NASA SOHO Mission,Yohkoh
science team
Ecological impacts of
UV-B radiation
Organismal effects and responses
Even small amounts of UV-B can cause damage and biological responses in a wide range of organisms. The short-term effects of UV-B on some groups of organisms have been studied more than others. For instance, the effects of UV-B on amphibians has been studied as a possible reason for the observed declines in some amphibian species and populations. Similarly, the effects of UV-B on aquatic organisms has frequently been studied because UV-B can penetrate the otherwise unshielded water column from a few centimeters to 10 m depth (Wetzel 2003), and many of the organisms struck by the radiation are small in size, making the damageable surface area large in relation to their size. There have also been studies conducted on various other species and populations but to a lesser degree. Research has focused on particular populations or species because some organisms are more likely to experience increases in UV-B exposure, such as those in the Arctic and Antarctic, at high altitudes, or in an unshaded niche, and some are more susceptible because of there lack of mobility or sensitive life cycle stages. Even when organisms are well-studied sometimes the effects of UV-B on their species or population are ambiguous.