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Cooke SJ, Piczak ML, Singh NJ, Åkesson S, Ford AT, Chowdhury S, Mitchell GW, Norris DR, Hardesty-Moore M, McCauley D, Hammerschlag N, Tucker MA, Horns JJ, Reisinger RR, Kubelka V, Lennox RJ. Animal migration in the Anthropocene: threats and mitigation options. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1242-1260. [PMID: 38437713 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13066] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Animal migration has fascinated scientists and the public alike for centuries, yet migratory animals are facing diverse threats that could lead to their demise. The Anthropocene is characterised by the reality that humans are the dominant force on Earth, having manifold negative effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function. Considerable research focus has been given to assessing anthropogenic impacts on the numerical abundance of species/populations, whereas relatively less attention has been devoted to animal migration. However, there are clear linkages, for example, where human-driven impacts on migration behaviour can lead to population/species declines or even extinction. Here, we explore anthropogenic threats to migratory animals (in all domains - aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial) using International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Threat Taxonomy classifications. We reveal the diverse threats (e.g. human development, disease, invasive species, climate change, exploitation, pollution) that impact migratory wildlife in varied ways spanning taxa, life stages and type of impact (e.g. from direct mortality to changes in behaviour, health, and physiology). Notably, these threats often interact in complex and unpredictable ways to the detriment of wildlife, further complicating management. Fortunately, we are beginning to identify strategies for conserving and managing migratory animals in the Anthropocene. We provide a set of strategies that, if embraced, have the potential to ensure that migratory animals, and the important ecological functions sustained by migration, persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Cooke
- Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Morgan L Piczak
- Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Navinder J Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, 90183, Sweden
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, 22362, Sweden
| | - Adam T Ford
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Shawan Chowdhury
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, Jena, 07743, Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr, 15, Leipzig, 04318, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstr, 4, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Greg W Mitchell
- Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - D Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Molly Hardesty-Moore
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Douglas McCauley
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Atlantic Shark Expeditions, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, Nova Scotia, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Marlee A Tucker
- Radboud Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Houtlaan 4, Nijmegen, 6525, The Netherlands
| | - Joshua J Horns
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Ryan R Reisinger
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Center Southampton, University Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Vojtěch Kubelka
- Dept of Zoology and Centre for Polar Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Robert J Lennox
- Ocean Tracking Network, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3Z1, Canada
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2
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Adams CA, Clair CCS, Knight EC, Bayne EM. Behaviour and landscape contexts determine the effects of artificial light on two crepuscular bird species. LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY 2024; 39:83. [PMID: 38550967 PMCID: PMC10965584 DOI: 10.1007/s10980-024-01875-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Context Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasing worldwide, with many ecological effects. Aerial insectivores may benefit from foraging on insects congregating at light sources. However, ALAN could negatively impact them by increasing nest visibility and predation risk, especially for ground-nesting species like nightjars (Caprimulgidae). Objectives We tested predictions based on these two alternative hypotheses, potential foraging benefits vs potential predation costs of ALAN, for two nightjar species in British Columbia: Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor) and Common Poorwills (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii). Methods We modeled the relationship between ALAN and relative abundance using count data from the Canadian Nightjar Survey. We distinguished territorial from extra-territorial Common Nighthawks based on their wingboom behaviour. Results We found limited support for the foraging benefit hypothesis: there was an increase in relative abundance of extra-territorial Common Nighthawks in areas with higher ALAN but only in areas with little to no urban land cover. Common Nighthawks' association with ALAN became negative in areas with 18% or more urban land cover. We found support for the nest predation hypothesis: the were strong negative associations with ALAN for both Common Poorwills and territorial Common Nighthawks. Conclusions The positive effects of ALAN on foraging nightjars may be limited to species that can forage outside their nesting territory and to non-urban areas, while the negative effects of ALAN on nesting nightjars may persist across species and landscape contexts. Reducing light pollution in breeding habitat may be important for nightjars and other bird species that nest on the ground. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10980-024-01875-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Ann Adams
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB Canada
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO USA
| | - Colleen Cassady St. Clair
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - Elly C. Knight
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, 1-107 Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (CCIS), University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - Erin M. Bayne
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB Canada
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3
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Cox DTC, Gaston KJ. Global erosion of terrestrial environmental space by artificial light at night. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166701. [PMID: 37652384 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts natural light cycles, with biological impacts that span from behaviour of individual organisms to ecosystem functions, and across bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Global consequences have almost invariably been inferred from the geographic distribution of ALAN. How ALAN is distributed in environmental space, and the extent to which combinations of environmental conditions with natural light cycles have been lost, is also key. Globally (between 60°N and 56°S), we ordinated four bioclimatic variables at 1.61 * 1.21 km resolution to map the position and density of terrestrial pixels within nighttime environmental space. We then used the Black Marble Nighttime Lights product to determine where direct ALAN emissions were present in environmental space in 2012 and how these had expanded in environmental space by 2022. Finally, we used the World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness to determine the proportion of environmental space that is unaffected by ALAN across its spatial distribution. We found that by 2012 direct ALAN emissions occurred across 71.9 % of possible nighttime terrestrial environmental conditions, with temperate nighttime environments and highly modified habitats disproportionately impacted. From 2012 to 2022 direct ALAN emissions primarily grew within 34.4 % of environmental space where it was already present, with this growth concentrated in tropical environments. Additionally considering skyglow, just 13.2 % of environmental space now only experiences natural light cycles throughout its distribution. With opportunities to maintain much of environmental space under such cycles fast disappearing, the removal, reduction and amelioration of ALAN from areas of environmental space in which it is already widespread is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T C Cox
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Kevin J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
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4
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Horton KG, Buler JJ, Anderson SJ, Burt CS, Collins AC, Dokter AM, Guo F, Sheldon D, Tomaszewska MA, Henebry GM. Artificial light at night is a top predictor of bird migration stopover density. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7446. [PMID: 38049435 PMCID: PMC10696060 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43046-z] [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: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As billions of nocturnal avian migrants traverse North America, twice a year they must contend with landscape changes driven by natural and anthropogenic forces, including the rapid growth of the artificial glow of the night sky. While airspaces facilitate migrant passage, terrestrial landscapes serve as essential areas to restore energy reserves and often act as refugia-making it critical to holistically identify stopover locations and understand drivers of use. Here, we leverage over 10 million remote sensing observations to develop seasonal contiguous United States layers of bird migrant stopover density. In over 70% of our models, we identify skyglow as a highly influential and consistently positive predictor of bird migration stopover density across the United States. This finding points to the potential of an expanding threat to avian migrants: peri-urban illuminated areas may act as ecological traps at macroscales that increase the mortality of birds during migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle G Horton
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
| | - Jeffrey J Buler
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Sharolyn J Anderson
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Suite 100, Fort Collins, CO, 80525, USA
| | - Carolyn S Burt
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy C Collins
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Conservation Science Partners, Truckee, CA, USA
| | - Adriaan M Dokter
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Fengyi Guo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Daniel Sheldon
- Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Monika Anna Tomaszewska
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Henebry
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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5
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Cohen JM, Fink D, Zuckerberg B. Spatial and seasonal variation in thermal sensitivity within North American bird species. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231398. [PMID: 37935364 PMCID: PMC10645114 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1398] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Responses of wildlife to climate change are typically quantified at the species level, but physiological evidence suggests significant intraspecific variation in thermal sensitivity given adaptation to local environments and plasticity required to adjust to seasonal environments. Spatial and temporal variation in thermal responses may carry important implications for climate change vulnerability; for instance, sensitivity to extreme weather may increase in specific regions or seasons. Here, we leverage high-resolution observational data from eBird to understand regional and seasonal variation in thermal sensitivity for 21 bird species. Across their ranges, most birds demonstrated regional and seasonal variation in both thermal peak and range, or the temperature and range of temperatures when observations peaked. Some birds demonstrated constant thermal peaks or ranges across their geographical distributions, while others varied according to local and current environmental conditions. Across species, birds typically demonstrated either geographical or seasonal adaptation to climate. Local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity are likely important but neglected aspects of organismal responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M. Cohen
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Daniel Fink
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Benjamin Zuckerberg
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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6
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Xu X, Wang Z, Jin X, Ding K, Yang J, Wang T. Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Fitness-Related Traits of Sea Urchin ( Heliocidaris crassispina). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3035. [PMID: 37835640 PMCID: PMC10571867 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited data are available regarding the effects of elevated coastal artificial light at night (ALAN) on intertidal echinoderms. In this study, we investigated the behavioral, morphological, and physiological responses of the sea urchin (Heliocidaris crassispina) after continuous exposure to ALAN at light intensities of 0.1, 300, and 600 Lux for 6 weeks. Our findings revealed that ALAN at 300 Lux substantially reduced food consumption, Lantern weight, and gonadosomatic index (GSI). On the other hand, ALAN at 600 Lux notably prolonged the righting and covering response times and elevated the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio, while concurrently decreasing food consumption, body weight, Lantern weight, GSI, and Pax6 gene expression. These results indicated that continuous exposure to ALAN could cause an adverse effect on fitness-related traits, including behavioral responses, growth, reproductive performance, and photoreception of sea urchins. The present study provides new insights on the impact of light pollution on echinoderms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Tianming Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory of Marine Germplasm Resources Exploration and Utilization, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China; (X.X.); (Z.W.); (X.J.); (K.D.); (J.Y.)
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7
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The effects of light pollution on migratory animal behavior. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:355-368. [PMID: 36610920 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Light pollution is a global threat to biodiversity, especially migratory organisms, some of which traverse hemispheric scales. Research on light pollution has grown significantly over the past decades, but our review of migratory organisms demonstrates gaps in our understanding, particularly beyond migratory birds. Research across spatial scales reveals the multifaceted effects of artificial light on migratory species, ranging from local and regional to macroscale impacts. These threats extend beyond species that are active at night - broadening the scope of this threat. Emerging tools for measuring light pollution and its impacts, as well as ecological forecasting techniques, present new pathways for conservation, including transdisciplinary approaches.
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8
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Gaston KJ, Gardner AS, Cox DTC. Anthropogenic changes to the nighttime environment. Bioscience 2023; 73:280-290. [PMID: 37091747 PMCID: PMC10113933 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
How the relative impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the natural environment vary between different taxonomic groups, habitats, and geographic regions is increasingly well established. By contrast, the times of day at which those pressures are most forcefully exerted or have greatest influence are not well understood. The impact on the nighttime environment bears particular scrutiny, given that for practical reasons (e.g., researchers themselves belong to a diurnal species), most studies on the impacts of anthropogenic pressures are conducted during the daytime on organisms that are predominantly day active or in ways that do not differentiate between daytime and nighttime. In the present article, we synthesize the current state of knowledge of impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the nighttime environment, highlighting key findings and examples. The evidence available suggests that the nighttime environment is under intense stress across increasing areas of the world, especially from nighttime pollution, climate change, and overexploitation of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandra S Gardner
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel T C Cox
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
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9
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La Sorte FA, Lepczyk CA, Aronson MFJ. Light pollution enhances ground-level exposure to airborne toxic chemicals for nocturnally migrating passerines. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:57-68. [PMID: 36281768 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities generate different forms of environmental pollution, including artificial light at night (ALAN) and airborne toxic chemicals (ATCs). Nocturnally migrating birds are attracted to ALAN during migration and if ALAN occurs in unison with ATC, the chances of ground-level ATC contamination occurring at stopover sites could increase. Here, we document the relationship between ALAN and ATC within the contiguous United States based on 479 toxic chemicals from 15,743 releasing facilities. Using weekly diurnal estimates of relative abundance for 165 nocturnally migrating passerine (NMP) bird species, we assess how the species richness and relative abundance of NMP species are correlated with ALAN and ATC across the annual cycle. The concentration of ATC increased with increasing ALAN levels, except at the highest ALAN levels. The species richness of NMP species was positively correlated with ATC during the non-breeding season and migration, and negatively correlated during the breeding season. The relative abundance of NMP species was negatively correlated with ATC during the breeding and non-breeding seasons and the correlation did not differ from zero during migration. Through the disorienting influence of ALAN, our findings suggest large numbers of NMP species are being exposed to higher ATC concentrations at stopover sites. Outside of migration, large numbers of NMP species that winter along the US Gulf Coast are being exposed for an extended period of time to higher ATC concentrations. Initiatives designed to decrease ALAN during migration have the potential to reduce the acute and chronic effects of ATC contamination, lower the maternal transfer of toxic chemicals to eggs, and decrease the biologically mediated transport of toxic chemicals across regions. However, these initiatives will not benefit species that experience prolonged ATC exposure during the non-breeding season along the US Gulf Coast, a region that could be a significant source of ATC contamination for North American birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank A La Sorte
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Christopher A Lepczyk
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Myla F J Aronson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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10
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Degen T, Kolláth Z, Degen J. X,Y, and Z: A bird's eye view on light pollution. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9608. [PMID: 36540078 PMCID: PMC9754910 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The global increase in light pollution is being viewed with growing concern, as it has been reported to have negative effects ranging from the individual to the ecosystem level.Unlike movement on the ground, flying and swimming allows vertical motion. Here, we demonstrate that flight altitude change is crucial to the perception and susceptibility of artificial light at night of air-borne organisms. Because air-borne species can propagate through the airspace and easily across ecotones, effects might not be small-scale. Therefore, we propose including airspace as a vital habitat in the concept of ecological light pollution.The interplay between flight altitude and the effects of light pollution may not only be crucial for understanding flying species but may also provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of responses to artificial light at night in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Degen
- Department of Zoology IIIUniversity of WürzburgWürzburgGermany,Department of Zoology IIUniversity of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Zoltán Kolláth
- Department of PhysicsEszterházy Károly Catholic UniversityEgerHungary
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11
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Cox DTC, Sánchez de Miguel A, Bennie J, Dzurjak SA, Gaston KJ. Majority of artificially lit Earth surface associated with the non-urban population. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156782. [PMID: 35724779 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Key to understanding the negative impacts of artificial light at night (ALAN) on human health and the natural environment is its relationship with human density. ALAN has often primarily been considered an urban issue, however although over half of the population is urbanized, the 46 % that are not inhabit a dispersed array of smaller settlements. Here, we determine the global relationships between two dimensions of ALAN, namely direct emissions (radiance) and skyglow, and human density, and how these relationships vary across continents. We correct the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Day/Night Band (VIIRS DNB) product for albedo, skyglow, airglow, the aurora and permanent snow and ice to represent upward radiance overland at 1.61 ∗ 2.12 km resolution from artificial sources only. For skyglow we use the World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness. Globally (between 59°N and 55°S), direct emissions were detected over 26.5 % and skyglow over 46.9 % of land area. Over half of all cumulative direct emissions (54.9 %) were emitted at low levels by the non-urban population, whilst these populations experienced the negative impacts of over two-thirds of all cumulative skyglow (69.8 %). This emphasises the extent of ALAN outside of urban areas, and its similarity in this regard to a number of other forms of pollution. Although powerful sources of rural direct emissions (e.g., industry, recreation) are important contributors of light pollution, cumulatively they only contributed 10 % to total direct emissions. The relationship between each dimension of ALAN and population density varied across continents, driven by powerful rural emissions, non-urban populations and urban design. These relationships reflect the unique socio-economic and geographical make-up of each region and inform on where best to target light pollution mitigation strategies, not only in urban areas but also in rural ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- D T C Cox
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - A Sánchez de Miguel
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK; Departamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Instituto de Física de Partículas y del Cosmos (IPARCOS), Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Bennie
- Peter Lanyon Building, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - S A Dzurjak
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - K J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
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12
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La Sorte FA, Horton KG, Johnston A, Fink D, Auer T. Seasonal associations with light pollution trends for nocturnally migrating bird populations. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyle G. Horton
- Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Daniel Fink
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Mathematics and Statistics University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Tom Auer
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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13
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Anthropogenic Illumination as Guiding Light for Nocturnal Bird Migrants Identified by Remote Sensing. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14071616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Migrant birds rely on environmental and celestial cues for navigation and orientation during their journeys. Adverse weather, such as heavy rain or fog, but also thick layers of low-level clouds, affect visibility and can challenge birds’ ability to orientate. Therefore, birds typically favour certain meteorological conditions for migration. Photopollution from artificial lights outdoors and radiated from buildings is known to negatively affect nocturnal migrants’ flight behaviour and trajectories, which may lead to collisions with human infrastructure. Positive effects of artificial light have been identified in some stationary birds, e.g., for extended foraging hours, though not during migration. In the present study, we show the effect of artificial light on the concentration and flight directions of migrating birds during overcast conditions in the peri-urban woodland in Southern Finland. Overcast conditions, by low-level clouds, prompted birds to migrate at low altitudes. Instead of spatially homogenous large-scale migration patterns, birds were observed to adapt their flight directions, in accordance with the artificial lights of the urbanized area. By using dual- and single-polarisation weather radar data we were able to study small-scale patterns of bird movements under the influence of low-level cloud layers. These cases show the remarkable capability of the existing weather radar networks to study bird migration.
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14
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Schekler I, Smolinsky JA, Troupin D, Buler JJ, Sapir N. Bird Migration at the Edge – Geographic and Anthropogenic Factors but Not Habitat Properties Drive Season-Specific Spatial Stopover Distributions Near Wide Ecological Barriers. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.822220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stopping-over is critical for migrating birds. Yet, our knowledge of bird stopover distributions and their mechanisms near wide ecological barriers is limited. Using low elevation scans of three weather radars covering 81,343 km2, we quantified large-scale bird departure patterns during spring and autumn (2014–2018) in between two major ecological barriers, the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea. Boosted Regression Tree models revealed that bird distributions differed between the seasons, with higher densities in the desert and its edge, as well as inland from the sea, during spring and a predominantly coastal distribution in the autumn. Bird distributions were primarily associated with broad-scale geographic and anthropogenic factors rather than individual fine-scale habitat types. Notably, artificial light at night strongly correlated with high densities of migrants, especially in the autumn. Autumn migrants also selected sites located close to water sources. Our findings substantially advance the understanding of bird migration ecology near ecological barriers and facilitate informed conservation efforts in a highly populated region by identifying a few high-priority stopover areas of migrating birds.
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15
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La Sorte FA, Johnston A, Rodewald AD, Fink D, Farnsworth A, Van Doren BM, Auer T, Strimas‐Mackey M. The role of artificial light at night and road density in predicting the seasonal occurrence of nocturnally migrating birds. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Mathematics and Statistics University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Amanda D. Rodewald
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Daniel Fink
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | | | | | - Tom Auer
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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16
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Cohen EB, Lafleur JM, Moore FR. Density Dependent Refueling of Migratory Songbirds During Stopover Within an Urbanizing Coastal Landscape. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.837790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Refueling performance is the primary currency of a successful migration as birds must maintain energy stores to achieve an optimal travel schedule. Migrating birds can anticipate heightened energy demand, not to mention increased uncertainty that energy demands will be satisfied, especially within an urbanizing landscape following long-distance flights. We tested the expectation that refueling performance of songbirds is reduced as densities increase at stopover sites in an urbanizing coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. We measured the density of migrating birds, their refueling performance, and arthropod abundance in two large tracts of contiguous forest paired with two small isolated patches embedded within residential settings throughout spring migration over the course of 2 years. Refueling performance declined with increasing migrant densities, even though the overall daily densities of birds stopping in these landscapes were relatively low and arthropod densities were low throughout. Habitat patch size alone did not account for differences in refueling performance, but smaller habitat patches more often concentrated migrants in higher densities where they experienced reduced refueling performance. We found support for density-dependent refueling performance during spring migration through a region where overall passage and stopover densities are low; suggesting that larger contiguous forest tracks within urban landscapes provide higher quality habitat for refueling and that effect is likely even more pronounced in landscapes within higher density migratory corridors. The nutritional challenges encountered during migration influence the overall pace of migration and changes in access to food resources due to increasing urbanization may ultimately impact optimal travel schedules.
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17
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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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18
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Adla K, Dejan K, Neira D, Dragana Š. Degradation of ecosystems and loss of ecosystem services. One Health 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822794-7.00008-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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19
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Supp SR, Bohrer G, Fieberg J, La Sorte FA. Estimating the movements of terrestrial animal populations using broad-scale occurrence data. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:60. [PMID: 34895345 PMCID: PMC8665594 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00294-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As human and automated sensor networks collect increasingly massive volumes of animal observations, new opportunities have arisen to use these data to infer or track species movements. Sources of broad scale occurrence datasets include crowdsourced databases, such as eBird and iNaturalist, weather surveillance radars, and passive automated sensors including acoustic monitoring units and camera trap networks. Such data resources represent static observations, typically at the species level, at a given location. Nonetheless, by combining multiple observations across many locations and times it is possible to infer spatially continuous population-level movements. Population-level movement characterizes the aggregated movement of individuals comprising a population, such as range contractions, expansions, climate tracking, or migration, that can result from physical, behavioral, or demographic processes. A desire to model population movements from such forms of occurrence data has led to an evolving field that has created new analytical and statistical approaches that can account for spatial and temporal sampling bias in the observations. The insights generated from the growth of population-level movement research can complement the insights from focal tracking studies, and elucidate mechanisms driving changes in population distributions at potentially larger spatial and temporal scales. This review will summarize current broad-scale occurrence datasets, discuss the latest approaches for utilizing them in population-level movement analyses, and highlight studies where such analyses have provided ecological insights. We outline the conceptual approaches and common methodological steps to infer movements from spatially distributed occurrence data that currently exist for terrestrial animals, though similar approaches may be applicable to plants, freshwater, or marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Supp
- Data Analytics Program, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023 USA
| | - Gil Bohrer
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - John Fieberg
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Frank A. La Sorte
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850 USA
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20
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Horton KG, Van Doren BM, Albers HJ, Farnsworth A, Sheldon D. Near-term ecological forecasting for dynamic aeroconservation of migratory birds. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1777-1786. [PMID: 33826183 PMCID: PMC9290813 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Near-term ecological forecasting has the potential to mitigate negative impacts of human modifications on wildlife by directing efficient action through relevant and timely predictions. We used the U.S. avian migration system to highlight ecological forecasting applications for aeroconservation. We used millions of observations from 143 weather surveillance radars to construct and evaluate a migration forecasting system for nocturnal bird migration over the contiguous United States. We identified the number of nights of mitigation required to reduce the risk of aerial hazards to 50% of avian migrants passing a given area in spring and autumn based on dynamic forecasts of migration activity. We also investigated an alternative approach, that is, employing a fixed conservation strategy based on time windows that historically capture 50% of migratory passage. In practice, during both spring and autumn, dynamic forecasts required fewer action nights compared with fixed window selection at all locations (spring: mean of 7.3 more alert days; fall: mean of 12.8 more alert days). This pattern resulted in part from the pulsed nature of bird migration captured in the radar data, where the majority (54.3%) of birds move on 10% of a migration season's nights. Our results highlight the benefits of near-term ecological forecasting and the potential advantages of dynamic mitigation strategies over static ones, especially in the face of increasing risks to migrating birds from light pollution, wind energy infrastructure, and collisions with structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle G. Horton
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Benjamin M. Van Doren
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Cornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Heidi J. Albers
- Department of EconomicsUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | | | - Daniel Sheldon
- College of Information and Computer SciencesUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
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21
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Richard FJ, Southern I, Gigauri M, Bellini G, Rojas O, Runde A. Warning on nine pollutants and their effects on avian communities. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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22
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Lambertucci SA, Speziale KL. Need for global conservation assessments and frameworks to include airspace habitat. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1341-1343. [PMID: 32975330 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio A Lambertucci
- Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación, INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue - CONICET, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
| | - Karina L Speziale
- Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación, INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue - CONICET, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
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23
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Gaston KJ, Ackermann S, Bennie J, Cox DTC, Phillips BB, de Miguel AS, Sanders D. Pervasiveness of biological impacts of artificial light at night. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1098-1110. [PMID: 34169964 PMCID: PMC8490694 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) and its associated biological impacts have regularly been characterized as predominantly urban issues. Although far from trivial, this would imply that these impacts only affect ecosystems that are already heavily modified by humans and are relatively limited in their spatial extent, at least as compared with some key anthropogenic pressures on the environment that attract much more scientific and public attention, such as climate change or plastic pollution. However, there are a number of reasons to believe that ALAN and its impacts are more pervasive, and therefore need to be viewed from a broader geographic perspective rather than an essentially urban one. Here we address, in turn, 11 key issues when considering the degree of spatial pervasiveness of the biological impacts of ALAN. First, the global extent of ALAN is likely itself commonly underestimated, as a consequence of limitations of available remote sensing data sources and how these are processed. Second and third, more isolated (rural) and mobile (e.g., vehicle headlight) sources of ALAN may have both very widespread and important biological influences. Fourth and fifth, the occurrence and impacts of ALAN in marine systems and other remote settings, need much greater consideration. Sixth, seventh, and eighth, there is growing evidence for important biological impacts of ALAN at low light levels, from skyglow, and over long distances (because of the altitudes from which it may be viewed by some organisms), all of which would increase the areas over which impacts are occurring. Ninth and tenth, ALAN may exert indirect biological effects that may further expand these areas, because it has a landscape ecology (modifying movement and dispersal and so hence with effects beyond the direct extent of ALAN), and because ALAN interacts with other anthropogenic pressures on the environment. Finally, ALAN is not stable, but increasing rapidly in global extent, and shifting toward wavelengths of light that often have greater biological impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Gaston
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Simone Ackermann
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Jonathan Bennie
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Daniel T C Cox
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Benjamin B Phillips
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | | | - Dirk Sanders
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
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24
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Åkesson S, Ilieva M, Bianco G. Flexibility and Control of Circadian Activity, Migratory Restlessness and Fueling in Two Songbird Migrants. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.666176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Juvenile songbirds rely on an endogenous program, encoding direction, distance, fueling, and timing of migration. Migratory distance is species-specific, expressed as a period of migratory restlessness, for which the length is correlated with distance, while fueling is modified to meet anticipated flight distances controlled by geomagnetic cues and amount of day-light available for foraging. How daylength affect onset and level of migratory activity and fueling decisions in wild birds have so far received limited attention. Here we study how photoperiod controls onset, level and extent of autumn migratory activity and fueling in juvenile diurnally migrating dunnocks, and nocturnally migrating European robins by experimentally increasing daylength. For both species, we kept a control group indoors at the location of capture in southern Sweden exposed to the natural photoperiod, and an experimental group with increased and advanced photoperiod by 2 h in the morning. Dunnocks initiated migratory activity at sunrise (or artificial sunrise) in both groups, demonstrating a highly responsive and flexible component for the onset of migration triggered by light. Experimental robins anticipated the end of nocturnal migratory activity predicting the earlier sunrise immediately after the time-shift and expressed this behavior already under darkness, supporting a fast-resetting mechanism to the new diel period. Timing of end of morning activity was not affected by the earlier sunrise in both species, suggesting a fixed endogenous control that persisted throughout the 13-day study period. Experimental dunnocks expressed higher overall activity and lower fuel loads than controls, while robins did not change their overall activity and fuel load in response to the shifted and increased photoperiod. These results reveal important adaptations for circadian timekeeping including both a flexible onset open to fast modifications and a more rigid end, with differential effects by the treatment on migratory activity and fueling in the two species.
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25
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The Urban Observatory: A Multi-Modal Imaging Platform for the Study of Dynamics in Complex Urban Systems. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13081426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We describe an “Urban Observatory” facility designed for the study of complex urban systems via persistent, synoptic, and granular imaging of dynamical processes in cities. An initial deployment of the facility has been demonstrated in New York City and consists of a suite of imaging systems—both broadband and hyperspectral—sensitive to wavelengths from the visible (∼400 nm) to the infrared (∼13 micron) operating at cadences of ∼0.01–30 Hz (characteristically ∼0.1 Hz). Much like an astronomical survey, the facility generates a large imaging catalog from which we have extracted observables (e.g., time-dependent brightnesses, spectra, temperatures, chemical species, etc.), collecting them in a parallel source catalog. We have demonstrated that, in addition to the urban science of cities as systems, these data are applicable to a myriad of domain-specific scientific inquiries related to urban functioning including energy consumption and end use, environmental impacts of cities, and patterns of life and public health. We show that an Urban Observatory facility of this type has the potential to improve both a city’s operations and the quality of life of its inhabitants.
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26
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Stanley CQ, Dudash MR, Ryder TB, Shriver WG, Serno K, Adalsteinsson S, Marra PP. Seasonal variation in habitat selection for a Neotropical migratory songbird using high‐resolution GPS tracking. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Calandra Q. Stanley
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Washington D. C.20008USA
- Graduate Program in Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics University of Maryland College Park Maryland20742USA
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy Georgetown University 37th and O Streets NW Washington D. C.20057USA
| | - Michele R. Dudash
- Department of Natural Resource Management South Dakota State University Brookings South Dakota57007USA
| | - Thomas B. Ryder
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Washington D. C.20008USA
- Bird Conservancy of the Rockies 230 Cherry St, Suite 150 Fort Collins Colorado80521USA
| | - W. Gregory Shriver
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark Delaware19716USA
| | - Kimberly Serno
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark Delaware19716USA
| | - Solny Adalsteinsson
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark Delaware19716USA
- Tyson Research Center Washington University in St. Louis 6750 Tyson Valley Road Eureka Missouri63025USA
| | - Peter P. Marra
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Washington D. C.20008USA
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy Georgetown University 37th and O Streets NW Washington D. C.20057USA
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27
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La Sorte FA, Horton KG. Seasonal variation in the effects of artificial light at night on the occurrence of nocturnally migrating birds in urban areas. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 270:116085. [PMID: 33234373 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Urban areas often contain large numbers of migratory bird species during seasonal migration, many of which are nocturnal migrants. How artificial light at night (ALAN) and urban landcover are associated with the diurnal occurrence of nocturnal migrants within urban areas across seasons has not been explored. Here, we use eBird bird occurrence information to estimate the seasonal species richness of nocturnally migrating passerines (NMP) within 333 well surveyed urban areas within the contiguous USA. We model the relationship between seasonal NMP species richness and ALAN, proportion of tree canopy cover, and proportion of impervious surface. NMP species richness reached its highest levels during spring and autumn migration and lowest during the winter and summer. Greater tree canopy cover was associated with higher NMP species richness during spring and autumn migration and the summer. A 10% increase in the proportion of tree canopy cover was associated with a 2.0% increase in NMP species richness during spring migration, a 1.8% increase during autumn migration, and a 0.9% increase during the summer. More impervious surface was associated with higher NMP species richness during the winter. A 10% increase in the proportion of impervious surface was associated with a 6.1-9.8% increase in NMP species richness. Higher ALAN was associated with lower NMP species richness during the winter and summer, and higher NMP species richness during spring and autumn migration. A 50% increase in ALAN was associated with a 3.0-3.6% decrease in NMP species richness during the winter, a 1.7% increase during spring migration, a 2.1% decrease during the summer, and a 5.0% increase during autumn migration. These findings highlight the variable effects of ALAN and urban landcover on the seasonal occurrence of NMP species in urban areas, the value of tree canopy cover during migration and the breeding season, and the importance of reducing ALAN during migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank A La Sorte
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
| | - Kyle G Horton
- Colorado State University, Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Fort Collins, CO, 80524, USA
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28
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Smith RA, Gagné M, Fraser KC. Pre-migration artificial light at night advances the spring migration timing of a trans-hemispheric migratory songbird. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 269:116136. [PMID: 33280918 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasing at a high rate across the globe and can cause shifts in animal phenology due to the alteration of perceived photoperiod. Birds in particular may be highly impacted due to their use of extra-retinal photoreceptors, as well as the use of photoperiodic cues to time life events such as reproduction, moult, and migration. For the first time, we used light-logging geolocators to determine the amount of ALAN experienced by long-distance migratory songbirds (purple martin; Progne subis) while at their overwintering sites in South America to measure its potential relationship with spring migration timing. Almost a third of birds (48/155; 31%) were subjected to at least one night with ALAN over 30 days prior to spring migration. Birds that experienced the highest number of nights (10+) with artificial light departed for spring migration on average 8 days earlier and arrived 8 days earlier at their breeding sites compared to those that experienced no artificial light. Early spring migration timing due to pre-migration ALAN experienced at overwintering sites could lead to mistiming with environmental conditions and insect abundance on the migratory route and at breeding sites, potentially impacting survival and/or reproductive success. Such effects would be particularly detrimental to species already exhibiting steep population declines such as purple martins and other migratory aerial insectivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reyd A Smith
- Dept. Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada; Current Address: Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Maryse Gagné
- Dept. Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Kevin C Fraser
- Dept. Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada.
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29
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Becker DJ, Singh D, Pan Q, Montoure JD, Talbott KM, Wanamaker SM, Ketterson ED. Artificial light at night amplifies seasonal relapse of haemosporidian parasites in a widespread songbird. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201831. [PMID: 32962545 PMCID: PMC7542808 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban habitats can shape interactions between hosts and parasites by altering not only exposure rates but also within-host processes. Artificial light at night (ALAN) is common in urban environments, and chronic exposure can impair host immunity in ways that may increase infection. However, studies of causal links between this stressor, immunity, and infection dynamics are rare, particularly in migratory animals. Here, we experimentally tested how ALAN affects cellular immunity and haemosporidian parasite intensity across the annual cycle of migrant and resident subspecies of the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). We monitored an experimental group exposed to light at night and a control group under natural light/dark cycles as they passed through short days simulating early spring to longer days simulating the breeding season, followed by autumn migration. Using generalized additive mixed models, we show that ALAN increased inflammation, and leucocyte counts were greatest in early spring and autumn. At the start of the experiment, few birds had active infections based on microscopy, but PCR revealed many birds had chronic infections. ALAN increased parasitaemia across the annual cycle, with strong peaks in spring and autumn that were largely absent in control birds. As birds were kept in indoor aviaries to prevent vector exposure, this increased parasitaemia indicates relapse of chronic infection during costly life-history stages (i.e. reproduction). Although the immunological and parasitological time series were in phase for control birds, cross-correlation analyses also revealed ALAN desynchronized leucocyte profiles and parasitaemia, which could suggest a general exaggerated inflammatory response. Our study shows how a common anthropogenic influence can shape within-host processes to affect infection dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Devraj Singh
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Qiuyun Pan
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | | | | | - Sarah M. Wanamaker
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Ellen D. Ketterson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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Abstract
The disruption to natural light regimes caused by outdoor artificial nighttime lighting has significant impacts on human health and the natural world. Artificial light at night takes two forms, light emissions and skyglow (caused by the scattering of light by water, dust and gas molecules in the atmosphere). Key to determining where the biological impacts from each form are likely to be experienced is understanding their spatial occurrence, and how this varies with other landscape factors. To examine this, we used data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) day/night band and the World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness, to determine covariation in (a) light emissions, and (b) skyglow, with human population density, landcover, protected areas and roads in Britain. We demonstrate that, although artificial light at night increases with human density, the amount of light per person decreases with increasing urbanization (with per capita median direct emissions three times greater in rural than urban populations, and per capita median skyglow eleven times greater). There was significant variation in artificial light at night within different landcover types, emphasizing that light pollution is not a solely urban issue. Further, half of English National Parks have higher levels of skyglow than light emissions, indicating their failure to buffer biodiversity from pressures that artificial lighting poses. The higher per capita emissions in rural than urban areas provide different challenges and opportunities for mitigating the negative human health and environmental impacts of light pollution.
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31
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Working with Inadequate Tools: Legislative Shortcomings in Protection against Ecological Effects of Artificial Light at Night. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12062551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The fundamental change in nocturnal landscapes due to the increasing use of artificial light at night (ALAN) is recognized as being detrimental to the environment and raises important regulatory questions as to whether and how it should be regulated based on the manifold risks to the environment. Here, we present the results of an analysis of the current legal obligations on ALAN in context with a systematic review of adverse effects. The legal analysis includes the relevant aspects of European and German environmental law, specifically nature conservation and immission control. The review represents the results of 303 studies indicating significant disturbances of organisms and landscapes. We discuss the conditions for prohibitions by environmental laws and whether protection gaps persist and, hence, whether specific legislation for light pollution is necessary. While protection is predominantly provided for species with special protection status that reveal avoidance behavior of artificially lit landscapes and associated habitat loss, adverse effects on species and landscapes without special protection status are often unaddressed by existing regulations. Legislative shortcomings are caused by difficulties in proving adverse effect on the population level, detecting lighting malpractice, and applying the law to ALAN-related situations. Measures to reduce ALAN-induced environmental impacts are highlighted. We discuss whether an obligation to implement such measures is favorable for environmental protection and how regulations can be implemented.
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Broad-Scale Weather Patterns Encountered during Flight Influence Landbird Stopover Distributions. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12030565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The dynamic weather conditions that migrating birds experience during flight likely influence where they stop to rest and refuel, particularly after navigating inhospitable terrain or large water bodies, but effects of weather on stopover patterns remain poorly studied. We examined the influence of broad-scale weather conditions encountered by nocturnally migrating Nearctic-Neotropical birds during northward flight over the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) on subsequent coastal stopover distributions. We categorized nightly weather patterns using historic maps and quantified region-wide densities of birds in stopover habitat with data collected by 10 weather surveillance radars from 2008 to 2015. We found spring weather patterns over the GOM were most often favorable for migrating birds, with winds assisting northward flight, and document regional stopover patterns in response to specific unfavorable weather conditions. For example, Midwest Continental High is characterized by strong northerly winds over the western GOM, resulting in high-density concentrations of migrants along the immediate coastlines of Texas and Louisiana. We show, for the first time, that broad-scale weather experienced during flight influences when and where birds stop to rest and refuel. Linking synoptic weather patterns encountered during flight with stopover distributions contributes to the emerging macro-ecological understanding of bird migration, which is critical to consider in systems undergoing rapid human-induced changes.
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Artificial Light at Night is Related to Broad-Scale Stopover Distributions of Nocturnally Migrating Landbirds along the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12030395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The distributions of birds during migratory stopovers are influenced by a hierarchy of factors. For example, in temperate regions, migrants are concentrated near areas of bright artificial light at night (ALAN) and also the coastlines of large water bodies at broad spatial scales. However, less is known about what drives broad-scale stopover distributions in the tropics. We quantified seasonal densities of nocturnally migrating landbirds during spring and fall of 2011–2015, using two weather radars on the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico (Sabancuy and Cancun). We tested the influence of environmental predictors in explaining broad-scale bird stopover densities. We predicted higher densities in areas (1) closer to the coast in the fall and farther away in spring and (2) closer to bright ALAN and with lower ALAN intensity in both seasons. We found that birds were more concentrated near the coastline in the fall and away from it in spring around Cancun but not Sabancuy. Counter to our expectations, we detected increased bird densities with increased distance from lights in spring around Sabancuy, and in both seasons around Cancun, suggesting avoidance of bright areas during those seasons. This is the first evidence of broad-scale bird avoidance of bright areas during stopover.
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Mate choice decisions of female serrate-legged small treefrogs are affected by ambient light under natural, but not enhanced artificial nocturnal light conditions. Behav Processes 2019; 169:103997. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Applications of Satellite Remote Sensing of Nighttime Light Observations: Advances, Challenges, and Perspectives. REMOTE SENSING 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/rs11171971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Nighttime light observations from remote sensing provide us with a timely and spatially explicit measure of human activities, and therefore enable a host of applications such as tracking urbanization and socioeconomic dynamics, evaluating armed conflicts and disasters, investigating fisheries, assessing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, and analyzing light pollution and health effects. The new and improved sensors, algorithms, and products for nighttime lights, in association with other Earth observations and ancillary data (e.g., geo-located big data), together offer great potential for a deep understanding of human activities and related environmental consequences in a changing world. This paper reviews the advances of nighttime light sensors and products and examines the contributions of nighttime light remote sensing to perceiving the changing world from two aspects (i.e., human activities and environmental changes). Based on the historical review of the advances in nighttime light remote sensing, we summarize the challenges in current nighttime light remote sensing research and propose four strategic directions, including: Improving nighttime light data; developing a long time series of consistent nighttime light data; integrating nighttime light observations with other data and knowledge; and promoting multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary analyses of nighttime light observations.
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Cabrera‐Cruz SA, Smolinsky JA, McCarthy KP, Buler JJ. Urban areas affect flight altitudes of nocturnally migrating birds. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1873-1887. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaclyn A. Smolinsky
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark DE USA
| | - Kyle P. McCarthy
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark DE USA
| | - Jeffrey J. Buler
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark DE USA
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May D, Shidemantle G, Melnick-Kelley Q, Crane K, Hua J. The effect of intensified illuminance and artificial light at night on fitness and susceptibility to abiotic and biotic stressors. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 251:600-608. [PMID: 31108293 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Changing light conditions due to human activities represents an important emerging environmental concern. Although changes to natural light conditions can be independently detrimental, in nature, organisms commonly face multiple stressors. To understand the consequences of altered light conditions, we exposed a model amphibian (wood frog; Lithobates sylvaticus) to a control and two anthropogenic light conditions: intensified daytime illuminance and artificial light at night - ALAN (intensified daytime illuminance + extended photoperiod). We measured (1) metrics of fitness (hatching success as well as survival to, size at, and time to metamorphosis) (2) susceptibility (time to death) to a commonly co-occurring anthropogenic stressor, road salt (NaCl) and (3) susceptibility (infection load) to a common parasite (trematode). We also explored behavioral (swimming activity) and physiological (baseline corticosterone (CORT) release rates) changes induced by these light conditions, which may mediate changes in the other measured parameters. We found that both intensified daytime illuminance and ALAN reduced hatching success. In contrast, for amphibians that successfully hatched, neither treatment affected amphibian survival or time to metamorphosis but individuals exposed to ALAN were larger at metamorphosis. The light treatments also had marginal effects; individuals in ALAN treatments were more susceptible to NaCl and trematodes. Finally, tadpoles exposed to ALAN moved significantly less than tadpoles in the control and intensified daytime illuminance treatments, while light had no effect on CORT release rate. Overall, changes in light conditions, in particular ALAN, significantly impacted an amphibian model in laboratory conditions. This work underscores the importance of considering not only the direct effects of light on fitness metrics but also the indirect effects of light with other abiotic and biotic stressors. Anthropogenic-induced changes to light conditions are expected to continue increasing over time so understanding the diverse consequences of shifting light conditions will be paramount to protecting wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dyllan May
- Biological Sciences Department, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Grascen Shidemantle
- Biological Sciences Department, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
| | | | - Kelly Crane
- Biological Sciences Department, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Jessica Hua
- Biological Sciences Department, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
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Barentine JC. Methods for Assessment and Monitoring of Light Pollution around Ecologically Sensitive Sites. J Imaging 2019; 5:54. [PMID: 34460492 PMCID: PMC8320940 DOI: 10.3390/jimaging5050054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the introduction of electric lighting over a century ago, and particularly in the decades following the Second World War, indications of artificial light on the nighttime Earth as seen from Earth orbit have increased at a rate exceeding that of world population growth during the same period. Modification of the natural photic environment at night is a clear and imminent consequence of the proliferation of anthropogenic light at night into outdoor spaces, and with this unprecedented change comes a host of known and suspected ecological consequences. In the past two decades, the conservation community has gradually come to view light pollution as a threat requiring the development of best management practices. Establishing those practices demands a means of quantifying the problem, identifying polluting sources, and monitoring the evolution of their impacts through time. The proliferation of solid-state lighting and the changes to source spectral power distribution it has brought relative to legacy lighting technologies add the complication of color to the overall situation. In this paper, I describe the challenge of quantifying light pollution threats to ecologically-sensitive sites in the context of efforts to conserve natural nighttime darkness, assess the current state of the art in detection and imaging technology as applied to this realm, review some recent innovations, and consider future prospects for imaging approaches to provide substantial support for darkness conservation initiatives around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C. Barentine
- International Dark-Sky Association, 3223 N. First Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA; ; Tel.: +1-520-347-6363
- Consortium for Dark Sky Studies, University of Utah, 375 S 1530 E, RM 235 ARCH, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0730, USA
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Winger BM, Weeks BC, Farnsworth A, Jones AW, Hennen M, Willard DE. Nocturnal flight-calling behaviour predicts vulnerability to artificial light in migratory birds. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190364. [PMID: 30940055 PMCID: PMC6501673 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding interactions between biota and the built environment is increasingly important as human modification of the landscape expands in extent and intensity. For migratory birds, collisions with lighted structures are a major cause of mortality, but the mechanisms behind these collisions are poorly understood. Using 40 years of collision records of passerine birds, we investigated the importance of species' behavioural ecologies in predicting rates of building collisions during nocturnal migration through Chicago, IL and Cleveland, OH, USA. We found that the use of nocturnal flight calls is an important predictor of collision risk in nocturnally migrating passerine birds. Species that produce flight calls during nocturnal migration tended to collide with buildings more than expected given their local abundance, whereas those that do not use such communication collided much less frequently. Our results suggest that a stronger attraction response to artificial light at night in species that produce flight calls may mediate these differences in collision rates. Nocturnal flight calls probably evolved to facilitate collective decision-making during navigation, but this same social behaviour may now exacerbate vulnerability to a widespread anthropogenic disturbance. Our results also suggest that social behaviour during migration may reflect poorly understood differences in navigational mechanisms across lineages of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Winger
- Museum of Zoology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 1105 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Brian C. Weeks
- Museum of Zoology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 1105 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Andrew Farnsworth
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Andrew W. Jones
- Department of Ornithology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, University Circle, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Mary Hennen
- Gantz Family Collections Center, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - David E. Willard
- Gantz Family Collections Center, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
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Kelling S, Johnston A, Bonn A, Fink D, Ruiz-Gutierrez V, Bonney R, Fernandez M, Hochachka WM, Julliard R, Kraemer R, Guralnick R. Using Semistructured Surveys to Improve Citizen Science Data for Monitoring Biodiversity. Bioscience 2019; 69:170-179. [PMID: 30905970 PMCID: PMC6422830 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate, and monitoring is crucial for understanding the causal drivers and assessing solutions. Most biodiversity monitoring data are collected by volunteers through citizen science projects, and often crucial information is lacking to account for the inevitable biases that observers introduce during data collection. We contend that citizen science projects intended to support biodiversity monitoring must gather information about the observation process as well as species occurrence. We illustrate this using eBird, a global citizen science project that collects information on bird occurrences as well as vital contextual information on the observation process while maintaining broad participation. Our fundamental argument is that regardless of what species are being monitored, when citizen science projects collect a small set of basic information about how participants make their observations, the scientific value of the data collected will be dramatically improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Kelling
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, at Cornell University, in Ithaca New York
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and with the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge, in Cambridge, England
| | - Aletta Bonn
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Ecosystem Services, in Leipzig, Germany; with the Institute of Biodiversity at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, in Jena, Germany; and with the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, in Leipzig
| | - Daniel Fink
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, at Cornell University, in Ithaca New York
| | | | - Rick Bonney
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, at Cornell University, in Ithaca New York
| | - Miguel Fernandez
- NatureServe, in Arlington, Virginia; with the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; and with the Environmental Science and Policy Department at George Mason University, in Fairfax, Virginia
| | | | - Romain Julliard
- Center for Ecology and Conservation Sciences (UMR CESCO), at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, in Paris, France
| | - Roland Kraemer
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ; with the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; and with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's Institute of Geography, in Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Guralnick
- Department of Natural History at the Florida Museum of Natural History and with the University of Florida's Biodiversity and Genetic Institutes, at the University of Florida, in Gainsville
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Horton KG, Van Doren BM, La Sorte FA, Cohen EB, Clipp HL, Buler JJ, Fink D, Kelly JF, Farnsworth A. Holding steady: Little change in intensity or timing of bird migration over the Gulf of Mexico. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:1106-1118. [PMID: 30623528 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying the timing and intensity of migratory movements is imperative for understanding impacts of changing landscapes and climates on migratory bird populations. Billions of birds migrate in the Western Hemisphere, but accurately estimating the population size of one migratory species, let alone hundreds, presents numerous obstacles. Here, we quantify the timing, intensity, and distribution of bird migration through one of the largest migration corridors in the Western Hemisphere, the Gulf of Mexico (the Gulf). We further assess whether there have been changes in migration timing or intensity through the Gulf. To achieve this, we integrate citizen science (eBird) observations with 21 years of weather surveillance radar data (1995-2015). We predicted no change in migration timing and a decline in migration intensity across the time series. We estimate that an average of 2.1 billion birds pass through this region each spring en route to Nearctic breeding grounds. Annually, half of these individuals pass through the region in just 18 days, between April 19 and May 7. The western region of the Gulf showed a mean rate of passage 5.4 times higher than the central and eastern regions. We did not detect an overall change in the annual numbers of migrants (2007-2015) or the annual timing of peak migration (1995-2015). However, we found that the earliest seasonal movements through the region occurred significantly earlier over time (1.6 days decade-1 ). Additionally, body mass and migration distance explained the magnitude of phenological changes, with the most rapid advances occurring with an assemblage of larger-bodied shorter-distance migrants. Our results provide baseline information that can be used to advance our understanding of the developing implications of climate change, urbanization, and energy development for migratory bird populations in North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle G Horton
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Frank A La Sorte
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Emily B Cohen
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Hannah L Clipp
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
| | - Jeffrey J Buler
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
| | - Daniel Fink
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Jeffrey F Kelly
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
- Corix Plains Institute, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
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Russart KLG, Nelson RJ. Artificial light at night alters behavior in laboratory and wild animals. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:401-408. [PMID: 29806740 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Life has evolved to internalize and depend upon the daily and seasonal light cycles to synchronize physiology and behavior with environmental conditions. The nightscape has been vastly changed in response to the use of artificial lighting. Wildlife is now often exposed to direct lighting via streetlights or indirect lighting via sky glow at night. Because many activities rely on daily and seasonal light cues, the effects of artificial light at night could be extensive, but remain largely unknown. Laboratory studies suggest exposure to light at night can alter typical timing of daily locomotor activity and shift the timing of foraging/food intake to the daytime in nocturnal rodents. Additionally, nocturnal rodents decrease anxiety-like behaviors (i.e., spend more time in the open and increase rearing up) in response to even dim light at night. These are all likely maladaptive responses in the wild. Photoperiodic animals rely on seasonal changes in day length as a cue to evoke physiological and behavioral modifications to anticipate favorable and unfavorable conditions for survival and reproduction. Light at night can mask detection of short days, inappropriately signal long days, and thus desynchronize seasonal reproductive activities. We review laboratory and the sparse field studies that address the effects of exposure to artificial light at night to propose that exposure to light at night disrupts circadian and seasonal behavior in wildlife, which potentially decreases individual fitness and modifies ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L G Russart
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Randy J Nelson
- Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
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Cabrera-Cruz SA, Smolinsky JA, Buler JJ. Light pollution is greatest within migration passage areas for nocturnally-migrating birds around the world. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3261. [PMID: 29459760 PMCID: PMC5818656 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21577-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive or misdirected artificial light at night (ALAN) produces light pollution that influences several aspects of the biology and ecology of birds, including disruption of circadian rhythms and disorientation during flight. Many migrating birds traverse large expanses of land twice every year at night when ALAN illuminates the sky. Considering the extensive and increasing encroachment of light pollution around the world, we evaluated the association of the annual mean ALAN intensity over land within the geographic ranges of 298 nocturnally migrating bird species with five factors: phase of annual cycle, mean distance between breeding and non-breeding ranges, range size, global hemisphere of range, and IUCN category of conservation concern. Light pollution within geographic ranges was relatively greater during the migration season, for shorter-distance migrants, for species with smaller ranges, and for species in the western hemisphere. Our results suggest that migratory birds may be subject to the effects of light pollution particularly during migration, the most critical stage in their annual cycle. We hope these results will spur further research on how light pollution affects not only migrating birds, but also other highly mobile animals throughout their annual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio A Cabrera-Cruz
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716, USA.
| | - Jaclyn A Smolinsky
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Buler
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716, USA
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Brüning A, Kloas W, Preuer T, Hölker F. Influence of artificially induced light pollution on the hormone system of two common fish species, perch and roach, in a rural habitat. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:coy016. [PMID: 29686874 PMCID: PMC5905364 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Almost all life on earth has adapted to natural cycles of light and dark by evolving circadian and circannual rhythms to synchronize behavioural and physiological processes with the environment. Artificial light at night (ALAN) is suspected to interfere with these rhythms. In this study we examined the influence of ALAN on nocturnal melatonin and sex steroid blood concentrations and mRNA expression of gonadotropins in the pituitary of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus). In a rural experimental setting, fish were held in net cages in drainage channels experiencing either additional ALAN of ~15 lx at the water surface or natural light conditions at half-moon. No differences in melatonin concentrations between ALAN and natural conditions were detected. However, blood concentration of sex steroids (17β-estradiol; 11-ketotestosterone) as well as mRNA expression of gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone) was reduced in both fish species. We conclude that ALAN can disturb biological rhythms in fish in urban waters. However, impacts on melatonin rhythm might have been blurred by individual differences, sampling methods and moonlight. The effect of ALAN on biomarkers of reproduction suggests a photo-labile period around the onset of gonadogenesis, including the experimental period (August). Light pollution therefore has a great potential to influence crucial life history traits with unpredictable outcome for fish population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anika Brüning
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany
- Corresponding author: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany. Tel: +49 (0)30184120.
| | - Werner Kloas
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Torsten Preuer
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Franz Hölker
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
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47
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Van Doren BM, Horton KG, Dokter AM, Klinck H, Elbin SB, Farnsworth A. High-intensity urban light installation dramatically alters nocturnal bird migration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:11175-11180. [PMID: 28973942 PMCID: PMC5651764 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1708574114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Billions of nocturnally migrating birds move through increasingly photopolluted skies, relying on cues for navigation and orientation that artificial light at night (ALAN) can impair. However, no studies have quantified avian responses to powerful ground-based light sources in urban areas. We studied effects of ALAN on migrating birds by monitoring the beams of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum's "Tribute in Light" in New York, quantifying behavioral responses with radar and acoustic sensors and modeling disorientation and attraction with simulations. This single light source induced significant behavioral alterations in birds, even in good visibility conditions, in this heavily photopolluted environment, and to altitudes up to 4 km. We estimate that the installation influenced ≈1.1 million birds during our study period of 7 d over 7 y. When the installation was illuminated, birds aggregated in high densities, decreased flight speeds, followed circular flight paths, and vocalized frequently. Simulations revealed a high probability of disorientation and subsequent attraction for nearby birds, and bird densities near the installation exceeded magnitudes 20 times greater than surrounding baseline densities during each year's observations. However, behavioral disruptions disappeared when lights were extinguished, suggesting that selective removal of light during nights with substantial bird migration is a viable strategy for minimizing potentially fatal interactions among ALAN, structures, and birds. Our results also highlight the value of additional studies describing behavioral patterns of nocturnally migrating birds in powerful lights in urban areas as well as conservation implications for such lighting installations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Van Doren
- Information Science Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | - Kyle G Horton
- Information Science Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019
- Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019
| | - Adriaan M Dokter
- Information Science Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850
| | - Holger Klinck
- Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850
| | | | - Andrew Farnsworth
- Information Science Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850;
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