Harmful effects of UV radiation in Algae and aquatic macrophytes – A review

This study provides an overview of the available literature on the ultraviolet-B (UV-B – λ=280-315 nm) and UV-A radiation (λ=315-400 nm) effects on algae (micro and macroalgae) and aquatic macrophytes, like seagrasses and liverworts. It includes studies on prokariotic cyanobacteria, haptophytes, diatoms, dinoflagellates, red algae, brown algae and chlorophytes from freshwater (ponds, lakes) to marine littoral and Open Ocean. It also reports available studies concerning on marine and freshwater plants exposed under UV irradiation. Since the reported relationship between the human activity and the depletion of the protecting layer, the effects of ultraviolet radiation in the biological relevant wavebands on algae and on organisms in general have become an important issue over the past three decades and will be also important in the next few decades. Virtually, all aquatic organisms depend on algae and aquatic plants (submerged or near shallow line) for food, shelter, also as oxygen supplement and CO2 sequestration by photosynthetic procedure. This review reports on harmfull effects caused by ultraviolet wavebands on photosynthetic organisms in their natural habitats.