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Long-Term Vegetation Changes in Permanent Quadrats at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site Item Info

The objective of this study was to detect long-term changes in natural vegetation of the area (Snake River Plain) that could be due to various natural or anthropogenic factors. Central to the goals of the sponsoring organization were detection and description of the effects of chronic exposure of plants to ionizing radiation from radionuclide deposited in the vicinity of test reactors and other facilities at the site. Virtually nothing was known at the time about the sensitivity of native species of plants to chronic radiation, nor of the response of communities to such plant sensitivity. Due to differences of grazing impact in various localities of the region, and to the fact that distinct vegetation types were evident, these factors were incorporated in the design of plot distribution. Little was known of the long-term vegetation changes resulting from normal climatic variability or successional dynamics in the sagebrush-grass region. There was much speculation but little evidence of the impact of grazing in the region. Large plots were established because of the desire to include numerous individual plants of each species in locations near radiation sources, and because some vegetation types are limited in extent.

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Title:
Long-Term Vegetation Changes in Permanent Quadrats at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site
Authors:
French, Norman R. Mitchell, John E.
Date Created:
1983-11-01
Description:
The objective of this study was to detect long-term changes in natural vegetation of the area (Snake River Plain) that could be due to various natural or anthropogenic factors. Central to the goals of the sponsoring organization were detection and description of the effects of chronic exposure of plants to ionizing radiation from radionuclide deposited in the vicinity of test reactors and other facilities at the site. Virtually nothing was known at the time about the sensitivity of native species of plants to chronic radiation, nor of the response of communities to such plant sensitivity. Due to differences of grazing impact in various localities of the region, and to the fact that distinct vegetation types were evident, these factors were incorporated in the design of plot distribution. Little was known of the long-term vegetation changes resulting from normal climatic variability or successional dynamics in the sagebrush-grass region. There was much speculation but little evidence of the impact of grazing in the region. Large plots were established because of the desire to include numerous individual plants of each species in locations near radiation sources, and because some vegetation types are limited in extent.
Relation:
Bulletin Number 36
Subjects:
plant damage radiation injury
Source:
Idaho SD12.I2 U47, University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/special-collections/
Type:
Text
Format:
application/pdf

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Preferred Citation:
"Long-Term Vegetation Changes in Permanent Quadrats at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site", Idaho Forest, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/fwres/items/fwres172.html
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