D. Damage to the Ozone Layer 1. Ozone in the lower stratosphere absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The thinning of the ozone layer has produced an ozone hole over Antarctica. In response, skin cancer has increased, cataracts may increase, and phytoplankton may be affected. B Desertification 1.
Desertification is the conversion of grasslands and croplands to desertlike conditions.
Large-scale desertification is caused by overgrazing on marginal lands. C. Deforestation 1. Deforestation can reduce fertility, change rainfall patterns, increase temperatures, and in-crease carbon dioxide. Clearing large tracts of tropical forests may have global repercussions.