1. The effects of light pollution on migratory animal behavior.
- Author
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Burt, Carolyn S., Kelly, Jeffrey F., Trankina, Grace E., Silva, Carol L., Khalighifar, Ali, Jenkins-Smith, Hank C., Fox, Andrew S., Fristrup, Kurt M., and Horton, Kyle G.
- Subjects
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LIGHT pollution , *ANIMAL behavior , *ECOLOGICAL forecasting , *TECHNOLOGICAL innovations , *MIGRATORY animals , *ECOLOGICAL impact , *PLANT phenology , *LARVAL dispersal - Abstract
Awareness of light as a pollutant is growing, and with emerging technologies our understanding of how light pollution uniquely impacts migratory species through mechanisms of negative or positive phototaxis, and at times physiological responses, has grown. Extinguishing and dimming lights is a first priority to reducing ecological impacts, but light can be modified when needed across multiple dimensions, including correlated color temperature or more holistic color spectra. Responses to light color and intensity are not uniform across taxonomic groups. Light pollution can affect nocturnal and diurnal animal migrants by disrupting their movements at various scales: at local scales through collisions with lit structures, at regional scales by altering stopover sites and the aerial connectivity of the night sky, and at macroscales through exposure to sky glow and altered phenology. Light pollution is a global threat to biodiversity, especially migratory organisms, some of which traverse hemispheric scales. Research on light pollution has grown significantly over the past decades, but our review of migratory organisms demonstrates gaps in our understanding, particularly beyond migratory birds. Research across spatial scales reveals the multifaceted effects of artificial light on migratory species, ranging from local and regional to macroscale impacts. These threats extend beyond species that are active at night – broadening the scope of this threat. Emerging tools for measuring light pollution and its impacts, as well as ecological forecasting techniques, present new pathways for conservation, including transdisciplinary approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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