Turning to the dark side: LED light at night alters the activity and species composition of a foraging bat assemblage in the northeastern United States

Seewagen, Chad L.; Adams, Amanda M.

doi:10.1002/ece3.7466

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 66 publications

(116 reference statements)

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“…No bat species in our study negatively responded to ALAN. Even though our results do not align with previous studies of ALAN and North American bats [ 24 , 36 ], they could be explained by the possibility that urban-dwelling bats might have adapted to ALAN. Considering that previous studies of North American bats were conducted in areas where ALAN was generally absent, urban bats in our studies were very likely to respond to ALAN differently, which might be another example of urban wildlife adapting to a city life [ 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Several radio-telemetry or GPS tracking studies have shown avoidance of well-illuminated areas in bat flights [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. When experimentally introducing ALAN to naturally unlit environments, ALAN disrupted flight patterns and reduced activity in many species, regardless of the light source types (light-emitting diodes/LED, sodium pressure, or mercury vapor) of ALAN [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Acoustic studies that focused on ALAN in urban settings also found negative impacts of ALAN on bat commuting activity [ 27 , 28 , 29 ], even though urban bats might have adapted behaviorally to the city [ 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Very little is known about how North American bats respond to ALAN. A field experiment in Connecticut, USA, found that no bat species responded positively to ALAN when LED floodlights illuminated a dark nature preserve [ 24 ]. Similarly, another field experiment in the forest in Missouri, USA also found that most species avoided experimentally lit areas regardless of their foraging strategies except for the eastern red bat ( Lasiurus borealis , species abbreviation LABO, [ 36 , 37 ]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predator-Prey Relationship between Urban Bats and Insects Impacted by Both Artificial Light at Night and Spatial Clutter

Wilkins

2022

Biology

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Predators respond to the increase of prey by aggregation in space or foraging more often. However, foraging habitat suitability limits predators’ responses. For nocturnal insectivorous bats, artificial light at night (ALAN) can trigger insect prey aggregation. It is not clear how ALAN might affect predator-prey relationships in the urban setting, where urban bats could have adapted to the city, and novel spatial complexity introduced by man-made objects might alter foraging habitat suitability. We strategically selected sites to represent different levels of ALAN and spatial complexity. We recorded bat commuting and foraging activities and collected aerial insects to examine how ALAN and spatial complexity affected bat-insect relationships. We found that insect biomass was positively correlated with ALAN, but was not affected by spatial complexity. Large-sized big brown bats and hoary bats positively responded to change of prey in open sites whereas small-sized eastern red bats and silver-haired bats positively responded in cluttered sites, suggesting that the impact of ALAN could vary when ALAN is coupled with urban spatial complexity. Our study demonstrates that foraging habitat suitability can alter which species might benefit from ALAN. Predator-prey relationships in cities are complex, but general ecological principles still apply in novel urban ecosystems.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predator-Prey Relationship between Urban Bats and Insects Impacted by Both Artificial Light at Night and Spatial Clutter

Wilkins

2022

Biology

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“…In contrast [87,88], other research reported increased foraging activity near flood lights for Kuhl's pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus kuhlii), a species that occurs throughout southern Europe, north Africa, and west Asia, suggesting the perception of light wavelength and/or foraging behavior as potential indicators for light's effect on bat species. Using acoustic monitoring in North America, Seewagen et al [89] concluded that eastern red and hoary bats displayed no significant differences in activity between dark and LED-lit conditions.…”

Section: Lightsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Updated Review of Hypotheses Regarding Bat Attraction to Wind Turbines

Guest

Stamps

Durish

et al. 2022

Animals

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Patterns of bat activity and mortalities at wind energy facilities suggest that bats are attracted to wind turbines based on bat behavioral responses to wind turbines. For example, current monitoring efforts suggest that bat activity increases post-wind turbine construction, with bats making multiple passes near wind turbines. We separated the attraction hypothesis into five previously proposed explanations of bat interactions at or near wind turbines, including attraction based on noise, roost sites, foraging and water, mating behavior, and lights, and one new hypothesis regarding olfaction, and provide a state of the knowledge in 2022. Our review indicates that future research should prioritize attraction based on social behaviors, such as mating and scent-marking, as this aspect of the attraction hypothesis has many postulates and remains the most unclear. Relatively more data regarding attraction to wind turbines based on lighting and noise emission exist, and these data indicate that these are unlikely attractants. Analyzing attraction at the species-level should be prioritized because of differences in foraging, flight, and social behavior among bat species. Lastly, research assessing bat attraction at various scales, such as the turbine or facility scale, is lacking, which could provide important insights for both wind turbine siting decisions and bat mortality minimization strategies. Identifying the causes of bat interactions with wind turbines is critical for developing effective impact minimization strategies.

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“…Among bats, species composing regional communities often respond in different ways, with both spectral composition and intensity influencing response; few patterns of bat response to ALAN apply to all species [ 80 , 81 ]. In general, experiments consistently demonstrate certain species of bats avoiding experimentally lit areas of landscapes, whereas other species in a local bat community might forage opportunistically on insects at the lights [ 82 , 83 ]. For example, experimental treatment with ALAN reduced drinking by forest bats in Italy [ 84 ], and in an urban area of Germany, greater noctule bats ( Nyctalus noctula ) tended to avoid lit areas but opportunistically foraged in some situations [ 85 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influencing Activity of Bats by Dimly Lighting Wind Turbine Surfaces with Ultraviolet Light

Cryan

Gorresen

Straw

et al. 2021

Animals

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Wind energy producers need deployable devices for wind turbines that prevent bat fatalities. Based on the speculation that bats approach turbines after visually mistaking them for trees, we tested a potential light-based deterrence method. It is likely that the affected bats see ultraviolet (UV) light at low intensities. Here, we present the results of a multi-month experiment to cast dim, flickering UV light across wind turbine surfaces at night. Our objectives were to refine and test a practical system for dimly UV-illuminating turbines while testing whether the experimental UV treatment influenced the activity of bats, birds, and insects. We mounted upward-facing UV light arrays on turbines and used thermal-imaging cameras to quantify the presence and activity of night-flying animals. The results demonstrated that the turbines can be lit to the highest reaches of the blades with “invisible” UV light, and the animal responses to such experimental treatment can be concurrently monitored. The UV treatment did not significantly change nighttime bat, insect, or bird activity at the wind turbine. Our findings show how observing flying animals with thermal cameras at night can help test emerging technologies intended to variably affect their behaviors around wind turbines.

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Turning to the dark side: LED light at night alters the activity and species composition of a foraging bat assemblage in the northeastern United States

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 15 publications

References 66 publications

Predator-Prey Relationship between Urban Bats and Insects Impacted by Both Artificial Light at Night and Spatial Clutter

Predator-Prey Relationship between Urban Bats and Insects Impacted by Both Artificial Light at Night and Spatial Clutter

An Updated Review of Hypotheses Regarding Bat Attraction to Wind Turbines

Influencing Activity of Bats by Dimly Lighting Wind Turbine Surfaces with Ultraviolet Light

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