Artificial light at night disturbs the activity and energy allocation of the common toad during the breeding period

Touzot, Morgane; Teulier, Loïc; Lengagne, Thierry; Secondi, Jean; Théry, Marc; Libourel, Paul-Antoine; Guillard, Ludovic; Mondy, Nathalie

doi:10.1093/conphys/coz002

Cited by 34 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Few reviews on ALAN effects on amphibians are available [70][71][72], and several recent studies investigated the effects of ALAN on amphibians. ALAN decreased metamorphic duration and juvenile growth in American toads (Anaxyrus americanus) [73], and reduced activity and altered energy allocation in common toads (Bufo bufo) [74]. Furthermore, a shift and shortening of the calling season of male Brazilian anurans was measured in a light-polluted wetland as compared to a similar site without light pollution [75].…”

Section: Amphibiansmentioning

confidence: 91%

Light Pollution, Circadian Photoreception, and Melatonin in Vertebrates

et al. 2019

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Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasing exponentially worldwide, accelerated by the transition to new efficient lighting technologies. However, ALAN and resulting light pollution can cause unintended physiological consequences. In vertebrates, production of melatonin—the “hormone of darkness” and a key player in circadian regulation—can be suppressed by ALAN. In this paper, we provide an overview of research on melatonin and ALAN in vertebrates. We discuss how ALAN disrupts natural photic environments, its effect on melatonin and circadian rhythms, and different photoreceptor systems across vertebrate taxa. We then present the results of a systematic review in which we identified studies on melatonin under typical light-polluted conditions in fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans. Melatonin is suppressed by extremely low light intensities in many vertebrates, ranging from 0.01–0.03 lx for fishes and rodents to 6 lx for sensitive humans. Even lower, wavelength-dependent intensities are implied by some studies and require rigorous testing in ecological contexts. In many studies, melatonin suppression occurs at the minimum light levels tested, and, in better-studied groups, melatonin suppression is reported to occur at lower light levels. We identify major research gaps and conclude that, for most groups, crucial information is lacking. No studies were identified for amphibians and reptiles and long-term impacts of low-level ALAN exposure are unknown. Given the high sensitivity of vertebrate melatonin production to ALAN and the paucity of available information, it is crucial to research impacts of ALAN further in order to inform effective mitigation strategies for human health and the wellbeing and fitness of vertebrates in natural ecosystems.

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Section: Amphibiansmentioning

confidence: 91%

Light Pollution, Circadian Photoreception, and Melatonin in Vertebrates

et al. 2019

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“…The diel distribution of feeding bouts was altered in mice, resulting in obese individuals (Fonken et al, 2010), while activity and metabolism were uncoupled in amphibians exposed to light at night (Touzot et al, 2019). These lab studies highlight the need for analysing to- (Somanathan, Borges, Warrant, & Kelber, 2008), or the selection of food sources (Kelber, Balkenius, & Warrant, 2002) or mates (Gomez et al, 2009).…”

Section: A Pred I C Tive B I Og Eog R Aphi C Al Fr Ame Work For Al mentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The diel distribution of feeding bouts was altered in mice, resulting in obese individuals (Fonken et al, 2010), while activity and metabolism were uncoupled in amphibians exposed to light at night (Touzot et al, 2019). These lab studies highlight the need for analysing together activity and metabolic budgets or relevant proxies when other physiological measurements cannot be made.…”

Section: A Pred I C Tive B I Og Eog R Aphi C Al Fr Ame Work For Al mentioning

confidence: 94%

Assessing the effects of artificial light at night on biodiversity across latitude – Current knowledge gaps

Secondi

Davranche

Théry

et al. 2019

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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Aim: Exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) is a risk factor for organisms.Considering the spread and increasing intensity of night brightness across the globe, and the key role of light at all biological levels, alterations of ecosystems are ex-pected. Yet, we cannot predict the severity of the effects of ALAN in several biomes because little information is available outside the temperate zone. We reviewed current knowledge and identified traits that could be targeted to fill this knowledge gap in order to contribute to the elaboration of a biogeographical framework for the study of ALAN at the global scale. Location: Global.Time period: Current and next decades. Methods:We analysed the latitudinal variation in ALAN and focused on environmental factors that vary with latitude but that have been overlooked. We reviewed biological traits that exhibit latitudinal variation and depend on light and photoperiod and compiled information about the predicted changes in human demography and road networks across different world regions. Results:Cloud cover amplifies ALAN far away from urbanized areas. Because of the higher frequency of overcast sky nights, exposure effects may be stronger both at high latitudes and across a large fraction of the intertropical zone, although at different times of the year. Intertropical biomes host the largest fraction of global biodiversity. Although currently they are not the most exposed to ALAN, their human populations are growing, and urbanized areas and road networks are expanding.Hence, ALAN could have strong ecological consequences, with cloud cover as an aggravating factor. Perspectives: Knowledge gaps currently limit our ability to predict the effects of ALAN in different biomes. Therefore, it will be important to start investigating the consequences of this novel environmental factor across the globe, in order to develop a relevant theoretical framework. K E Y W O R D SALAN, biogeography, exposure, global change, intertropical, latitude, light pollution | 405 SECONDI Et al.

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“…Several mechanistic links between elevated light levels and disruptions to critical ecological processes (Gaston et al 2013) such as pollination (Knop et al 2017), migration (Cabrera‐Cruz et al 2018), herbivory (Bennie et al 2015), habitat connectivity (Bliss‐Ketchum et al 2016) and changes to community structure (Sanders and Gaston 2018) have been demonstrated. At the organismal level, documented impacts of elevated nightlight include increased physiological stress (Ouyang et al 2017), mismatched biological timing (Gaston et al 2017), decreased reproduction (Touzot et al 2019), as well as changes to predation risk (Brown et al 1988), movement patterns (Degen et al 2016) and vigilance time (Yorzinski et al 2015). However, impacts on species have mostly been documented at relatively small scales (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial nightlight alters the predator–prey dynamics of an apex carnivore

et al. 2020

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Artificial nightlight is increasingly recognized as an important environmental disturbance that influences the habitats and fitness of numerous species. However, its effects on wide‐ranging vertebrates and their interactions remain unclear. Light pollution has the potential to amplify land‐use change, and as such, answering the question of how this sensory stimulant affects behavior and habitat use of species valued for their ecological roles and economic impacts is critical for conservation and land‐use planning. Here, we combined satellite‐derived estimates of light pollution, with GPS‐data from cougars Puma concolor (n = 56), mule deer Odocoileus hemionus (n = 263) and locations of cougar‐killed deer (n = 1562 carcasses), to assess the effects of light exposure on mammal behavior and predator–prey relationships across wildland–urban gradients in the southwestern United States. Our results indicate that deer used the anthropogenic environments to access forage and were more active at night than their wildland conspecifics. Despite higher nightlight levels, cougars killed deer at the wildland–urban interface, but hunted them in the relatively darkest locations. Light had the greatest effect of all covariates on where cougars killed deer at the wildland–urban interface. Both species exhibited functional responses to light pollution at fine scales; individual cougars and deer with less light exposure increasingly avoided illuminated areas when exposed to greater radiance, whereas deer living in the wildland–urban interface selected elevated light levels. We conclude that integrating estimates of light pollution into ecological studies provides crucial insights into how the dynamic human footprint can alter animal behavior and ecosystem function across spatial scales.

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Artificial light at night disturbs the activity and energy allocation of the common toad during the breeding period

Cited by 34 publications

References 38 publications

Light Pollution, Circadian Photoreception, and Melatonin in Vertebrates

Light Pollution, Circadian Photoreception, and Melatonin in Vertebrates

Assessing the effects of artificial light at night on biodiversity across latitude – Current knowledge gaps

Artificial nightlight alters the predator–prey dynamics of an apex carnivore

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