© NASA |
The earth's ozone layer serves a vital function in protecting
life on the planet from the harmful impacts of solar ultraviolet
radiation (UV). However, through the production of a range
of chemicals, human activity has resulted in a severe depletion
in the thickness, and the UV filtering ability of this vital
protective shield.
Despite efforts to phase out ozone destroying chemicals such
as CFCs, research reveals that the holes in the ozone are
growing. The situation is unlikely to improve in the immediate
future since ozone depleting chemicals continue to increase
in the atmosphere.
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The increasing UV radiation can have a number of impacts on marine
ecosystems, especially in the polar regions where ozone depletion
is at its greatest, an area that is especially important for many
whale species.
Ozone depletion may have detrimental effects on phytoplankton and
zooplankton effecting all communities further up the food chain.
For whales, creatures that spend the greatest time at the ocean
surface and upper layers, increased UV exposure could eventually
lead to genetic damage and cancer.
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