ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
THE OZONE LAYER
The ozone layer is a thin, but vital, layer of the stratosphere.
Think of it like the Earth’s “natural sunscreen." It protects us from harmful UV radiation from the sun.
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It lies about about 9 to 18 miles into Earth’s atmosphere, overlapping some airplane flight paths
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It contains ozone (a molecule with 3 oxygen molecules
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Ozone is a double-edged sword. If in the stratosphere, it acts as a barrier between life and radiation.
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However, if found in the troposphere, it becomes an air pollutant and threatens to damage plants
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Why do we need to protect the Ozone Layer?
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The ozone layer works by reflecting damaging radiation back into space
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It also absorbs the UV rays, rendering them useless
The picture shows the ozone hole over Antarctica.
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The use of ozone-destroying chemicals in the atmosphere caused a dramatic reduction of ozone in this area (so it's not really a “hole”, it just has VERY low levels of ozone).
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However, thanks to efforts made by many countries, scientists at NASA have shown that the ozone hole is slowly shrinking.
PLANTS
High amounts of ultraviolet radiation can prevent seeds from sprouting and growing.
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It can cause soil to compress and lose its nutrients which help plants grow.
Drastic amounts of radiation can cause damage to a plant’s stomata. The stomata is a pore within a leaf which controls the water level of the plant.
Radiation can cause evaporation, causing the stomata to close to preserve the plant's water levels. Damage to the stomata can prevent it from opening back up which would halt the plant’s growth.
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Plant growth is due to the reproduction of its cells as they absorb water that enters the plant. If the genetic material of these cells are damaged by radiation, it would affect cell reproduction, and ultimately, the growth of the plants.
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Radiation can destroy plant fertility by poisoning its environment, preventing offspring from growing.
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Radiation from the sun is necessary for plants to perform photosynthesis. However, ultraviolet radiation can destroy plants and their habitat.
Cells damaged by radiation can also lead to mutations that result in plants that are small with abnormal leaf patterns.
MARINE LIFE
Single-celled organisms are the main source of food for marine life.
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The biggest threat to these organisms is UVB radiation (ultraviolet B). These rays can penetrate through the depths of the ocean, although many misconceptions revolve around this idea.
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Organisms that are impacted the most:
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Algae
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Eggs and larvae of fish
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Plankton
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NOTE: These organisms are found towards the surface of the ocean, and there is not enough conclusive evidence on how it affects organisms residing deeper in the ocean
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The exposure of the UVB rays on these organisms kills them, which in turn affects the rest of the ecosystem who feed off animals like algae and plankton.
