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,
radioactivity),
with time after the detonation
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 approxifor
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,