Aspects of the uptake of radionuclides by sheep grazing on an estuarine saltmarsh. 1. The influence of grazing behaviour and environmental variability on daily intake

Howard, B.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9698-9524. 1985 Aspects of the uptake of radionuclides by sheep grazing on an estuarine saltmarsh. 1. The influence of grazing behaviour and environmental variability on daily intake. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 2 (3). 183-198. 10.1016/0265-931X(85)90008-6

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Abstract/Summary

Sea water contaminated with diluted radioactive effluent originating from the Sellafield reprocessing plant inundates saltmarshes in the Esk estuary in west Cumbria (UK). Much of the radioactivity on the saltmarsh vegetation was found to be associated with a surface deposit of silt, brought onto the area during tidal inundation. Large temporal variations in the radionuclide concentrations of the vegetation were found, these being due probably to seasonal fluctuation in the extent of silt deposition. The grazing habits of sheep were studied on one of these saltmarshes and the consequent ingestion of radionuclides by the sheep was estimated. The sheep ingested different quantities of radionuclides according to time of year as a result of a combination of two factors; the considerable temporal variation in the concentration of radionuclides on the saltmarsh vegetation and the seasonal grazing behaviour of the sheep.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/0265-931X(85)90008-6
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Other
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	_ Pre-2000 sections
ISSN:	0265-931X
Additional Keywords:	radioecology
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	25 Jun 2012 15:20 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/17845

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