Stratospheric ozone depletion: Implications for marine ecosystems

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

OSTI ID:7119836

Hardy, J; Gucinski, H

The stratospheric ozone layer shields the earth from biologically damaging solar ultraviolet radiation. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), used in refrigerants, etc. and halons, used in fire extinguishers, escape into the lower atmosphere and migrate to the stratosphere, destroying the ozone layer by photochemically catalyzing the conversion of ozone to oxygen. Global decreases in stratospheric ozone have been observed in recent years. As a result, UV-B radiation is likely to increase over the next few decades, having a very real potential for significant impacts on marine ecosystems. It would take decades to complete all the research necessary for a definitive assessment of the overall long-term effects of stratospheric ozone depletion. However, a research program focusing on the major uncertainties could provide an assessment adequate for informed decision-making within five years.

• Research Organization: Western Washington Univ., Bellingham, WA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7119836
• Report Number(s): PB-90-196601/XAB; EPA--600/J-89/301
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOSYSTEMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FREONS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
LAYERS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE LAYER
POLLUTION
RADIATIONS
STRATOSPHERE
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION