What is the effect of increased UV-B light on plants?
UV-B light is generally harmful to plants, but sensitivity varies widely and is not well understood. Many species of plants are not UV-B sensitive; others show marked growth reduction and DNA damage under increased UV-B light levels. It is thought that ozone depletion may not have a significant detrimental effect on agricultural crops, as UV-B tolerant varieties of grains could fairly easily be substituted for existing varieties. Natural ecosystems, however, would face a more difficult time adapting. Direct damage to plants from ozone loss has been documented in several studies. For example, data from a spring, 1997 study in Tierra del Fuego, at the southern tip of Argentina, found DNA damage to plants on days the ozone hole was overhead to be 65% higher than on non-ozone-hole days (Rousseaux et. al., 1999).
