A Descriptive Technique for Study of the Effects of Chronic Ionizing Radiation on a Forest Ecological System

Pattern and diversity analysis of the irradiated oak-pine forest, Brookhaven, New York

“…Carex pensylvanica, an increaser herb which characterized the zone between 44 and 20 m, may be resistant to radiation because of its protected, groundsurface meristematic tissue and cloning habit. In contrast to the findings of previous studies (Woodwell & Rebuck 1967) invaders were about 50 % of the list of species present because of the establishment of old-field species. trees -with distance from the radiation source at 0 m, using running averages of data from a weighted averages ordination.…”

“…These samples were, however, used as the primary controls in the analyses that follow because (i) they are clearly more consistent in composition with one another and the other vegetation near the source than the Whittaker & Woodwell (1969) samples, and (ii) effects of irradiation on community composition, 90-100 m, should be slight. Pmus rlgida, the species considered most sensitive to irradiation in this vegetation (Woodwell & Rebuck 1967), was alive between 70 and 100 m from the source, though with twig growth apparently affected by radiation; no effects on other species were observed.…”

“…During 1-8 July 1976, an inventory was made of all vascular plants and fruhcose lichens in the irradiated forest, extending 50 m from the radiation source, using the permanent plots laid out in 1961 (Woodwell & Hammond 1962). The area surrounding the radiation source had been divided radially into 16 sections, and concentrically into 110-m 'ring zone intervals.'…”

“…The pattern of vegetational response to irradiation has been described for 1962-1973(Woodwell 1962, Woodwell & Rebuck 1967; m 1976 several zones were distinguished (Fig. la).…”

“…Many studies (Wagner 1966, Woodwell 1967, Woodwell & Gannutz 1967, Woodwell & Rebuck 1967, Woodwell & Whittaker 1968, Flaccus, Armentano & Archer 1974 have dealt with effects of irradiation during the first 12 yr, until 1973. For an intensive study of vegetation response and pattern after 15 yr.…”