The Effects of Ozone Gas on Wildlife and Ecosystem Health

Ozone gas is a gas naturally formed in our atmosphere and forms a protective barrier that prevents ultraviolet sunlight from damaging life on earth. This ozone is called “high-level ozone” and is necessary to support life.

Ozone closer to the ground, called “ground-level ozone” can however have harmful effects on plants, animals, and ecosystems.

In this blog, we will look at how ozone impacts the environment, how it benefits and harms ecosystems and wildlife, and how we can fight to lower ozone levels that endanger the health of our natural world. 

Ozone in the Atmosphere

High-Level Ozone

Ozone in the stratosphere is commonly referred to as the "ozone layer." This high-altitude ozone is essential for life on Earth as it works to absorb most of the sun’s UV radiation. If we didn’t have this layer, or it was to become damaged, UV rays would be able to penetrate the earth's surface, leading to damage to living organisms, the ozone layer is a vital shield that allows life to thrive.

Ground-Level Ozone

At ground level, ozone is a different kettle of fish. Ground-level ozone is a harmful pollutant and is formed by chemical reactions involving pollutant gases such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This type of ozone has a range of negative effects on ecosystems and wildlife and is incredibly toxic. 

Negative Effects of Ozone on Ecosystems and Wildlife

Impact it can have on plants

Ground-level ozone can have a significant impact on plants and their ability to grow, ozone can reduce the ability of plants to photosynthesise which inhibits their growth and weakens the plant. 

Plantations exposed to ozone are expected to grow slower, resulting in reduced plantation yields and stunted woodlands due to a lack of needed tree levels. Farmers will also suffer from lower crop yields; crops such as wheat, cotton, and soybeans may all be affected, resulting in less crops produced.

This effect on plants can have a direct effect on the ecosystems that surround it, animals and insects that feed off of these plants and use them for shelter may struggle to survive on limited resources.

The Effects of Ozone Gas on Wildlife and Ecosystem

As previously mentioned, ozone can affect entire ecosystems, when plants cannot grow to their full capacity, they lose their ability to store and convert carbon dioxide and maintain the health of the soil they are situated in.

The effects of this may include the loss of habitat for animals, particularly those that rely on plants for food and refuge. Animals that experience nutritional deficits as a result of diminished food supplies grow weaker themselves, which can lead to additional problems with predators, who will also suffer nutritional deficiencies as a result of a lack of nutritious prey.

Benefits of Stratospheric Ozone for Ecosystems

It’s not all doom and gloom, there are some benefits that come with ozone and ecosystems, it plays a crucial role in protecting ecosystems against UV radiation, exposure and damage.

UV can cause havoc in ecosystems and also cause devastation, phytoplankton is incredibly sensitive to UV, and when exposed can die, causing disruption in marine ecosystems. 

Furthermore, UV-exposed animals and plants may develop compromised immune systems, making them more vulnerable and limiting their ability to survive in their natural habitat.

How to Reduce Ozone Levels and Protect Ecosystems

The reduction of ground-level ozone can inhibit the previously mentioned issues, protecting natural habitats, wildlife and ecosystems. 

There are a number of strategies we can undertake to help reduce these levels, these include cutting emissions, after all, when nitrogen oxides and VOCs are released into the environment, they react with heat and sunlight to create ozone.

Industrial processes, transportation and agriculture are all responsible for unleashing these gases into the environment, therefore by being more environmentally friendly, using cleaner energy sources and electric cars, we can reduce these pollutant gases, thus reducing ozone.

Clean air policies such as ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) Zones implement restrictions on bad air quality, aiming to improve the quality of air, and reduce pollutant air within urban and rural areas, this can help to reduce and slow down the production of ozone.

Protecting ecosystems and restoring damaged habitats can help to reduce ozone due to open spaces without any pollutants. 

Looking after the ozone layer also assists with promoting and balancing high-level ozone and ground-level ozone, ensuring both are at sufficient levels. Limiting the production of ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons with the Montreal Protocol has proven to improve the ozone levels, confirming that cooperation between countries can keep ozone levels healthy. 

Conclusion

To conclude, ozone gas has good and bad benefits for earth, whilst it protects us against harmful UV, it can also destroy ecosystems and habitats if not kept under check.

By promoting sustainability and protecting the ozone layer and environment, we can ensure that both humans and wildlife are kept safe for generations to come.