Species sensitivities to artificial light at night: A phylogenetically controlled multilevel meta‐analysis on melatonin suppression

• Published in: Ecology letters Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. e14387 - n/a
• Main Authors: Yang, Yefeng, Liu, Qiong, Pan, Chenghao, Chen, Jintian, Xu, Binbo, Liu, Kai, Pan, Jinming, Lagisz, Malgorzata, Nakagawa, Shinichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2024
• Subjects: biological clock; Comparative analysis; ecological impact; light pollution; Lighting; Melatonin; Natural selection; Night; Phylogeny; physiology; Populations; sensory pollution; Urbanization; Vertebrates; White light; Wildlife; Wildlife conservation; light pollution; physiology; ecological impact; biological clock; sensory pollution; urbanization
• ISSN: 1461-023X; 1461-0248
• DOI: 10.1111/ele.14387

The rapid urbanization of our world has led to a surge in artificial lighting at night (ALAN), with profound effects on wildlife. Previous research on wildlife's melatonin, a crucial mechanistic indicator and mediator, has yielded inconclusive evidence due to a lack of comparative analysis. We compiled and analysed an evidence base including 127 experiments with 437 observations across 31 wild vertebrates using phylogenetically controlled multilevel meta‐analytic models. The evidence comes mainly from the effects of white light on melatonin suppression in birds and mammals. We show a 36% average decrease in melatonin secretion in response to ALAN across a diverse range of species. This effect was observed for central and peripheral melatonin, diurnal and nocturnal species, and captive and free‐living populations. We also reveal intensity‐, wavelength‐, and timing‐dependent patterns of ALAN effects. Exposure to ALAN led to a 23% rise in inter‐individual variability in melatonin suppression, with important implications for natural selection in wild vertebrates, as some individuals may display higher tolerance to ALAN. The cross‐species evidence has strong implications for conservation of wild populations that are subject to natural selection of ALAN. We recommend measures to mitigate harmful impacts of ALAN, such as using ‘smart’ lighting systems to tune the spectra to less harmful compositions. The rapid urbanization of our world has led to a surge in artificial lighting at night (ALAN), with profound effects on wildlife. We meta‐analysed an evidence base on ALAN impacts on melatonin secretion, including 127 experiments with 437 observations across 31 wild vertebrates. We show a 36% average decrease in melatonin secretion in response to ALAN and also that the exposure led to a 23% rise in inter‐individual variability in melatonin suppression; therefore, some individuals display higher tolerance to ALAN, although, on average, populations of animals are profoundly affected.