Defence mechanisms of phytoplankton exposed to UV radiation

Phytoplankton builds an important part of energy flow in the Earth's ecosystem. It forms the basis of the food chain and represents main primary producers. The question arises, due to the continuing ozone depletion, what impact may cause the increasing intensity of UV radiation on aquatic ecosystems. Especially UV-B radiation is capable of penetrating depp into the water column and affects the key physiological processes (e.g. growth, reproduction) and causes acute physiological stress to aquatic organisms including phytoplankton. The gole of my thesis is to summarize the studies focused on the impact of UV radiation on planktonic algae and the defense mechanisms that reduce the negative effects of UV radiation. These mechanisms may be devided into three groups: active avoidance, production of UV-absorbing substances and repairs of damage induced by UV radiation. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org