Dataset Information

Light pollution affects space use and interaction of two small mammal species irrespective of personality.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is one form of human-induced rapid environmental changes (HIREC) and is strongly interfering with natural dark-light cycles. Some personality types within a species might be better suited to cope with environmental change and therefore might be selected upon under ongoing urbanization.

Results

We used LED street lamps in a large outdoor enclosure to experimentally investigate the effects of ALAN on activity patterns, movement and interaction of individuals of two species, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius). We analyzed effects combined with individual boldness score. Both species reduced their activity budget during daylight hours. While under natural light conditions home ranges were larger during daylight than during nighttime, this difference vanished under ALAN. Conspecifics showed reduced home range overlap, proximity and activity synchrony when subjected to nighttime illumination. Changes in movement patterns in reaction to ALAN were not associated with differences in boldness score of individuals.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that light pollution can lead to changes in movement patterns and individual interactions in small mammals. This could lead to fitness consequences on the population level.

SUBMITTER: Hoffmann J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6582560 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Light pollution affects space use and interaction of two small mammal species irrespective of personality.

Hoffmann Julia J Schirmer Annika A Eccard Jana Anja JA

BMC ecology 20190618 1

<h4>Background</h4>Artificial light at night (ALAN) is one form of human-induced rapid environmental changes (HIREC) and is strongly interfering with natural dark-light cycles. Some personality types within a species might be better suited to cope with environmental change and therefore might be selected upon under ongoing urbanization.<h4>Results</h4>We used LED street lamps in a large outdoor enclosure to experimentally investigate the effects of ALAN on activity patterns, movement and interac ...[more]

PMID: 31215409

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Dataset Information

Light pollution affects space use and interaction of two small mammal species irrespective of personality.

Background

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Light pollution affects space use and interaction of two small mammal species irrespective of personality.

Similar Datasets

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