CHERNOBYL: A New Study.

[Dorts]

A fascinating new programme was shown yesterday on 'Eden' Discovery Channel called 'Chernobyl'.

A number of independent scientists have been monitoring the 'exclusion zone' since shortly after the disaster. They found that although there was devastation immediately after the disaster; in the long term virtually no animals are being affected by the radiation and that they all now live with it, without any problems. The ecology of this vast area has not only coped with the high levels of radiation but is now in perfect balance with just about every species you would expect to find in an untouched Northern European forest being recorded.

Before the disaster the area was one of intense agriculture with vast amounts of insecticide and herbicides being used. The fauna was impoverished by this regime. Now there are Wolves, Lynx, Wild Boar, many species of Deer, many Birds of Prey and several species of Bat not previously recorded before in this area, all living quite happily, and although insects carry much higher than normal levels of radiation, there is no evidence that any accumulative effects along the food chain are causing a problem.
But there are exceptions, such as in the Swallow populations that were monitored. These migratory birds are suffering from many cancers and growth abnormalities.

The conclusion that has been drawn from this very comprehensive 25 year study is that those animals that are living entirely within the ‘exclusion zone’ had somehow ‘adapted’ to the constant radiation levels without any bad effects. However, those animals that only visited for periods, such as the Swallows, were not able to adapt.

These conditions were replicated in Mice, and those that received constant levels of radiation similar to those at Chernobyl coped well, those that received intermittant doses suffered badly.
Exactly why this is, is not yet fully understood, but it is already thought to have implications for the treatment of the bad side effects of chemotherapy.

There was a lot to take in during this hour-long documentary and I have only offered a brief précis of the information that has been gained from this study.

The downside to this heartening tale is that the area is now being considered as a new dumping ground for large amounts of nuclear waste!

I haven’t been able to locate a repeat as yet, but I am sure there will be one, which will be well worth looking out for.
Dorts.

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by Dorts

A fascinating new programme was shown yesterday on 'Eden' Discovery Channel called 'Chernobyl'.

A number of independent scientists have been monitoring the 'exclusion zone' since shortly after the disaster. They found that although there was devastation immediately after the disaster; in the long term virtually no animals are being affected by the radiation and that they all now live with it, without any problems. The ecology of this vast area has not only coped with the high levels of radiation but is now in perfect balance with just about every species you would expect to find in an untouched Northern European forest being recorded.

Before the disaster the area was one of intense agriculture with vast amounts of insecticide and herbicides being used. The fauna was impoverished by this regime. Now there are Wolves, Lynx, Wild Boar, many species of Deer, many Birds of Prey and several species of Bat not previously recorded before in this area, all living quite happily, and although insects carry much higher than normal levels of radiation, there is no evidence that any accumulative effects along the food chain are causing a problem.
But there are exceptions, such as in the Swallow populations that were monitored. These migratory birds are suffering from many cancers and growth abnormalities.

The conclusion that has been drawn from this very comprehensive 25 year study is that those animals that are living entirely within the ‘exclusion zone’ had somehow ‘adapted’ to the constant radiation levels without any bad effects. However, those animals that only visited for periods, such as the Swallows, were not able to adapt.

These conditions were replicated in Mice, and those that received constant levels of radiation similar to those at Chernobyl coped well, those that received intermittant doses suffered badly.
Exactly why this is, is not yet fully understood, but it is already thought to have implications for the treatment of the bad side effects of chemotherapy.

There was a lot to take in during this hour-long documentary and I have only offered a brief précis of the information that has been gained from this study.

The downside to this heartening tale is that the area is now being considered as a new dumping ground for large amounts of nuclear waste!

I haven’t been able to locate a repeat as yet, but I am sure there will be one, which will be well worth looking out for.
Dorts.

This is good stuff Dorts. I am aware of the proliferation of wildlife in the Exclusion Zone but have wondered about the effects of radiation on the same.
I was in Ukraine in 2003 and the Carpathians in 1998 and was horrified at the human suffering caused by the disaster, I think that much has been suppressed by Nuclear Stakeholders. I can think of no other explanation for what I observed and the reports reaching the UK from those areas.
I wonder if Humans will adapt in the same manner.
Dave

[RKB]

Originally Posted by Dorts

They found that although there was devastation immediately after the disaster; in the long term virtually no animals are being affected by the radiation and that they all now live with it, without any problems.

Re Swallows, there's a remarkable subtext to those studies.

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by RKB

Re Swallows, there's a remarkable subtext to those studies.

Or is there?

[STYRBJORN]

People with axes to grind cite Chernobyl as the worst nuclear event ever. The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki never seem to get a mention. The astonishing thing there is how little long term radiation effect there has been. Two very dirty nuclear weapons were exploded in the atmosphere. The death toll was horrifying, but the long-term effects have been slight. Perish the thought, but could it be that nuclear power is not Instant Armageddon?

Ric

[RKB]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Or is there?

One of the biggest scientific soap operas of the past decade. Have a google around the lead researcher.

[wanlock dod]

Certainly an interesting story, although because nobody had seen it coming the quality of information on the "baseline" situation prior to the incident is probably very limited. This means that it would be difficult to compaere the communities before and after. This has to leave one wondering how many species were present prior to the incident that are no longer found in the area.

Has the whole community become tollerant of radiation, or have the more sensitive groups simple been made extinct locally and the more sensitive members of more tollerant species prevented from reproducing, such that the community that remains is one of creatures which are relatively tolerant of radiation?

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by wanlock dod

Certainly an interesting story, although because nobody had seen it coming the quality of information on the "baseline" situation prior to the incident is probably very limited. This means that it would be difficult to compaere the communities before and after. This has to leave one wondering how many species were present prior to the incident that are no longer found in the area.

Has the whole community become tollerant of radiation, or have the more sensitive groups simple been made extinct locally and the more sensitive members of more tollerant species prevented from reproducing, such that the community that remains is one of creatures which are relatively tolerant of radiation?

Yes, you're righ Dod, there probably was probably very little in the way of a 'baseline survey', except to say that the whole area was classed has havng a 'very impoverished fauna'.

25 years on, there are now the beginings of fine mixed woodland in those areas that were previously town and farmland. The areas that were already wooded now have dead and decaying trees that previously would have been cleared for timber. A 'complete' ecosystem has develpoed with predator and prey in balance in an area the size of Lancashire, with beavers, moose, wolves and lynx all having moved into the area along with many different species of birds of prey.

Obviously the absence of people has made an enormous difference to the diversity of fauna, but to get from such initial devistation to the picture that is presented today is surely remakable, and would never have been considered possible in april 1986.

This study, although already more than 25 years old, has no doubt a long way to go before being able answer so many important questions.
Dorts.

[htcdude]

This is good news for the site. Hopefully, as there is now an abundance of wildlife, it'll be left as is and protected as a Nature Reserve.

Nige

[Hobjob]

Very interesting - thanks for posting.