• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.439-441
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• 2002

Cyanobacteria are the dominant micro flora in rice-fields, contributing significantly to fertility as a natural biofertilizer. Recent studies show a continuous depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, and the consequent increase in solar UV-B (280-315 nm) radiation reaching the Earth's surface. UV-B radiation causes reduction in growth, survival, protein content, heterocyst frequency and fixation of carbon and nitrogen in many cyanobacteria. UV -B induced bleaching of pigments, disassembly of phycobilisomal complexes, thymine dimer formation and alterations in membrane permeability have also been encounterd in a number of cyanobacteria. However, certain cyanobacteria produce photoprotective compounds such as water soluble colorless mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and the lipid soluble yellow-brown colored sheath pigment, scytonemin, to counteract the damaging effects of UV-B. Cyanobacteria, such as Anabaena sp., Nostoc commune, Scytonema sp. and Lyngbya sp. were isolated from rice fields and other habitats in India and screened for the presence of photoprotective compounds. A circadian induction of the synthesis of MAAs by UV -B was noted in a number of cyanobacteria. Polychromatic action spectra for the induction of MAAs in Anabaena sp. and Nostoc commune also show the induction to be UV-B dependent peaking at 290 nm. Another photoprotective compound, scytonemin, with an absorption maximum at 386 nm (also absorbs at 300, 278, 252 and 212 nm), was detected in many cyanobacteria. In conclusion, a particular cyanobacterium having photoprotective compounds may be a potent candidate as biofertilizer for crop plants.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 1998

To investigate the effects of different UV-B levels on plant growth, cucumber plants were subjected to three levels of biologically effective ultraviolet-B(UV--$B^{BE}$ radiation [daily dose : 0.03(No UV-B), 6.40(Low UV-B) and 11.30 (High UV-B) kJ $m^{-2}$, UV--$B^{BE}$] in the growth chambers for 3 weeks during the early growth period. High and low levels of UV-B irradiation drastically decreased both dry weight and leaf area, but increased specific leaf weight of cucumber. Plants subjected to UV-B resulted in 30% and 20% reduction of photosynthesis rate by high and low UV-B, respectively. However, respiration rate was not affected by the UV-B. With increasing UV-B intensity, total chlorophyll contents were decreased linearly, while the contents of flavonoid were increased linearly. These results suggest that the present levels of UV-B may affect the growth of cucumber plant compared with a UV-B-free condition. It is likely that the growth of cucumber will be affected by enhanced UV-B due to ozone depletion in the near future.

• Atmosphere
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.291-300
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• 2017

The monthly-mean irradiance of ultra violet (UV)-B and UV-A observed from 2005 to 2014 and 2012 to 2014, respectively, at noon in Gosan, Jeju, South Korea are analyzed. We compare cloudiness, total ozone, visibility, and relative humidity with an emphasis on the four months from May to August (MJJA), which shows the largest UV radiation. While the incoming UV-B radiation at the top of the atmosphere in Gosan is the largest in June due to the small solar zenith angle, the observed surface UV-B shows an unexpected smaller value in June than those in May, July or August. In June, the meteorological conditions affecting Gosan are completely dominated by cloudiness and thus, frequent overcast seems to determine the minimum UV-B. Another important UV-determining factor is the total ozone, which exhibits a monotonic decrease during MJJA without agreeing to the characteristic feature of UV. The ratio of UV-B to UV-A is not generally influenced by cloudiness. Thus, the ratio is a useful indicator of atmospheric turbidity showing larger values for increasing visibility, except in June. A simple model has been used to estimate surface UV by using the observed ozone and visibility in the cloudless condition. The result shows that UV has the lowest value in June with small variation during MJJA. Model estimation also shows that the different characteristic features observed in July between surface UV-B and UV-A is the result of less absorption of UV-B by ozone than that of UV-A by a smaller amount of total ozone.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1323-1334
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• 2010

The effect of nitric oxide (NO) on antioxidant system and protective mechanism against oxidative stress under UV-B radiation was investigated in leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings during 3 days growth period. UV-B irradiation caused a decrease of leaf biomass including leaf length, width and weight during growth. Application of NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), significantly alleviated UV-B stress induced growth suppression. NO donor permitted the survival of more green leaf tissue preventing chlorophyll content reduction and of higher quantum yield for photosystem II than in non-treated controls under UV-B stress, suggesting that NO has protective effect on chloroplast membrane in maize leaves. Flavonoids and anthocyanin, UV-B absorbing compounds, were significantly accumulated in the maize leaves upon UV-B exposure. Moreover, the increase of these compounds was intensified in the NO treated seedlings. UV-B treatment resulted in lipid peroxidation and induced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in maize leaves, while NO donor prevented UV-B induced increase in the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and $H_2O_2$. These results demonstrate that NO serves as antioxidant agent able to scavenge $H_2O_2$ to protect plant cells from oxidative damage. The activities of two antioxidant enzymes that scavenge reactive oxygen species, catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in maize leaves in the presence of NO donor under UV-B stress were higher than those under UV-B stress alone. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3- oxide (PTIO), a specific NO scavenger, to the maize leaves arrested NO donor mediated protective effect on leaf growth, photosynthetic pigment and free radical scavenging activity. However, PTIO had little effect on maize leaves under UV-B stress compared with that of UV-B stress alone. $N^{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine (LNNA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), significantly increased $H_2O_2$ and MDA accumulation and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities in maize leaves under UV-B stress. This demonstrates that NOS inhibitor LNNA has opposite effects on oxidative resistance. From these results it is suggested that NO might act as a signal in activating active oxygen scavenging system that protects plants from oxidative stress induced by UV-B radiation and thus confer UV-B tolerance.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.281-288
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• 2018

The transmission of solar light according to the distribution of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) was measured in the Pacific Arctic Ocean. The Research Vessel Araon visited the ice-covered East Siberian and Chukchi Seas in August 2016. In the Arctic, solar [ultraviolet-A (UV-A), ultraviolet-B (UV-B), and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)] radiation reaching the surface of the ocean is primarily protected by the distribution of sea ice. The transmission of solar light in the ocean is controlled by sea ice and dissolved organic matter, such as CDOM. The concentration of CDOM is the major factor controlling the penetration depth of UV radiation into the ocean. The relative CDOM concentration of surface sea water was higher in the East Siberian Sea than in the Chukchi Sea. Due to the distribution of CDOM, the penetration depth of solar light in the East Siberian Sea (UV-B, $9{\pm}2m$; UV-A, $13{\pm}2m$; PAR, $36{\pm}4m$) was lower than in the Chukchi Sea (UV-B, $15{\pm}3m$; UV-A, $22{\pm}3m$; PAR, $49{\pm}3m$). Accelerated global warming and the rapid decrease of sea ice in the Arctic have resulted in marine organisms being exposed to increased harmful UV radiation. With changes in sea ice covered areas and concentrations of dissolved organic matter in the Arctic Ocean, marine ecosystems that consist of a variety of species from primary producers to high-trophic-level organisms will be directly or indirectly affected by solar UV radiation.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.389-394
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• 2001

During austral summer 1998 we examined the impacts of artificial UV-B and solar radiation on chlorophyll a content and fresh weight of four species of Antarctic red algae namely, Georgiella confluens, Iridaea cordata, Pantoneura plocamioides and Porphyra endiviifolium. These subject species were taken in consideration of clear demarcations of their vertical distribution and classified as shallow water group (Iridaea and Porphyra) and deep water group (Georgiella and Pantoneura). When irradiated with artificial UV-B at the irradiance of $2.0Wm^{-2}$ the shallow water inhabitants were much more resistant than the algae from deep water the fresh weight of which was reduced by 40-50% relative to control apart from loss of pigmentation. Direct solar radiation was lethal to the deep water group with a sign of complete bleaching whereas the shallow water group did not show any change in the physiological parameters. We were unable to discriminate difference in the algal sensitivity between UV-filtered and UV-transparent treatments since samples tested were either all unaffected or dead. Spectrophotometric measurements of methanolic extracts revealed a strong absorption peak in the UV range in the shallow water group of algae, Iridaea and Porphyra, but not in the deep water counterparts. Species difference in sensitivity to artificial UV-B and solar radiation is discussed in relation to biochemical and morphological characteristics and the role of the radiation in the algal vertical distribution is suggested from ecological perspective.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1345-1353
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• 2007

The effect of salicylic acid(SA) on antioxidant system and protective mechanisms against UV-B induced oxidative stress was investigated in cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.) leaves. UV-B radiation and SA were applied separately or in combination to first leaves of cucumber seedlings, and dry matter accumulation, lipid peroxidation and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured in both dose and time-dependant manner. UV-B exposure showed reduced levels of fresh weight and dry matter production, whereas SA treatment significantly increased them. SA noticeably recovered the UV-B induced inhibition of biomass production. UV-B stress also affected lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme defense system. Malondialdehyde(MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, was greatly increased under UV-B stress, showing a significant enhancement of a secondary metabolites, which may have antioxidative properties in cucumber leaves exposed to UV-B radiation. Combined application of UV-B and SA caused a moderate increase in lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that SA may mediate protection against oxidative stress. UV-B exposure significantly increased SOD, APX, and GR activity compared with untreated control plants. Those plants treated with 1.0 mM SA showed a similar pattern of changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes. SA-mediated induction of antioxidant enzyme activity may involve a protective accumulation of $H_2O_2$ against UV-B stress. Moreover, their activities were stimulated with a greater increase by UV-B+SA treatment. The UV-B+SA plants always presented higher values than UV-B and SA plants, considering the adverse effects of UV-B on the antioxidant cell system. ABA and JA, second messengers in signaling in response to stresses, showed similar mode of action in UV-B stress, supporting that they may be important in acquired stress tolerance. Based on these results, it can be suggested that SA may participates in the induction of protective mechanisms involved in tolerance to UV-B induced oxidative stress.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.368-376
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• 2003

The UV-B sensitivity was tested for the intertidal species Chondrus ocellatus from Korea, by measuring photosynthesis estimated as effective quantum yield ($\Phi_{PSII}$) of photosystem II (PS II), growth and content and composition of photosynthetic pigments and UV-absorbing pigments (UVAPs). The $$\Phi_{PSII}$ of the alga decreased with increasing time of exposure to UV-B radiation, followed by fast and nearly full recovery indicating dynamic photoinhibiton. Fresh weight-based growth and pigment contents of C. ocellatus were not seriously affected by UV-B radiation. A single broad peak at 327 nm was obtained from methanol extracts of C. ocellatus, and the absorbance peak increased with increasing UV. The single peak was resolved into three peaks (311, 330 and 336 nm) by the fourth -derivative, and quantitative change in response to UV-B radiation occurred only at 330 nm. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of purified extracts indicated that three MAAs (mycosporine-like amino acids) are present, asterina 330, palythine and shinorine. Field observations during three growing months showed that C. ocellatus exhibit the highest amount of UVAPs in May followed by July and little trace in September, coinciding with the species' phenology. In an ecological context, dynamic photoinhibition as well as accumulation of UVAPs may enable the shallow water red alga C. ocellatus to be well adapted to high UV-B environments.

• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2014

Availability of nutrients is known to influence marine primary production; and it is of general interest to see how nutrient limitation mediates phytoplankton responses to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm). The red tide diatom Skeletonema costatum was cultured under nitrate (N)-limited and N-replete conditions and exposed to different solar irradiation treatments with or without UV-A (315-400 nm) and UV-B (280-315 nm) radiation. Its photochemical quantum yield decreased by 13.6% in N-limited cells as compared to that in N-replete ones under photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)-alone treatment, and the presence of UV-A or UV-B decreased the yield further by 2.8 and 3.1%, respectively. The non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), when the cells were exposed to stressful light condition, was higher in N-limited than in N-replete grown cells by 180% under PAR alone, by 204% under PAR + UV-A and by 76% under PAR + UV-A + UV-B treatments. Our results indicate that the N limitation exacerbates the UVR effects on the S. costatum photosynthetic performance and stimulate its NPQ.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.409-419
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• 2016

With increasing social concerns for healthy food, the studies on the cultivation of crops to increase accumulation of functional metabolites in crops have been investigated. Accumulation of the metabolites in crops is highly affected by various types of stress, such as nutrient deficiency, water deficit (WD), extreme temperature and UV-B radiation as well as their own life cycle. This review summarizes the previous studies on the effects of environmental stresses, especially WD and UV-B radiation, on accumulation of functional metabolites in crops. UV-B radiation and WD during specific period (mainly at maturation stage) activates the adaptation and/or defense system in crops, thereby increasing biosynthesis of the metabolites. Although WD and UV-B radiation tend to decrease in crop yield, the decrease can be compensated by the production of high value crops having high content of functional metabolites.