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Abstract
Anoruo,
A.O., C.H. Jagoe, J.I. Blake, F. C. Anoruo and J.D. Salley. 2002. Long-term
effects of environmental radiocesium ( 137 Cs ) on forest growth
and development. JEMREST 1:1-13.
DOI: 10.4029/2002jemrest1no11
Anthropogenically
disturbed and undisturbed sites around a nuclear production facility at the
Savannah River Site in Aiken,
South Carolina were selected to
study long-term effects of radiocesium, 137Cs, on forest growth
and development, and soil-plant cesium exchange. The study areas were divided
into late and early successional contaminated and uncontaminated sites.
Cesium 137 releases to the contaminated sites occurred over thirty years ago.
Results indicate that recent forest stand characteristics, for example
relative growth rate of advance regeneration and fiber length of 15-year old
water oak, are not significantly different. However, on late successional
site fiber-length of 30-year old water oak on contaminated sites are
statistically significantly longer. Species diversity index (H') and relative
diversity index (J') show a change in species on the sites. Early and later
contaminated sites have higher species diversity. Also, these sites have
higher species abundance. There is strong positive correlation between soil and
leaf cesium concentrations. Leaf cesium concentrations are three times those
found in the soil. There is also higher concentration of cesium in the leaf
than wood.
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