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. (more)