Explain the harmful effects of ozone depletion on Earth.
Effect of ozone depletion:
(i) Human health:
- It causes skin cancer,
- Eye diseases like cataract,
- Suppression of the immune system.
(ii) Agriculture and plant life: Growth leaf development of most plant species decrease abundantly on exposure to high concentration of UV radiation which are filtered by ozone layer.
(iii) Marine environment: UV radiation filtered through the depleted ozone layer directly damage,
- Photosynthesizing phytoplankton presents in the sea which also help in reducing the global warming.
- Young fishes.
- Shrimp, crabs, larvae and other small animals.
- Material degradation: The lives of many plastics have been found to be shortened • due to exposure to UV radiations.