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Gupta P, Sur S, Naseem A, Malik S. Effect of Photoperiod and Illuminance on Daily Activity Patterns, Physiology, and NPY Peptide Expression in Migratory Redheaded Buntings (Emberiza bruniceps). Neuroendocrinology 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39053433 DOI: 10.1159/000540394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Light is the primary source of energy and regulates seasonal changes in physiology and behavior. The role of photoperiod has been much investigated in several bird species, but the role of illumination in seasonal adaptations of passerine finches is less understood. We, therefore, investigated the effects of photoperiod and illuminance on migratory physiology in a Palearctic-Indian migratory finch, redheaded bunting (Emberiza bruncieps). METHODS Photosensitive buntings maintained under short days (8L:16D) were divided into three groups receiving 5, 25, and 100 lux of white daytime illuminance, respectively. Thereafter, using photoperiodic manipulation three life history states, i.e., nonmigratory (NM), premigratory (PM), and migratory (MIG) states were induced in the buntings. The birds in the MIG state were consecutively perfused after seven nights of Zugunruhe (nighttime migratory restlessness) for neuropeptide Y (NPY)-immunohistochemistry, which is involved in a wide range of functions including energy homeostasis, vision, and fat deposition in birds. RESULTS We found differential effects of illuminance on locomotor activity and physiology. Photostimulated birds showed intense nighttime activity in the MIG state. We observed premigratory hyperphagia in the birds, with increased food intake in the 100 lux group, which was reflected in the body mass gain in the MIG state. NPY expression on the periphery of the nucleus rotundus suggests its potential role in visual acuity, where the NPY-cell count significantly decreased under 25 lux illumination. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that migrating birds may also experience physiological effects from changes in daytime illumination. We observed illuminance-dependent variations in the quantity of food consumed by the birds. It indicates that the illuminance may also impact the encephalic centers that control food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Gupta
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
- Department of Physiology, King Georges Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Sayantan Sur
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Asma Naseem
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Shalie Malik
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
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Longcore T, Villanueva SAMB, Nguyen-Ngo K, Ghiani CA, Harrison B, Colwell CS. Relative importance of intensity and spectrum of artificial light at night in disrupting behavior of a nocturnal rodent. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247235. [PMID: 38873751 PMCID: PMC11418196 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The influence of light spectral properties on circadian rhythms is of substantial interest to laboratory-based investigation of the circadian system and to field-based understanding of the effects of artificial light at night. The trade-offs between intensity and spectrum regarding masking behaviors are largely unknown, even for well-studied organisms. We used a custom LED illumination system to document the response of wild-type house mice (Mus musculus) to 1-h nocturnal exposure of all combinations of four intensity levels (0.01, 0.5, 5 and 50 lx) and three correlated color temperatures (CCT; 1750, 1950 and 3000 K). Higher intensities of light (50 lx) suppressed cage activity substantially, and consistently more for the higher CCT light (91% for 3000 K, 53% for 1750 K). At the lowest intensity (0.01 lx), mean activity was increased, with the greatest increases for the lowest CCT (12.3% increase at 1750 K, 3% increase at 3000 K). Multiple linear regression confirmed the influence of both CCT and intensity on changes in activity, with the scaled effect size of intensity 3.6 times greater than that of CCT. Activity suppression was significantly lower for male than for female mice. Assessment of light-evoked cFos expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus at 50 lx showed no significant difference between high and low CCT exposure. The significant differences by spectral composition illustrate a need to account for light spectrum in circadian studies of behavior, and confirm that spectral controls can mitigate some, but certainly not all, of the effects of light pollution on species in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Longcore
- UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, 619 Charles E. Young Drive East, La Kretz Hall, Suite 300, Box 951496, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496, USA
| | - Sophia Anne Marie B. Villanueva
- UCLA Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, 612 Charles E. Young Drive East, Box 957246, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7246, USA
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kyle Nguyen-Ngo
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Cristina A. Ghiani
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1732, USA
| | - Benjamin Harrison
- Korrus, Inc., 837 North Spring Street, Suite 103, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
| | - Christopher S. Colwell
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Monecke S. Threatened chronotopes: can chronobiology help endangered species? J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:717-733. [PMID: 38421416 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-024-01692-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Pittendrigh and Daan's 1976 article "Pacemaker structure: A clock for all seasons" marks the foundation of modern seasonal chronobiology. It proposed the internal coincidence model comprised of a Morning (M) and Evening (E) oscillator, which are coupled but synchronized separately by dawn and dusk. It has become an attractive model to explain the seasonal adaptation of circadian rhythms. Using the example of the European hamster, this article connects the classical entrainment concept to species decline and, ultimately, conservation concepts. Seasonality of this species is well studied and circannual rhythms have been described in at least 32 parameters. The European hamster is listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list. Changes in the temporal structure of the environment (the chronotope) caused by climate change and light pollution might be responsible for the global decline. The article shows that classical chronobiological concepts such as the internal coincidence model (Pittendrigh and Daan Pittendrigh and Daan, J Comp Physiol [a] 106:333-355, 1976) are helpful to understand the (chronobiological) causes of the decline and can potentially support species conservation. Knowing the species' physiological limitations as well as its adaptation capacities can potentially prevent its extinction at a time when classical conservation concepts have reached their limits.
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Cuchot P, Bonnet T, Dehorter O, Henry PY, Teplitsky C. How interacting anthropogenic pressures alter the plasticity of breeding time in two common songbirds. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:918-931. [PMID: 38790091 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Phenological adjustment is the first line of adaptive response of vertebrates when seasonality is disrupted by climate change. The prevailing response is to reproduce earlier in warmer springs, but habitat changes, such as forest degradation, are expected to affect phenological plasticity, for example, due to loss of reliability of environmental cues used by organisms to time reproduction. Relying on a two-decade, country-level capture-based monitoring of common songbirds' reproduction, we investigated how habitat anthropization, here characterized by the rural-urban and forest-farmland gradients, affected the average phenology and plasticity to local temperature in two common species, the great tit Parus major and the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus. We built a hierarchical model that simultaneously estimated fledging phenology and its response to spring temperatures based on the changes in the proportion of juveniles captured over the breeding season. Both species fledge earlier in warmer sites (blue tit: 2.94 days/°C, great tit: 3.83 days/°C), in warmer springs (blue tit: 2.49 days/°C, great tit: 2.75 days/°C) and in most urbanized habitats (4 days for blue tit and 2 days for great tit). The slope of the reaction norm of fledging phenology to spring temperature varied across sites in both species, but this variation was explained by habitat anthropization only in the deciduous forest specialist, the blue tit. In this species, the responses to spring temperature were shallower in agricultural landscapes and slightly steeper in more urban areas. Habitat anthropization did not explain variation in the slope of the reaction norm in the habitat-generalist species (great tit), for which mean fledgling phenology and plasticity were correlated (i.e., steeper response in later sites). The effects of habitat change on phenological reaction norms provide another way through which combined environmental degradations may threaten populations' persistence, to an extent depending on species and on the changes in their prey phenology and abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Cuchot
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Timothée Bonnet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, Université de la Rochelle-CNRS, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Olivier Dehorter
- Centre de Recherches sur la Biologie des Populations d'Oiseaux (CRBPO), Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO UMR 7204), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Yves Henry
- Centre de Recherches sur la Biologie des Populations d'Oiseaux (CRBPO), Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO UMR 7204), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV UMR 7179), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Brunoy, France
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Beaugeard E, Brischoux F, Angelier F. Light pollution affects activity differentially across breeding stages in an urban exploiter: An experiment in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 351:124055. [PMID: 38692388 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) is a major urban perturbation, which can have detrimental effects on wildlife. Recent urban planning has led to an increased use of white light emission diodes (LEDs) in cities. However, little is known about the effects of this type of ALAN on wild vertebrates, especially during reproduction. We designed an experiment to test the impact of ALAN on the activity rhythms (daily time of first activity (TFA) and time of last activity (TLA)) of captive House sparrows (Passer domesticus) during several reproductive stages (from pre-breeding to post-breeding). We also tested the impact of ALAN on reproductive performance (laying date, clutch size, hatching and fledging success). Experimental birds were active earlier in the morning (earlier TFA) relative to controls although experimental and control birds did not differ in their TLA. The effect of ALAN on TFA was apparent during specific stages only (pre-breeding and chick-rearing stages), suggesting that sparrows actively adjust their activity in response to ALAN only during specific periods. This impact of ALAN on activity did not persist through the whole breeding season, suggesting that sparrows may habituate to ALAN. Alternatively, they may not be able to sustain a long-term increased activity in response to ALAN because of sleep deprivation and related physiological costs. Finally, we did not find any impact of ALAN on the reproductive performance of captive house sparrows held under optimal conditions. This suggests that ALAN may not be dramatically detrimental to the reproduction of this urban exploiter, at least when food availability is not constraining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Beaugeard
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-LRU, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-LRU, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-LRU, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France.
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Candolin U. Coping with light pollution in urban environments: Patterns and challenges. iScience 2024; 27:109244. [PMID: 38433890 PMCID: PMC10904992 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night is a growing environmental problem that is especially pronounced in urban environments. Yet, impacts on urban wildlife have received scant attention and patterns and consequences are largely unknown. Here, I present a conceptual framework outlining the challenges species encounter when exposed to urban light pollution and how they may respond through plastic adjustments and genetic adaptation. Light pollution interferes with biological rhythms, influences behaviors, fragments habitats, and alters predation risk and resource abundance, which changes the diversity and spatiotemporal distribution of species and, hence, the structure and function of urban ecosystems. Furthermore, light pollution interacts with other urban disturbances, which can exacerbate negative effects on species. Given the rapid growth of urban areas and light pollution and the importance of healthy urban ecosystems for human wellbeing, more research is needed on the impacts of light pollution on species and the consequences for urban ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrika Candolin
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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7
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Cox DTC, Gaston KJ. Global erosion of terrestrial environmental space by artificial light at night. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166701. [PMID: 37652384 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts natural light cycles, with biological impacts that span from behaviour of individual organisms to ecosystem functions, and across bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Global consequences have almost invariably been inferred from the geographic distribution of ALAN. How ALAN is distributed in environmental space, and the extent to which combinations of environmental conditions with natural light cycles have been lost, is also key. Globally (between 60°N and 56°S), we ordinated four bioclimatic variables at 1.61 * 1.21 km resolution to map the position and density of terrestrial pixels within nighttime environmental space. We then used the Black Marble Nighttime Lights product to determine where direct ALAN emissions were present in environmental space in 2012 and how these had expanded in environmental space by 2022. Finally, we used the World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness to determine the proportion of environmental space that is unaffected by ALAN across its spatial distribution. We found that by 2012 direct ALAN emissions occurred across 71.9 % of possible nighttime terrestrial environmental conditions, with temperate nighttime environments and highly modified habitats disproportionately impacted. From 2012 to 2022 direct ALAN emissions primarily grew within 34.4 % of environmental space where it was already present, with this growth concentrated in tropical environments. Additionally considering skyglow, just 13.2 % of environmental space now only experiences natural light cycles throughout its distribution. With opportunities to maintain much of environmental space under such cycles fast disappearing, the removal, reduction and amelioration of ALAN from areas of environmental space in which it is already widespread is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T C Cox
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Kevin J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
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8
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McGlade CLO, Capilla-Lasheras P, Womack RJ, Helm B, Dominoni DM. Experimental light at night explains differences in activity onset between urban and forest great tits. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230194. [PMID: 37670610 PMCID: PMC10480697 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is rapidly increasing and so is scientific interest in its ecological and evolutionary consequences. In wild species, ALAN can modify and disrupt biological rhythms. However, experimental proof of such effects of ALAN in the wild is still scarce. Here, we compared diel rhythms of incubation behaviour, inferred from temperature sensors, of female great tits (Parus major) breeding in urban and forest sites. In parallel, we simulated ALAN by mounting LED lights (1.8 lx) inside forest nest-boxes, to determine the potentially causal role of ALAN affecting diel patterns of incubation. Urban females had an earlier onset of activity compared to forest females. Experimentally ALAN-exposed forest females were similar to urban females in their advanced onset of activity, compared to unexposed forest birds. However, forest females exposed to experimental ALAN, but not urban females, were more restless at night than forest control females. Our findings demonstrate that ALAN can explain the early activity timing in incubating urban great tits, but its effects on sleep disturbance in the forest are not reflected in urban females. Consequently, future research needs to address potential effects of ALAN-induced timing on individual health, fitness and population dynamics, in particular in populations that were not previously affected by light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pablo Capilla-Lasheras
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Robyn J. Womack
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Barbara Helm
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Davide M. Dominoni
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
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9
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Chen S, Liu Y, Patrick SC, Goodale E, Safran RJ, Pagani‐Núñez E. A multidimensional framework to quantify the effects of urbanization on avian breeding fitness. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10259. [PMID: 37404704 PMCID: PMC10316489 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization has dramatically altered Earth's landscapes and changed a multitude of environmental factors. This has resulted in intense land-use change, and adverse consequences such as the urban heat island effect (UHI), noise pollution, and artificial light at night (ALAN). However, there is a lack of research on the combined effects of these environmental factors on life-history traits and fitness, and on how these interactions shape food resources and drive patterns of species persistence. Here, we systematically reviewed the literature and created a comprehensive framework of the mechanistic pathways by which urbanization affects fitness and thus favors certain species. We found that urbanization-induced changes in urban vegetation, habitat quality, spring temperature, resource availability, acoustic environment, nighttime light, and species behaviors (e.g., laying, foraging, and communicating) influence breeding choices, optimal time windows that reduce phenological mismatch, and breeding success. Insectivorous and omnivorous species that are especially sensitive to temperature often experience advanced laying behaviors and smaller clutch sizes in urban areas. By contrast, some granivorous and omnivorous species experience little difference in clutch size and number of fledglings because urban areas make it easier to access anthropogenic food resources and to avoid predation. Furthermore, the interactive effect of land-use change and UHI on species could be synergistic in locations where habitat loss and fragmentation are greatest and when extreme-hot weather events take place in urban areas. However, in some instances, UHI may mitigate the impact of land-use changes at local scales and provide suitable breeding conditions by shifting the environment to be more favorable for species' thermal limits and by extending the time window in which food resources are available in urban areas. As a result, we determined five broad directions for further research to highlight that urbanization provides a great opportunity to study environmental filtering processes and population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihao Chen
- Department of Health and Environmental SciencesXi'an Jiaotong‐Liverpool UniversitySuzhouChina
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Yu Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education, College of Life SciencesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Samantha C. Patrick
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Eben Goodale
- Department of Health and Environmental SciencesXi'an Jiaotong‐Liverpool UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Rebecca J. Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ColoradoBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Emilio Pagani‐Núñez
- Department of Health and Environmental SciencesXi'an Jiaotong‐Liverpool UniversitySuzhouChina
- School of Applied SciencesEdinburgh Napier UniversityEdinburghUK
- Centre for Conservation and Restoration ScienceEdinburgh Napier UniversityEdinburghUK
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Jägerbrand AK, Spoelstra K. Effects of anthropogenic light on species and ecosystems. Science 2023; 380:1125-1130. [PMID: 37319223 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg3173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic light is ubiquitous in areas where humans are present and is showing a progressive increase worldwide. This has far-reaching consequences for most species and their ecosystems. The effects of anthropogenic light on natural ecosystems are highly variable and complex. Many species suffer from adverse effects and often respond in a highly specific manner. Ostensibly surveyable effects such as attraction and deterrence become complicated because these can depend on the type of behavior and specific locations. Here, we considered how solutions and new technologies could reduce the adverse effects of anthropogenic light. A simple solution to reducing and mitigating the ecological effects of anthropogenic light seems unattainable, because frugal lighting practices and turning off lights may be necessary to eliminate them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika K Jägerbrand
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Science, Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gävle, Sweden
| | - Kamiel Spoelstra
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6700 AB Wageningen, Netherlands
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Tomotani BM, Timpen F, Spoelstra K. Ingrained city rhythms: flexible activity timing but more persistent circadian pace in urban birds. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222605. [PMID: 37192668 PMCID: PMC10188242 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization dramatically increases the amount of light at night, which may disrupt avian circadian organization. We measured activity patterns of great tits breeding in the city and forest, and subsequently measured two clock properties of these birds under controlled conditions: tau (endogenous circadian clock speed) and after-effects (history dependency of the clock relative to previous conditions). City and forest birds showed a high repeatability of activity onset (0.60 and 0.41, respectively), with no difference between habitats after controlling for date effects. Activity duration and offset showed more variance, without a difference between birds from the two habitats. Tau did not differ between city and forest birds, however, city birds showed stronger after-effects, taking more days to revert to their endogenous circadian period. Finally, onset of activity was correlated with clocks speed in both habitats. Our results suggest that potential differences in activity timing of city birds is not caused by different clock speeds, but by a direct response to light. Persistence in after-effects suggests a reduced sensitivity of the clock to light at night. Urbanization may select for clock properties that increase the inertia of the endogenous circadian system to improve accuracy of activity rhythms when exposed to noisier lighting cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara M. Tomotani
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Fabian Timpen
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kamiel Spoelstra
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Zeman M, Okuliarova M, Rumanova VS. Disturbances of Hormonal Circadian Rhythms by Light Pollution. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087255. [PMID: 37108420 PMCID: PMC10138516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The circadian rhythms evolved to anticipate and cope with cyclic changes in environmental conditions. This adaptive function is currently compromised by increasing levels of artificial light at night (ALAN), which can represent a risk for the development of diseases of civilisation. The causal links are not completely understood, and this featured review focuses on the chronodisruption of the neuroendocrine control of physiology and behaviour by dim ALAN. The published data indicate that low levels of ALAN (2-5 lux) can attenuate the molecular mechanisms generating circadian rhythms in the central oscillator, eliminate the rhythmic changes in dominant hormonal signals, such as melatonin, testosterone and vasopressin, and interfere with the circadian rhythm of the dominant glucocorticoid corticosterone in rodents. These changes are associated with a disturbed daily pattern of metabolic changes and behavioural rhythms in activity and food and water intake. The increasing levels of ALAN require the identification of the pathways mediating possible negative consequences on health to design effective mitigation strategies to eliminate or minimise the effects of light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Zeman
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Okuliarova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Valentina Sophia Rumanova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Gaston KJ, Gardner AS, Cox DTC. Anthropogenic changes to the nighttime environment. Bioscience 2023; 73:280-290. [PMID: 37091747 PMCID: PMC10113933 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
How the relative impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the natural environment vary between different taxonomic groups, habitats, and geographic regions is increasingly well established. By contrast, the times of day at which those pressures are most forcefully exerted or have greatest influence are not well understood. The impact on the nighttime environment bears particular scrutiny, given that for practical reasons (e.g., researchers themselves belong to a diurnal species), most studies on the impacts of anthropogenic pressures are conducted during the daytime on organisms that are predominantly day active or in ways that do not differentiate between daytime and nighttime. In the present article, we synthesize the current state of knowledge of impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the nighttime environment, highlighting key findings and examples. The evidence available suggests that the nighttime environment is under intense stress across increasing areas of the world, especially from nighttime pollution, climate change, and overexploitation of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandra S Gardner
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel T C Cox
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
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14
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Jensen JK, Ekroos J, Watson H, Salmón P, Olsson P, Isaksson C. Urban tree composition is associated with breeding success of a passerine bird, but effects vary within and between years. Oecologia 2023; 201:585-597. [PMID: 36681784 PMCID: PMC10038977 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05319-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Birds breeding in urban environments have lower reproductive output compared to rural conspecifics, most likely because of food limitation. However, which characteristics of urban environments may cause this deficiency is not clear. Here, we investigated how tree composition within urban territories of passerine birds is associated with breeding probability and reproductive success. We used 7 years of data of breeding occupancy for blue and great tits (Cyanistes caeruleus; Parus major) and several reproductive traits for great tits, from 400 urban nest boxes located in 5 parks within the city of Malmö, Sweden. We found that tits, overall, were less likely to breed in territories dominated by either non-native trees or beech trees. Great tit chicks reared in territories dominated by non-native trees weighed significantly less, compared to territories with fewer non-native trees. An earlier onset of breeding correlated with increased chick weight in great tits. Increasing number of common oak trees (Quercus robur) was associated with delayed onset of breeding in great tits. Notably, as offspring survival probability generally increased by breeding earlier, in particular in oak-dominated territories, our results suggest that delayed onset of breeding induced by oak trees may be maladaptive and indicate a mismatch to this food source. Our results demonstrate that tree composition may have important consequences on breeding success of urban birds, but some of these effects are not consistent between years, highlighting the need to account for temporal effects to understand determinants of breeding success and inform optimal management in urban green spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Kjellberg Jensen
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Johan Ekroos
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannah Watson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pablo Salmón
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Peter Olsson
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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15
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Jensen JK, Ziegler AK, Isaxon C, Jiménez-Gallardo L, Garcia Domínguez S, Nilsson JÅ, Rissler J, Isaksson C. Quantifying the influence of urban biotic and abiotic environmental factors on great tit nestling physiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160225. [PMID: 36400300 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
There is a long history of avian studies investigating the impacts of urbanization. While differences in several life-history traits have been documented, either between urban and rural populations or across generalized urbanization gradients, a detailed understanding of which specific environmental variables cause these phenotypic differences is still lacking. Here, we quantified several local environmental variables coupled to urbanization (air pollution, tree composition, ambient temperature, and artificial light at night [ALAN]) within territories of breeding great tits (Parus major). We linked the environmental variables to physiological measures of the nestlings (circulating fatty acid composition [FA], antioxidant capacity and an oxidative damage marker [malondialdehyde; MDA]), to garner a mechanistic understanding of the impact of urbanization. We found that the antioxidant capacity of nestlings decreased with higher numbers of oak trees and levels of PM2.5 (airborne particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 μm). Furthermore, the ratio of ω6:ω3 polyunsaturated FAs, important for immune function, was positively correlated with PM2.5 concentration, while being negatively associated with ambient temperature and number of non-native trees in the territory. Body mass and wing length both increased with the number of local oak trees. We also show, through a principal component analysis, that while the environmental variables fall into an urbanization gradient, this gradient is insufficient to explain the observed physiological responses. Therefore, accounting for individual environmental variables in parallel, and thus allowing for interactions between these, is crucial to fully understand the urban ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Kjellberg Jensen
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | | | - Christina Isaxon
- NanoLund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lucía Jiménez-Gallardo
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Jenny Rissler
- NanoLund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Bioeconomy and Health, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Lund, Sweden
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16
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Monniez E, Jiguet F, Vignal C, Biard C. Differential effects of anthropogenic noise and vegetation cover on the breeding phenology and success of two urban passerines. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1058584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The urban environment is associated with a multitude of challenges and stressors for populations of wild species from the surrounding natural environment. Among those, habitat fragmentation and noise pollution are suspected to have negative effects on the behavior and physiology of free-living birds in urban areas. Exposure in early life and chronic exposure to anthropogenic noise could be particularly deleterious, with short-and long-term consequences. In this study, we investigated if noise levels in city parks affect the distribution and reproductive success of two common bird species in the urban environment, the great tit (Parus major) and the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and if vegetation cover could mitigate those effects. We predicted that high noise levels might correlate with a decreased nest-box occupancy rate, a delayed laying date or a decreased clutch size, hatching, and fledging success. On the contrary, vegetation cover was expected to correlate positively with nest occupancy rate, advanced laying date, increased clutch size, hatching, and fledging success. We used data from population monitoring collected between 2012 and 2019 in parks and green public spaces in the city center and suburbs of Paris, France, and did not find any correlation between nest occupancy rates and noise levels or vegetation cover for both species. Laying date was not significantly related to anthropogenic noise in any species but was delayed with increasing vegetation cover in the great tit, while we did not find any association with clutch size. Hatching success in blue tits negatively correlated with increasing noise levels, and positively with increasing vegetation coverage. Finally, we did not find any correlation between anthropogenic noise or vegetation cover and the clutch size or fledging success in both species. In this study, two closely related species that share a common environment show a different sensibility to environmental parameters during reproduction, a key period for population maintenance. It also highlights the importance of considering multiple parameters when studying wild populations living in the urban environment.
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17
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Guan Q, Wang Z, Cao J, Dong Y, Chen Y. The role of light pollution in mammalian metabolic homeostasis and its potential interventions: A critical review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 312:120045. [PMID: 36030956 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Irregular or unnatural artificial light causes severe environmental stress on the survival and health of organisms, which is rapidly becoming a widespread new type of environmental pollution. A series of disruptive behaviors to body homeostasis brought about by light pollution, including metabolic abnormalities, are likely to be the result of circadian rhythm disturbances. Recently, the proposed role of light pollution in metabolic dysregulation has accelerated it into an emerging field. Hence, the regulatory role of light pollution in mammalian metabolic homeostasis is reviewed in this contribution. Light at night is the most widely affected type of light pollution, which disrupts metabolic homeostasis largely due to its disruption of daily food intake patterns, alterations of hormone levels such as melatonin and glucocorticoids, and changes in the rhythm of inflammatory factor production. Besides, light pollution impairs mammalian metabolic processes in an intensity-, photoperiod-, and wavelength-dependent manner, and is also affected by species, gender, and diets. Nevertheless, metabolic disorders triggered by light pollution are not irreversible to some extent. Potential interventions such as melatonin supplementation, recovery to the LD cycle, time-restricted feeding, voluntary exercise, wearing blue light-shied goggles, and bright morning light therapy open a bright avenue to prevent light pollution. This work will help strengthen the relationship between light information and metabolic homeostasis and provide new insights for the better prevention of metabolic disorders and light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyun Guan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zixu Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jing Cao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yulan Dong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yaoxing Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing 100193, China; Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing 100193, China.
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18
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Meijdam M, Müller W, Thys B, Eens M. No relationship between chronotype and timing of breeding when variation in daily activity patterns across the breeding season is taken into account. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9353. [PMID: 36188525 PMCID: PMC9490139 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that individuals are consistent in the timing of their daily activities, and that individual variation in temporal behavior is related to the timing of reproduction. However, it remains unclear whether observed patterns relate to the timing of the onset of activity or whether an early onset of activity extends the time that is available for foraging. This may then again facilitate reproduction. Furthermore, the timing of activity onset and offset may vary across the breeding season, which may complicate studying the above-mentioned relationships. Here, we examined in a wild population of great tits (Parus major) whether an early clutch initiation date may be related to an early onset of activity and/or to longer active daylengths. We also investigated how these parameters are affected by the date of measurement. To test these hypotheses, we measured emergence and entry time from/into the nest box as proxies for activity onset and offset in females during the egg laying phase. We then determined active daylength. Both emergence time and active daylength were related to clutch initiation date. However, a more detailed analysis showed that the timing of activities with respect to sunrise and sunset varied throughout the breeding season both within and among individuals. The observed positive relationships are hence potentially statistical artifacts. After methodologically correcting for this date effect, by using data from the pre-egg laying phase, where all individuals were measured on the same days, neither of the relationships remained significant. Taking methodological pitfalls and temporal variation into account may hence be crucial for understanding the significance of chronotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein Meijdam
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | - Bert Thys
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
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19
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Baz ES, Hussein AAA, Vreeker EMT, Soliman MFM, Tadros MM, El-Shenawy NS, Koene JM. Consequences of artificial light at night on behavior, reproduction, and development of Lymnaea stagnalis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 307:119507. [PMID: 35609841 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Light is an important zeitgeber that regulates many behavioral and physiological processes in animals. These processes may become disturbed due to the changes in natural patterns of light and dark via the introduction of artificial light at night (ALAN). The present study was designed to determine the effect of possible consequences of ALAN on reproduction, hatching success, developmental success, growth rate, feeding rate, mortality rate, and locomotor activity of the simultaneous hermaphrodite pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Snails were exposed to different light intensities at night that simulate actual ALAN measurements from the snail's night environment. The data revealed that exposure to ALAN at a low level significantly affected the cumulative number of laid eggs. At the same time, snails exposed to ALAN laid smaller eggs than those laid under normal light-dark cycles. Additionally, high light-intensity of ALAN delayed development and hatching of eggs of L. stagnalis while it showed no effect on hatching percentage. Furthermore, ALAN increased both the feeding and growth rates but did not lead to mortality. The results also show that snails exposed to dark conditions at night travel longer distances and do so faster than those exposed to ALAN. In light of these findings, it is clear that ALAN may have an influence on snails and their abundance in an environment, possibly disturbing ecological stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- El-Sayed Baz
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A A Hussein
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt; Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Malacology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), 30 Imbaba, 12411, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Edith M T Vreeker
- Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maha F M Soliman
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Menerva M Tadros
- Department of Malacology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), 30 Imbaba, 12411, Giza, Egypt
| | - Nahla S El-Shenawy
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Joris M Koene
- Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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20
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La Sorte FA, Horton KG, Johnston A, Fink D, Auer T. Seasonal associations with light pollution trends for nocturnally migrating bird populations. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyle G. Horton
- Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Daniel Fink
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Mathematics and Statistics University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Tom Auer
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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21
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A Systematic Review for Establishing Relevant Environmental Parameters for Urban Lighting: Translating Research into Practice. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The application of lighting technologies developed in the 20th century has increased the brightness and changed the spectral composition of nocturnal night-time habitats and night skies across urban, peri-urban, rural, and pristine landscapes, and subsequently, researchers have observed the disturbance of biological rhythms of flora and fauna. To reduce these impacts, it is essential to translate relevant knowledge about the potential adverse effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) from research into applicable urban lighting practice. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify and report, via a systematic review, the effects of exposure to different physical properties of artificial light sources on various organism groups, including plants, arthropods, insects, spiders, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and non-human mammals (including bats, rodents, and primates). PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used to identify a total of 1417 studies from Web of Science and PubMed. In 216 studies, diverse behavioral and physiological responses were observed across taxa when organisms were exposed to ALAN. The studies showed that the responses were dependent on high illuminance levels, duration of light exposure, and unnatural color spectra at night and also highlighted where research gaps remain in the domains of ALAN research and urban lighting practice. To avoid misinterpretation, and to define a common language, key terminologies and definitions connected to natural and artificial light have been provided. Furthermore, the adverse impacts of ALAN urgently need to be better researched, understood, and managed for the development of future lighting guidelines and standards to optimize sustainable design applications that preserve night-time environment(s) and their inhabiting flora and fauna.
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22
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Hölker F, Bolliger J, Davies TW, Giavi S, Jechow A, Kalinkat G, Longcore T, Spoelstra K, Tidau S, Visser ME, Knop E. 11 Pressing Research Questions on How Light Pollution Affects Biodiversity. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.767177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is closely associated with modern societies and is rapidly increasing worldwide. A dynamically growing body of literature shows that ALAN poses a serious threat to all levels of biodiversity—from genes to ecosystems. Many “unknowns” remain to be addressed however, before we fully understand the impact of ALAN on biodiversity and can design effective mitigation measures. Here, we distilled the findings of a workshop on the effects of ALAN on biodiversity at the first World Biodiversity Forum in Davos attended by several major research groups in the field from across the globe. We argue that 11 pressing research questions have to be answered to find ways to reduce the impact of ALAN on biodiversity. The questions address fundamental knowledge gaps, ranging from basic challenges on how to standardize light measurements, through the multi-level impacts on biodiversity, to opportunities and challenges for more sustainable use.
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23
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Branston CJ, Capilla-Lasheras P, Pollock CJ, Griffiths K, White S, Dominoni DM. Urbanisation weakens selection on the timing of breeding and clutch size in blue tits but not in great tits. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03096-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanisation is a globally occurring phenomenon and is predicted to continue increasing rapidly. Urban ecosystems present novel environments and challenges which species must acclimate or adapt to. These novel challenges alter existing or create new selection pressures on behaviours which provide an opportunity to investigate eco-evolutionary responses to contemporary environmental change. We used 7 years of breeding data from urban and forest populations of blue and great tits to understand whether selection for timing of breeding or clutch size differed between the two habitats and species. We found that urban great tits laid eggs earlier than their forest counterparts, but there was no evidence of a difference in selection for earlier breeding. Blue tits, however, did not differ in timing of egg laying between the two habitats, but selection for earlier laying was weaker in the urban environment. Both species laid smaller clutches in the urban site and had positive selection for larger clutch sizes which did not differ in strength for the great tits but did for blue tits, with weaker selection in the urban population. Our results suggest that food availability for nestlings may be constraining urban birds, and that the temporal cues females use to time breeding correctly, such as tree budburst and food availability, may be absent or reduced in urban areas due to lower caterpillar availability. These results have implications for our understanding of the adaptation of wild animals to city life.
Significance statement
Urbanisation is expanding rapidly and changing the environment many species live in. A key challenge is to understand how species adapt to the urban environment, why some species can adapt, why others cannot and what we can do to ensure that cities are ecologically sustainable and biodiversity rich. Here we show that the strength of natural selection for early breeding and larger clutch size is weaker in urban than non-urban blue tits, likely due to reduced and irregular availability of natural insect food in urban areas. This effect was not found in great tits. Thus, urbanisation can alter the selection pressures wild animals are exposed to, but this effect may differ between species, even when closely related. This has implications for our understanding of how species adapt to urban life.
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24
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van Dis NE, Spoelstra K, Visser ME, Dominoni DM. Color of Artificial Light at Night Affects Incubation Behavior in the Great Tit, Parus major. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.728377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) has been recognized as a biodiversity threat due to the drastic effects it can have on many organisms. In wild birds, artificial illumination alters many natural behaviors that are important for fitness, including chick provisioning. Although incubation is a key determinant of the early developmental environment, studies into the effects of ALAN on bird incubation behavior are lacking. We measured nest temperature in nest boxes of great tits during the incubation period in two consecutive years. Nest boxes were located in eight previously dark field sites that have been experimentally illuminated since 2012 with white, green, or red light, or were left dark. We tested if light treatment affected mean nest temperature, number of times birds leave the nest (off-bout frequency), and off-bout duration during the incubation period. Subsequently, we investigated if incubation behavior is related to fitness. We found that birds incubating in the white light during a cold, early spring had lower mean nest temperatures at the end of incubation, both during the day and during the night, compared to birds in the green light. Moreover, birds incubating in white light took fewer off-bouts, but off-bouts were on average longer. The opposite was true for birds breeding in the green light. Low incubation temperatures and few but long off-bouts can have severe consequences for developing embryos. In our study, eggs from birds that took on average few off-bouts needed more incubation days to hatch compared to eggs from birds that took many off-bouts. Nevertheless, we found no clear fitness effects of light treatment or incubation behavior on the number of hatchlings or hatchling weight. Our results add to the growing body of literature that shows that effects of ALAN can be subtle, can differ due to the spectral composition of light, and can be year-dependent. These subtle alterations of natural behaviors might not have severe fitness consequences in the short-term. However, in the long term they could add up, negatively affecting parent condition and survival as well as offspring recruitment, especially in urban environments where more environmental pollutants are present.
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25
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Ren Z, Chen Y, Liu F, Ma X, Ma J, Liu G. Effects of artificial light with different wavelengths and irradiances on the sleep behaviors of Chestnut buntings (Emberiza rutila). BIOL RHYTHM RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2021.1958542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuofei Ren
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuqi Chen
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
| | - Fangbo Liu
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinlong Ma
- Biomechanics Laboratory of Orthopaedics Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianxiong Ma
- Biomechanics Laboratory of Orthopaedics Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Gang Liu
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
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26
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Renthlei Z, Borah BK, Trivedi AK. Urban environment alter the timing of progression of testicular recrudescence in tree sparrow (Passer montanus). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:31097-31107. [PMID: 33595800 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12918-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is a rapidly growing phenomenon that affects wildlife. Laboratory studies show the effects of night light on the physiology of the organisms. Limited studies have been conducted on birds in their natural habitat. Here, we studied the effects of the urban environment on reproduction-linked phenomenon and molecules involved in the regulation of seasonal breeding. Birds (N=5/time/site) were procured from urban and rural sites at specific times, i.e., in March (stimulatory phase), June (reproductive phase), September (refractory phase), and December (sensitive phase) of 2018. Immediately after procurement, birds were brought to the laboratory. Bodyweight, bill color, molt in body feathers, and testes size were recorded. The next day, all the birds were sacrificed in the middle of the day. Blood was collected and serum was used for ELISA of corticosterone, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4). mRNA levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone-β (Tshβ), type 2 deiodinase (Dio2), type 3 deiodinase (Dio3), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRh), and gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIh) were measured in hypothalamic tissue. Urban birds showed higher levels of corticosterone during the stimulatory phase. There was a delay in the initiation of testicular growth in urban birds and it was supported by reduced levels of T3 in blood plasma and relatively lower transcription of Dio2 and GnRH mRNA in urban birds. Our findings suggest that the urban environment delays the timing of reproduction in birds and could be the consequence of local environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amit Kumar Trivedi
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 976004, India.
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27
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Hussein AAA, Bloem E, Fodor I, Baz ES, Tadros MM, Soliman MFM, El-Shenawy NS, Koene JM. Slowly seeing the light: an integrative review on ecological light pollution as a potential threat for mollusks. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:5036-5048. [PMID: 33341922 PMCID: PMC7838132 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11824-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal changes in the natural light condition play a pivotal role in the regulation of many biological processes in organisms. Disruption of this natural condition via the growing loss of darkness as a result of anthropogenic light pollution has been linked to species-wide shifts in behavioral and physiological traits. This review starts with a brief overview of the definition of light pollution and the most recent insights into the perception of light. We then go on to review the evidence for some adverse effects of ecological light pollution on different groups of animals and will focus on mollusks. Taken together, the available evidence suggests a critical role for light pollution as a recent, growing threat to the regulation of various biological processes in these animals, with the potential to disrupt ecosystem stability. The latter indicates that ecological light pollution is an environmental threat that needs to be taken seriously and requires further research attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A A Hussein
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt.
- Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt.
- Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Erik Bloem
- Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - István Fodor
- NAP Adaptive Neuroethology, Department of Experimental Zoology, Balaton Limnological Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, 8237, Tihany, Hungary
| | - El-Sayed Baz
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt
| | | | - Maha F M Soliman
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt
| | - Nahla S El-Shenawy
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt
| | - Joris M Koene
- Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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