-40-
on islands where atomic detonations had taken place, and
where radiation levels were undoubtedly higher than those
on Belle Island during the Nectar survey.
malities included flattening,
spiral torsion of stems,
stems,
chlorosis,
shrivelling,
chromatism of stems,
enlargement of inflorescences,
stems,
thickening and
severe "die~back" of leaves and
asymmetry,
twisting of leaves,
shortening,
These abnor-
and sterility of plants.
crumpling and
proliferation and
abnormal proliferation of
St. John reported finding
a mutant of Guettarda speciosa on Runit Island but did not
describe it.
Biddulph reported spiralling and splitting of
fronds on several coconut palms on Aitsu
(Olive)
Island,
which is located between two of the "shot" islands.
On the “shot" islands,
crater centers
(where radiation levels were highest) were
most severely affected.
were lower,
the plants closest to the bomb
In areas where radiation
levels
the "disturbance of ecological habits" was re-
ported to be more important in excluding plants from these
areas than the radiation effects from the bombs(6).,
wun-
doubtedly many of the abnormal plants started their growth
after the nuclear detonations had occurred,
in impoverished
soil lacking inorganic nutrients and organic matter.
These