EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION ON A NATURAL PLANT COMMUNITY

Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 UTC 1962

OSTI ID:4748283

McCormick, J F

An island community'' of spring annuals transplanted from a granite outcrop to a gamma radiation field received ionizing radiation gradients ranging from 8,000 to 130,000 r at rates of 5 to 82 r/hr from March to August 1959. Ecological analyses of experimental and control communities over the subsequent 3 year period revealed both immediate and long-range effects of ionizing radiation upon individual species and community attributes. Results obtained from community analyses indicate that ionizing radiation has both stimulatory and inhibitory effects upon plant growth and that the ecological and morphological effects are reflected by species interactions at the community level. Results of autecological analyses of the post-irradiation tolerances of spring and summer annuals to a variety of environmental stresses correlate with and confirm results obtained during community analysis. Under all environmental conditions studied, post-irradiation dominant species consistently exhibited greater physiological tolerances following irradiation than did the normally dominant species which they replaced. (M.P.G.)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-17-015801
• OSTI ID: 4748283
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
ENVIRONMENT
GAMMA RADIATION
GENETICS
GROWTH
IRRADIATION
MUTATIONS
PHYSIOLOGY
PLANTS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
SENSITIVITY
VARIATIONS