Nocturnal pollination is equally important as, and complementary to, diurnal pollination for strawberry fruit production

Declining insect populations and their associated pollination services to crops raise concerns for global food security. While most studies focus on the contribution of diurnal pollinators to crop yields, nocturnal pollination receives little attention. In this study, we used a randomised block design (n = 6) in the open ground to determine the relative contribution of nocturnal and diurnal pollination to strawberry yield. We found that, on average, there was no effect of insect pollination (nocturnal, diurnal, or both) on total number of fruits and total weight of fruits harvested per plant. However, when plants produced many fruits, night-pollinated and open-pollinated plants increased total fruit weight per plant, compared to plants that received no pollinators. Furthermore, compared to the no-pollinators treatment, individual fruit weight (g) was significantly higher in night-pollinated plants (27% higher) and open-pollinated plants (46% higher), whereas the day-pollinated treatment (17% higher) did not significantly differ from no-pollinators and night-pollinated plants. Fruit diameter (mm) followed a similar pattern. Fruit sweetness (%total soluble solids) was highest in the no-pollinated treatment, and other treatments did not differ from each other. The average fruit shape was of significantly poorer quality in the no-pollinators treatment than any of the other treatments, which did not significantly differ from each other, but did show a trend of fewer poorly shaped fruits. Overall, nocturnal pollination was at least equally important as, and highly complementary to diurnal pollination for determining strawberry fruit quality. However, we do not know the identity of the nocturnal pollinators. Nevertheless, nocturnal pollination seems to be an important, but overlooked part of the contribution to insect pollination to crop yield

Data_Moth_Foraging

Data collected to test the effect of lamp type and size classes of moths on foraging: Day = date of the experiment; Block = refers to the block design (block 1 up to 10); Treatment = lamp type (Green, White or Red) or no lamp (Dark); Species = four moth species; Sex = male versus female; unique.id = unique id of every individual, measured over approximately 8 hours; Obs = observation of foraging by moths every six minutes, where 1 = foraging and 0 = not foraging; Size = size classes of moths, where 1 = large (forewing length = 15mm

Data from: Artificial night lighting inhibits feeding in moths

One major, yet poorly studied, change in the environment is nocturnal light pollution, which strongly alters habitats of nocturnally active species. Artificial night lighting is often considered as driving force behind rapid moth population declines in severely illuminated countries. To understand these declines, the question remains whether artificial light causes only increased mortality or also sublethal effects. We show that moths subjected to artificial night lighting spend less time feeding than moths in darkness, with the shortest time under light conditions rich in short wavelength radiation. These findings provide evidence for sublethal effects contributing to moth population declines. Because effects are strong under various types of light compared with dark conditions, the potential of spectral alterations as a conservation tool may be overestimated. Therefore, restoration and maintenance of darkness in illuminated areas is essential for reversing declines of moth populations

Model_Moth_Foraging

R-script for analysis of effects of lamp type and size classes of moths (as fixed factors) on foraging (yes/no) using a generalized linear mixed mode

Behaviour of migrating toads under artificial lights differs from other phases of their life cycle

During annual spring migration in Western Europe many amphibians are killed by traffic when they cross roads moving to reproduction sites. Especially in urban settings these roads are often equipped with street lighting. The response of amphibians to this light during migration is however poorly known. Street lighting may attract migrating amphibians increasing the risk of being struck by traffic. Using experimental illumination we tested whether light affected the migration and if adjustment of the spectral composition could mitigate effects. Barriers used to catch toads and help them cross roads safely were divided in 25 meter long sections and these were illuminated with white, green or red light or kept dark. The number of toads caught in each section was counted. Common toads avoided sections of roads that were illuminated with white or green light but not red light. Street light thus affects migrating toads but not as expected and red light with low levels of short wavelength can be used to mitigate effects

Barmentlo ea, 2019, Data of- Environmental levels of neonicotinoids reduce prey consumption, mobility and emergence of Ischnura elegans

Experimental dataset accompanied with the experiments performed with the neonicotinoid thiacloprid and the damselfly Ischnura elegans

Data from: Dietary changes in predators and scavengers in a nocturnally illuminated riparian ecosystem

Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are linked by fluxes of carbon and nutrients in riparian areas. Processes that alter these fluxes may therefore change the diet and composition of consumer communities. We used stable carbon isotope (δ13C) analyses to test whether the increased abundance of aquatic prey observed in another study led to a dietary shift in riparian consumers in areas illuminated by artificial light at night (ALAN). We measured the contribution of aquatic-derived carbon to diets in riparian arthropods in experimentally lit and unlit sites along an agricultural drainage ditch in northern Germany. The δ13C signature of the spider Pachygnatha clercki (Tetragnathidae) was 0.7‰ lower in the ALAN-illuminated site in summer, indicating a greater assimilation of aquatic prey. Bayesian mixing models also supported higher intake of aquatic prey under ALAN in summer (34% versus 21%). In contrast, isotopic signatures for P. clercki (0.3‰) and Pardosa prativaga (0.7‰) indicated a preference for terrestrial prey in the illuminated site in summer. Terrestrial prey intake increased in spring for P. clerckii under ALAN (from 70% to 74%) and in spring and autumn for P. prativaga (from 68% to 77% and from 67% to 72%) and Opiliones (from 68% to 72%; 68% to 75%). This was despite most of the available prey (up to 80%) being aquatic in origin. We conclude that ALAN changed the diet of riparian secondary consumers by increasing the density of both aquatic and terrestrial prey. Dietary changes were species- and season-specific, indicating that the effects of ALAN may interact with phenology and feeding strategy. Because streetlights can occur in high density near freshwaters, ALAN may have widespread effects on aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem linkages

Do wild great tits avoid exposure to light at night?

<p>Studies of wild populations have provided important insights into the effects of artificial light at night on organisms, populations and ecosystems. However, in most studies the exact amount of light at night individuals are exposed to remains unknown. Individuals can potentially control their nighttime light exposure by seeking dark spots within illuminated areas. This uncertainty makes it difficult to attribute effects to a direct effect of light at night, or to indirect effects, e.g., via an effect of light at night on food availability. In this study, we aim to quantify the nocturnal light exposure of wild birds in a previously dark forest-edge habitat, experimentally illuminated with three different colors of street lighting, in comparison to a dark control. During two consecutive breeding seasons, we deployed male great tits (Parus major) with a light logger measuring light intensity every five minutes over a 24h period. We found that three males from pairs breeding in brightly illuminated nest boxes close to green and red lamp posts, were not exposed to more artificial light at night than males from pairs breeding further away. This suggests, based on our limited sample size, that these males could have been avoiding light at night by choosing a roosting place with a reduced light intensity. Therefore, effects of light at night previously reported for this species in our experimental set-up might be indirect. In contrast to urban areas where light is omnipresent, bird species in non-urban areas may evade exposure to nocturnal artificial light, thereby avoiding direct consequences of light at night.</p

Experimental light at night has a negative long-term impact on macro-moth populations

Van Grunsven et al. experimentally test the long-term effects of artificial light on natural moth populations. In the initial two years there was no effect on populations, but in the latter three years population sizes were reduced compared with the dark controls. This shows that artificial light negatively affects moth populations.</p