Response of a forest ecotone to ionizing radiation. Progress report, October 15, 1978-October 14, 1979. [Aspen, maple, birch]

Technical Report · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5519114· OSTI ID:5519114

Murphy, P. G.; Sharitz, R. R.

Compositional and structural characteristics of three forest types, including aspen dominated, maple-birch dominated, and an intervening ecotone, were studied before and after irradiation in northern Wisconsin. Irradiation occurred during the summer of 1972. As of the summer of 1978, establishment of tree seedlings at 10 m from the radiation source continued to be inhibited by the vigorous development of ground vegetation except, in part, in the aspen area where seedling density increased sharply relative to 1977 because of an influx of Acer rubrum. By 1974 many of the seedlings at 20 m had reached the sapling size-class. At the present time it appears that recolonization of the 10 m irradiated zone by the original tree flora will be a very slow process, largely because of a dense growth of Rubus sp. and other heliophytes. As of 1978 the recovery of leaf litter production appeared to be continuing in all three areas although the ratios of tree to shrub litter were still well below preirradiation levels at 10 m and slightly below at 20 m. In most respects, the ecotone has shown properties and responses to radiation intermediate to those observed in the aspen and maple-birch areas. The rate and compositional characteristics of succession in the ecotone relative to aspen and maple-birch forest types is presently under study. (DC)

• Research Organization: Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-S-02-2283
• OSTI ID: 5519114
• Report Number(s): COO-2283-10; TRN: 80-007596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASPENS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIRCHES
FORESTS
MAPLES
FOREST LITTER
PLANT GROWTH
PRODUCTIVITY
RADIOBIOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGY
GROWTH
MATERIALS
PLANTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
TREES
560141* - Radiation Effects on Plants- Basic Studies- (-1987)