The French have discovered that UV radiation penetrates up to 100m deep in the waters of the southeast Pacific Ocean. They propose this might explain why surface waters in this region are poor in nutrients and a relative biological desert. As you may recall from your science classes UV degrades organic compounds including DNA. The research appears in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
2 Replies to “Sea Creatures May Get Sunburns”
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another selective pressure for countershading?
Good question without an answer. To answer this you would have to show that fish from this region were relatively darker than there counterparts in areas were UV penetration was not as deep.