What is the effect of increased UV-B light on marine life?
UV-B light is generally harmful to marine life, but again the effect is highly variable and not well understood. UV-B radiation can cause damage to the early developmental stages of fish, shrimp, crab, amphibians and other animals (UNEP, 2002).. Even at current levels, solar UV-B radiation is a limiting factor in reproductive capacity and larval development, and small increases in UV-B radiation could cause significant population reductions in the animals that eat these smaller creatures. One study done in the waters off Antarctica where increased UV-B radiation has been measured due to the ozone hole found a 6-12% decrease in phytoplankton, the organism that forms the base of the food chain in the oceans (Smith et. al., 1990). Since the ozone hole lasts for about 10-12 weeks, this corresponds to an overall phytoplankton decrease of 2-4% for the year.
