What is the impact of light pollution on nocturnal wildlife and ecosystem health?

Introduction

Light pollution, primarily caused by artificial night-time lighting, is a growing environmental concern with significant impacts on nocturnal wildlife and ecosystem health. This synthesis examines the effects of light pollution on various nocturnal species and the broader ecological consequences.

Key Insights

Disruption of Natural Cycles and Ecosystem Services:
- Light pollution disrupts natural light/dark cycles, affecting ecosystem functioning and services, with long-term effects still largely unknown .
Impact on Nocturnal Insects:
- Artificial light at night (ALAN) significantly reduces nocturnal insect populations by attracting them to lights, disrupting their natural behaviors, and decreasing their reproductive success .
- LED lighting exacerbates these effects, attracting more insects than traditional lighting.
Behavioral and Physiological Changes in Nocturnal Mammals:
- Light pollution alters daily rhythms and behaviors in nocturnal mammals, such as the grey mouse lemur, leading to desynchronization of biological rhythms and potential negative consequences for adaptation and survival.
- Nocturnal mammals are increasingly shifting their activities to nighttime to avoid human disturbances, which can lead to significant changes in their natural activity patterns and ecosystem interactions.
Effects on Endangered Species:
- ALAN reduces habitat suitability and foraging efficiency in endangered nocturnal mammals, such as the Stephens' kangaroo rat, potentially impeding their recovery.
Ecological Impacts of LED Lighting:
- The transition to white LED lighting increases the ecological impact of light pollution, affecting both nocturnal and diurnal species, and potentially amplifying pest infestations.
- In aquatic ecosystems, LED lighting reduces the biomass of primary producers, which can impact food supply and ecosystem productivity.
Health and Fitness Consequences:
- Light pollution is linked to changes in circadian behavior, reproduction, and predator-prey interactions in wild animals, with potential health and fitness consequences similar to those observed in humans.

Conclusion

Light pollution poses a significant threat to nocturnal wildlife and ecosystem health by disrupting natural cycles, altering behaviors, and reducing habitat suitability. The transition to LED lighting, while energy-efficient, may exacerbate these impacts. Addressing light pollution requires increased attention from scientists, managers, and the public to develop and implement effective management strategies to preserve the benefits of natural darkness.

What is the impact of light pollution on nocturnal wildlife and ecosystem health?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Nature's nocturnal services: Light pollution as a non-recognised challenge for ecosystem services research and management

Light pollution is a significant issue affecting ecosystems, and reducing it is crucial for preserving their benefits and addressing public undervaluation of nocturnal nature.

The impact of artificial light at night on nocturnal insects: A review and synthesis

Artificial light at night negatively impacts nocturnal insect diversity, with bioluminescent fireflies being particularly vulnerable to its effects, and understanding its ecological impacts can help find solutions for coexisting with humans in urban environments.

Light pollution may create demographic traps for nocturnal insects

Light pollution may create demographic traps for some nocturnal insects, reducing reproduction and attracting more immigration than emigration.

Light Pollution Modifies the Expression of Daily Rhythms and Behavior Patterns in a Nocturnal Primate

Light pollution negatively impacts nocturnal primate behavior, altering daily rhythms and potentially leading to seasonal desynchronization, impacting adaptation and environmental changes.

The influence of human disturbance on wildlife nocturnality

Human disturbances lead to animals becoming more nocturnal, potentially facilitating human-wildlife coexistence but also affecting fitness, population persistence, community interactions, and evolution.

Effects of artificial light at night on the foraging behavior of an endangered nocturnal mammal.

Artificial light at night reduces habitat suitability for the endangered Stephens' kangaroo rat, potentially impairing their recovery from habitat destruction.

Natureâ€™s nocturnal services: Light pollution as a non-recognised challenge for ecosystem services research and management

Light pollution is a significant global environmental issue affecting ecosystems, and reducing it is crucial for preserving nocturnal benefits and addressing shifting baseline syndrome.

LED lighting increases the ecological impact of light pollution irrespective of color temperature.

White LED lighting attracts more nocturnal invertebrates than yellow HPS lamps, potentially exacerbate ecological impacts and phytosanitary pest infestations.

A transition to white LED increases ecological impacts of nocturnal illumination on aquatic primary producers in a lowland agricultural drainage ditch.

The transition to white LED nocturnal illumination can decrease aquatic primary producer biomass by up to 62%, potentially impacting ecosystem functions.

Light at night, clocks and health: from humans to wild organisms

Artificial light at night disrupts circadian rhythms in both humans and wildlife, potentially leading to health issues like metabolic syndromes, cancer, and reduced immunity.

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