Response of a forest ecotone to ionizing radiation. Progress report, October 15, 1981-April 14, 1983
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. 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. The low densities of young trees in the other two areas at 10 m were of successional species rather than the original species killed by radiation. In 1981 total leaf litter production was 42 and 61% 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 23%. 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. Our present studies emphasize the rate at which the three areas continue to be recolonized and the composition of the recolonizing flora, relative to the preirradiation forest. Influences of the successional shrub species within 10 m are of particular interest and are also under study.
- Research Organization:
- Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA); Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76EV02283
- OSTI ID:
- 6944110
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/EV/02283-3; ON: DE83003356
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Response of a forest ecotone to ionizing radiation. Progress report, October 15, 1980-October 14, 1981
Response of a forest ecotone to ionizing radiation. Progress report, October 15, 1978-October 14, 1979. [Aspen, maple, birch]
Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
FORESTS
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
SHRUBS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
TREES
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOREST LITTER
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
DATA
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
510302* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)
560141 - Radiation Effects on Plants- Basic Studies- (-1987)