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Van de Schoot E, Merckx T, Ebert D, Wesselingh RA, Altermatt F, Van Dyck H. Evolutionary change in flight-to-light response in urban moths comes with changes in wing morphology. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230486. [PMID: 38471566 PMCID: PMC10932693 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0486] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Moths and other insects are attracted by artificial light sources. This flight-to-light behaviour disrupts their general activity focused on finding resources, such as mating partners, and increases predation risk. It thus has substantial fitness costs. In illuminated urban areas, spindle ermine moths Yponomeuta cagnagella were reported to have evolved a reduced flight-to-light response. Yet, the specific mechanism remained unknown, and was hypothesized to involve either changes in visual perception or general flight ability or overall mobility traits. Here, we test whether spindle ermine moths from urban and rural populations-with known differences in flight-to-light responses-differ in flight-related morphological traits. Urban individuals were found to have on average smaller wings than rural moths, which in turn correlated with a lower probability of being attracted to an artificial light source. Our finding supports the reduced mobility hypothesis, which states that reduced mobility in urban areas is associated with specific morphological changes in the flight apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Merckx
- WILD, Biology Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1050, Belgium
| | - Dieter Ebert
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans Van Dyck
- Earth & Life Institute, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium
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2
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Grenis K, Nufio C, Wimp GM, Murphy SM. Does artificial light at night alter moth community composition? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220365. [PMID: 37899018 PMCID: PMC10613536 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0365] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecological studies investigating the effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) have primarily focused on single or a few species, and seldom on community-level dynamics. As ALAN is a potential cause of insect and biodiversity declines, community-level perspectives are essential. We empirically tested the hypothesis that moth species differentially respond to ALAN and that these responses can cause shifts in community composition. We sampled moths from prairie fragments in Colorado, USA. We tested whether local light sources, sky glow, site area and/or vegetation affected moth community diversity. We found that increased sky glow decreased moth abundance and species richness and shifted community composition. Increased sky glow shifted moth community composition when light and bait traps were combined; notably this result appears to be driven entirely by moths sampled at bait traps, which is an unbiased sampling technique. Our results show that ALAN has significant effects on moth communities and that local light sources have contrasting effects on moth community composition compared to sky glow. It is imperative that we better understand the contrasting effects of types of ALAN to comprehend the overall impacts of light pollution on biodiversity declines. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylee Grenis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - César Nufio
- University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- BioInteractive Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
| | - Gina M. Wimp
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Shannon M. Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
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3
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Seymoure B, Dell A, Hölker F, Kalinkat G. A framework for untangling the consequences of artificial light at night on species interactions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220356. [PMID: 37899016 PMCID: PMC10613547 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0356] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Although much evidence exists showing organismal consequences from artificial light at night (ALAN), large knowledge gaps remain regarding ALAN affecting species interactions. Species interactions occur via shared spatio-temporal niches among species, which may be determined by natural light levels. We review how ALAN is altering these spatio-temporal niches through expanding twilight or full Moon conditions and constricting nocturnal conditions as well as creating patches of bright and dark. We review literature from a database to determine if ALAN is affecting species interactions via spatio-temporal dynamics. The literature indicates a growing interest in ALAN and species interactions: 58% of the studies we analysed have been published since 2020. Seventy-five of 79 studies found ALAN altered species interactions. Enhancements and reductions of species interactions were equally documented. Many studies revealed ALAN affecting species interactions spatially, but few revealed temporal alterations. There are biases regarding species interactions and ALAN-most studies investigated predator-prey interactions with vertebrates as predators and invertebrates as prey. Following this literature review, we suggest avenues, such as remote sensing and animal tracking, that can guide future research on the consequences of ALAN on species interactions across spatial and temporal axes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Seymoure
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Anthony Dell
- National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Alton, IL 62024, USA
- Department of Biology, WashingtonUniversity in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Franz Hölker
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gregor Kalinkat
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 14195 Berlin, Germany
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4
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Dickerson AL, Hall ML, Jones TM. Effects of variation in natural and artificial light at night on acoustic communication: a review and prospectus. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
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5
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Kyba CCM, Altıntaş YÖ, Walker CE, Newhouse M. Citizen scientists report global rapid reductions in the visibility of stars from 2011 to 2022. Science 2023; 379:265-268. [PMID: 36656932 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq7781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The artificial glow of the night sky is a form of light pollution; its global change over time is not well known. Developments in lighting technology complicate any measurement because of changes in lighting practice and emission spectra. We investigated the change in global sky brightness from 2011 to 2022 using 51,351 citizen scientist observations of naked-eye stellar visibility. The number of visible stars decreased by an amount that can be explained by an increase in sky brightness of 7 to 10% per year in the human visible band. This increase is faster than emissions changes indicated by satellite observations. We ascribe this difference to spectral changes in light emission and to the average angle of light emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C M Kyba
- Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.,Geographisches Institut, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Yiğit Öner Altıntaş
- Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Constance E Walker
- Office of Observatory Site Protection, National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Mark Newhouse
- Communications, Education and Engagement, National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
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6
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Deverchère P, Vauclair S, Bosch G, Moulherat S, Cornuau JH. Towards an absolute light pollution indicator. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17050. [PMID: 36220856 PMCID: PMC9554189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21460-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing concern about the negative impact of artificial light at night on biodiversity and human health increases the need of defining a general indicator that could be used for characterizing light pollution as well as performing both spatial and temporal comparisons. In this paper, we show that the traditional indicators based on direct numerical measurements of sky brightness suffer from significant limitation due to calibration bias and lack of reproducibility. Furthermore, these measures are most often performed in periods of clear sky. They do not reflect the wide variety of meteorological conditions that can produce highly inhomogeneous levels of light pollution on a given site. To overcome these issues, we propose a statistical indicator called NSB Dispersion Ratio. This indicator is derived from a statistically significant number of individual night sky brightness measurements, under various meteorological conditions. It is independent of any absolute photometer calibration. It only requires on-time precise corrections of the contribution of natural light sources such as the Galactic plane.
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7
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Kehoe R, Sanders D, van Veen FJ. Towards a mechanistic understanding of the effects of artificial light at night on insect populations and communities. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 53:100950. [PMID: 35868610 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is markedly changing the night-time environment with many studies showing single-species responses. Exposure to ALAN can lead to population declines that should have consequences for the functioning and stability of ecological communities. Here, we summarise current knowledge on how insect communities are affected by ALAN. Based on reported effects of ALAN on the interactions between species, and what has been demonstrated for similar effects in other contexts, we argue that direct effects of ALAN on a few species can potentially propagate through the network of species interactions to have widespread effects in ecological communities. This can lead to a shift in community structure and simplified communities. We discuss the diversity of ALAN as a pressure and highlight major gaps in the research field. In particular, we conclude that landscape level impacts on populations and communities are understudied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Kehoe
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Dirk Sanders
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Jf van Veen
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, United Kingdom.
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8
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Mariton L, Kerbiriou C, Bas Y, Zanda B, Le Viol I. Even low light pollution levels affect the spatial distribution and timing of activity of a "light tolerant" bat species. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 305:119267. [PMID: 35398157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
By disrupting nocturnal landscapes worldwide, light pollution caused by Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) is recognized as a major threat to biodiversity. As even low light intensities might affect some taxa, concerns are arising about biological responses to widespread low light levels. We used data from a French citizen science bat monitoring program (1894 full-nights monitored on 1055 sites) to explore the landscape-scale effects of light on an open-space-foraging bat species, the Serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus). We assessed this species' abundance and timing of night-time activity (median time of activity) at foraging sites. ALAN, and to a lesser extent moonlight, reduced E. serotinus abundance. ALAN delayed activity, and this delay was amplified during overcast nights. On the contrary, where there was no ALAN, the higher the cloud cover, the earlier the activity occurred. Cloud cover likely darkened the night sky in rural locations, whereas it amplified skyglow in light-polluted places, increasing ALAN effects on bats. Interestingly, moonlight also delayed activity but this effect was weakened where there was ALAN. Our study shows that even fine variations of light levels could affect the spatiotemporal distribution of a common species usually considered to be "light tolerant", with potential cascading effects on individual fitness and population dynamics. It stresses how urgent it is to preserve and restore dark areas to protect biodiversity from light pollution while working on light intensity and directivity where ALAN is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Mariton
- Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France; Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Station de Biologie Marine, 1 Place de La Croix, 29900, Concarneau, France; Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, 61 Rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Christian Kerbiriou
- Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France; Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Station de Biologie Marine, 1 Place de La Croix, 29900, Concarneau, France.
| | - Yves Bas
- Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France; Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France.
| | - Brigitte Zanda
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, 61 Rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Isabelle Le Viol
- Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France; Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Station de Biologie Marine, 1 Place de La Croix, 29900, Concarneau, France.
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Owens ACS, Dressler CT, Lewis SM. Costs and benefits of "insect friendly" artificial lights are taxon specific. Oecologia 2022; 199:487-497. [PMID: 35650413 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05189-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The expansion of human activity into natural habitats often results in the introduction of artificial light at night, which can disrupt local ecosystems. Recent advances in LED technology have enabled spectral tuning of artificial light sources, which could in theory limit their impact on vulnerable taxa. To date, however, experimental comparisons of ecologically friendly candidate colors have often considered only one type of behavioral impact, sometimes on only single species. Resulting recommendations cannot be broadly implemented if their consequences for other local taxa are unknown. Working at a popular firefly ecotourism site, we exposed the insect community to artificial illumination of three colors (blue, broad-spectrum amber, red) and measured flight-to-light behavior as well as the courtship flash behavior of male Photinus carolinus fireflies. Firefly courtship activity was greatest under blue and red lights, while the most flying insects were attracted to blue and broad-spectrum amber lights. Thus, while impacts of spectrally tuned artificial light varied across taxa, our results suggest that red light, rather than amber light, is least disruptive to insects overall, and therefore more generally insect friendly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avalon C S Owens
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
| | - Caroline T Dressler
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, 80 Waterman Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Sara M Lewis
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
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10
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Nordberg EJ, Schwarzkopf L. Afraid of the Dark? The Influence of Natural and Artificial Light at Night on the Behavioral Activity of a Nocturnal Gecko. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.821335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Both natural and artificial light at night can strongly influence animal behavior. Nocturnal animals often alter activity dependent on lunar light levels, to increase prey capture, minimize detection by predators, or both. Trade-offs among these ecological effects are likely to have a strong influence on behavior and fitness. Here, we examined the influence of light at night on nocturnal geckos that are both predators and prey, and use both natural and anthropogenic habitats. We tested the influence of illumination on the relative abundance and behavioral activity of native geckos in natural woodlands and under laboratory conditions. We hypothesized that Australian native house geckos (Gehyra dubia) would avoid activity on nights with high moon brightness, to minimize exposure to predators, consistent with the predation risk hypothesis. Counter to our prediction, we found a positive relationship between house gecko activity and moon brightness, i.e., house geckos were more active on bright nights. This behavior may allow house geckos to better see their prey while also increasing the visibility of approaching predators. In the laboratory, house geckos had shorter latency times to emerge from a shelter under low light conditions compared to darkness equivalent to a new moon, a trend consistent with higher activity under brighter conditions in the field. Light at night, from both natural and artificial sources, clearly influences the behavior and activity of geckos, but perhaps not in the ways we expect. Reducing the risk of attack from predators in darkness, and increasing prey capture success using vision, may increase the benefits of activity in lit conditions, compared to total darkness.
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11
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Dickerson AL, Hall ML, Jones TM. The effect of natural and artificial light at night on nocturnal song in the diurnal willie wagtail. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:151986. [PMID: 34843784 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) has rapidly and drastically changed the global nocturnal environment. Evidence for the effect of ALAN on animal behaviour is mounting and animals are exposed to both point sources of light (street and other surrounding light sources) and broadscale illuminance in the form of skyglow. Research has typically taken a simplified approach to assessing the presence of ALAN, yet to fully understand the ecological impact requires consideration of the different scales and sources of light concurrently. Bird song has previously been well studied for its relationship with light, offering an opportunity to examine the relative impact of different sources of light on behaviour. In this study, we combine correlational and experimental approaches to examine how light at night affects the nocturnal song behaviour of the largely diurnal willie wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys). Observations of willie wagtails across urban and rural locations in southeastern Australia demonstrated that nocturnal song behaviour increased with the intensity of moonlight in darker rural areas but decreased in areas with high sky glow. In addition, willie wagtails were half as likely to sing at night in the presence of localized light sources such as streetlights in urban and rural areas. Experimental introduction of streetlights to a previously dark area confirmed this relationship: willie wagtail song rates declined when lights were turned on and returned to their original rates following streetlight removal. Our findings show that scale, as well as intensity, are important when considering the impact of light at night as moonlight, sky glow, and localized sources of artificial light have different effects on nocturnal song behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashton L Dickerson
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Michelle L Hall
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Bush Heritage Australia, 395 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Therésa M Jones
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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12
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Grubisic M, van Grunsven RH. Artificial light at night disrupts species interactions and changes insect communities. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 47:136-141. [PMID: 34256168 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is globally increasing, posing a threat to biodiversity. The impact of nocturnal illumination on individual insects has been relatively well documented. Recent studies show that ALAN also impacts species interactions, including intra-specific communication, trophic interactions and plant-pollinator interactions, with cascading effects in the ecosystem and impacts on ecosystem functioning that extend beyond nocturnal communities and illuminated areas. Reduced population sizes and changes in community composition because of exposure to ALAN have been reported but the understanding of the impacts of ALAN on insect communities is currently limited to few groups and ecosystems. The theoretical framework on how ALAN impacts insect communities and populations is poorly developed, limiting our understanding and the formulation of relevant hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Grubisic
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 301/310, 12587 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Roy Ha van Grunsven
- Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Mennonietenweg 10, 6702 AD Wageningen, The Netherlands
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13
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Kernbach ME, Miller C, Alaasam V, Ferguson S, Francis CD. Introduction to the Symposium: Effects of Light Pollution Across Diverse Natural Systems. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1089-1097. [PMID: 34251459 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Light pollution, or the presence of artificial light at night (ALAN), is among the fastest growing but least understood anthropogenic stressor on the planet. While historically light pollution has not received attention comparable to climate change or chemical pollution, research over the past several decades has revealed the plethora of negative effects on humans, animals, and supporting ecosystems. As light pollution continues to grow in spatial, spectral, and temporal extent, we recognize the urgent need to understand how this affects circadian physiology, organismal fitness, life history traits and tradeoffs, population trends, and community interactions. Here, we aim to highlight background and foundational evidence of the effects of light pollution to present context and the basis for early light pollution studies. Next, we touch on several understudied topics where research is underway to fill gaps in our knowledge and provide the basis for future research. Last, we focus on questions that are vital to understanding the effects of ALAN on diverse natural systems and discuss the barriers we face conducting research on light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith E Kernbach
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612
| | - Colleen Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | | | - Stephen Ferguson
- Department of Biology, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691.,Division of Natural Sciences, St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI 54115
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407.,Communication and Social Behavior Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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