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Ultraviolet B radiation (UVBR, 280–320 nm), the most biologically damaging portion of the solar spectrum reaching the Earth, received considerable scientific attention after the discovery of the spring stratospheric ‘ozone hole’ in the late 1970s over Antarctica. Recently, similar low ozone conditions were observed over the Arctic and occasionally at lower latitudes. Furthermore, expected increases in ocean acidification, surface water temperatures, and modifications in the structure of the water column due to global change exacerbated general concerns about the potential impact that such changes may have on the structure of marine food webs. In this chapter, we review the effects of ultraviolet- B radiation (UVBR) on various marine ecosystems. We start by providing a description of factors that influence the UVBR intensity, including latitude, season, stratospheric ozone layer thickness, and penetration within the water column. Then, we depict the effects of UVBR on the food webs of some important marine ecosystems such as polar oceans, coastal waters, fronts and upwellings, oceanic gyres, and benthic ecosystems. Finally, we investigate the potential interactions of enhanced UVBR along with other climate change stressors such as global warming and ocean acidification.

Item Type:	Other Book Chapter
Keywords:	UVB, plankton, ecological impacts
Research Division:	Earth Sciences
Research Group:	Oceanography
Research Field:	Biological oceanography
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the mathematical sciences
UTAS Author:	Moreau, S (Dr Sebastien Moreau)
ID Code:	109564
Year Published:	2016
Deposited By:	Ecology and Biodiversity
Deposited On:	2016-06-22
Last Modified:	2016-06-22
Downloads:	2 View Download Statistics