LAND CRABS AND RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT AT
ENIWETOK ATOLL
Introduction
Periodic studies of the effects of the atomic testing
program on the biota of the Marshall Islands have been made by
the staff of the Applied Fisheries Laboratory, University of
_ Washington, since 19462713 pur tng the 1954 testing program at
Enivetok a continuous biological survey was initiated.
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In this
report the portion of the survey concerned with the uptake of
radionuclides by the land hermit crab, Coenobita perlatus Edw. T%,
is presented.
Results of possible ecological and physiological
significance in the movement of strontium and cesium through the
food cycle have been obtained.
Strontium-90 concentration in the
land crab skeleton may be a sensitive index of biologically avail-
able radiostrontium in the environment.
Coenobita is an omnivorous scavenger which feeds primarily
on land plants and on detritus washed up on the beaches.
primarily nocturnal and
spends the daylight
shrubs or under debris.
hours
It
is
hidden in
DOE ARCHIVES
The crabs were taken from Belle (Bogombogo) Island which lies
2.3 nautical miles southwest of the site of the Mike test of 1952
and the Nectar test of 1954.
This island is downwind from the
site of these tests.
Prior to the Mike test Belle Island had a covering of shrubs,
#* We are grateful to Dr. C.H. Edmondson, Bernice P. Bishop Museum,
Honolulu, Hawaii, for identification of the species.
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