15. Q
A.
WHAT IS A PANDANUS TREE?
Pandanus fruit is a native diet staple, supplying certain needed
vitamins,
However, the edible portion of the fruit tends to have
a higher level of strontium 90 and cesium 137 than certain other
plants grown in the same soil,
The consultants have made a sug-
gestion for cutting these levels down considerably on Bikini
Island by replacing the top inch or two of soil which contains
most of the radionuclides.
On Eneu there is no need for such
precautions since the soil there contains only a minute amount
of radionuclides,
16. Q.
A,
WHY ARE COCOANUT CRABS TO BE REMOVED?
The cocoanut crab is a native favorite, but it has been observed
to contain considerable amounts of strontium 90 and cesium 137.
In most shellfish, strontium 90 is deposited in the shell.
This
particular crab eats his own shell when he molts, and in doing
so retains the strontium 90 in his body.
17. Q.
A.
WHAT ABOUT COCOANUT TREES?
ARE THEY RADIOACTIVE?
Cocoanuts take up moderate amounts of radioactivity (much less
than pandanus fruit).
Suitable planting procedures can reduce
even this small amount of uptake,
trees on the atoll now.
There are not many cocoanut
On most of the islands the tops of the
cocoanut trees were snapped off by the force of the test blasts,
On the islands most affected by the tests, the trees were burned
off or washed away.
It is expected that new cocoanut trees will
be planted on the islands.
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