Light pollution reduces activity, food consumption and growth rates in a sandy beach invertebrate

Luarte, Thais; Bonta, César C.; Silva‐Rodríguez, Eduardo A.; Quijón, Pedro A.; Miranda, Camila Oliveira; Farías, Ariel A.; Duarte, Cristián

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.068

Cited by 81 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 48 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Natural illumination at night is derived from the moon, the stars, and the Milky Way. These natural light sources, as well as daily light/night cycles, play a fundamental role on behavioral patterns of marine and terrestrial organisms and the timing of ecological processes (Gaston, Bennie, Davies, & Hopkins, ; Gaston, Davies, Nedelec, & Holt, ; Longcore & Rich, ; Luarte et al, ). Artificial Light Pollution at Night (hereafter ALAN) is the alteration of natural light levels as the result of anthropogenic light sources (Cinzano, Falchi, & Elvidge, ; Duarte et al, ; Falchi et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Red Sea corals under Artificial Light Pollution at Night (ALAN) undergo oxidative stress and photosynthetic impairment

Ayalon

Marangoni

Benichou

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coral reefs represent the most diverse marine ecosystem on the planet, yet they are undergoing an unprecedented decline due to a combination of increasing global and local stressors. Despite the wealth of research investigating these stressors, Artificial Light Pollution at Night (ALAN) or “ecological light pollution” represents an emerging threat that has received little attention in the context of coral reefs, despite the potential of disrupting the chronobiology, physiology, behavior, and other biological processes of coral reef organisms. Scleractinian corals, the framework builders of coral reefs, depend on lunar illumination cues to synchronize their biological rhythms such as behavior, reproduction and physiology. While, light pollution (POL) may mask and lead de‐synchronization of these biological rhythms process. To reveal if ALAN impacts coral physiology, we have studied two coral species, Acropora eurystoma and Pocillopora damicornis, from the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba, Red Sea, which is undergoing urban development that has led to severe POL at night. Our two experimental design data revealed that corals exposed to ALAN face an oxidative stress condition, show lower photosynthesis performances measured by electron transport rate (ETR), as well as changes in chlorophyll and algae density parameters. Testing different lights such as Blue LED and White LED spectrum showed more extreme impact in comparison to Yellow LEDs on coral physiology. The finding of this work sheds light on the emerging threat of POL and the impacts on the biology and ecology of Scleractinian corals, and will help to formulate specific management implementations to mitigate its potentially harmful impacts.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Red Sea corals under Artificial Light Pollution at Night (ALAN) undergo oxidative stress and photosynthetic impairment

Ayalon

Marangoni

Benichou

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Other nocturnal carabid species decreased their activity during the night when artificial illumination was present which is similar to findings in other species (e.g. amphipods: Luarte et al ., ; lemurs: Le Tallec et al ., ; rodents: Rotics et al ., ). While this might be a behavior to reduce predation risk by visual predators, reduced activity can potentially lead to a shortage of time used for foraging or finding mating partners.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…birds: Dominoni et al ., ; mammals: Hoffmann et al ., ) or hampering activity of nocturnal species (e.g. mammals: Rotics et al ., ; Le Tallec et al ., ; amphipods: Luarte et al ., ), which may affect interspecific interactions (Rotics et al ., ). Most palearctic ground beetles ( Carabidae ) are nocturnal (Thiele, ; Lovei & Sunderland, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Off‐grid: solar powered LED illumination impacts epigeal arthropods

Eccard

Scheffler

Franke

et al. 2018

Insect Conserv Diversity

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. 1. Advances in LED technology combined with solar, storable energy bring light to places remote from electricity grids. Worldwide more than 1.3 billion of people are living off-grid, often in developing regions of high insect biodiversity. In developed countries, dark refuges for wildlife are threatened by ornamental garden lights. Solar powered LEDs (SPLEDs) are cheaply available, dim, and often used to illuminate foot paths, but little is known on their effects on ground living (epigeal) arthropods.2. We used off-the-shelf garden lamps with a single 'white' LED (colour temperature 7250 K) to experimentally investigate effects on attraction and nocturnal activity of ground beetles (Carabidae).3. We found two disparate and species-specific effects of SPLEDs. (i) Some nocturnal, phototactic species were not reducing activity under illumination and were strongly attracted to lamps (>20-fold increase in captures compared to dark controls). Such species aggregate in lit areas and SPLEDs may become ecological traps, while the species is drawn from nearby, unlit assemblages. (ii) Other nocturnal species were reducing mobility and activity under illumination without being attracted to light, which may cause fitness reduction in lit areas.4. Both reactions offer mechanistic explanations on how outdoor illumination can change population densities of specific predatory arthropods, which may have cascading effects on epigeal arthropod assemblages. The technology may thus increase the area of artificial light at night (ALAN) impacting insect biodiversity.5. Measures are needed to mitigate effects, such as adjustment of light colour temperature and automated switch-offs.

show abstract

“…Collisions with ships and offshore platforms can lead to death of hundreds and even thousands of nocturnally migrating birds (Ronconi et al ). Coastal lights often cause fish aggregation and disorientate marine turtle hatchlings on their way to the sea, and they can disrupt colonization of epifaunal communities (Davies et al ) or foraging of invertebrates on sandy beaches (Luarte et al ). Alteration of fish behavior and aggregation of fish, both of large predators and smaller prey species, may have important consequences for food web interactions as well as prey populations and community structure.…”

Section: What Happens In Illuminated Waters?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Waters under Artificial Lights: Does Light Pollution Matter for Aquatic Primary Producers?

Grubisić

2018

Limnology & Oceanogr Bull

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Light pollution reduces activity, food consumption and growth rates in a sandy beach invertebrate

Cited by 81 publications

References 48 publications

Red Sea corals under Artificial Light Pollution at Night (ALAN) undergo oxidative stress and photosynthetic impairment

Red Sea corals under Artificial Light Pollution at Night (ALAN) undergo oxidative stress and photosynthetic impairment

Off‐grid: solar powered LED illumination impacts epigeal arthropods

Waters under Artificial Lights: Does Light Pollution Matter for Aquatic Primary Producers?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About