title: Identification of influential events concerning the Antarctic ozone hole over southern Brazil and the biological effects induced by UVB and UVA radiation in an endemic treefrog species.
abstract: The increased incidence of solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) due to ozone depletion has been affecting both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and it may help to explain the enigmatic decline of amphibian populations in specific localities. In this work, influential events concerning the Antarctic ozone hole were identified in a dataset containing 35 years of ozone measurements over southern Brazil. The effects of environmental doses of UVB and UVA radiation were addressed on the morphology and development of Hypsiboas pulchellus tadpole (Anura: Hylidae), as well as on the induction of malformation after the conclusion of metamorphosis. These analyzes were complemented by the detection of micronucleus formation in blood cells. 72 ozone depletion events were identified from 1979 to 2013. Surprisingly, their yearly frequency increased three-fold during the last 17 years. The results clearly show that H. pulchellus tadpole are much more sensitive to UVB than UVA light, which reduces their survival and developmental rates. Additionally, the rates of micronucleus formation by UVB were considerably higher compared to UVA even after the activation of photolyases enzymes by a further photoreactivation treatment. Consequently, a higher occurrence of malformation was observed in UVB-irradiated individuals. These results demonstrate the severe genotoxic impact of UVB radiation on this treefrog species and its importance for further studies aimed to assess the impact of the increased levels of solar UVB radiation on declining species of the Hylidae family.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Southern Regional Space Research Center, CRS/INPE-MCTI, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Passaglia Schuch
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauricio Beux
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mendes Lipinski
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Southern Regional Space Research Center, CRS/INPE-MCTI, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vaz Peres
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caroline Peripolli
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanini Cechin
authors.affiliation: Southern Regional Space Research Center, CRS/INPE-MCTI, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jorge Schuch
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Southern Regional Space Research Center, CRS/INPE-MCTI, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Damaris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kirsh Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: elgion@base.ufsm.br.
authors.forename: Elgion Lúcio
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: da Silva Loreto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D001938:Brazil; D004249:DNA Damage; D062966:Ozone Depletion; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: Amphibian decline; DNA damage; DNA repair; Mutagenesis; Ozone depletion; UV radiation