#511 - Acid Rain, Climate Warming, Ozone Depletion are Related

Dramatic changes have been shown to occur in lake ecosystems exposed to the same intensities of UV-B as those found in eastern Canada today. These changes are caused by UV-B's ability to inhibit photosynthesis in floating plants down to depths of several meters. In other words, the photosynthesis of floating plants (phytoplankton) is reduced by increasing UV-B. The deeper the UV-B penetrates into a lake, the more photosynthesis is reduced. Photosynthesis is the process whereby bluegreen plants use the energy of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, thus creating the bottom-most layer of the world's food chains. A meter is 39 inches.