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Cuthbert RN, Dalu T, Callaghan A, Dolan EJ, Johnston B. Dyeing waters: Does indiscriminate dye use threaten aquatic ecosystems? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 953:176107. [PMID: 39255935 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176107] [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: 07/16/2024] [Revised: 09/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystem conservation is imperative to reaching global biodiversity and sustainability targets. However, the ecological status of waters has been continuously eroded through mismanagement in the face of existing and emerging anthropogenic stressors, such as pollutants. There has been an emerging trend towards the use of dyes to manage algae and plants as well as to alter aesthetics within various aquatic environments. This artificial colouring has potential ecological implications through reductions in light levels and disruptions to thermoclines (i.e., temperature regime changes with depth). Abiotic regime shifts could in turn drive ecological cascades by depowering primary production, hampering top-down trophic interactions, and affecting evolved animal behaviours. Despite commercial dyes being marketed as acutely non-toxic, very little is known about the chronic effects of these dyes across ecological scales and contexts. We thus call for greater research efforts to understand the ecological consequences of dye usage in aquatic environments, as well as the socio-cultural drivers for its application. This emerging research area could harness approaches such as biological assays, community module experiments, remote sensing, culturomics, and social surveys to elucidate dye effects, trends, and perspectives under a pollution framework. A greater understanding of the potential effects of dye in aquatic ecosystems under relevant contexts would help to inform management decisions and regulation options, while helping to mediate ecocentric and anthropocentric perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross N Cuthbert
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom.
| | - Tatenda Dalu
- Aquatic Systems Research Group, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit 1200, South Africa
| | - Amanda Callaghan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6EX, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen J Dolan
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Barry Johnston
- School of Engineering, Wrexham University, Mold Road, Plas Coch, Wrexham LL11 2AW, Wales, United Kingdom
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van Koppenhagen N, Haller J, Kappeler J, Gossner MM, Bolliger J. LED streetlight characteristics alter the functional composition of ground-dwelling invertebrates. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 355:124209. [PMID: 38795821 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124209] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) has been identified as a primary driver of environmental change in the 21st century with key impacts on ecosystems. At the same time, developments of LED lighting systems with adjustable parameters-such as color temperature and light intensity-may provide an opportunity to mitigate the negative effects of ALAN. To test the potential effects of LED properties, we conducted a comprehensive field study over two summers at three forest sites in Switzerland. We investigated the impact of three key attributes of LED lights (color temperature, brightness, and luminaire shape) on the abundance and community structure of ground-dwelling invertebrate functional groups (predators, omnivores, and detritivores). We found a significantly increased nocturnal attraction of omnivores (+275%) and predators (+70%), but not detritivores, to ALAN, altering arthropod community composition and trophic interactions in forests. LED color temperature and luminaire shape showed minimal effects on all three functional groups, while reducing light level from 100% to 50% attracted fewer individuals in all groups with a significant effect in omnivores (-57%). In addition, we observed significant interactions of color temperatures and luminaire shapes with light intensity, with a decrease in numbers when dimming the light to 50% intensity combined with a color temperature of 3700 K for predators (-53%), with diffusing luminaire shapes for omnivores (-77%) and with standard luminaire shape for detritivores (-27%). The predator-detritivore ratio showed a significant color temperature - light level interaction, with increased numbers of predators around streetlights with 3700 K and 100% intensity, resulting in an elevated top-down pressure on detritivores. These results suggest the importance of considering combined light characteristics in future outdoor lighting designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola van Koppenhagen
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
| | - Jörg Haller
- EKZ, Dreikönigstrasse 18, CH-8022, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Kappeler
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Martin M Gossner
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland; ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Janine Bolliger
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Karaer MC, Kankılıç T, Tavşanoğlu Ç, Cotman M, Čebulj-Kadunc N, Dovč A, Snoj T. Effects of season and sex on the concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in captive and free-ranging endangered mountain gazelles ( Gazella gazella). Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1386009. [PMID: 38898996 PMCID: PMC11186381 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1386009] [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] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aim of our study was to measure fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations in captive and free-ranging male and female mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) during their circannual cycle. In addition, FGM concentrations were used to track the intensity of the adrenocortical response in mountain gazelles during the same period. Methods Fecal samples were collected from the ground in the Hatay Mountain Gazelle Wildlife Development Area in the Hatay Province of Türkiye (36°32' N, 36°32' E) in each season of the year (December, April, July, September). The sex of the animals was determined by detecting the SRY gene of the Y chromosome in DNA isolated from the fecal samples. FGM was extracted from dried fecal samples with methanol, and its concentration was measured using a previously partially validated ELISA. Results and discussion The results indicate that season is the most important factor explaining the variability in FGM concentrations in mountain gazelles. In animals of both sexes, the highest concentrations of FGM were observed in September. The values were significantly higher in the captive population, perhaps due to unpredictable stress. In July, FGM concentrations were low in both populations. As a result of the overall analysis across seasons, the comparison of FGM concentrations between captive and free-ranging animals revealed higher concentrations in captive animals only in September but not in other seasons, although higher concentrations have been previously reported for several wild captive species. Due to predation risk, the presence of offspring can be considered a critical point in the biological cycle for the welfare of free-ranging mountain gazelles, as suggested by the higher FGM concentrations in the free-ranging population in July. The high number of visitors could be a challenge for mountain gazelles in captivity, as indicated by higher FGM concentrations during September. Sex had no effect on the FGM concentrations of either population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Cansu Karaer
- Food and Agriculture Vocational School, Çankırı Karatekin University, Çankırı, Türkiye
- Institute of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
- Division of Ecology, Department of Biology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Tolga Kankılıç
- Department of Biology, Sabire Yazıcı Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Türkiye
| | - Çağatay Tavşanoğlu
- Division of Ecology, Department of Biology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Marko Cotman
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nina Čebulj-Kadunc
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alenka Dovč
- Clinic for Birds, Small Mammals and Reptiles, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Snoj
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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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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Hirt MR, Evans DM, Miller CR, Ryser R. Light pollution in complex ecological systems. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220351. [PMID: 37899008 PMCID: PMC10613538 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0351] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Light pollution has emerged as a burgeoning area of scientific interest, receiving increasing attention in recent years. The resulting body of literature has revealed a diverse array of species-specific and context-dependent responses to artificial light at night (ALAN). Because predicting and generalizing community-level effects is difficult, our current comprehension of the ecological impacts of light pollution on complex ecological systems remains notably limited. It is critical to better understand ALAN's effects at higher levels of ecological organization in order to comprehend and mitigate the repercussions of ALAN on ecosystem functioning and stability amidst ongoing global change. This theme issue seeks to explore the effects of light pollution on complex ecological systems, by bridging various realms and scaling up from individual processes and functions to communities and networks. Through this integrated approach, this collection aims to shed light on the intricate interplay between light pollution, ecological dynamics and humans in a world increasingly impacted by anthropogenic lighting. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam R. Hirt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstr. 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, 07743, Germany
| | - Darren M. Evans
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LB, UK
| | - Colleen R. Miller
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Remo Ryser
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstr. 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, 07743, Germany
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Heinen R, Sanchez-Mahecha O, Martijn Bezemer T, Dominoni DM, Knappe C, Kollmann J, Kopatsch A, Pfeiffer ZA, Schloter M, Sturm S, Schnitzler JP, Corina Vlot A, Weisser WW. Part-night exposure to artificial light at night has more detrimental effects on aphid colonies than fully lit nights. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220357. [PMID: 37899021 PMCID: PMC10613545 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) threatens natural ecosystems globally. While ALAN research is increasing, little is known about how ALAN affects plants and interactions with other organisms. We explored the effects of ALAN on plant defence and plant-insect interactions using barley (Hordeum vulgare) and the English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae). Plants were exposed to 'full' or 'part' nights of 15-20 lux ALAN, or no ALAN 'control' nights, to test the effects of ALAN on plant growth and defence. Although plant growth was only minimally affected by ALAN, aphid colony growth and aphid maturation were reduced significantly by ALAN treatments. Importantly, we found strong differences between full-night and part-night ALAN treatments. Contrary to our expectations, part ALAN had stronger negative effects on aphid colony growth than full ALAN. Defence-associated gene expression was affected in some cases by ALAN, but also positively correlated with aphid colony size, suggesting that the effects of ALAN on plant defences are indirect, and regulated via direct disruption of aphid colonies rather than via ALAN-induced upregulation of defences. Mitigating ecological side effects of ALAN is a complex problem, as reducing exposure to ALAN increased its negative impact on insect herbivores. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Heinen
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Oriana Sanchez-Mahecha
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - T. Martijn Bezemer
- Institute of Biology, Section Plant Ecology and Phytochemistry, Leiden University, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Davide M. Dominoni
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, Scotland
| | - Claudia Knappe
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Kollmann
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, 8534 Freising, Germany
| | - Anton Kopatsch
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmhotz, Munich, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Zoë A. Pfeiffer
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Chair of Soil Science, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmhotz, Munich, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Sturm
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Jörg-Peter Schnitzler
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmhotz, Munich, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - A. Corina Vlot
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chair of Crop Plant Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health, University of Bayreuth, D-95447, Kulmbach, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W. Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
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Anttonen T, Burghi T, Duvall L, Fernandez MP, Gutierrez G, Kermen F, Merlin C, Michaiel A. Neurobiology and Changing Ecosystems: Mechanisms Underlying Responses to Human-Generated Environmental Impacts. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7530-7537. [PMID: 37940589 PMCID: PMC10634574 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1431-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human generated environmental change profoundly affects organisms that reside across diverse ecosystems. Although nervous systems evolved to flexibly sense, respond, and adapt to environmental change, it is unclear whether the rapid rate of environmental change outpaces the adaptive capacity of complex nervous systems. Here, we explore neural systems mediating responses to, or impacted by, changing environments, such as those induced by global heating, sensory pollution, and changing habitation zones. We focus on rising temperature and accelerated changes in environments that impact sensory experience as examples of perturbations that directly or indirectly impact neural function, respectively. We also explore a mechanism involved in cross-species interactions that arises from changing habitation zones. We demonstrate that anthropogenic influences on neurons, circuits, and behaviors are widespread across taxa and require further scientific investigation to understand principles underlying neural resilience to accelerating environmental change.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neural systems evolved over hundreds of millions of years to allow organisms to sense and respond to their environments - to be receptive and responsive, yet flexible. Recent rapid, human-generated environmental changes are testing the limits of the adaptive capacity of neural systems. This presents an opportunity and an urgency to understand how neurobiological processes, including molecular, cellular, and circuit-level mechanisms, are vulnerable or resilient to changing environmental conditions. We showcase examples that range from molecular to circuit to behavioral levels of analysis across several model species, framing a broad neuroscientific approach to explore topics of neural adaptation, plasticity, and resilience. We believe this emerging scientific area is of great societal and scientific importance and will provide a unique opportunity to reexamine our understanding of neural adaptation and the mechanisms underlying neural resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommi Anttonen
- Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark DK-5230
| | - Thiago Burghi
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 1PZ
| | - Laura Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, New York 10027
| | - Maria P Fernandez
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, New York City, New York 10027
| | - Gabrielle Gutierrez
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, New York City, New York 10027
| | - Florence Kermen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark DK-1165
| | - Christine Merlin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Angie Michaiel
- Department of Life Sciences, The Kavli Foundation, Los Angeles, California 90230
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8
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Secondi J, Scriba MF, Mondy N, Lengagne T. Artificial light at night decreases the pupillary light response of dark-adapted toads to bright light. Integr Zool 2023; 18:867-875. [PMID: 36300756 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12693] [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] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is expanding worldwide. Many physiological effects have been reported in animals, but we still know little about the consequences for the visual system. The pupil contributes to control incoming light onto the retina. Sudden increases in light intensity evokes the pupil light reflex (PLR). Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC) affect PLR and melatonin expression, which largely regulate circadian rhythms and PLR itself. IpRCG receive inputs from various photoreptors with different peak sensitivities implying that PLR could be altered by a broad range of light sources. We predicted ALAN to enhance PLR. Contrary to our prediction, dark-adapted cane toads Rhinella marina, exposed to ALAN (5 lx) for 12 days, exhibited a lower PLR than controls and individuals exposed to 0.04 lx, even after 1 h in bright light. We cannot conclude whether ALAN induced a larger pupil size in dark-adapted toads or a slower initial contraction. Nevertheless, the response was triggered by a light source with an emission peak (590 nm) well above the sensitivity peak of melanopsin, the main photoreceptor involved in PLR. Therefore, ALAN alters the capacity of toads to regulate the incoming light in the eye at night, which may reduce the performance of visually guided behaviors, and increase mortality by predators or road kills at night. This first study emphasizes the need to focus on the effect of ALAN on the vision of nocturnal organisms to better understand how this sensory system is altered and anticipate the consequences for organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Secondi
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, Villeurbanne, France
- Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - Madeleine F Scriba
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Nathalie Mondy
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Thierry Lengagne
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, Villeurbanne, France
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9
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Trethewy M, Mayer-Pinto M, Dafforn KA. Urban shading and artificial light at night alter natural light regimes and affect marine intertidal assemblages. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115203. [PMID: 37392591 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115203] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Urban development in many coastal cities has resulted in altered natural light regimes, with many coastal habitats being artificially shaded during the daytime by built structures such as seawalls and piers, while artificial light emitted from buildings and associated infrastructure creates pollution at night. As a result, these habitats may experience changes to community structure and impacts on key ecological processes such as grazing. This study investigated how changes to light regimes affect the abundance of grazers on natural and artificial intertidal habitats in Sydney Harbour, Australia. We also examined whether differences in patterns of responses to shading or artificial light at night (ALAN) varied across different areas within the Harbour, characterised by different overall levels of urbanisation. As predicted, light intensity was greater during the daytime on rocky shores than seawalls at the more urbanised sites of the harbour. We found a negative relationship between the abundance of grazers and increasing light during the daytime on rocky shores (inner harbour) and seawalls (outer harbour). We found similar patterns at night on rocky shores, with a negative relationship between the abundance of grazers and light. However, on seawalls, grazer abundances increased with increasing night-time lux levels, but this was mainly driven by one site. Overall, we found the opposite patterns for algal cover. Our findings corroborate those of previous studies that found that urbanisation can significantly affect natural light cycles, with consequences to ecological communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Trethewy
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Mariana Mayer-Pinto
- Centrefor Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Katherine A Dafforn
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
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Duarte C, Quintanilla-Ahumada D, Anguita C, Silva-Rodriguez EA, Manríquez PH, Widdicombe S, Pulgar J, Miranda C, Jahnsen-Guzmán N, Quijón PA. Field experimental evidence of sandy beach community changes in response to artificial light at night (ALAN). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162086. [PMID: 36764536 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162086] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive but still under-recognized driver of global change. In coastal settings, a large majority of the studies assessing ALAN impacts has focused on individual species, even though it is unclear whether results gathered from single species can be used to predict community-wide responses. Similarly, these studies often treat species as single life-stage entities, ignoring the variation associated with distinct life stages. This study addresses both limitations by focusing on the effects of ALAN on a sandy beach community consisting of species with distinct early- and late-life stages. Our hypothesis was that ALAN alters community structure and these changes are mediated by individual species and also by their ontogenetic stages. A field experiment was conducted in a sandy beach of north-central Chile using an artificial LED system. Samples were collected at different night hours (8-levels in total) across the intertidal (9-levels) over several days in November and January (austral spring and summer seasons). The abundance of adults of all species was significantly lower in ALAN treatments. Early stages of isopods showed the same pattern, but the opposite was observed for the early stages of the other two species. Clear differences were detected in the zonation of these species during natural darkness versus those exposed to ALAN, with some adult-juvenile differences in this response. These results support our hypothesis and document a series of changes affecting differentially both early and late life stages of these species, and ultimately, the structure of the entire community. Although the effects described correspond to short-term responses, more persistent effects are likely to occur if ALAN sources become established as permanent features in sandy beaches. The worldwide growth of ALAN suggests that the scope of its effect will continue to grow and represents a concern for sandy beach systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Duarte
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad, Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay (CIMARQ), Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Diego Quintanilla-Ahumada
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad, Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristóbal Anguita
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Vida Silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Av. Santa Rosa 11315, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eduardo A Silva-Rodriguez
- Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Programa Austral Patagonia, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Patricio H Manríquez
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile; Laboratorio de Ecología y Conducta de la Ontogenia Temprana (LECOT), Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Stephen Widdicombe
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK
| | - José Pulgar
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad, Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay (CIMARQ), Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Miranda
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad, Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicole Jahnsen-Guzmán
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad, Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pedro A Quijón
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
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11
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Eckhartt GM, Ruxton GD. Insects within bushes assemble and forage closer to artificial light at night. Ethology 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Graeme D. Ruxton
- School of Biology University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9TH UK
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12
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Chapman KE, Cozma NE, Hodgkinson AB, English R, Gaston KJ, Hempel de Ibarra N. Bumble bees exploit known sources but return with partial pollen loads when foraging under low evening light. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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13
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Taylor LA, Thawley CJ, Pertuit OR, Dennis AJ, Carson IR, Tang C, Johnson MA. Artificial light at night alters diurnal and nocturnal behavior and physiology in green anole lizards. Physiol Behav 2022; 257:113992. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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14
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Yadav A, Kumar R, Tiwari J, Vaish V, Malik S, Rani S. Effect of artificial light at night on sleep and metabolism in weaver birds. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:80422-80435. [PMID: 35716297 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20875-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night is constantly minimizing the span of dark nights from the natural light-dark cycle of earth. Over the past century, the "lightscape" of earth has completely changed owing to technological advancements which subsequently changed the lifestyle of human as well as the nearby animal species. This motivated the present study, wherein we investigated the impact of light at night (LAN) on behavior and physiology of a diurnal passerine finch, baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus). A group of bird (N=10) exposed to 12L:12D photoperiod was initially subjected to dark nights (0 lux) for a period of 1.5 weeks followed by 5 lux, night light for a span of 4 weeks. The first week in LAN served as acute treatment with respect to the fourth week (chronic). The results reveal significant increase in nighttime activity and sleep loss with respect to acute LAN, while significant inclusion of drowsiness behavior during the day in response to chronic LAN. Besides these behavioral alterations, changes in physiological parameters such as reduction in body mass, loss of gradient between pre- and post- prandial blood glucose levels, and elevation in plasma corticosterone levels were more prominent during acute exposure of LAN. Plasma metabolites such as triglycerides, total protein, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), and creatinine concentrations also hiked in response to acute LAN treatment. Thus, acute exposure of LAN seems to serve as a novel environment for the bird leading to more pronounced impacts on behavioral and physiological observations during the experiment. In chronic exposure, the birds sort of adapted themselves to the prevailing circumstances as evident by decreased nighttime activity, rebound of sleep and corticosterone levels, etc. Thus, the study clearly demonstrates the differential impact of acute and chronic exposure of LAN on behavior and physiology of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupama Yadav
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226007, Lucknow, India
| | - Raj Kumar
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226007, Lucknow, India
| | - Jyoti Tiwari
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226007, Lucknow, India
| | - Vaibhav Vaish
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226007, Lucknow, India
| | - Shalie Malik
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226007, Lucknow, India
| | - Sangeeta Rani
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226007, Lucknow, India.
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15
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Stöckl AL, Foster JJ. Night skies through animals' eyes-Quantifying night-time visual scenes and light pollution as viewed by animals. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:984282. [PMID: 36274987 PMCID: PMC9582234 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.984282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A large proportion of animal species enjoy the benefits of being active at night, and have evolved the corresponding optical and neural adaptations to cope with the challenges of low light intensities. However, over the past century electric lighting has introduced direct and indirect light pollution into the full range of terrestrial habitats, changing nocturnal animals' visual worlds dramatically. To understand how these changes affect nocturnal behavior, we here propose an animal-centered analysis method based on environmental imaging. This approach incorporates the sensitivity and acuity limits of individual species, arriving at predictions of photon catch relative to noise thresholds, contrast distributions, and the orientation cues nocturnal species can extract from visual scenes. This analysis relies on just a limited number of visual system parameters known for each species. By accounting for light-adaptation in our analysis, we are able to make more realistic predictions of the information animals can extract from nocturnal visual scenes under different levels of light pollution. With this analysis method, we aim to provide context for the interpretation of behavioral findings, and to allow researchers to generate specific hypotheses for the behavior of nocturnal animals in observed light-polluted scenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lisa Stöckl
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Zukunftskolleg, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - James Jonathan Foster
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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16
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Lockett MT, Rasmussen R, Arndt SK, Hopkins GR, Jones TM. Artificial light at night promotes bottom-up changes in a woodland food chain. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 310:119803. [PMID: 35870531 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119803] [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: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a recognised disruptor of biological function and ecological communities. Despite increasing research effort, we know little regarding the effect of ALAN on woody plants, including trees, or its indirect effects on their colonising invertebrates. These effects have the potential to disrupt woodland food webs by decreasing the productivity of invertebrates and their secretions, including honeydew and lerps, with cascading effects on other fauna. Here, we cultivated juvenile river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) for 40 weeks under experimentally manipulated light (ALAN) or naturally dark (control) conditions. To assess direct impacts on tree growth, we took multiple measures of growth at four time periods, and also measured physiological function, biomass and investment in semi-mature trees. To assess experimentally the direct and indirect (tree-mediated) impacts of ALAN on invertebrates, from 19 weeks onwards, we matched and mismatched trees with their original ALAN environments. We colonised trees with a common herbivore of E. camaldulensis, the red gum lerp psyllid (Glycaspis nr. brimblecombei) and then measured the effects of current and historic tree lighting treatment on the psyllid life cycle. Our data revealed direct effects of ALAN on tree morphology: E. camaldulensis trees exposed to ALAN shifted biomass allocation away from roots and into leaves and increased specific leaf area. However, while the intensity of ALAN was sufficient to promote photosynthesis (net carbon gain) at night, this did not translate into variation in tree water status or photosystem adaptation to dim night-time light for ALAN-exposed trees. We found some evidence that ALAN had broad-scale community effects-psyllid nymphs colonising ALAN trees produced more lerps-but we found no other direct or indirect impacts of ALAN on the psyllid life cycle. Our results suggest that trees exposed to ALAN may share morphological responses with trees under dim daylight conditions. Further, ALAN may have significant 'bottom-up' effects on Eucalyptus woodland food webs through both trees and herbivores, which may impact higher trophic levels including woodland birds, mammals and invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin T Lockett
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Rebecca Rasmussen
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Burnley, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gareth R Hopkins
- Department of Biology, Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR, USA
| | - Therésa M Jones
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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17
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Katabaro JM, Yan Y, Hu T, Yu Q, Cheng X. A review of the effects of artificial light at night in urban areas on the ecosystem level and the remedial measures. Front Public Health 2022; 10:969945. [PMID: 36299764 PMCID: PMC9589889 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.969945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper attempts to realize the balance between humans and ecology in designing the nighttime light environment of urban parks by clarifying the influence of nighttime artificial light on the ecosystem of urban parks. Firstly, we reviewed the effects of nighttime artificial light on individual predation and reproduction of animals and personal growth and reproduction of plants. Secondly, we discuss the impact of individual changes caused by artificial lighting on ecosystem function at the ecosystem and analyze its advantages and disadvantages. The results showed that nighttime artificial light had a double-sided impact on the ecosystem, which would hurt the ecosystem function, but had a positive effect on the green space, which lacked natural light and had high plant density. This paper focuses on the areas with increased application of artificial lighting and rich species of animals and plants in night cities, such as urban forest parks and urban green spaces. It discusses how to reduce the intrusion of artificial lighting on ecosystems and how to make better use of the positive effect of artificial light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Mushobozi Katabaro
- Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Mountainous City and Towns Construction and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yonghong Yan
- Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Mountainous City and Towns Construction and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tao Hu
- Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Mountainous City and Towns Construction and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Quan Yu
- Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Mountainous City and Towns Construction and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiang Cheng
- Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Mountainous City and Towns Construction and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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18
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Anic V, Gaston KJ, Davies TW, Bennie J. Long-term effects of artificial nighttime lighting and trophic complexity on plant biomass and foliar carbon and nitrogen in a grassland community. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9157. [PMID: 35949540 PMCID: PMC9352868 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9157] [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: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of artificial nighttime lighting due to human settlements and transport networks is increasingly altering the timing, intensity, and spectra of natural light regimes worldwide. Much of the research on the impacts of nighttime light pollution on organisms has focused on animal species. Little is known about the impacts of daylength extension due to outdoor lighting technologies on wild plant communities, despite the fact that plant growth and development are under photoperiodic control. In a five-year field experiment, artificial ecosystems ("mesocosms") of grassland communities both alone or in combination with invertebrate herbivores and predators were exposed to light treatments that simulated street lighting technologies (low-pressure sodium, and light-emitting diode [LED]-based white lighting), at ground-level illuminance. Most of the plant species in the mesocosms did not exhibit changes in biomass accumulation after 5 years of exposure to the light treatments. However, the white LED treatment had a significant negative effect on biomass production in the herbaceous species Lotus pedunculatus. Likewise, the interaction between the white LED treatment and the presence of herbivores significantly reduced the mean shoot/root ratio of the grass species Holcus lanatus. Artificial nighttime lighting had no effect on the foliar carbon or nitrogen in most of the grassland species. Nevertheless, the white LED treatment significantly increased the leaf nitrogen content in Lotus corniculatus in the presence of herbivores. Long-term exposure to artificial light at night had no general effects on plant biomass responses in experimental grassland communities. However, species-specific and negative effects of cool white LED lighting at ground-level illuminance on biomass production and allocation in mixed plant communities are suggested by our findings. Further studies on the impacts of light pollution on biomass accumulation in plant communities are required as these effects could be mediated by different factors, including herbivory, competition, and soil nutrient availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinka Anic
- Environment and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of ExeterCornwallUK
| | - Kevin J. Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of ExeterCornwallUK
| | - Thomas W. Davies
- School of Biological and Marine SciencesUniversity of PlymouthPlymouthUK
| | - Jonathan Bennie
- Environment and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of ExeterCornwallUK
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19
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Miller CR, Vitousek MN, Thaler JS. Light at night disrupts trophic interactions and population growth of lady beetles and pea aphids. Oecologia 2022; 199:527-535. [PMID: 35298703 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05146-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Natural variation in light has historically correlated with seasonality, providing an honest cue to organisms with seasonal life history cycles. However, with the onset of widespread light at night (LAN), the reliability of light as a cue has decreased in polluted areas, making its timing or intensity potentially clash with temperature trends. These clashing cues may influence biological systems on multiple levels. Yet, a few studies have connected behavioral underpinnings and larger community-level processes, resulting in a knowledge gap bridging individual-, population-, and community-level responses to mismatched cues. We experimentally investigated impacts of cool temperature and LAN on a lady beetle-aphid-fava system to test how light and temperature influenced aphid population growth and their underlying behavioral drivers. We used Coccinella septempunctata and Coleomegilla maculata beetles to understand the interaction of the environment and predation on pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) population growth. Aphids and their predators reacted differently to variation in light and temperature, influencing the strength of aphid-driven and predator-driven dynamics in the different conditions. We observed evidence of aphid-driven dynamics in the cool, light conditions where aphids excel and exhibited strong anti-predator behavior. In contrast, we found stronger predator-driven dynamics in warm conditions where lady beetle predatory success was higher. Overall, we found that LAN has context-dependent effects on insect communities due to the varied responses each player has to its environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen R Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, E341 Corson Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, E237 Corson Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Jennifer S Thaler
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
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20
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Mayer-Pinto M, Jones TM, Swearer SE, Robert KA, Bolton D, Aulsebrook AE, Dafforn KA, Dickerson AL, Dimovski AM, Hubbard N, McLay LK, Pendoley K, Poore AG, Thums M, Willmott NJ, Yokochi K, Fobert EK. Light pollution: a landscape-scale issue requiring cross-realm consideration. UCL OPEN ENVIRONMENT 2022; 4:e036. [PMID: 37228454 PMCID: PMC10171420 DOI: 10.14324/111.444/ucloe.000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial, marine and freshwater realms are inherently linked through ecological, biogeochemical and/or physical processes. An understanding of these connections is critical to optimise management strategies and ensure the ongoing resilience of ecosystems. Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a global stressor that can profoundly affect a wide range of organisms and habitats and impact multiple realms. Despite this, current management practices for light pollution rarely consider connectivity between realms. Here we discuss the ways in which ALAN can have cross-realm impacts and provide case studies for each example discussed. We identified three main ways in which ALAN can affect two or more realms: 1) impacts on species that have life cycles and/or stages in two or more realms, such as diadromous fish that cross realms during ontogenetic migrations and many terrestrial insects that have juvenile phases of the life cycle in aquatic realms; 2) impacts on species interactions that occur across realm boundaries, and 3) impacts on transition zones or ecosystems such as mangroves and estuaries. We then propose a framework for cross-realm management of light pollution and discuss current challenges and potential solutions to increase the uptake of a cross-realm approach for ALAN management. We argue that the strengthening and formalisation of professional networks that involve academics, lighting practitioners, environmental managers and regulators that work in multiple realms is essential to provide an integrated approach to light pollution. Networks that have a strong multi-realm and multi-disciplinary focus are important as they enable a holistic understanding of issues related to ALAN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Mayer-Pinto
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Theresa M. Jones
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Stephen E. Swearer
- National Centre for Coasts and Climate (NCCC), School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Kylie A. Robert
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Damon Bolton
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Anne E. Aulsebrook
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen 82319, Germany
| | - Katherine A. Dafforn
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Ashton L. Dickerson
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Alicia M. Dimovski
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Niki Hubbard
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Lucy K. McLay
- Agriculture Victoria Research, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Kellie Pendoley
- Pendoley Environmental Pty Ltd, 12A Pitt Way, Booragoon, WA 6154, Australia
| | - Alistair G.B. Poore
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Michele Thums
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Nikolas J. Willmott
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Kaori Yokochi
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Emily K. Fobert
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
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21
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Liu Y, Speißer B, Knop E, van Kleunen M. The Matthew effect: Common species become more common and rare ones become more rare in response to artificial light at night. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:3674-3682. [PMID: 35152520 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) has been and still is rapidly spreading and has become an important component of global change. Although numerous studies have tested its potential biological and ecological impacts on animals, very few studies have tested whether it affects alien and native plants differently. Furthermore, common plant species, and particularly common alien species, are often found to benefit more from additional resources than rare native and rare alien species. Whether this is also the case with regard to increasing light due to ALAN is still unknown. Here, we tested how ALAN affected the performance of common and rare alien and native plant species in Germany directly, and indirectly via flying insects. We grew five common alien, six rare alien, five common native, and four rare native plant species under four combinations of two ALAN (no ALAN vs. ALAN) and two insect-exclusion (no exclusion vs. exclusion) treatments, and compared their biomass production. We found that common plant species, irrespective of their origin, produced significantly more biomass than rare species and that this was particularly true under ALAN. Furthermore, alien species tended to show a slightly stronger positive response to ALAN than native species did (p = .079). Our study shows that common plant species benefited more from ALAN than rare ones. This might lead to competitive exclusion of rare species, which could have cascading impacts on other trophic levels and thus have important community-wide consequences when ALAN becomes more widespread. In addition, the slightly more positive response of alien species indicates that ALAN might increase the risk of alien plant invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Liu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Benedikt Speißer
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Eva Knop
- Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mark van Kleunen
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, China
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22
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Little CJ, Rizzuto M, Luhring TM, Monk JD, Nowicki RJ, Paseka RE, Stegen JC, Symons CC, Taub FB, Yen JDL. Movement with meaning: integrating information into meta‐ecology. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea J. Little
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Univ. of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Environmental Science, Simon Fraser Univ. Burnaby BC Canada
| | - Matteo Rizzuto
- Dept of Biology, Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland St. John's NL Canada
| | | | - Julia D. Monk
- School of the Environment, Yale Univ. New Haven CT USA
| | - Robert J. Nowicki
- Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Mote Marine Laboratory Summerland Key FL USA
| | - Rachel E. Paseka
- Dept of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Univ. of Minnesota Saint Paul MN USA
| | | | - Celia C. Symons
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of California Irvine CA USA
| | - Frieda B. Taub
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Univ. of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Jian D. L. Yen
- School of BioSciences, Univ. of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, and Arthur Rylah Inst. for Environmental Reserach Heidelberg Victoria Australia
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23
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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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24
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Jechow A, Schreck G, Kyba CCM, Berger SA, Bistarelli LT, Bodenlos M, Gessner MO, Grossart HP, Kupprat F, Nejstgaard JC, Pansch A, Penske A, Sachtleben M, Shatwell T, Singer GA, Stephan S, Walles TJW, Wollrab S, Zielinska-Dabkowska KM, Hölker F. Design and implementation of an illumination system to mimic skyglow at ecosystem level in a large-scale lake enclosure facility. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23478. [PMID: 34873189 PMCID: PMC8648721 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02772-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Light pollution is an environmental stressor of global extent that is growing exponentially in area and intensity. Artificial skyglow, a form of light pollution with large range, is hypothesized to have environmental impact at ecosystem level. However, testing the impact of skyglow at large scales and in a controlled fashion under in situ conditions has remained elusive so far. Here we present the first experimental setup to mimic skyglow at ecosystem level outdoors in an aquatic environment. Spatially diffuse and homogeneous surface illumination that is adjustable between 0.01 and 10 lx, resembling rural to urban skyglow levels, was achieved with white light-emitting diodes at a large-scale lake enclosure facility. The illumination system was enabled by optical modeling with Monte-Carlo raytracing and validated by measurements. Our method can be adapted to other outdoor and indoor skyglow experiments, urgently needed to understand the impact of skyglow on ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Jechow
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany.
- Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics Section, Helmholtz Center Potsdam, German Center for Geosciences (GFZ), Telegraphenberg, 14473, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Günther Schreck
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Christopher C M Kyba
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
- Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics Section, Helmholtz Center Potsdam, German Center for Geosciences (GFZ), Telegraphenberg, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Stella A Berger
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Königin-Luise-Str. 2-4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lukas Thuile Bistarelli
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Bodenlos
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Mark O Gessner
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Königin-Luise-Str. 2-4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Ecology, Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin), Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Grossart
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Königin-Luise-Str. 2-4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 2, 14469, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Franziska Kupprat
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens C Nejstgaard
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Königin-Luise-Str. 2-4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Pansch
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Armin Penske
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Michael Sachtleben
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Tom Shatwell
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Lake Research, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Brückstr. 3a, 39114, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Gabriel A Singer
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Susanne Stephan
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
- Department of Ecology, Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin), Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim J W Walles
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Königin-Luise-Str. 2-4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Ecology, Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin), Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Wollrab
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Königin-Luise-Str. 2-4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Karolina M Zielinska-Dabkowska
- GUT Light Lab, Faculty of Architecture, Gdańsk University of Technology (Gdańsk Tech), Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Franz Hölker
- Department of Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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25
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Heinen R. A spotlight on the phytobiome: Plant-mediated interactions in an illuminated world. Basic Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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26
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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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27
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Lockett MT, Jones TM, Elgar MA, Gaston KJ, Visser ME, Hopkins GR. Urban street lighting differentially affects community attributes of airborne and ground‐dwelling invertebrate assemblages. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin T. Lockett
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Therésa M. Jones
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Mark A. Elgar
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Kevin J. Gaston
- Environment & Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - Marcel E. Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Gareth R. Hopkins
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Melbourne Vic. Australia
- Department of Biology Western Oregon University Monmouth OR USA
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28
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Salinas-Ramos VB, Ancillotto L, Cistrone L, Nastasi C, Bosso L, Smeraldo S, Sánchez Cordero V, Russo D. Artificial illumination influences niche segregation in bats. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 284:117187. [PMID: 33906034 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive form of pollution largely affecting wildlife, from individual behaviour to community structure and dynamics. As nocturnal mammals, bats are often adversely affected by ALAN, yet some "light-opportunistic" species exploit it by hunting insects swarming near lights. Here we used two potentially competing pipistrelle species as models, Kuhl's (Pipistrellus kuhlii) and common (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) pipistrelles, both known to forage in artificially illuminated areas. We set our study in a mountainous area of central Italy, where only recently did the two species become syntopic. We applied spatial modelling and radiotracking to contrast potential vs. actual environmental preferences by the two pipistrelles. Species distribution models and niche analysis showed a large interspecific niche overlap, including a preference for illuminated areas, presenting a potential competition scenario. Pipistrellus pipistrellus association with ALAN, however, was weakened by adding P. kuhlii as a biotic variable to the model. Radiotracking showed that the two species segregated habitats at a small spatial scale and that P. kuhlii used artificially illuminated sites much more frequently than P. pipistrellus, despite both species potentially being streetlamp foragers. We demonstrate that ALAN influences niche segregation between two potentially competing species, confirming its pervasive effects on species and community dynamics, and provide an example of how light pollution and species' habitat preferences may weave a tapestry of complex ecological interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria B Salinas-Ramos
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, NA, Italy
| | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, NA, Italy
| | - Luca Cistrone
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, NA, Italy
| | - Chiara Nastasi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Luciano Bosso
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, NA, Italy
| | - Sonia Smeraldo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, NA, Italy
| | - Víctor Sánchez Cordero
- Laboratorio de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, NA, Italy.
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29
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Kosicki JZ. The impact of artificial light at night on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic bird species communities in a large geographical range: A modelling approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 780:146434. [PMID: 33774297 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is currently recognised as an important environmental disturbance that influences habitats, fitness and behaviour of numerous organisms. However, its effect on bird community distribution on a large spatial scale still remains unclear. Therefore, I decided to use a predictive approach to test an assumption that artificial nightlight, as one of 73 predictors, determines taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic levels of an avian community. In order to safeguard inference from any inconsistency, I used not one but four indices describing functional diversity, two measures showing phylogenetic species richness, and one reflecting taxonomic diversity. For all these measures of species communities I developed two sets of Random Forest models: one set included ALAN as an additional predictor, while the other did not. Following cross validation tests as well as an independent evaluation of models, I demonstrated that artificial night light improved the performance of predictive models. Taxonomic species richness decreased linearly along with increasing artificial luminescence. Moreover, functional diversity showed a unimodal relation to ALAN, which meant that most niches were occupied on a moderate level of artificial lighting. Finally, phylogenetic diversity was under the highest pressure of ALAN, because even a minimal amount of artificial night lighting radically reduced this measure of biodiversity. On the basis of predictive maps, I also found that models which did not include urbanisation processes showed high values of avian biodiversity in regions where in fact they were low. Thus, I conclude that ALAN as a human footprint can play a key role when analysing the distribution of bird communities on large spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Z Kosicki
- Department of Avian Biology & Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61 - 614 Poznań, Poland.
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30
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Ditmer MA, Francis CD, Barber JR, Stoner DC, Seymoure BM, Fristrup KM, Carter NH. Assessing the Vulnerabilities of Vertebrate Species to Light and Noise Pollution: Expert Surveys Illuminate the Impacts on Specialist Species. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1202-1215. [PMID: 34272862 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Global expansion of lighting and noise pollution alters how animals receive and interpret environmental cues. However, we lack a cross-taxon understanding of how animal traits influence species vulnerability to this growing phenomenon. This knowledge is needed to improve the design and implementation of policies that mitigate or reduce sensory pollutants. We present results from an expert knowledge survey that quantified the relative influence of 21 ecological, anatomical, and physiological traits on the vulnerability of terrestrial vertebrates to elevated levels of anthropogenic lighting and noise. We aimed not only to quantify the importance of threats and the relative influence of traits as viewed by sensory and wildlife experts, but to examine knowledge gaps based on the variation in responses. Identifying traits that had less consensus can guide future research for strengthening ecologists' and conservation biologists' understanding of sensory abilities. Our findings, based on 280 responses of expert opinion, highlight the increasing recognition among experts that sensory pollutants are important to consider in management and conservation decisions. Participant responses show mounting threats to species with narrow niches; especially habitat specialists, nocturnal species, and those with the greatest ability to differentiate environmental visual and auditory cues. Our results call attention to the threat specialist species face and provide a generalizable understanding of which species require additional considerations when developing conservation policies and mitigation strategies in a world altered by expanding sensory pollutant footprints. We provide a step-by-step example for translating these results to on-the-ground conservation planning using two species as case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Ditmer
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1382, USA
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Department of Biological Science, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Jesse R Barber
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - David C Stoner
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Brett M Seymoure
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.,Living Earth Collaborative, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63111, USA
| | - Kurt M Fristrup
- National Park Service, Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
| | - Neil H Carter
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1382, USA
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31
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Alaasam VJ, Kernbach ME, Miller CR, Ferguson SM. The diversity of photosensitivity and its implications for light pollution. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1170-1181. [PMID: 34232263 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive anthropogenic pollutant, emanating from urban and suburban developments and reaching nearly all ecosystems from dense forests to coastlines. One proposed strategy for attenuating the consequences of ALAN is to modify its spectral composition to forms that are less disruptive for photosensory systems. However, ALAN is a complicated pollutant to manage due to the extensive variation in photosensory mechanisms and the diverse ways these mechanisms manifest in biological and ecological contexts. Here, we highlight the diversity in photosensitivity across taxa and the implications of this diversity in predicting biological responses to different forms of night lighting. We curated this paper to be broadly accessible and inform current decisions about the spectrum of electric lights used outdoors. We advocate that efforts to mitigate light pollution should consider the unique ways species perceive ALAN, as well as how diverse responses to ALAN scale up to produce diverse ecological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina J Alaasam
- Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Program, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV.,Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV
| | | | - Colleen R Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| | - Stephen M Ferguson
- Department of Biology, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH.,Division of Natural Sciences, St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI
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32
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Secondi J, Mondy N, Gippet JMW, Touzot M, Gardette V, Guillard L, Lengagne T. Artificial light at night alters activity, body mass, and corticosterone level in a tropical anuran. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Photoperiod is a major factor regulating biological rhythms in animals and plants. At low latitudes, annual variation in daylength is low and species are expected to strongly rely on photic cues to reset their circadian clocks. A corollary is that individuals should be strongly affected by sudden changes in the photic regime as those generated by artificial light at night (ALAN). We tested this hypothesis in an anuran in Costa Rica (10°N). Using an outdoor experimental design, we exposed adult cane toads Rhinella marina, a broadly distributed tropical anuran species to two ALAN intensities (0.04 and 5 lx). Locomotor activity was reduced at the lowest intensity, and the activity pattern shifted from crepuscular to nocturnal. Contrary to humans and mice in which ALAN favor obesity, toads from the two exposed groups did not gain mass whereas controls did. Corticosterone was reduced at the highest intensity, a possible consequence of the reduced activity of toads or the altered regulation of their circadian pattern. Thus, the behavioral and physiological disruption that we observed supports the hypothesis of the strong reliance on photic cues to regulate circadian rhythms and control homeostasis in this intertropical anuran. Furthermore, our results suggest that the negative effects of ALAN on physiology, in particular body mass regulation, may differ between vertebrate groups, thus preventing anticipated generalization before more comparative studies have been carried out. We stress the importance of considering the impact of the changing nocturnal environment in the intertropical zone which host the largest fraction of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Secondi
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne,France
- Faculté des Sciences, Université d’Angers, 49045 Angers, France
| | - Nathalie Mondy
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne,France
| | - Jérôme Marcel Walter Gippet
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne,France
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Le Biophore, UNIL-Sorge, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Morgane Touzot
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne,France
| | - Vanessa Gardette
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne,France
| | - Ludovic Guillard
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne,France
| | - Thierry Lengagne
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne,France
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33
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Quintanilla-Ahumada D, Quijón PA, Pulgar J, Manríquez PH, García-Huidobro MR, Duarte C. Exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) alters RNA:DNA ratios in a sandy beach coleopteran insect. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 165:112132. [PMID: 33607454 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coastal habitats worldwide, including sandy beaches, are becoming increasingly exposed to Artificial Light at Night (ALAN). Despite the spread of this global stressor, research assessing ALAN potential impacts remain scarce, particularly at the molecular level. This study addressed this gap by assessing the influence of ALAN on the physiological condition of the sandy beach insect Phalerisida maculata Kulzer (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae). RNA:DNA ratios were used here as a proxy of the insect's nutritional condition in laboratory trials that lasted 20 d. Insects were exposed to two representative ALAN conditions (either 60 or 120 lx) and compared with those maintained in a natural daylight/night cycle (0 lx at nigth; control). After the trial, organisms from each treatment were frozen in liquid nitrogen and standard protocols were followed to estimate RNA, DNA and RNA:DNA ratios. Estimates of RNA:DNA ratios from insects maintained in control conditions were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those from insects exposed to ALAN. The reduced nutritional condition of insects exposed to light pollution is explained by the lower in situ biosynthetic capacity in these organisms resulting from a reduction in their feeding. ALAN likely altered P. maculata normal locomotor activity, which takes place primarily at night, forcing the insects to remain buried in the sand for extended periods of time. As ALAN continues to spread along coastlines worldwide, there is a likelihood of growing impacts on these and other species living on sandy beaches and other coastal habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Quintanilla-Ahumada
- Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - P A Quijón
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
| | - J Pulgar
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - P H Manríquez
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile; Laboratorio de Ecología y Conducta de la Ontogenia Temprana (LECOT), Coquimbo, Chile
| | - M Roberto García-Huidobro
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación para el Cambio Climático (CiiCC), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Ejército 146, Santiago, Chile
| | - C Duarte
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay (CIMARQ), Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile.
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34
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Tielens EK, Cimprich PM, Clark BA, DiPilla AM, Kelly JF, Mirkovic D, Strand AI, Zhai M, Stepanian PM. Nocturnal city lighting elicits a macroscale response from an insect outbreak population. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20200808. [PMID: 33784873 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic environmental change affects organisms by exposing them to enhanced sensory stimuli that can elicit novel behavioural responses. A pervasive feature of the built environment is artificial nocturnal lighting, and brightly lit urban areas can influence organism abundance, distribution and community structure within proximate landscapes. In some cases, the attractive or disorienting effect of artificial light at night can draw animals into highly unfavourable habitats, acting as a macroscale attractive ecological sink. Despite their significance for animal ecology, identifying cases of these phenomena and determining their effective scales and the number of organisms impacted remains challenging. Using an integrated set of remote-sensing observations, we quantify the effect of a large-scale attractive sink on nocturnal flights of an outbreak insect population in Las Vegas, USA. At the peak of the outbreak, over 45 million grasshoppers took flight across the region, with the greatest numbers concentrating over high-intensity city lighting. Patterns of dusk ascent from vegetated habitat toward urban areas suggest a daily pull toward a time-varying nocturnal attractive sink. The strength of this attractor varies with grasshopper density. These observations provide the first macroscale characterization of the effects of nocturnal urban lighting on the behaviour of regional insect populations and demonstrate the link between insect perception of the built environment and resulting changes in spatial and movement ecology. As human-induced environmental change continues to affect insect populations, understanding the impacts of nocturnal light on insect behaviour and fitness will be vital to developing robust large-scale management and conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elske K Tielens
- Corix Plains Institute, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Paula M Cimprich
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Bonne A Clark
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Alisha M DiPilla
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Jeffrey F Kelly
- Corix Plains Institute, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Djordje Mirkovic
- Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73072, USA
| | - Alva I Strand
- Corix Plains Institute, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Mengyuan Zhai
- Corix Plains Institute, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.,College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Phillip M Stepanian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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Falcón J, Torriglia A, Attia D, Viénot F, Gronfier C, Behar-Cohen F, Martinsons C, Hicks D. Exposure to Artificial Light at Night and the Consequences for Flora, Fauna, and Ecosystems. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:602796. [PMID: 33304237 PMCID: PMC7701298 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.602796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The present review draws together wide-ranging studies performed over the last decades that catalogue the effects of artificial-light-at-night (ALAN) upon living species and their environment. We provide an overview of the tremendous variety of light-detection strategies which have evolved in living organisms - unicellular, plants and animals, covering chloroplasts (plants), and the plethora of ocular and extra-ocular organs (animals). We describe the visual pigments which permit photo-detection, paying attention to their spectral characteristics, which extend from the ultraviolet into infrared. We discuss how organisms use light information in a way crucial for their development, growth and survival: phototropism, phototaxis, photoperiodism, and synchronization of circadian clocks. These aspects are treated in depth, as their perturbation underlies much of the disruptive effects of ALAN. The review goes into detail on circadian networks in living organisms, since these fundamental features are of critical importance in regulating the interface between environment and body. Especially, hormonal synthesis and secretion are often under circadian and circannual control, hence perturbation of the clock will lead to hormonal imbalance. The review addresses how the ubiquitous introduction of light-emitting diode technology may exacerbate, or in some cases reduce, the generalized ever-increasing light pollution. Numerous examples are given of how widespread exposure to ALAN is perturbing many aspects of plant and animal behaviour and survival: foraging, orientation, migration, seasonal reproduction, colonization and more. We examine the potential problems at the level of individual species and populations and extend the debate to the consequences for ecosystems. We stress, through a few examples, the synergistic harmful effects resulting from the impacts of ALAN combined with other anthropogenic pressures, which often impact the neuroendocrine loops in vertebrates. The article concludes by debating how these anthropogenic changes could be mitigated by more reasonable use of available technology - for example by restricting illumination to more essential areas and hours, directing lighting to avoid wasteful radiation and selecting spectral emissions, to reduce impact on circadian clocks. We end by discussing how society should take into account the potentially major consequences that ALAN has on the natural world and the repercussions for ongoing human health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Falcón
- Laboratoire Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), MNHN, CNRS FRE 2030, SU, IRD 207, UCN, UA, Paris, France
| | - Alicia Torriglia
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U 1138, Ophtalmopole Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris - SU, Paris, France
| | - Dina Attia
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Claude Gronfier
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Waking Team, Inserm UMRS 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Francine Behar-Cohen
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U 1138, Ophtalmopole Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris - SU, Paris, France
| | | | - David Hicks
- Inserm, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Peregrym M, Pénzesné Kónya E, Falchi F. Very important dark sky areas in Europe and the Caucasus region. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 274:111167. [PMID: 32791325 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ALAN (artificial light at night) can give, if done adequately, a lot of benefits for human society, but it affects reproduction, navigation, foraging, habitat selection, communication, trophic and social interactions of the biota in the same time. Taking into account dramatic increase in light pollution of the night sky and night environment during the past decades, the creation of refugia where natural habitats are not influenced by ALAN is very important. We selected promising territories without, or with a low impact of, ALAN for the development of a VIDA (Very Important Dark Area) Network in Europe and the Caucasus region. 54 VIDAs within the borders of 30 countries were chosen, located in different biogeographic regions, at different altitudes, and in juxtaposition with protected areas. Special attention has been paid to sea and ocean islands, non-polluted by ALAN, as well as to large parts of European Russia and Kazakhstan where there is still a low level of light pollution. These places might be a basis for the protection of biodiversity from the consequences of ALAN, and they can also serve as key education centers for increasing the awareness of the problem of light pollution of the sky at night. Due to the fact that light propagates far away in the atmosphere, the protection of VIDAs can be obtained only if a strong anti-light pollution action is enforced also in the surrounding areas, at least 100 km from the borders of the VIDAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mykyta Peregrym
- Eszterházy Károly University, Leanyka Str., 6-8, Eger, 3300, Hungary.
| | | | - Fabio Falchi
- Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologia dell'Inquinamento Luminoso (Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute), 36016, Thiene, Italy; Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
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37
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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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Boom MP, Spoelstra K, Biere A, Knop E, Visser ME. Pollination and fruit infestation under artificial light at night:light colour matters. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18389. [PMID: 33110135 PMCID: PMC7591485 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75471-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid human population growth and associated urbanization lead to increased artificial illumination of the environment. By changing the natural light–dark cycle, artificial lighting can affect the functioning of natural ecosystems. Many plants rely on insects in order to reproduce but these insects are known to be disturbed by artificial light. Therefore, plant–insect interactions may be affected when exposed to artificial illumination. These effects can potentially be reduced by using different light spectra than white light. We studied the effect of artificial lighting on plant–insect interactions in the Silene latifolia–Hadena bicruris system using a field set-up with four different light treatments: red, green, white and a dark control. We compared the proportion of fertilized flowers and fertilized ovules as well as the infestation of fruits by Hadena bicruris, a pollinating seed predator. We found no difference in the proportion of fertilized flowers among the treatments. The proportion of fruits infested by H. bicruris was however significantly higher under green and white light and a significantly lower proportion of fertilized ovules was found under green light. We show that artificial light with different colours impacts plant–insect interactions differently, with direct consequences for plant fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel P Boom
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kamiel Spoelstra
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Arjen Biere
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Knop
- Department of Evoluationary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland.,Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Reckenholzstr. 191, 8046, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Cope KL, Schook MW, Benard MF. Exposure to artificial light at night during the larval stage has delayed effects on juvenile corticosterone concentration in American toads, Anaxyrus americanus. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 295:113508. [PMID: 32442544 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) is an environmental stressor that can disrupt individual physiology and ecological interactions. Hormones such as corticosterone are often responsible for mediating an organism's response to environmental stressors. We investigated whether ALAN was associated with a corticosterone response and whether it exacerbated the effects of another common stressor, predation. We tested for consumptive, non-consumptive, and physiological effects of ALAN and predator presence (dragonfly larvae) on a widespread amphibian, the American toad (Anaxyrus americanus). We found predators had consumptive (decreased survival) and non-consumptive (decreased growth) effects on larval toads. ALAN did not affect larval toads nor did it interact with the predator treatment to increase larval toad predation. Despite the consumptive and non-consumptive effects of predators, neither predators nor ALAN affected corticosterone concentration in the larval and metamorph life-stages. In contrast to studies in other organisms, we did not find any evidence that suggested ALAN alters predator-prey interactions between dragonfly larvae and toads. However, there was an inverse relationship between corticosterone and survival that was exacerbated by exposure to ALAN when predators were absent. Additionally, larval-stage exposure to ALAN increased corticosterone concentration in juvenile toads. Our results suggest the physiological effects of ALAN may not be demonstrated until later life-stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kacey L Cope
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44016, USA.
| | - Mandi W Schook
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 4200 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA; Disney's Animals, Science and Environment, 1200 East Savannah Circle, Bay Lake, FL, USA.
| | - Michael F Benard
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44016, USA.
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Firebaugh A, Haynes KJ. Multi‐year experiment shows no impact of artificial light at night on arthropod trophic structure or abundance. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Firebaugh
- Biology Department Radford University Radford Virginia24141USA
| | - Kyle J. Haynes
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia22904USA
- Blandy Experimental Farm University of Virginia 400 Blandy Farm Lane Boyce Virginia22620USA
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Shier DM, Bird AK, Wang TB. Effects of artificial light at night on the foraging behavior of an endangered nocturnal mammal. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 263:114566. [PMID: 32320890 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Modification of nighttime light levels by artificial illumination (artificial light at night; ALAN) is a rapidly increasing form of human disturbance that affects natural environments worldwide. Light in natural environments influences a variety of physiological and ecological processes directly and indirectly and, as a result, the effects of light pollution on species, communities and ecosystems are emerging as significant. Small prey species may be particularly susceptible to ALAN as it makes them more conspicuous and thus more vulnerable to predation by visually oriented predators. Understanding the effects of disturbance like ALAN is especially important for threatened or endangered species as impacts have the potential to impede recovery, but due to low population numbers inherent to at-risk species, disturbance is rarely studied. The endangered Stephens' kangaroo rat (SKR), Dipodomys stephensi, is a nocturnal rodent threatened by habitat destruction from urban expansion. The degree to which ALAN impacts their recovery is unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of ALAN on SKR foraging decisions across a gradient of light intensity for two types of ALAN, flood and bug lights (756 vs 300 lumen, respectfully) during full and new moon conditions. We found that ALAN decreased probability of resource patch depletion compared to controls. Moreover, lunar illumination, distance from the light source and light type interacted to alter SKR foraging. Under the new moon, SKR were consistently more likely to deplete patches under control conditions, but there was an increasing probability of patch depletion with distance from the source of artificial light. The full moon dampened SKR foraging activity and the effect of artificial lights. Our study underscores that ALAN reduces habitat suitability, and raises the possibility that ALAN may impede the recovery of at-risk nocturnal rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra M Shier
- Recovery Ecology, Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, 92027, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 621 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Alicia K Bird
- Recovery Ecology, Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, 92027, USA; Department of Evolution & Ecology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Thea B Wang
- Recovery Ecology, Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, 92027, USA
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Berger A, Lozano B, Barthel LMF, Schubert N. Moving in the Dark-Evidence for an Influence of Artificial Light at Night on the Movement Behaviour of European Hedgehogs ( Erinaceus europaeus). Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081306. [PMID: 32751525 PMCID: PMC7459628 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The European hedgehog is one of the most popular and well-known wild animals, but its numbers are declining throughout Europe, especially in rural areas. Effective hedgehog conservation requires an understanding of the hedgehog’s ability to adapt to a changing environment. Due to globally increasing urbanisation, the use of artificial light sources to illuminate the night, called light pollution, has spread dramatically. Light pollution significantly affects the behaviour and ecology of wildlife, but the hedgehog’s behaviour towards light pollution remains unknown. We therefore investigated the effects of light pollution on the natural movement behaviour of hedgehogs living in an urban environment. Although hedgehogs can react very variably to environmental influences, the majority of hedgehogs studied here preferred to move in less illuminated rather than in strongly illuminated areas. This apparently rigid behaviour could be used in applied hedgehog conservation to connect isolated hedgehog populations or to safely guide the animals around places dangerous for them via dark corridors that are attractive for hedgehogs. Abstract With urban areas growing worldwide comes an increase in artificial light at night (ALAN), causing a significant impact on wildlife behaviour and its ecological relationships. The effects of ALAN on nocturnal and protected European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are unknown but their identification is important for sustainable species conservation and management. In a pilot study, we investigated the influence of ALAN on the natural movement behaviour of 22 hedgehogs (nine females, 13 males) in urban environments. Over the course of four years, we equipped hedgehogs at three different study locations in Berlin with biologgers to record their behaviour for several weeks. We used Global Positioning System (GPS) tags to monitor their spatial behaviour, very high-frequency (VHF) loggers to locate their nests during daytime, and accelerometers to distinguish between active and passive behaviours. We compared the mean light intensity of the locations recorded when the hedgehogs were active with the mean light intensity of simulated locations randomly distributed in the individual’s home range. We were able to show that the ALAN intensity of the hedgehogs’ habitations was significantly lower compared to the simulated values, regardless of the animal’s sex. This ALAN-related avoidance in the movement behaviour can be used for applied hedgehog conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Berger
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (A.B.); (B.L.); (L.M.F.B.)
| | - Briseida Lozano
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (A.B.); (B.L.); (L.M.F.B.)
- Institut für Ökologie, Technische Universität Berlin, Rothenburgstraße 12, 12165 Berlin, Germany
| | - Leon M. F. Barthel
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (A.B.); (B.L.); (L.M.F.B.)
| | - Nadine Schubert
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (A.B.); (B.L.); (L.M.F.B.)
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Hey MH, DiBiase E, Roach DA, Carr DE, Haynes KJ. Interactions between artificial light at night, soil moisture, and plant density affect the growth of a perennial wildflower. Oecologia 2020; 193:503-510. [PMID: 32533357 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04679-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) has been shown to alter aspects of plant growth, but we are not aware of any studies that have examined whether the effects of ALAN on plants depend upon the backdrop of variation in other abiotic factors that plants encounter in field populations. We conducted a field experiment to investigate whether ALAN affects the growth and anti-herbivore defenses of common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, and whether the effects of ALAN are influenced by plant density or soil moisture content. Artificial light at night, soil moisture, and plant density were manipulated according to a split-plot factorial design. Although increasing soil moisture by watering had no significant effects on latex exudation, attributes of plant growth generally responded positively to watering. The basal stem diameter (BSD) and height of plants were affected by ALAN × soil moisture interactions. For both of these variables, the positive effects of ALAN were greater for plants that were not watered than for plants that were. Basal stem diameter was also affected by an ALAN × plant density interaction, and the positive effect of ALAN on BSD was greater in the low-density treatment than in the high-density treatment. Our results demonstrate that the effects of ALAN on plant growth can be altered by soil moisture and plant density. Consequently, the effects of ALAN on plants in nature may not be consistent with existing frameworks that do not account for critical abiotic variables such as water availability or biotic interactions between plants such as competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa H Hey
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.
| | | | - Deborah A Roach
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - David E Carr
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.,Blandy Experimental Farm, University of Virginia, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce, VA, 22620, USA
| | - Kyle J Haynes
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.,Blandy Experimental Farm, University of Virginia, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce, VA, 22620, USA
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Finch D, Smith BR, Marshall C, Coomber FG, Kubasiewicz LM, Anderson M, Wright PGR, Mathews F. Effects of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) on European Hedgehog Activity at Supplementary Feeding Stations. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10050768. [PMID: 32354129 PMCID: PMC7278375 DOI: 10.3390/ani10050768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
: Artificial light at night (ALAN) can have negative consequences for a wide range of taxa. However, the effects on nocturnal mammals other than bats are poorly understood. A citizen science camera trapping experiment was therefore used to assess the effect of ALAN on the activity of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) at supplementary feeding stations in UK gardens. A crossover design was implemented at 33 gardens with two treatments-artificial light and darkness-each of which lasted for one week. The order of treatment depended on the existing lighting regime at the feeding station: dark treatments were applied first at dark feeding stations, whereas light treatments were used first where the station was already illuminated. Although temporal changes in activity patterns in response to the treatments were noted in some individuals, the direction of the effects was not consistent. Similarly, there was no overall impact of ALAN on the presence or feeding activities of hedgehogs in gardens where supplementary feeding stations were present. These findings are somewhat reassuring insofar as they demonstrate no net negative effect on a species thought to be in decline, in scenarios where the animals are already habituated to supplementary feeding. However, further research is needed to examine long-term effects and the effects of lighting on hedgehog prey, reproductive success and predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domhnall Finch
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QG, UK; (D.F.); (F.G.C.); (M.A.); (P.G.R.W.)
| | | | | | - Frazer G. Coomber
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QG, UK; (D.F.); (F.G.C.); (M.A.); (P.G.R.W.)
- Mammal Society, London E9 6EJ, UK; (B.R.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.K.)
| | | | - Max Anderson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QG, UK; (D.F.); (F.G.C.); (M.A.); (P.G.R.W.)
| | - Patrick G. R. Wright
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QG, UK; (D.F.); (F.G.C.); (M.A.); (P.G.R.W.)
- Mammal Society, London E9 6EJ, UK; (B.R.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.K.)
| | - Fiona Mathews
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QG, UK; (D.F.); (F.G.C.); (M.A.); (P.G.R.W.)
- Mammal Society, London E9 6EJ, UK; (B.R.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.K.)
- Correspondence:
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Switching LPS to LED Streetlight May Dramatically Reduce Activity and Foraging of Bats. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12040165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night is considered a major threat to biodiversity, especially for nocturnal species, as it reduces habitat availability, quality, and functionality. Since the recent evolution in light technologies in improving luminous efficacy, developed countries are experiencing a renewal of their lighting equipment that reaches its end-of-life, from conventional lighting technologies to light emitting diodes (LEDs). Despite potential cascading impacts of such a shift on nocturnal fauna, few studies have so far dealt with the impact of the renewal of street lighting by new technologies. Specifically, only one study, by Rowse et al.2016, examined the effects of switching from widely used low pressure sodium (LPS) lamps to LEDs, using bats as biological models. This study was based on a before-after-control-impact paired design (BACIP) at 12 pairs in the UK, each including one control and one experimental streetlight. If Rowse et al. 2016 showed no effect of switching to LEDs streetlights on bat activity, the effects of respective changes in light intensity and spectrum were not disentangled when testing switch effects. Here, we conduct a retrospective analysis of their data to include these covariates in statistical models with the aim of disentangling the relative effects of these light characteristics. Our re-analysis clearly indicates that the switches in spectrum and in intensity with replacement of LPS with LED lamps have significant additive and interactive effects, on bat activity. We also show that bat activity and buzz ratio decrease with increasing LED intensity while an opposite effect is observed with LPS lamps. Hence, the loss or the gain in bat activity when lamp types, i.e., spectrum, are switched strongly depends on the initial and new lamp intensities. Our results stress the need to consider simultaneously the effects of changes in the different lights characteristics when street lighting changes. Because switches from LPS to LED lamps can lead to an increase in light intensity, such technological changes may involve a reduction of bat activity in numerous cases, especially at high LED intensities. Since we are currently at an important crossroad in lighting management, we recommend to limit LED intensity and improve its spectral composition toward warmer colors to limit potential deleterious impacts on bat activity.
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Maggi E, Bongiorni L, Fontanini D, Capocchi A, Dal Bello M, Giacomelli A, Benedetti‐Cecchi L. Artificial light at night erases positive interactions across trophic levels. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Maggi
- Dip. di Biologia, CoNISMa Università di Pisa Pisa Italy
| | | | | | | | - Martina Dal Bello
- Physics of Living Systems Group Department of Physics Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA USA
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Mcmunn MS, Yang LH, Ansalmo A, Bucknam K, Claret M, Clay C, Cox K, Dungey DR, Jones A, Kim AY, Kubacki R, Le R, Martinez D, Reynolds B, Schroder J, Wood E. Artificial Light Increases Local Predator Abundance, Predation Rates, and Herbivory. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:1331-1339. [PMID: 31789364 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvz103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Human activity is rapidly increasing the radiance and geographic extent of artificial light at night (ALAN) leading to alterations in the development, behavior, and physiological state of many organisms. A limited number of community-scale studies investigating the effects of ALAN have allowed for spatial aggregation through positive phototaxis, the commonly observed phenomenon of arthropod movement toward light. We performed an open field study (without restricted arthropod access) to determine the effects of ALAN on local arthropod community composition, plant traits, and local herbivory and predation rates. We found strong positive phototaxis in 10 orders of arthropods, with increased (159% higher) overall arthropod abundance under ALAN compared to unlit controls. The arthropod community under ALAN was more diverse and contained a higher proportion of predaceous arthropods (15% vs 8%). Predation of immobilized flies occurred 3.6 times faster under ALAN; this effect was not observed during the day. Contrary to expectations, we also observed a 6% increase in herbivory under ALAN. Our results highlight the importance of open experimental field studies in determining community-level effects of ALAN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall S Mcmunn
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Louie H Yang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Amy Ansalmo
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Keatyn Bucknam
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Miles Claret
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Cameron Clay
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Kyle Cox
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Darian R Dungey
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Asia Jones
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Ashley Y Kim
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Robert Kubacki
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Rachel Le
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Deniss Martinez
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
- Department of Native American Studies, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Brian Reynolds
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - John Schroder
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Emily Wood
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
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48
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Czarnecka M, Kakareko T, Jermacz Ł, Pawlak R, Kobak J. Combined effects of nocturnal exposure to artificial light and habitat complexity on fish foraging. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 684:14-22. [PMID: 31150872 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Due to the widespread use of artificial light, freshwater ecosystems in urban areas at night are often subjected to light of intensities exceeding that of the moonlight. Nocturnal dim light could modify fish behaviour and benefit visual predators because of enhanced foraging success compared to dark nights. However, effects of nocturnal light could be mitigated by the presence of structured habitats providing refuges for prey. We tested in laboratory experiments whether nocturnal light of low intensity (2 lx) increases foraging efficiency of the Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) on invertebrate prey (Gammarus fossarum). The tests were conducted at dusk and night under two light regimes: natural cycle with dark nights and disturbed cycle with artificially illuminated nights, in habitats differing in structural complexity: sand and woody debris. We found that nocturnal illumination significantly enhanced the consumption of gammarids by fish compared to dark nights. In addition, the perch was as effective predator in illuminated nights (2 lx) as at dusk (10 lx). Woody debris provided an effective refuge only in combination with undisturbed darkness, but not in illuminated nights. Our results suggest that nocturnal illumination in aquatic ecosystems may contribute to significant reductions in invertebrate population sizes through fish predation. The loss of darkness reduces the possibility of using shelters by invertebrates and hence the effects of elevated light levels at night could not be mitigated by an increased habitat complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Czarnecka
- Department of Ecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Kakareko
- Department of Ecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Łukasz Jermacz
- Department of Ecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland; Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Roman Pawlak
- Department of Ecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Jarosław Kobak
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
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49
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O'Connor JJ, Fobert EK, Besson M, Jacob H, Lecchini D. Live fast, die young: Behavioural and physiological impacts of light pollution on a marine fish during larval recruitment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 146:908-914. [PMID: 31426235 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a recently acknowledged form of anthropogenic pollution of growing concern to the biology and ecology of exposed organisms. Though ALAN can have detrimental effects on physiology and behaviour, we have little understanding of how marine organisms in coastal areas may be impacted. Here, we investigated the effects of ALAN exposure on coral reef fish larvae during the critical recruitment stage, encompassing settlement, metamorphosis, and post-settlement survival. We found that larvae avoided illuminated settlement habitats, however those living under ALAN conditions for 10 days post-settlement experienced changes in swimming behaviour and higher susceptibility to nocturnal predation. Although ALAN-exposed fish grew faster and heavier than control fish, they also experienced significantly higher mortality rates by the end of the experimental period. This is the first study on the ecological impacts of ALAN during the early life history of marine fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J O'Connor
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Institute for Pacific Coral Reefs, IRCP, 98729, Moorea, French Polynesia.
| | - E K Fobert
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - M Besson
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR3278 CRIOBE, BP 1013, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia; Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, UMR7232, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris, 1 avenue du Fontaulé, 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - H Jacob
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR3278 CRIOBE, BP 1013, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia; International Atomic Energy Agency, Environment Laboratories, 4a, Quai Antoine 1er, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - D Lecchini
- Institute for Pacific Coral Reefs, IRCP, 98729, Moorea, French Polynesia; PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR3278 CRIOBE, BP 1013, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia; Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Moorea, French Polynesia
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50
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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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