PREFACE On February 28 through March 2, 1978, the Annual Plutonium Information Conference was held in San Diego by the Nevada Applied Ecology Group. Many presentations by the NAEG research groups were summarizing reports. A few discussed progress to date on certain projects. And, the third day of the conference was set aside for contributed papers, mostly from institutions other than NAEG-contracted organizations. This publication, printed in two volumes, is of the proceedings of the conference, perhaps the best meeting ever held by the NAEG. During the months preceding the conference, environmental research funding was curtailed for many of the NAEG projects in favor of testdirected activities at the Nevada Test Site. It is anticipated that these projects will be resumed at normal levels when additional funding is restored to the delayed aspects of the DMA-funded program. New projects this year were reported to be in the initial phases of study, and the study plans were presented by the principal investigators. Of particular interest were the reports by Ausmus and Dodson (BCL) concerning the effects of transuranics on desert ecosystem processes; by Baker, Pillay, Rose, and Ciolkosz (Penn State) with reference to development of an approach for monitoring plant availability of transuranics in Nevada Test Site soils; and plutonium-bearing particle analysis discussed by Couch and Efurd (MCL). Plutonium Valley in the spring (cover design) was one of the most beautiful areas at the Nevada Test Site this year. Hundreds of breathtaking wildflower species, including the purple sagebrush, profusely decorated the hills and slopes of this Area 11 location of certain NAEG environmental plutonium study sites. At the conference, Paul Dunaway, Chairman of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group Steering Committee, read a letter from Maj. Gen. J. K. Bratton, Director, Division of Military Application, U.S. Department of Energy, Headquarters, to Nevada Applied Ecology Group management and contractor and letter of agreement personnel, congratulating them on continued outstanding contributions toward the goals of the important objectives of the environmental plutonium program at U.S. Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site. We should like to add our appreciation for the con- tinued support of DMA and efforts of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group scientific investigators, advisory committee members, and other technica] and professional people associated with the Nevada Applied Ecology Group research studies. Certain Holmes & Narver, Inc., personnel deserve special recognition for their outstanding cooperation with the NAEG in the publication of reports and documents: Paul G. Noblitt, Henry B. Gayle, and Timothy M. Catt of Technical Support; and Ruth Preston, Murry Battle, Linda Daniels, Marlena Eckel, Camilla Harbeson, Lorine Jackson, and Shirley Smith of vii