ABSTRACT

A long-term investigation was conducted at Eniwetok
Atoll during 1954-1957 to determine the rate of recovery of
land plants damaged by the radiation,
of the Nectar detonation in 1954.

shock and heat

blast

During this period the

levels of gross beta radioactivity in the plants,

the radio-

isotopes present in some of the plants and the soil,
changes in the levels of beta radioactivity in the

of the plants, with time after the detonation
radioactivity),

tissues

(decline of

also were investigated.

At Belle Island seven plant species

were tagged,

measured and photographed before the detonation,
mately monthly intervals after the detonation,
of ten months,

and the

At approxi~
for

a period

and again after an interval of six months,

plants were observed and photographed.

the

The first indication

of recovery was observed on the eighth day,

at which

time

buds were noticeable on stems of Scaevola and Messerschmidia
plants.

In a month's time,

most of the

plants had formed

new leaves and some had produced flowers and fruits.
months,
to

the general condition of

that which existed

In six

the vegetation was similar

before the detonation.

Two plants,

Select target paragraph3