Studies show that advances in street lighting have reduced the effectiveness of coastal camouflage.

Thanks to advances in lighting used to illuminate cities and coastlines around the world, species that rely on darkness to seek and feed have lost the gift of camouflage.

Energy efficient worldwide dissemination spectrum Lighting can cause a series of visually guided obstacles Ecological process..

New research shows that these new lighting technologies can significantly improve the ability of predators to identify prey species against a natural background.

The magnitude of this effect depends on the color of the organism. This can increase the risk of certain color changes.

Research published in Applied Ecology JournalConducted by researchers at the University of Plymouth and the Plymouth Institute for Oceanography (PML).

This is one of the first to investigate the possibility that nighttime artificial light (ALAN) may affect the camouflage mechanism of coastal species.

Oak McMahon, who led the research while earning a master’s degree in applied marine science, and currently holds a PhD. A candidate for the University of Plymouth said: “This research is based on new lighting technology. Seeds of prey By reducing the effectiveness of their camouflage. Our findings reveal that the species of pearl oysters commonly found on our coastline remain camouflaged when illuminated by old-style lighting. However, when illuminated by modern wide-spectrum lighting, they are clearly visible to predators and, as a result, are at much greater long-term risk. “

Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, this is the latest university and PML study to uncover rising levels of ALAN and its impact on the coastal environment.

In this study, scientists used an established model to determine the prominence of three different color morphologies of the mussel commonly found along the coastline of the world.

They compared what the species would look like to three common coastal predators when illuminated by different forms of lighting. This included 20th century narrow-spectrum low-pressure sodium (LPS) lighting and three modern wide-spectrum lighting (high-pressure sodium (HPS)).Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs); and Metal Halides (MH) – and Natural light Provided by the sun and the moon.

Under LPS lighting, all snails were effectively camouflaged. However, in most cases, yellow snails were much more noticeable than brown or olive snails when illuminated by LEDs, MHs, the sun, or the moon.

Dr. Thomas Davis, a lecturer in marine conservation at the University of Plymouth and lead author of the study, said: .. However, it is estimated that a quarter of the planets between the Arctic Circle and Antarctica are affected by nighttime light pollution. Some predict that LED bulbs will account for 85% of the global street lighting market in about five years. And our research emphasizes that such advances will affect humans and animals alike now and in the future. “

Dr. Tim Smith, Head of PML Science for Marine Biogeochemistry and Observations and co-author of the study, said: The shift from the orange sparks of the city typical of my youth in the 1970s and 80s has now shifted to energy-efficient wide-spectrum LEDs, allowing humans to perceive colors correctly.This study shows the additional impact of this progress. Natural world, This must increasingly adapt to the anthropogenic changes we are making to the environment. You need to learn how to adapt your technology to avoid the worst consequences of hiring. “

What can be done to reduce the impact of artificial lighting on the coastline

Estimates showing 23% of the world’s surface between planets PolarIs affected by ALAN, with a 2.2% increase between 2012 and 2016, and the need to address this situation is imminent, to say the least.

In this study, researchers highlight a variety of mitigation methods available to planners and environmental managers when considering their ecological consequences.

These include reducing the amount of light used, shielding lighting to reduce the impact on the surrounding environment, adopting partial night lighting during peak demand, and minimizing the impact on the environment. It involves manipulating the spectrum of illumination to limit it.

Researchers may seem intuitive to suggest using narrow-spectral illumination to avoid these effects, but the effects of ALAN exceed those seen in camouflage, and the visual spectrum It emphasizes that all parts of the can have some ecological impact.