Consequences of Depletion of Ozone Layer: The ozone layer in the atmosphere protecting the layer above the earth’s surface. It prohibits the entry of hazardous and intense sun rays reaching the earth’s surface. The Ozone (O3) absorbs the ultra-violet rays of the sun and covers the minute area of the stratosphere layer. Well, due to increasing pollution on earth, the coating is getting damaged day-by-day. On the contrary, there is no extreme measure initiated to avoid the same.
The depletion of the ozone layer can prove fatal for the living on the earth. UVB rays aren’t good for life on the planet. They can penetrate through the surfaces and can cause severe damage too.
The ozone hole formed at the polar regions (Antarctic) is due to a decreased DU rate of the ozone scale. That is a tremendous environmental change for the earth. The consequences faced by organisms, plants, and life on earth can be illustrated as follows:
Table of Contents
What Are the Effects of Ozone Depletion?
Ozone Layer Depletion Effects on Plants
Ozone depletion will allow the UVB rays to enter the earth’s atmosphere. The UVB rays are not friendly for the plants and create adverse effects on the same. – The impact on the growth, existence, nutrition value, and many other parameters related to vegetation.
Plants are the integral source of oxygen and the food supplement for the living on earth. The extinction of plants signifies the decrease in living organisms indeed. UVB rays effect on the species. For specific plant growth, there is always a requirement of some bacteria.
Example – Wheat crop needs Cyanobacteria to grow. At the same time, these bacteria are susceptible to the direct rays of the sun. UVB rays are hazardous to such bacteria and prohibit the growth of many primary crops.
The fruits and flower plants are sensitive to the UVB rays too. The variety of colour pigments under the harmful rays can become extinct. Therefore, the vegetation protection must avoid UVB exposure on the plants. The ozone layer does help us with the same, and hence it should be protected from damages/Depletion.
Effects of Ozone Depletion on Humans
Ultra-Violent rays are damaging for the humans on the earth. The human body is made up of small cells and tissues which are delicate and sensitive to UVB radiation. The penetration of UVB rays through the skin can make the skin tissues damage and initiates the chances of encountering skin cancer.
Skin cancer is generally non-curable if caused by direct contact with intense UVB radiation. That further can lead to deaths in the case of man. It is due to the Ozone layer that today we can survive in the atmosphere. Scientifically it is proven that, if there were no ozone cover over the earth’s surface there wouldn’t be a surviving human on the land. A variety of health problems and intense disease can be encountered due to exposure to the rays.
UV radiation can also affect internal systems and can damage intestines and livers. Therefore, it is very crucial to have a 300 DU ozone protection in the atmosphere.
Eye Damages:
UVB radiation can cause slow Blindness and also results in damage to the integral parts of eye structure. The cornea, eye membrane, Iris, and lens cannot stay healthy in the exposure of UVB.
The cells and light repellent capacity of the eyes decrease in such a situation. Cataract, short term, and other long-term eye problems do sustain in that situation. Every year with a 10% decrease in ozone layers gives around millions of eye issues and diseases in humans.
Immune System:
UV exposure creates more deadly viruses in the environment. That also decreases the body fighting ability to externally prone diseases and viruses. In conclusion, UV radiation from the sun is not a good sign of the organisms.
Consequences of Ozone Depletion Layer on Ecosystem:
Ecosystems are essential for the coordination and balance of the planet. It ensures the availability of sources and helps each other survive.
Effects on Terrestrial Ecosystem:
Studies have proven that the plants, creatures, insects, animals, and humans are all prone to damages from the UVB radiations. There exists a broader list of diseases and internal injuries in them. The species of micro-organisms and bacteria are vital for the growth of animals and plants. The rare variety of these can vanish giving rise to the problems in other growth issues.
Read more about: Rainforest Ecosystem
Marine Ecosystem:
The bacteria responsible for aquatic plant growth is delicate enough to handle UVB. Plankton is more prone to extinction being non-resistant to the same. Fish and other marine vegetation (like Macroalgae and seagrasses) are integral biomass on the earth. The ozone depletion will undoubtedly harm the aquatic life and quality of living.
Read more about: Marine ecosystem
Consequences on Substances:
These days many materials, articles and items are made UV repellent; however, the intense radiation can damage those too. The handy useful material we use being non-living too isn’t rescued from the harm of UVB radiation. They can damage too and even lose the intention behind their existence.
Conclusion:
Therefore, if we wish to have a healthy lifestyle on the planet, balancing every ecosystem maintains the variety and cherishes it becomes very crucial to take in concern the depletion rate of the ozone layer.
Ozone (O3) depletion and thinning is a lousy indicator of environmental changes. The major climatic problem is aroused by the irresponsible behavior of the community on the planet.
Air Pollution (Release of Chemicals in the atmosphere) is the root cause behind the same. The rate of vehicle users and the industrial count is increasing rapidly. The harmful gases, including the chemicals (Outlets of factories), are released out in the atmosphere.
The Depletion of the Ozone layer has been the year process. It was first detected in 1944 and still increasing. Every per cent of thinning of the layer will give rise to millions of problems and diseases on the planet.
Therefore, it is our responsibility together to reduce pollution, Global Warming, and other atmosphere harming actions and protect the Ozone layer that protects us in return.