Scientists have shown that light pollution—especially light in the blue spectrum—can alter the behavior of fish after only a few nights, and have knock-on effects for their offspring. The team from China has studied how female zebrafish responded after being exposed to artificial light at night, which is considered to be the main source of the world’s light pollution.
Scientists have shown that light pollution—especially light in the blue spectrum—can alter the behavior of fish after only a few nights, and have knock-on effects for their offspring. The team from China has studied how female zebrafish responded after being exposed to artificial light at night, which is considered to be the main source of the world’s light pollution.
Fish were exposed to varying wavelengths of artificial light at night over nine nights, which caused them to swim less, stick closer together, and spend more time near the wall of the aquarium. These anxiety-like behaviors were seen in fish under all wavelengths of light, but short wavelength light in the blue spectrum caused the fastest and strongest changes.
The results further reveal that light pollution can have long-lasting effects: offspring born from light-exposed mothers swam less despite never being exposed themselves. The study is published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.
Artificial light at night pollutes the environment by adding luminescence to places that would otherwise be dark at nighttime. It exists outdoors through the lights that brighten streets, buildings, and industrial areas all night; and it exists indoors through the devices that hold our attention into the evening.
Artificial light at night is known to impact most organisms by disrupting the natural rhythms of biological processes, which are coordinated by cycles of light and dark.
