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Title: Effects of chronic gamma radiation on the structure and diversity of an oak-pine forest

Abstract

An oak-pine forest in central Long Island, New York, was irradiated chronically with gamma radiation from 9500 Ci of /sup 137/Cesium for a 4 year period. There was a 50% reduction in diversity at 160 R/day during the first 6 months' exposure. Diversity declined regularly in subsequent years despite the influx of several herbaceous successional species in the damaged zones. The reduction in diversity was systematic in that plants with large life-forms were the most sensitive. Survival of trees varied with tree size. Radiation resistance was correlated with life forms of the plants, the most resistant being low growing species. Radiosensitivity of plant populations is correlated with the average size of the chromosomes at interphase. The relationships between radiosensitivity and chromosome size and between radiosensitivity and the ecology of plants suggest that the evolution of radioresistance in plants has paralleled the evolution of other aspects of ecological amplitude. 47 references, 13 figures, 3 tables.

Authors:
;
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
OSTI Identifier:
5012309
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Ecol. Monogr.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 37:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; FORESTS; BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS; PRODUCTIVITY; OAKS; RADIOSENSITIVITY; SPECIES DIVERSITY; PINES; BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION; BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY; CESIUM 137; CHROMOSOMES; CHRONIC IRRADIATION; ECOLOGY; GAMMA RADIATION; NEW YORK; SIZE; ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; CESIUM ISOTOPES; CHRONIC EXPOSURE; CONIFERS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; FEDERAL REGION II; IONIZING RADIATIONS; IRRADIATION; ISOTOPES; NORTH AMERICA; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; PLANTS; RADIATION EFFECTS; RADIATIONS; RADIOISOTOPES; TREES; USA; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 560141* - Radiation Effects on Plants- Basic Studies- (-1987)

Citation Formats

Woodwell, G M, and Rebuck, A L. Effects of chronic gamma radiation on the structure and diversity of an oak-pine forest. United States: N. p., Web. doi:10.2307/1948482.
Woodwell, G M, & Rebuck, A L. Effects of chronic gamma radiation on the structure and diversity of an oak-pine forest. United States. https://doi.org/10.2307/1948482
Woodwell, G M, and Rebuck, A L. . "Effects of chronic gamma radiation on the structure and diversity of an oak-pine forest". United States. https://doi.org/10.2307/1948482.
@article{osti_5012309,
title = {Effects of chronic gamma radiation on the structure and diversity of an oak-pine forest},
author = {Woodwell, G M and Rebuck, A L},
abstractNote = {An oak-pine forest in central Long Island, New York, was irradiated chronically with gamma radiation from 9500 Ci of /sup 137/Cesium for a 4 year period. There was a 50% reduction in diversity at 160 R/day during the first 6 months' exposure. Diversity declined regularly in subsequent years despite the influx of several herbaceous successional species in the damaged zones. The reduction in diversity was systematic in that plants with large life-forms were the most sensitive. Survival of trees varied with tree size. Radiation resistance was correlated with life forms of the plants, the most resistant being low growing species. Radiosensitivity of plant populations is correlated with the average size of the chromosomes at interphase. The relationships between radiosensitivity and chromosome size and between radiosensitivity and the ecology of plants suggest that the evolution of radioresistance in plants has paralleled the evolution of other aspects of ecological amplitude. 47 references, 13 figures, 3 tables.},
doi = {10.2307/1948482},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5012309}, journal = {Ecol. Monogr.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 37:1,
place = {United States},
year = {},
month = {}
}