A demographic analysis of continuously irradiated and nonirradiated populations of the lizard, Uta stansburiana

A natural population of the lizard Uta stansburiana occupying a fenced 20-acre area in southern Nevada has been exposed to essentially continuous gamma irradiation since February 1964. Tissue doses averaged about 2 rads/day. Nonirradiated populations occupying three adjoining 20-acre areas have also been investigated. Five years of sampling data drawn from the experimental and control populations showed no statistically significant differences in the sex ratios. Comparisons of maximal life span (44 months) and χ² tests of age distributions did not indicate a statistically significant difference between the experimental and untreated populations, but the tests were not sensitive to small changes in the proportions of individuals living to the age of 44 months. Both the 59% increase of the irradiated population between 1966 and 1967 and the 43% decline between 1967 and 1968 were generally matched by corresponding changes in the three untreated areas.