Abstract
The distribution of137Cs in an undisturbed, multistoried, subtropical wet montane forest ecosystem surrounding Yuanyang Lake (lake surface level ca. 1670m, in northeastern Taiwan), was investigated. The mossy forest here represents a currently-rare perhumid temperate environment in subtropical region. The radioactivity concentration of137Cs was determined by γ-spectroscopy with a Ge(Li) detector. Although the soil is extremely acidic (pH 3.3 to 3.6) and the rainfall is high,137Cs is evidently retained in the organic layer. The radioactivity concentration of137Cs in surface soil ranges from 28 to 71 Bq·kg−1. The concentrations of137Cs in the ground moss layer and litter were much lower than that in the soil organic layer, this suggests that137Cs detected is not from the newly deposited radioactive fallout. The radioactivity concentration and transfer factor (TF) of137Cs varied with plant species. Shrubs and ferns have higher values than a coniferous tree (Taiwan cedar). The TF in this ecosystem is as high as 0.21 to 1.88. The high values of TF is attributed to the abundance of the organic matter in the forest soils. The rapid recycling of137Cs through the soil-plant system of this undisturbed multistoried ecosystem suggests the existence of an internal cycling that help the accumulation of137Cs in this ecosystem.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S. V. Avery, J Environ. Radioactivity, 30 (1996) 139.
D. A. Barber, Nature, 204 (1964) 1326.
K. E. Van Bergeuk, H. Noorduk, J. Lembrechts, M. J. Frissel, J. Environ. Radioactivity, 15 (1992) 265.
P. J. Coughtrey, M. C. Thorne, Radionuclide Distribution and Transport in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems, Vol. 1, ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg, Balkema, A. A. Publ., Rotterdam, 1983.
M. J. Frissel, A radioecological migration data base for tropical and sub-tropical environments. Proc. Intern. Conf. on Radiation Dosimetry and Safety, Mar. 31-Apr. 2, 1997, Taipei, Taiwan, 1997, p. 5.
E. P. Hardy, Nature, 219 (1968) 584.
A. D. Horrill, G. Clint, Caesium cycling in heather moorland ecosystems in: Toxic Metals in Soil-Plant Systems,S. M. Ross (Ed.), John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, 1968, p. 395.
E. Hutchison-Benson, J. Svoboda, Can. J. Bot., 63 (1985) 784.
IAEA and IUR, General Protocol for Transfer Parameter Measurement prepared for Coordinated Research Programme on “Radionuclide Transfer From Air, Soil And Fresh Water To The Foodchain Of Man In Tropical And subtropical Environments”, 1994.
C. H. Lim, M. L. Jackson, Dissolution for total elemental analysis, in: Methods of Soil Analysis II,A. L. Page et al. (Eds) ASA, 677S. Segoe Rd, Madison, WI53711, 1982, p. 1.
C. Myttenaere, W. R. Schell, Y. Thiry, L. Sombre, C. Ronneau, J. Van Der Stegen De Schrieck, Sci. Total Environ., 136 (1993) 77.
C. Papastefanou, M. Manolopoulou, T. Sawidis, J. Environ. Radioactivity, 9 (1989) 199.
Z. Pietrzak-Flis, I. Radwan, L. Rosiak, E. Wirth, Sci. Total Environ., 186 (1996) 243.
C. J. Schollenberger, R. H. Simon, Soil Sci., 59 (1945) 13.
K. Simkiss, M. S. Baxter, J. N. B. Bell, W. Davison, K. Duncan, F. Fry, A. D. Horrill, M. Kelly, J. D. Mather, J. W. Parsons, P. Peterson, O. Vanderborght, V. Kennedy, J. Environ. Radioactivity., 18 (1993) 133.
H. M. Somashekarappa, Y. Narayana, A. P. Radhakrishna, N. Karunakara, K. M. Balakrishna, K. Siddappa, J. Environ. Radioactivity, 31 (1996) 189.
A. Wyttenbach, V. Furrer, L. Tobler, Sci. Total Environ., 173/174 (1995) 361.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chiu, CY., Lai, SY., Wang, CJ. et al. Transfer of137Cs from soil to plants in a wet montane forest in subtropical Taiwan. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 239, 511–515 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02349060
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02349060