The Thinning Of The Ozone Layer

Ozone layer
The ozone layer is a deep layer in the stratosphere, encircling the Earth, that has large amounts of ozone in it. Located 12 - 25km above the Earths surface The layer shields the entire Earth from much of the harmful ultraviolet radiation that comes from the sun. Ozone is a special form of oxygen, made up of three oxygen atoms (O3) rather than the usual two oxygen atoms (O2). This O3 can absorb large quantities of UV radiation.

Ozone hole
The term ozone hole refers to recent depletion of this protective layer over Earth's polar regions. People, plants, and animals living under the ozone hole are harmed by the solar radiation now reaching the Earth's surfacewhere it causes health problems from eye damage to skin cancer.
Human Skin cancer or melanoma, cataract, lower of bodys immune system. Plants Damage of leaf cells and chlorophyll, reducing photosynthesis. The environment Temperature increase, climate changes, change in wind directions.

For example, in 1985, it was reported that the stratospheric ozone concentrations over the Antartica had declined by 40% since 1977.

The ozone hole is the region over Antarctica with total ozone 220 Dobson Units or lower. (The avg total column ozone in the atmosphere is about 300 DU.)

Ozone hole in Sept 2005. Source: NASA

More pictures of ozone hole

CFCs
The main cause ozone depletion is the increasing level of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) in the atmosphere.
The use of CFCs as coolants in air conditioners and refrigerators as propellants in aerosol cans, as solvents in the electronics industry and as foaming agents in the making of polystyrene boxes has released large amounts of CFCs into the atmosphere. CFC are unreactive and can remain unchanged for over 100 years. UV radiation breaks down CFCs, releasing chlorine radicals which destroy ozone in a chain reaction.

IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING AND THE THINNING OF THE OZONE LAYER ON THE ECOSYSTEM
Sea water becomes warm due to global warming. Decline in zooplanktons.Ecosystems food web affected. Drought due to global warming causes the land to dry. Ecosystem becomes unstable as the producers, the plants are not able to thrive. UV radiation affect photosynthesis. Aquatic organisms are sensitive to UV. Ecosystemm such as coral reefs, wetlands, polarseas and temperate forests are slowly losing its flora and fauna