UV could hinder polar plant growth

By: David Johnson et al

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<h1>UV could hinder polar plant growth</h1>
<h4>By: David Johnson <i>et al</i></h4>
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<p>The effects of ozone depletion and the burning of fossil fuels mean that plants are likely to be exposed to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO<SUB>2</SUB>) and ultraviolet-B radiation, especially in polar regions. <BR><IMG height=145 src="http://c96265.r65.cf3.rackcdn.com/2002mar_ice.jpg" width=159 align=right><BR>It had been thought that the soil microbes associated with such plant communities would be strongly affected by increasing CO<SUB>2</SUB>, at least indirectly, but relatively insulated from the effects of UV-B radiation.<BR><BR>But a five-year study by David Johnson of the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and colleagues suggests otherwise<BR><BR>The researchers — whose results are published in the 7 March issue of <em>Nature</em> — studied of a patch of subarctic heath in Swedish Lapland. They found that increases in UV-B radiation — with or without raised atmospheric CO<SUB>2</SUB> — significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen that soil bacteria hold. <BR><BR>Reference: <em>Nature</em> 416, 82 (2002)<BR><BR><a href="http://www.nature.com/login/scidev_login.taf?ref=/nature/journal/v416/n6876/full/416082a_fs.html" target="_blank" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/tracking/external/'+this.href);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Link to full text</A><BR><BR><STRONG>Photo credit</STRONG>: NREL</p>

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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/news/uv-could-hinder-polar-plant-growth/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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The effects of ozone depletion and the burning of fossil fuels mean that plants are likely to be exposed to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and ultraviolet-B radiation, especially in polar regions.

It had been thought that the soil microbes associated with such plant communities would be strongly affected by increasing CO₂, at least indirectly, but relatively insulated from the effects of UV-B radiation.

But a five-year study by David Johnson of the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and colleagues suggests otherwise

The researchers — whose results are published in the 7 March issue of Nature — studied of a patch of subarctic heath in Swedish Lapland. They found that increases in UV-B radiation — with or without raised atmospheric CO₂ — significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen that soil bacteria hold.

Reference: Nature 416, 82 (2002)

Link to full text

Photo credit: NREL