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Hooker J, Lintott P, Stone E. Lighting up our waterways: Impacts of a current mitigation strategy on riparian bats. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 307:119552. [PMID: 35654252 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119552] [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: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Increasing levels of artificial light at night (ALAN) are a major threat to global biodiversity and can have negative impacts on a wide variety of organisms and their ecosystems. Nocturnal species such as bats are highly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of ALAN. A variety of lighting management strategies have been adopted to minimise the impacts of ALAN on wildlife, however relatively little is known about their effectiveness. Using an experimental approach, we provide the first evidence of negative impacts of part-night lighting (PNL) strategies on bats. Feeding activity of Myotis spp. was reduced along rivers exposed to PNL despite no reduction in overall bat activity. We also provide the first evidence of negative effects of PNL on both feeding and activity for Pipistrellus pipistrellus which has previously been recorded feeding under artificial light. Despite having considerable energy-saving benefits, we outline the potential negative impacts of PNL schemes for bats in riparian habitats. PNL are unlikely to provide desired conservation outcomes for bats, and can potentially fragment important foraging habitats leading to a breakdown of functional connectivity across the landscape. We highlight the potential dichotomy for strategies which attempt to simultaneously address climate change and biodiversity loss and recommend alternative management strategies to limit the impacts of ALAN on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Hooker
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, England, BS16 1QY, UK.
| | - Paul Lintott
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, England, BS16 1QY, UK
| | - Emma Stone
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, England, BS16 1QY, UK
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2
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Predator-Prey Relationship between Urban Bats and Insects Impacted by Both Artificial Light at Night and Spatial Clutter. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11060829. [PMID: 35741350 PMCID: PMC9219930 DOI: 10.3390/biology11060829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Predators respond to the increase of prey by aggregation in space or foraging more often. However, foraging habitat suitability limits predators' responses. For nocturnal insectivorous bats, artificial light at night (ALAN) can trigger insect prey aggregation. It is not clear how ALAN might affect predator-prey relationships in the urban setting, where urban bats could have adapted to the city, and novel spatial complexity introduced by man-made objects might alter foraging habitat suitability. We strategically selected sites to represent different levels of ALAN and spatial complexity. We recorded bat commuting and foraging activities and collected aerial insects to examine how ALAN and spatial complexity affected bat-insect relationships. We found that insect biomass was positively correlated with ALAN, but was not affected by spatial complexity. Large-sized big brown bats and hoary bats positively responded to change of prey in open sites whereas small-sized eastern red bats and silver-haired bats positively responded in cluttered sites, suggesting that the impact of ALAN could vary when ALAN is coupled with urban spatial complexity. Our study demonstrates that foraging habitat suitability can alter which species might benefit from ALAN. Predator-prey relationships in cities are complex, but general ecological principles still apply in novel urban ecosystems.
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3
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Lewanzik D, Straka TM, Lorenz J, Marggraf L, Voigt-Heucke S, Schumann A, Brandt M, Voigt CC. Evaluating the potential of urban areas for bat conservation with citizen science data. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 297:118785. [PMID: 34979170 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Global change, including urbanisation, threatens many of the >1400 bat species. Nevertheless, certain areas within highly urbanised cities may be suitable to harbour bat populations. Thus, managing urban habitats could contribute to bat conservation. Here, we wanted to establish evidence-based recommendations on how to improve urban spaces for the protection of bats. In a team effort with >200 citizen scientists, we recorded bat vocalisations up to six times over the course of 2 years at each of 600 predefined sites in the Berlin metropolitan area. For each species we identified the preferred and non-preferred landscape features. Our results show that artificial light at night (ALAN) had a negative impact on all species. For soprano pipistrelles and mouse-eared bats ALAN had the largest effect sizes among all environmental predictors. Canopy cover and open water were especially important for bat species that forage along vegetation edges and for trawling bats, respectively. Occurrence probability of species foraging in open space decreased with increasing distance to water bodies. On a larger scale, impervious surfaces tended to have positive effects on some species that are specialised on foraging along edge structures. Our study constitutes an important contribution to the growing body of literature showing that despite the many negative impacts of urbanisation on wildlife, urban environments can harbour bat populations if certain conditions are met, such as access to vegetation and water bodies and low levels of ALAN. Our findings are of high relevance for urban planners and conservationists, as they allow inferences on how to manage urban spaces in a bat-friendly way. We recommend limiting ALAN to the minimum necessary and maintaining and creating uninterrupted vegetated corridors between areas with high levels of canopy cover and water bodies, in which ALAN should be entirely avoided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lewanzik
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Tanja M Straka
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Lorenz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara Marggraf
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Voigt-Heucke
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anke Schumann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Miriam Brandt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
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Voigt CC, Dekker J, Fritze M, Gazaryan S, Hölker F, Jones G, Lewanzik D, Limpens HJGA, Mathews F, Rydell J, Spoelstra K, Zagmajster M. The Impact Of Light Pollution On Bats Varies According To Foraging Guild And Habitat Context. Bioscience 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
We Review How Different Bat Guilds Respond To Artificial Light At Night (Alan) And Assess How The Impacts Can Vary According To Ecological Context. All Studied European Species Respond Negatively To Alan Close To Roosts And Drinking Sites, And The Impacts Occur Across A Wide Range Of Light Colors And Intensities. Most Bat Species Are Sensitive To Alan When Commuting And Foraging. Although Narrow-Space-Foraging Bat Species Consistently Avoid Alan When Foraging, Open And Edge-Space-Foraging Species May Exploit Insects Lured By Alan. Therefore, Alan Acts As An Environmental Filter On Bat Assemblages. Considering The Detrimental Effect Of Alan On Insects, We Conclude That Alan Probably Has Negative Impacts On All Bat Species, Even On Those Foraging At Streetlights. The Sprawl Of Alan May Be A Key Factor Driving The Decline Of Bat Diversity Globally, And The Current Trajectory Of Increasing Alan Is Therefore Of Considerable Concern For Bat Conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Suren Gazaryan
- Unep/Eurobats, The Agreement On The Conservation Of Populations Of European Bats, Part Of The United Nations Environment Programme, Bonn, Germany
| | - Franz Hölker
- Leibniz-Institute Of Freshwater Ecology And Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gareth Jones
- School Of Biological Sciences, University Of Bristol, Bristol, England, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Lewanzik
- Leibniz Institute For Zoo And Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Fiona Mathews
- School Of Life Sciences, University Of Sussex, Falmer, England, United Kingdom
| | - Jens Rydell
- Department Of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kamiel Spoelstra
- Department Of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute Of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Maja Zagmajster
- Subbiolab, Department Of Biology's Biotechnical Faculty, University Of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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5
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A meta-analysis of biological impacts of artificial light at night. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 5:74-81. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01322-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Barré K, Spoelstra K, Bas Y, Challéat S, Kiri Ing R, Azam C, Zissis G, Lapostolle D, Kerbiriou C, Le Viol I. Artificial light may change flight patterns of bats near bridges along urban waterways. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Barré
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Sorbonne Université Paris France
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleStation de Biologie Marine Concarneau France
| | - K. Spoelstra
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Y. Bas
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Sorbonne Université Paris France
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175CNRS Montpellier France
| | - S. Challéat
- Géographie de l’Environnement (GÉODE) UMR 5602 CNRSUniversité Toulouse 2 ‐ Jean Jaurès Toulouse Cedex 9 France
| | - R. Kiri Ing
- Institut LangevinUMR 7587 CNRSUniversité Paris Diderot (Paris 7) Paris France
| | - C. Azam
- Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la NatureMusée de l’Homme Paris France
| | - G. Zissis
- Université Toulouse 3LAPLACEUMR‐5213 CNRS‐INPT‐UT3 Toulouse France
| | - D. Lapostolle
- Théoriser et Modéliser pour Aménager (ThéMA) UMR 6049 CNRSUniversité Bourgogne Franche‐Comté Besançon France
| | - C. Kerbiriou
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Sorbonne Université Paris France
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleStation de Biologie Marine Concarneau France
| | - I. Le Viol
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Sorbonne Université Paris France
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleStation de Biologie Marine Concarneau France
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Bhardwaj M, Soanes K, Lahoz-Monfort JJ, Lumsden LF, van der Ree R. Artificial lighting reduces the effectiveness of wildlife-crossing structures for insectivorous bats. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 262:110313. [PMID: 32250796 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In an attempt to improve cost-effectiveness, it has become increasingly popular to adapt wildlife crossing structures to enable people to also use them for safe passage across roads. However, the required needs of humans and wildlife may conflict, resulting in a structure that does not actually provide the perceived improvement in cost-effectiveness, but instead a reduction in conservation benefits. For example, lighting within crossing structures for human safety at night may reduce use of the structure by nocturnal wildlife, thus contributing to barrier and mortality effects of roads rather than mitigating them. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the impact of artificial light at night on the rate of use of wildlife crossing structures, specifically underpasses, by ten insectivorous bat species groups in south-eastern Australia. We monitored bat activity before, during and after artificially lighting the underpasses. We found that bats tended to avoided lit underpasses, and only one species consistently showed attraction to the light. Artificial light at night in underpasses hypothetically increases the vulnerability of bats to road-mortality or to the barrier effect of roads. The most likely outcomes of lighting underpasses were 1. an increase in crossing rate above the freeway and a decrease under the underpasses, or 2. a reduction in crossing rate both above freeways and under the underpasses, when structures were lit. Our results corroborate those of studies on terrestrial mammals, and thus we recommend that underpasses intended to facilitate the movement of wildlife across roads should not be lit.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bhardwaj
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
| | - K Soanes
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - J J Lahoz-Monfort
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - L F Lumsden
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - R van der Ree
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Ecology and Infrastructure International, PO Box 6031, Wantirna, Victoria, 3152, Australia; WSP Australia Pty Ltd, 28 Freshwater Place, Southbank, Victoria, Australia
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8
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Working with Inadequate Tools: Legislative Shortcomings in Protection against Ecological Effects of Artificial Light at Night. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12062551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The fundamental change in nocturnal landscapes due to the increasing use of artificial light at night (ALAN) is recognized as being detrimental to the environment and raises important regulatory questions as to whether and how it should be regulated based on the manifold risks to the environment. Here, we present the results of an analysis of the current legal obligations on ALAN in context with a systematic review of adverse effects. The legal analysis includes the relevant aspects of European and German environmental law, specifically nature conservation and immission control. The review represents the results of 303 studies indicating significant disturbances of organisms and landscapes. We discuss the conditions for prohibitions by environmental laws and whether protection gaps persist and, hence, whether specific legislation for light pollution is necessary. While protection is predominantly provided for species with special protection status that reveal avoidance behavior of artificially lit landscapes and associated habitat loss, adverse effects on species and landscapes without special protection status are often unaddressed by existing regulations. Legislative shortcomings are caused by difficulties in proving adverse effect on the population level, detecting lighting malpractice, and applying the law to ALAN-related situations. Measures to reduce ALAN-induced environmental impacts are highlighted. We discuss whether an obligation to implement such measures is favorable for environmental protection and how regulations can be implemented.
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9
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Dominoni DM, Nelson RJ. Artificial light at night as an environmental pollutant: An integrative approach across taxa, biological functions, and scientific disciplines. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2019; 329:387-393. [PMID: 30371014 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Davide M Dominoni
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Randy J Nelson
- Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown,, Virginia
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10
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Zeale MRK, Stone EL, Zeale E, Browne WJ, Harris S, Jones G. Experimentally manipulating light spectra reveals the importance of dark corridors for commuting bats. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:5909-5918. [PMID: 30288876 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The rapid global spread of artificial light at night is causing unprecedented disruption to ecosystems. In otherwise dark environments, street lights restrict the use of major flight routes by some bats, including the threatened lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros, and may disrupt foraging. Using radio tracking, we examined the response of individual female R. hipposideros to experimental street lights placed on hedgerows used as major flight routes. Hedgerows were illuminated on one side over four nights using lights with different emission spectra, while the opposite side of the hedge was not illuminated. Automated bat detectors were used to examine changes in overall bat activity by R. hipposideros and other bat species present. R. hipposideros activity reduced significantly under all light types, including red light, challenging a previously held assumption that red light is safe for bats. Despite this, R. hipposideros rapidly adapted to the presence of lights by switching their flight paths to the dark side of the hedgerow, enabling them to reach foraging sites without restriction. Red light had no effect on the activity of the other species present. Slow-flying Myotis spp. avoided orange, white and green light, while more agile Pipistrellus spp. were significantly more active at these light types compared to dark controls, most probably in response to accumulations of insect prey. No effect of any light type was found for Nyctalus or Eptesicus spp. Our findings demonstrate that caution must be used when promoting forms of lighting that are thought to be safe for wildlife before they are tested more widely. We argue that it is essential to preserve dark corridors to mitigate the impacts of artificial light at night on bat activity and movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt R K Zeale
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emma L Stone
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emma Zeale
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Stephen Harris
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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11
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Spoelstra K, Ramakers JJC, van Dis NE, Visser ME. No effect of artificial light of different colors on commuting Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii) in a choice experiment. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:506-510. [PMID: 29808964 PMCID: PMC6220854 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Progressive illumination at night poses an increasing threat to species worldwide. Light at night is particularly problematic for bats as most species are nocturnal and often cross relatively large distances when commuting between roosts and foraging grounds. Earlier studies have shown that illumination of linear structures in the landscape disturbs commuting bats, and that the response of bats to light may strongly depend on the light spectrum. Here, we studied the impact of white, green, and red light on commuting Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii). We used a unique location where commuting bats cross a road by flying through two identical, parallel culverts underneath. We illuminated the culverts with white, red, and green light, with an intensity of 5 lux at the water surface. Bats had to choose between the two culverts, each with a different lighting condition every night. We presented all paired combinations of white, green, and red light and dark control in a factorial design. Contrary to our expectations, the number of bat passes through a culvert was unaffected by the presence of light. Furthermore, bats did not show any preference for light color. These results show that the response of commuting Daubenton's bats to different colors of light at night with a realistic intensity may be limited when passing through culverts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamiel Spoelstra
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jip J C Ramakers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Natalie E van Dis
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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