Open AccessDisturbance and recovery of vegetation at the sites of nuclear accidents in arctic Yakutia
Author(s) -
Т.В. Королева,
V. V. Petrovsky,
Olga Khitun
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
linnaeus eco-tech
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2002-8008
DOI - 10.15626/eco-tech.2007.063
Subject(s) - vegetation (pathology) , disturbance (geology) , vegetation cover , environmental science , litter , larch , radionuclide , radioactive contamination , arctic , physical geography , ecology , contamination , geography , geology , biology , land use , geomorphology , medicine , physics , pathology , quantum mechanics
Two peaceful underground nuclear explosions conducted in the middle of 1970-s in theMiddle Siberia were followed by accidental release of radionuclides into the atmosphere. Thecondition of vegetation within the impacted area was examined in 2002. The study showedthat norn1alization of radioactive situation and recovery of damaged vegetation did not happenduring this period. Radioactive contamination resulted in either total or partial elimination ofthe vegetation. Four zones according to the degree of disturbance were distinguished. Patternsof recovery are shown: some local shrubs are the most active colonizers, whereas reestablishing of larches occurs very slowly. Low rates of recovery can be explained by ratherbad natural condition for reproduction of larch, by presence of dead lichen cover whichprevents gern1ination of seeds and possibly low microbial and fungal activity caused byradiation, Removal of heavily contaminated forest litter and sawing of local grasses and herbsmay accelerate the rate of vegetation recovery.