Abstract
The most important game in Sweden is moose (Alces alces (L.)). To study the {sup 137}Cs levels in moose, hunters were asked to send in moose meat for analysis. About 6500 samples were analysed from 1986-1993. There was a positive correlation between the fall-out of cesium from Chernobyl and the cesium concentration in moose. The differences in {sup 137}Cs concentration between moose of the same age and sex, results from individual moose consuming plants of different {sup 137}Cs concentrations, due to the use of different habitat types. The differences in {sup 137}Cs levels between years probably depends on between-year variation in habitat utilization due to the weather. During warm summers and autumns, moose utilize more wetlands (cool habitats during warm days) or mature forests (which are shady during sunny days) and consume the plants (of high {sup 137}Cs levels) found there, whereby their meat will have a higher {sup 137}Cs concentration. If, during colder summers, moose instead use farmlands or clear-cut forest areas and consume the plants (of low {sup 137}Cs levels) found there, a lower {sup 137}Cs concentration will be the case. The {sup 137}Cs concentration in moose also fluctuates seasonally depending on diet, i.e. there are high average
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Citation Formats
Nelin, P.
Chernobyl cesium in the Swedish moose population: Effect of age, diet and habitat selection.
Sweden: N. p.,
1994.
Web.
Nelin, P.
Chernobyl cesium in the Swedish moose population: Effect of age, diet and habitat selection.
Sweden.
Nelin, P.
1994.
"Chernobyl cesium in the Swedish moose population: Effect of age, diet and habitat selection."
Sweden.
@misc{etde_10111293,
title = {Chernobyl cesium in the Swedish moose population: Effect of age, diet and habitat selection}
author = {Nelin, P}
abstractNote = {The most important game in Sweden is moose (Alces alces (L.)). To study the {sup 137}Cs levels in moose, hunters were asked to send in moose meat for analysis. About 6500 samples were analysed from 1986-1993. There was a positive correlation between the fall-out of cesium from Chernobyl and the cesium concentration in moose. The differences in {sup 137}Cs concentration between moose of the same age and sex, results from individual moose consuming plants of different {sup 137}Cs concentrations, due to the use of different habitat types. The differences in {sup 137}Cs levels between years probably depends on between-year variation in habitat utilization due to the weather. During warm summers and autumns, moose utilize more wetlands (cool habitats during warm days) or mature forests (which are shady during sunny days) and consume the plants (of high {sup 137}Cs levels) found there, whereby their meat will have a higher {sup 137}Cs concentration. If, during colder summers, moose instead use farmlands or clear-cut forest areas and consume the plants (of low {sup 137}Cs levels) found there, a lower {sup 137}Cs concentration will be the case. The {sup 137}Cs concentration in moose also fluctuates seasonally depending on diet, i.e. there are high average concentrations and large differences between individual moose killed during the plant growing season, but low {sup 137}Cs concentrations and low variation between individuals and years, for moose killed during the winter. The analyses of {sup 137}Cs in moose and its food plants from before and after the Chernobyl accident indicates that the {sup 137}Cs from Chernobyl will stay in the northern forest ecosystem for a long time. The physical decay (30.2 years) seems to be the major factor for its disappearance from the ecosystem. I also expect that the fluctuation between years in the {sup 137}Cs concentration will persist, although decrease in maximum values. 44 refs, 7 figs.}
place = {Sweden}
year = {1994}
month = {Dec}
}
title = {Chernobyl cesium in the Swedish moose population: Effect of age, diet and habitat selection}
author = {Nelin, P}
abstractNote = {The most important game in Sweden is moose (Alces alces (L.)). To study the {sup 137}Cs levels in moose, hunters were asked to send in moose meat for analysis. About 6500 samples were analysed from 1986-1993. There was a positive correlation between the fall-out of cesium from Chernobyl and the cesium concentration in moose. The differences in {sup 137}Cs concentration between moose of the same age and sex, results from individual moose consuming plants of different {sup 137}Cs concentrations, due to the use of different habitat types. The differences in {sup 137}Cs levels between years probably depends on between-year variation in habitat utilization due to the weather. During warm summers and autumns, moose utilize more wetlands (cool habitats during warm days) or mature forests (which are shady during sunny days) and consume the plants (of high {sup 137}Cs levels) found there, whereby their meat will have a higher {sup 137}Cs concentration. If, during colder summers, moose instead use farmlands or clear-cut forest areas and consume the plants (of low {sup 137}Cs levels) found there, a lower {sup 137}Cs concentration will be the case. The {sup 137}Cs concentration in moose also fluctuates seasonally depending on diet, i.e. there are high average concentrations and large differences between individual moose killed during the plant growing season, but low {sup 137}Cs concentrations and low variation between individuals and years, for moose killed during the winter. The analyses of {sup 137}Cs in moose and its food plants from before and after the Chernobyl accident indicates that the {sup 137}Cs from Chernobyl will stay in the northern forest ecosystem for a long time. The physical decay (30.2 years) seems to be the major factor for its disappearance from the ecosystem. I also expect that the fluctuation between years in the {sup 137}Cs concentration will persist, although decrease in maximum values. 44 refs, 7 figs.}
place = {Sweden}
year = {1994}
month = {Dec}
}