Although ultraviolet-B (UV-B; 280–315 nm) radiation damage plant DNA, and plants have mechanisms to prevent UV damage as DNA repair and UV protection, it remains unclear how DNA damage and tolerance mechanisms vary among field species. We studied DNA damage and tolerance mechanisms in 26 species with different functional groups in two moorlands in July and August, and determined cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) as UV damage and photorepair activity (PRA) and UV-absorbing compounds (UACs) and carotenoids (CARs) as UV tolerance mechanisms. DNA damage was greater in dicot > monocot, herbaceous > woody, and evergreen > deciduous species. PRA was higher in monocot than in dicot species. UACs were significantly higher in woody than in herbaceous species. CPDs correlated significantly with PRA and UACs when we ignored species with low CPDs, PRA and UACs, implying a presence of another effective tolerance mechanism. UACs were correlated negatively with PRA and positively with CARs. Our results revealed that UV damage significantly varies among native species, and this variation is related to functional groups. UV tolerance mechanisms vary among species under evolutionary trade-off and synergism.