Effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on terrestrial plants and marine organisms

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5181588

Worrest, R C; Grant, L D

In assessing the impact of increased exposure to UV-B radiation (290-320 nm) for crops and terrestrial ecosystems, it must be recognized that existing knowledge is in many ways deficient. Despite uncertainties resulting from the complexities of field experiments, the data presently available suggest that crop yields are potentially vulnerable to increased levels of solar UV-B radiation. Existing data also suggest that increased UV-B radiation will modify the distribution and abundance of plants, and potentially change ecosystem structure. Unfortunately, neither a quantitative nor a qualitative prediction of how these ecosystems might be altered can be determined from the current knowledge base. For components of marine ecosystems, various experiments have demonstrated that UV-B radiation causes damage to fish juveniles, shrimp larvae, crab larvae, copepods, and plants essential to the marine food web. These damaging effects include decreased fecundity, growth, survival, and other reduced functions in these organisms.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (USA). Office of Research and Development
• OSTI ID: 5181588
• Report Number(s): PB-90-112582/XAB; EPA--600/D-89/128
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CROPS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ECOSYSTEMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GROWTH
OZONE
PLANTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR RADIATION
STELLAR RADIATION
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
YIELDS