Final answer:
An increase in UV light due to ozone layer depletion leads to higher rates of health issues such as skin cancer and eye cataracts, disruption of marine ecosystems, and decreased agricultural yields due to higher UV-B radiation exposure.
Step-by-step explanation:
An increase in the amount of UV light striking the Earth as a result of ozone loss will cause several environmental and health issues. The depletion of the ozone layer, primarily due to pollutants such as chlorine and bromine gases, allows for more UV-B radiation to reach Earth's surface. This has serious consequences including increasing the rates of skin cancers and eye cataracts in humans, disrupting ocean food webs by killing plankton, and negatively affecting agricultural yields, particularly in crops like soybeans, peas, and beans.
Earth's upper atmosphere, or stratosphere, contains the ozone layer which absorbs most of the harmful UV radiation from the Sun. The presence of 'ozone holes', such as the one over Antarctica, indicates severe depletion of ozone which allows more UV radiation to reach us. Protection measures like the Montreal Protocol have been enacted to phase out the production and use of ozone-depleting substances to slow down the damage to the ozone layer.
It's crucial to protect ourselves from the present levels of UV-B light by wearing protective clothing and using sunscreen to minimize risks of skin damage and cancer. The connection between UVB radiation and health issues like skin cancer highlights the importance of the ozone layer in shielding life on Earth from excessive ultraviolet radiation.