Metrics
49 Record Views
Journal article
Detection of ultraviolet radiation induced DNA damage in microbial communities of the Gerlache Strait
Antarctic journal of the United States, Review 1997, Vol.32(5), pp.85-87
U.S. Antarctic Program, 1996-1997
01/01/1997
Abstract
There is now strong evidence that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is increasing over certain locations on the Earth's surface. Of primary concern has been the annual pattern of ozone depletion over Antarctica and the southern oceans where ozone levels have declined as much as 74 percent compared to pre-ozone-hole events. Reduction of ozone concentration selectively limits stratospheric adsorption of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation [280-320 nanometers (nm)], resulting in higher irradiance on the Earth's surface. As a result, studies of the impact of natural UVR on marine microorganisms have received much attention. The impact of increased UV-B due to ozone depletion on phytoplankton and primary production has attracted extensive interest. The effects of UV-B on bacteria, in contrast, have been largely overlooked. It is apparent from previous studies in the southern ocean and elsewhere that bacteria play a vital role in mineralization of nutrients and provide a trophic link to higher organisms. The objectives of our study have been to identify the effects of UVR and ozone depletion on bacterioplankton in the southern ocean. Our approach has been to combine state-of-the-art molecular approaches with more traditional microbial ecology methodologies. We have examined the extent of DNA damage in bacterioplankton resulting from UVR and as a function of ozone depletion with the ultimate goal of estimating the effect of the stress on carbon fluxes through bacterial assemblages.
Related links
Details
- Title
- Detection of ultraviolet radiation induced DNA damage in microbial communities of the Gerlache Strait
- Publication Details
- Antarctic journal of the United States, Review 1997, Vol.32(5), pp.85-87
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Series
- U.S. Antarctic Program, 1996-1997
- Grant note
- This work was supported by National Science Foundation grant number OPP 94-19037.
- Identifiers
- 99380184625106600
- Academic Unit
- Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering ; Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation
- Language
- English