EFFECTS OF THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER

SUBSISTENCE FARMERS AND POORER RESIDENTS

IN SURROUNDING RURAL LOCALITIES SUFFERED

THE MOST EXTREME EFFECT TO THEIR

CROPS AND LIVESTOCK.

EVEN TODAY, MILK IN CERTAIN REGIONS STILL SHOWS

TRACES OF CONTAMINATION AND MOST LIKELY

WILL FOR SEVERAL MORE DECADES.

INSECTS WERE NOT THE ONLY ANIMALS TO EXPERIENCE

DISCOLORATIONS. BARN SWALLOWS IN THE AFFECTED

REGION DEVELOPED STRANGE WHITE SPOTS ON

THEIR PLUMAGE.

STUDIES OF THE FUKUSHIMA DISASTER IN JAPAN HAVE

PROVIDED MORE INSIGHT INTO WHAT THE IMMEDIATE

EFFECTS OF THE DISASTER MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE.

SOME SPECIES OF MONKEY ACTUALLY SHOWED

DECLINED LEVELS OF HAEMOGLOBIN IN THEIR BLOOD.

MORE RECENT STUDIES OF CHERNOBYL HAVE SHOWED

THAT ANIMALS POPULATIONS EXTREMELY CLOSE TO

THE SOURCE OF RADIATION EXHIBIT MORE FREQUENT

DEFORMITIES SUCH AS STUNTED LIMBS.

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN INVERTEBRATE POPULATIONS

IN THE TOP LAYER OF SOIL SURROUNDING THE

DISASTER TO BE LOWER THAN NORMAL.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND

EVIDENCE THAT PLANTS AND ANIMALS ARE ACTUALLY

ADAPTING TO THE INCREASED LEVELS OF RADIATION.

FORTUNATELY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF RADIONUCLIDES

THAT WERE RELEASED DURING THE EXPLOSION HAD

VERY SHORT LIVES AND SO THEY DECAYED QUICKLY.

MOST OF THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

ARE THE BIOLOGICAL RESULT OF THE INITIAL DOSES.