Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.
Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.
Nat Commun. 2021 Jul 6;12(1):4163. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24394-0.
The nighttime environment is being altered rapidly over large areas worldwide through introduction of artificial lighting, from streetlights and other sources. This is predicted to impact the visual ecology of many organisms, affecting both their intra- and interspecific interactions. Here, we show the effects of different artificial light sources on multiple aspects of hawkmoth visual ecology, including their perception of floral signals for pollination, the potential for intraspecific sexual signalling, and the effectiveness of their visual defences against avian predators. Light sources fall into three broad categories: some that prevent use of chromatic signals for these behaviours, others that more closely mimic natural lighting conditions, and, finally, types whose effects vary with light intensity and signal colour. We find that Phosphor Converted (PC) amber LED lighting - often suggested to be less harmful to nocturnal insects - falls into this third disruptive group, with unpredictable consequences for insect visual ecology depending on distance from the light source and the colour of the objects viewed. The diversity of impacts of artificial lighting on hawkmoth visual ecology alone argues for a nuanced approach to outdoor lighting in environmentally sensitive areas, employing intensities and spectra designed to limit those effects of most significant concern.
夜间环境正在全球范围内迅速发生变化，原因是引入了人工照明，包括路灯和其他来源的照明。这预计会影响许多生物的视觉生态学，影响它们的种内和种间相互作用。在这里，我们展示了不同的人工光源对 Hawk moth 视觉生态学的多个方面的影响，包括它们对授粉用的花卉信号的感知，种内性信号的潜在可能性，以及它们抵御鸟类捕食者的视觉防御的有效性。光源分为三大类：有些光源阻止了这些行为的色觉信号的使用，有些光源更接近自然光的照明条件，还有一些光源的效果随光照强度和信号颜色的变化而变化。我们发现，磷光体转换（PC）琥珀色 LED 照明——通常被认为对夜间昆虫的危害较小——属于第三组干扰光源，这对昆虫视觉生态学的影响难以预测，取决于与光源的距离和观察物体的颜色。仅仅是人工照明对 Hawk moth 视觉生态学的多样性影响，就要求在环境敏感地区采取细致入微的户外照明方法，采用旨在限制最受关注的影响的强度和光谱。
