Changes in a herbaceous plant community during a three-year period following exposure to ionizing radiation gradients

Book · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 UTC 1963

OSTI ID:5238978

McCormick, F

Ionizing radiation has both stimulatory and inhibitory effects upon plant growth and survival. These ecological, morphological and physiological effects are reflected by species interactions at the community level. Certain post-irradiation changes in the spring flora are interpreted as resulting from a stimulating effect of low level ionizing radiation on Arenaria, endowing it with a capacity to dominate competition and thereby increase its density and distribution at the expense of Diamorpha and emerge as the dominant species in the succeeding generations studied. Other changes in the spring flora were due to the lethal and inhibitory effects of irradiation upon plant growth. Changes in the summer flora are interpreted as resulting from the selective elimination of more radiosensitive species and the subsequent positive selection pressure toward more radio-resistant species. Subsequent studies have been made of the post-irradiation physiological tolerances of the species studied to a variety of environmental situations. In all cases results agreed with those obtained during community analysis. 12 references, 8 figures.

• OSTI ID: 5238978
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560140* -- Radiation Effects on Plants
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
ECOSYSTEMS
FUNCTIONS
GROWTH
INHIBITION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
PLANT GROWTH
RADIATIONS
STIMULATION
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS