Human alteration of natural light cycles: causes and ecological consequences
TLDR
A synthesis of understanding of the form and extent of this alteration of natural light cycles, some of the key consequences for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, interactions and synergies with other anthropogenic pressures on the environment, major uncertainties, and future prospects and management options are provided.Abstract:
Artificial light at night is profoundly altering natural light cycles, particularly as perceived by many organisms, over extensive areas of the globe. This alteration comprises the introduction of light at night at places and times at which it has not previously occurred, and with different spectral signatures. Given the long geological periods for which light cycles have previously been consistent, this constitutes a novel environmental pressure, and one for which there is evidence for biological effects that span from molecular to community level. Here we provide a synthesis of understanding of the form and extent of this alteration, some of the key consequences for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, interactions and synergies with other anthropogenic pressures on the environment, major uncertainties, and future prospects and management options. This constitutes a compelling example of the need for a thoroughly interdisciplinary approach to understanding and managing the impact of one particular anthropogenic pressure. The former requires insights that span molecular biology to ecosystem ecology, and the latter contributions of biologists, policy makers and engineers.read more
Citations
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Emerging threats and persistent conservation challenges for freshwater biodiversity
Andrea J. Reid,Andrew K. Carlson,Irena F. Creed,Erika J. Eliason,Peter Gell,Pieter T. J. Johnson,Karen A. Kidd,Tyson J. MacCormack,Julian D. Olden,Steve J. Ormerod,John P. Smol,William W. Taylor,Klement Tockner,Jesse C. Vermaire,David Dudgeon,Steven J. Cooke +15 more
TL;DR: Efforts to reverse global trends in freshwater degradation now depend on bridging an immense gap between the aspirations of conservation biologists and the accelerating rate of species endangerment.
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The biological impacts of artificial light at night: the research challenge
TL;DR: Daily, lunar and seasonal cycles of natural light have been key forms of environmental variation across the Earth's surface since the first emergence of life.
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Seasonality and predictability shape temporal species diversity.
TL;DR: This framework provides tools for examining trends at a variety of temporal scales, seasonal and beyond, and predicted that temporal beta diversity should be maximized in highly predictable and highly seasonal climates, and that low degrees of seasonality, predictability, or both would lower diversity in characteristic ways.
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Impacts of Artificial Light at Night on Biological Timings
TL;DR: Support is added to arguments that artificial nighttime lighting has a quite pervasive and marked impact on ecological systems, that the rapid expansion in the global extent of both direct illuminance and skyglow is thus of significant concern, and that a widespread implementation of mitigation measures is required.
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Human threats to sandy beaches: a meta-analysis of ghost crabs illustrates global anthropogenic impacts
Thomas A. Schlacher,Serena Lucrezi,Rod M. Connolly,Charles H. Peterson,Ben L. Gilby,Brooke Maslo,Andrew D. Olds,Simon J. Walker,Javier León,Chantal M. Huijbers,Michael A. Weston,Alexander Turra,Glenn A. Hyndes,Rebecca A. Holt,David S. Schoeman +14 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the first global meta-analysis of these impacts, and analyse the design properties and metrics of studies using ghost crabs in their assessment, complemented by a gap analysis to identify thematic areas of anthropogenic pressures on sandy beach ecosystems.
References
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Ecological light pollution
Travis Longcore,Catherine Rich +1 more
TL;DR: The more subtle influences of artificial night lighting on the behavior and community ecology of species are less well recognized, and constitute a new focus for research in ecology and a pressing conservation challenge.
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Using luminosity data as a proxy for economic statistics
Xi Chen,William D. Nordhaus +1 more
TL;DR: It is found that luminosity has informational value for countries with low-quality statistical systems, particularly for those countries with no recent population or economic censuses.
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Domesticated Nature: Shaping Landscapes and Ecosystems for Human Welfare
Peter Kareiva,Sean M. Watts,Sean M. Watts,Sean M. Watts,Robert I. McDonald,Robert I. McDonald,Robert I. McDonald,Timothy M. Boucher,Timothy M. Boucher,Timothy M. Boucher +9 more
TL;DR: Going into the future, scientists can help humanity to domesticate nature more wisely by quantifying the tradeoffs among ecosystem services, such as how increasing the provision of one service may decrease ecosystem resilience and the provisionof other services.
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High Sensitivity of the Human Circadian Melatonin Rhythm to Resetting by Short Wavelength Light
TL;DR: It is reported here that the circadian resetting response in humans, as measured by the pineal melatonin rhythm, is also wavelength dependent, and photopic lux, the standard unit of illuminance, is inappropriate when quantifying the photic drive required to reset the human circadian pacemaker.