Effects of artificial light at night on the foraging behavior of an endangered nocturnal mammal

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Issue Date
2020
Author
Shier, Debra M.
Bird, Alicia K.
Wang, Thea B.
Subject
KANGAROO RATS
LIGHT
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
FORAGING
HABITATS
CALIFORNIA
Journal title
Environmental Pollution
Volume
263
Issue
Part A
Begin page
114566

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DOI
10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114566
Alternative link
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749119366059
Abstract
...The endangered Stephens’ kangaroo rat (SKR), Dipodomys stephensi, is a nocturnal rodent threatened by habitat destruction from urban expansion. The degree to which ALAN impacts their recovery is unknown....
Description
Artificial lighting is one of the fastest growing environmental pollutants, with the potential for devastating long-term ecosystem level consequences. Artificial night lighting has been shown to directly and indirectly impact how animals interact with their environment. It can affect physiological processes by altering the immune response, stimulating stress hormones and shifting circadian rhythms. Behaviorally, night lighting has been shown to influence movement patterns, altering reproductive behavior and foraging energetics. We studied the impacts of artificial night lighting on the endangered Stephens’ kangaroo rat (SKR) foraging behavior. We found that artificial light negatively impacts foraging decisions of endangered kangaroo rats. Light type (flood vs bug lights), distance from light source and moon phase all interact to affect patch use. Understanding impacts of disturbance, like ALAN, is critical because the cumulative effects of urbanization may lead to unsuitable habitat and the loss of at-risk species.
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12634/324
Type
Article
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