<P> Late in 1995, the World Health Organization (WHO) linked nearly 700 cases of thyroid cancer among children and adolescents to the Chernobyl disaster, and among these, some 10 deaths are attributed to radiation . However, the rapid increase in thyroid cancers detected suggests some of this increase may be an artifact of the screening process . Typical latency time of radiation - induced thyroid cancer is about 10 years, but the increase in childhood thyroid cancers in some regions was observed as early as 1987 . </P> <P> A large swath of pine forest killed by acute radiation was named the Red Forest . The dead pines were bulldozed and buried . Livestock were removed during the human evacuations . Elsewhere in Europe, levels of radioactivity were examined in various natural foodstocks . In both Sweden and Finland, fish in deep freshwater lakes were banned for resale and landowners were advised not to consume certain types . Information regarding physical deformities in the plant and animal populations in the areas affected by radioactive fallout require sampling and capture, along with DNA testing, of individuals to determine if abnormalities are the result of natural mutation, radiation poisoning, or exposure to other contaminants in the environment (i.e. pesticides, industrial waste, or agricultural run - off). </P> <P> Animals living in contaminated areas in and around Chernobyl have suffered from a variety of side effects caused by radiation . Oxidative stress and low levels of antioxidants have had severe consequences on the development of the nervous system, including reduced brain size and impaired cognitive abilities . It has been found that birds living in areas with high levels of radiation have statistically significantly smaller brains, which has shown to be a deficit to viability in the wild . Barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) that live in or around Chernobyl have displayed an increased rate of physical abnormalities compared to swallows from uncontaminated areas . Abnormalities included partially albinistic plumage, deformed toes, tumors, deformed tail feathers, deformed beaks, and deformed air sacks . Birds with these abnormalities have a reduced viability in the wild and a decrease in fitness . Moeller et al. claimed in 2007 that these effects were likely due to radiation exposure and elevated teratogenic effects of radioactive isotopes in the environment although these conclusions have been challenged . Various birds in the area appear to have adapted to lower levels of radiation by producing more antioxidants, such as glutathione, to help mitigate the oxidative stress . </P> <P> Invertebrate populations (including bumblebees, butterflies, grasshoppers, dragonflies, and spiders) significantly decreased . As of 2009, most radioactivity around Chernobyl was located in the top layer of soil, where many invertebrates live or lay their eggs . The reduced abundance of invertebrates could have negative implications for the entire ecosystem surrounding Chernobyl . </P>

How did the chernobyl nuclear disaster affect the environment