Rooting depths of plants on low-level waste disposal sites

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6250828

Foxx, T S; Tierney, G D; Williams, J M

In 1981-1982 an extensive bibliographic study was done to reference rooting depths of native plants in the United States. The data base presently contains 1034 different rooting citations with approximately 12,000 data elements. For this report, data were analyzed for rooting depths related to species found on low-level waste (LLW) sites at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Average rooting depth and rooting frequencies were determined and related to present LLW maintenance. The data base was searched for information on rooting depths of 53 species found on LLW sites at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The study indicates 12 out of 13 grasses found on LLW sites root below 91 cm. June grass (Koeleria cristata (L.) Pers.) (76 cm) was the shallowest rooting grass and side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.) was the deepest rooting grass (396 cm). Forbs were more variable in rooting depths. Indian paintbrush (Castelleja spp.) (30 cm) was the shallowest rooting forb and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was the deepest (>3900 cm). Trees and shrubs commonly rooted below 457 cm. The shallowest rooting tree was elm (Ulmus pumila L.) (127 cm) and the deepest was one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma (Engelm) Sarg.) (>6000 cm). Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don) Endl.) rooted to 140 cm, whereas fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canecens (Pursh) Nutt.) rooted to 762 cm.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6250828
• Report Number(s): LA-10253-MS; ON: DE85005603
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ROOTS
MORPHOLOGY
GRASS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SHRUBS
TREES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
550800* - Morphology
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage