Flight of mayflies towards horizontally polarised and unpolarised light

Turcsányi, István; Szentkirályi, F.; Bernáth, Balázs; Kádár, Ferenc

doi:10.1080/01650420902812222

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…It is unsure if this shows a preference of the organisms for this colour or rather its environmental bioavailability. It is known that polarised light may influence the behaviour of adult macroinvertebrates 62 , however, further researches are needed to study the response of larvae to colours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary indoor evidences of microplastic effects on freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates

Gallitelli

Cera

Cesarini

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Plastics are to date considered one of the main detrimental drivers for the health of aquatic ecosystems, both in marine and inland waters. Regarding the latter habitat, it seems surprising how the plastic effects on benthic invertebrates are neglected since macroinvertebrates have a long tradition in the water quality assessment activities. In this context, we propose timely indoor observations on the exposure of caddisfly Odontocerum albicorne and mayfly Ephemera danica to various microplastic polymers (ABS, PET, PP, PS, PVDF). Three different experimental designs were performed on caddisflies and mayflies by exposing their larvae to natural and microplastic substrates. Our findings highlighted how microplastics affected both caddisflies in rebuilding its own case (after having removed the natural one) and mayflies burrowing. Particularly, all caddisflies rebuilt cases using the microplastic polymers provided instead of natural items only. Moreover, we provide the first evidence that mayflies burrow mainly in microplastic substrates rather than in natural ones. Our research highlights that macroinvertebrate larvae would use naturally occurring microplastics and this could be of particular concern in freshwaters with high contamination by plastics. Indeed, larvae appear to not necessarily perceive microplastics as a direct stressor. Further studies ought to be conducted to understand the chronic perturbation on larvae fitness and for example, on drift behaviour. Also, further investigations are needed to understand the potentialities of using plastics by benthic macroinvertebrates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary indoor evidences of microplastic effects on freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates

Gallitelli

Cera

Cesarini

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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“…This flight can be observed only if the mayflies are captured and released on the river bank. P. longicauda shows positive polarotaxis (Kriska et al 2007), similarly to other mayfly species (Schwind 1995;Kriska et al 1998;Turcsányi et al 2009) and aquatic insects in general (Schwind 1991;Wildermuth 1998Wildermuth , 2007Bernáth et al 2002;Horváth and Varjú 2004;Csabai et al 2006;Wehner and Labhart 2006;Horváth et al 2008;Lerner et al 2008;Kriska et al 2009). Mayflies receive the polarized light signals reflected from the water surface by their ventral polarization-sensitive eye region (Kriska et al 2007) and identify water by exactly or nearly horizontally polarized light (with angles of polarization 80°\ a \ 100°clockwise from the vertical) with medium degrees of polarization (15°\ d \ 60°) ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bridges as optical barriers and population disruptors for the mayfly Palingenia longicauda: an overlooked threat to freshwater biodiversity?

et al. 2011

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Freshwater biodiversity is declining faster than marine or terrestrial diversity, yet its drivers are much less known. Although dams were shown to negatively affect river habitats, fragmentation by bridges has received less attention and is not as well understood. We tested whether and how bridges present barriers to aquatic insects by studying mass swarmings of Palingenia longicauda mayflies on river Tisza (NE-Hungary). Behavioural observations showed that upon approaching the bridge, upstream-flying mayflies typically turned back and 86% of them never crossed the bridge. Lack of physical contact showed that the bridge was an optical, rather than a mechanical barrier for the polarotactic mayflies. Imaging polarimetry showed that the bridge disrupted the horizontally polarizing channel guiding the flight of mayflies above the river. Energy loss, demonstrated by calorimetry, and time constraints forced females to lay eggs only downstream from the bridge. Counts of larval skins shed by swarming individuals showed nearly 2 to 1 female per male downstream from the bridge, while sex ratio above the bridge was slightly male-biased. We suggest that the surplus of parthenogenetic females, that produce only female larvae, downstream from the bridge may have led to the observed sex-ratio bias since the construction of the bridge (1942). Our results demonstrate that bridges can be optical barriers for aquatic insects and can cause population-level impacts, such as biased sex ratios, in natural populations. Sex ratio biases due to bridges may decrease effective population size and genetic variability, which may have contributed to the recent extinction of this species from most of Europe.

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“…Recent literature has demonstrated that artificial light sources, particularly at or near roadways close to waterways, are likely to disrupt natural light at night, as asphalt roads are also reflecting ALAN of a specific polarisation direction (Waterman, 1954;Horváth and Varjú, 1997). PLP is a phenomenon that has been shown to attract insects by luring them away from their typical trajectories into unsuitable habitats that can lead into an ecological trap towards reproductive failure or death (Turcsányi et al, 2009;Black and Robertson, 2020;Robertson and Chalfoun, 2016). These are just some of the known behavioural consequences for aquatic polarotactic insects when man-made structures appear to be polarising water surfaces (Szás et al, 2015;Egrí et al, 2019;.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One study on the distinct polarisation properties of a dark lake suggests that PLP can influence the detectability of the water, which could potentially affect the behaviour of polarotactic insects (Szás et al, 2023;Fraleigh et al, 2021). Another study demonstrated that polarised ALAN and unpolarised ALAN at bridge surfaces attracts and traps mayflies (Szás et al, 2015;Turcsányi et al, 2009). This combination of unpolarised and polarised ALAN will likely contribute to the increased attraction of nocturnal flying species towards bridge structure, which can veil a bridge into an ecological trap (Fraleigh et al, 2021;Black and Robertson, 2020;Robertson and Chalfoun, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polarised light pollution on river water surfaces caused by artificial light at night from illuminated bridges and surroundings

Pérez Vega,

Hölker,

Zielinska-Dabkowska

et al. 2024

J Limnol

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Bridge illumination gave rise to night-time illuminated paths across aquatic systems. However, if bridge artificial light at night (ALAN) reach waterbodies, it can result in polarised light pollution (PLP), which might alter the optical conditions of a river by night and potentially interfere with moonlight polarisation signals reflected off the water’s surface. It is a night-time phenomenon that can detrimentally change the behaviour of organisms sensitive to horizontally reflected polarised moonlight, a navigational cue and signal known to be used by flying water-seeking insects to detect suitable aquatic habitats to reproduce and lay eggs. In this study, we quantify the reflection of ALAN-induced polarisation patterns at the water’s surface near seven illuminated bridges crossing the river Spree in Berlin. The photometric data shows that bridge illumination induces PLP, which reflects from the water’s surface when measured at specific locations in space considered as potential flying paths for polarotactic aquatic insects. ALAN-induced polarisation findings at illuminated bridges suggest that PLP is a pollutant that illuminates aquatic areas. It requires better research as it can potentially affect polarimetric navigation in flying aquatic insects. As the extent of light pollution reaches riverine systems and aquatic habitats, the potential effects of PLP on freshwaters need the proper development of sustainable lighting solutions that can aid in preserving riverine nightscapes.

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Flight of mayflies towards horizontally polarised and unpolarised light

Cited by 7 publications

References 15 publications

Preliminary indoor evidences of microplastic effects on freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates

Preliminary indoor evidences of microplastic effects on freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates

Bridges as optical barriers and population disruptors for the mayfly Palingenia longicauda: an overlooked threat to freshwater biodiversity?

Polarised light pollution on river water surfaces caused by artificial light at night from illuminated bridges and surroundings

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