ABSTRACT
Radioecology at the Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York, began as an outgrowth of experimental studies on radiation-induced mutations in agricultural plants. The work, led by George Woodwell, started by comparing ecological changes caused by radiation in a mature forest versus a nearby, early successional old field. Some of the first studies of organic productivity of a forest ecosystem were undertaken in association with the Radioecology research. Irradiation of the forest continued for 15 years, making the Brookhaven study the longest-running AEC-supported Radioecology project.
