Effects of chronic gamma radiation on the structure and diversity of an oak-pine forest
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.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 5012309
- Journal Information:
- Ecol. Monogr.; (United States), Vol. 37:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
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)