68
6.132
_Gamme radioactivity.
The relationships
of the total gamma radioactivity with the various ecological
classifications and the specific tissues shown in Table 2 led
to some preliminary conclusions:
(1)
The levels of gamma radioactivity were gener-
ally higher in the carnivores than in the omnivores
and herbivores.
(2)
With the exception of liver tissues,
ranging benthic carnivores
the highest gamma levels.
the
(Mullidae) exhibited
Next highest were the
roving pelagic carnivores, with the exception of
gill tissue,
for which the coral feeding Scaridae
followed the Mullidae.
(3)
Stomach and liver tissues showed consistently
higher gamma levels than muscle and bone; gill and
gonad measurements generally being intermediate.
(4)
Muscle and bone gamma levels were higher for
the Kabelle samples than for the Rongelap samples
except for the pelagic carnivores.
The wide range
of movement of these fish would tend to mask the
effects of local patterns in the distribution of
radioactivity in the lagoon.