Abstract
Once it was established that in many places additional ultraviolet (UV) radiation was reaching the earth’s surface due to the depletion of the earth’s protective ozone layer, the primary question became: What does this mean to life forms? Surprisingly little is known about the biological effects of UV-B (290–320nm) radiation, the major region of the solar spectrum to be affected by ozone loss. This is partly because the UV-C spectrum, which DNA and proteins absorb heavily, and the UV-A and visible spectra, where most of photosynthesis takes place, attracted thegreatest scientific attention. The dearth of information about the effect of UV-B onlifeforms is now being addressed. Among the first pieces of information needed to answer the question posed above is the construction of reliable UV-B action spectra (AS) for crucial biological endpoints. When available, these AS combined with an estimate of the ambient radiation spectra can give rise to effectiveness spectra (ES) that will allow us to estimate the effects of this increased UV-B on life.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bogenrieder, A. 1982. Action spectra for the depression of photosynthesis by UV irradiation in Lactu stativa L. and Rumex alpinus L. In H. Baur, M.M. Caldwell, M. Tevini, and R.C. Worrest (eds.), Biologic Effects of UV-B Radiation, pp. 132–139.
Bornman, J.F., L.O. Bjom, and H.E. Akerlund. 1984. Action spectrum for inhibition by ultraviolet radiation of photosystem II activity in spinach thylakoids. Photobiochem. Photobiophys. 8:305–313.
Caldwell, M.M. 1971. Solar UV radiation as an ecological factor for alpine plants. In A.C. Giese (ed.), Photophysiology, Vol. 6, pp. 131–177.
Caldwell, M.M., L.B. Camp, C.W. Warner, and S.D. Flint. 1986. Action spectra and their key role in assessing biological consequences of solar UV-B radiation. In R.C. Worrest and M. M. Caldwell (eds.), Stratospheric Ozone Reduction, Solar Ultraviolet Radiation and Plant Life, Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 87–111.
Coohill, T.P. 1984. Action spectra for mammalian cells in vitro. In K.C. Smith (ed.), Topics in Photomedicine, Plenum, New York, pp. 1–37.
Coohill, T. P. 1989. Ultraviolet action spectra (280 to 380nm) and solar effectiveness spectra for higher plants, Photochem. Photobiol. 50:451–457.
Coohill, T.P. 1991. Action spectra again? Photochem. Photobiol. 54:859–870.
Coohill, T.P., M. J. Peak, and J.G. Peak. 1987. The effects of the ultraviolet wavelengths of radiation present in sunlight on human cells in vitro. Photochem. Photobiol. 46:1043–1050.
Daubeny, C. 1836. On the action of light upon plants and plants upon atmosphere. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, 1836, pp. 149–179.
De Fabo, E.C., F.P. Noonan, and J.E. Frederick. 1990. Biologically effective doses of sunlight for immune suppression at various latitudes and their relationship to changes in stratospheric ozone. Photochem. Photobiol. 52:811–817.
De Gruijl, F.R., and J. van der Leun. 1992. Action spectra for photocarcinogenesis. In F. Urbach (ed.), Biological Responses to UV-A Radiation, Valdenmar Publishing, Overland Park, Kansas.
Gates, F.L. 1930. A study of the bacteriacidal action of ultraviolet light. III. The absorption of ultraviolet light by bacteria. J. Gen. Physiol. 14:31–42.
Hader, D.P. 1988. Ecological consequences of photomovement in microorganisms. J. Photo-chem. Photobiol. B: Biol. 1:385–414.
Jagger, J. 1967. Introduction to Research in Ultraviolet Photobiology. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Jones, L.W., and B. Kok. 1966. Photoinhibition of chloroplast reactions. I: Kinetics and action spectra. Plant Physiol. 41:1037–1043.
Lipson, E.D. 1991. Action spectroscopy. In F. Lence, F. Ghetti, G. Colombetti, D.-P. Hader, and P.-S. Song (eds.), Biophysics of Photoreceptors and Photomove-ments in Microorganisms, Plenum, NY.
Rundel, R.D. 1983. Action spectra and estimation of biologically effective UV radiation. Physiol. Plant. 58:360–366.
Setlow, R.B. 1957. Action spectroscopy. In J.H Lawrence and C.A. Tobias (eds.), Adv. Biol. Med. Physics, Vol. 5, Academic Press, New York.
Setlow, R.B. 1974. The wavelengths in sunlight effective in producing skin cancer. A theoretical analysis. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sic. USA 71:3363–3366.
Taylor, H.R. 1989. The biological effects of UV-B on the eye. Photochem. Photobiol. 50:489–492.
Tevini, M. and Steinmuller. 1988. Personal comminication.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Coohill, T.P. (1994). Exposure Response Curves Action Spectra and Amplification Factors. In: Biggs, R.H., Joyner, M.E.B. (eds) Stratospheric Ozone Depletion/UV-B Radiation in the Biosphere. NATO ASI Series, vol 18. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78884-0_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78884-0_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-78886-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-78884-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive