Populations of Soil-Litter Invertebrates on Edgewood Arsenal's Chemical Agent Test Area.

摘要

Soil-litter invertebrates were counted in samples from plots in mowed fields and woodlots on Carroll Island, Maryland, from June to October 1970. This tract has been Edgewood Arsenal's major outdoor test facility for chemical agents. Litter samples were collected from areas directly downwind from two large test grids and from upwind areas that were not exposed to agents. More invertebrates were counted in samples from areas that had been exposed to contamination than in samples from upwind areas. Although counts of various organisms tended to fluctuate more in downwind areas, the distribution of taxa from the two areas was quite similar. No detrimental effects of chemical agents to soil-litter invertebrates were evident. (Author)