Response of a forest ecotone to ionizing radiation. Progress report, April 15, 1983-April 14, 1984
Compositional and structural characteristics of three forest types, including aspen dominated, maple-birch dominated, and an intervening ecotone (midecotone), were studied before and after irradiation in northern Wisconsin. In all three areas, the density of seedlings at 10 m was greatly reduced within a year following the 1972 radiation event. In the maple-birch area seedlings were virtually absent at 10 m until 1982 and 1983 when their numbers were comparable to preirradiation levels. In the aspen and midecotone areas 1983 seedling densities at 10 m were only 50 and 17%, respectively, of the preirradiation levels. Woody plants of tree stature were eliminated at 10 m in all three areas within two years of irradiation but by 1982 only the aspen area lacked plants in this size class. In 1982 total leaf litter production was 26 and 63% below 1971 preirradiation levels at 10 m in the aspen and maple-birch areas, respectively. But at 10 m in the midecotone, it had increased, relative to 1971, by 27%. The ratio of shrub to tree leaf litter continues to decline as the heavily irradiated zone of all three areas continues to be recolonized by tree species and the canopy at 20 m continues to fill out. Present studeis emphasize the rate at which the three areas continue to be recolonized, and the composition of the recolonizing flora, relative to the preirradiation forest.
- Research Organization:
- Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA); Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76EV02283
- OSTI ID:
- 5577983
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/EV/02283-4; ON: DE84003187
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FORESTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOREST LITTER
PRODUCTIVITY
RADIOECOLOGY
SPECIES DIVERSITY
TREES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
DATA
ECOLOGY
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
560141* - Radiation Effects on Plants- Basic Studies- (-1987)
510302 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)