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Spatial variation and radiocesium flux of litterfall in hardwood-pine mixed forest and cedar plantations based on long-term monitoring data

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Abstract

Long-term monitoring revealed that radiocesium (137Cs) deposition that fall from the canopy with litterfall was characterized by forest types, seasonal change, and canopy closure (CC). The sum of autumn and spring 137Cs deposition values divided by the sum of summer and winter tended to have higher values in the cedar forest. The angle of view α when the correlation between the CC size and litterfall amount is strongest, was 5° or less in the young cedar forest, but varied in the hardwood–pine mixed forest. This indicates the spatial distribution of 137Cs deposition has heterogeneity and homogeneity in each forest.

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Acknowledgements

This study includes data obtained through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Science and Technology Strategy Promotion Fund (2011–2012), Nuclear Regulation Authority consignment project (2012–2013), and a Japan Atomic Energy Agency-commissioned project (2014–2015).

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Correspondence to Keigo Hisadome.

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Hisadome, K., Onda, Y., Loffredo, N. et al. Spatial variation and radiocesium flux of litterfall in hardwood-pine mixed forest and cedar plantations based on long-term monitoring data. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 326, 1491–1504 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07433-w

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