Frequently Asked Question

What effects does the depletion of ozone have on environmental processes and cycles?

Changes in the UV-B radiation impinging on the Earth’s surface attributable to changes in ozone concentration causes complex alterations to atmospheric chemistry and the global elemental cycles such as the carbon cycle. It thus affects the entire biosphere with consequences for all organisms on Earth, including humans.

UV radiation influences the biological productivity of oceans, including the production of gases at their surfaces and
their subsequent transfer to the atmosphere. Once in the atmosphere, trace gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) interact with the physical climate system resulting in alterations to climate and feedbacks in the global biogeochemical system. Since atmospheric CO2 plays a central role in the distribution of heat in the atmosphere, its increasing concentrations may affect many components of the physical climate system, such as wind, precipitation and the exchange of heat and energy between the air and the oceans.

There are also similarly complex interactions between biogeochemical cycles on land and the integrated climate system that may have important implications for organisms on Earth. At this stage, it is not possible to predict the overall environmental effects of these complex interactions between changes in climate and UV radiation.

Interations between environmental processes and cycles.
Figure provided by the US Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)