNPP accident are concisely reviewed to provide new directions for answering questions about the field effect.