TY  - JOUR
A1  - Grubisic, Maja
A1  - Haim, Abraham
A1  - Bhusal, Pramod
A1  - Dominoni, Davide M.
A1  - Gabriel, Katharina M. A.
A1  - Jechow, Andreas
A1  - Kupprat, Franziska
A1  - Lerner, Amit
A1  - Marchant, Paul
A1  - Riley, William
A1  - Stebelova, Katarina
A1  - van Grunsven, Roy H. A.
A1  - Zeman, Michal
A1  - Zubidat, Abed E.
A1  - Hölker, Franz
T1  - Light Pollution, Circadian Photoreception, and Melatonin in Vertebrates
JF  - Sustainability
N2  - Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasing exponentially worldwide, accelerated by the transition to new efficient lighting technologies. However, ALAN and resulting light pollution can cause unintended physiological consequences. In vertebrates, production of melatonin—the “hormone of darkness” and a key player in circadian regulation—can be suppressed by ALAN. In this paper, we provide an overview of research on melatonin and ALAN in vertebrates. We discuss how ALAN disrupts natural photic environments, its effect on melatonin and circadian rhythms, and different photoreceptor systems across vertebrate taxa. We then present the results of a systematic review in which we identified studies on melatonin under typical light-polluted conditions in fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans. Melatonin is suppressed by extremely low light intensities in many vertebrates, ranging from 0.01–0.03 lx for fishes and rodents to 6 lx for sensitive humans. Even lower, wavelength-dependent intensities are implied by some studies and require rigorous testing in ecological contexts. In many studies, melatonin suppression occurs at the minimum light levels tested, and, in better-studied groups, melatonin suppression is reported to occur at lower light levels. We identify major research gaps and conclude that, for most groups, crucial information is lacking. No studies were identified for amphibians and reptiles and long-term impacts of low-level ALAN exposure are unknown. Given the high sensitivity of vertebrate melatonin production to ALAN and the paucity of available information, it is crucial to research impacts of ALAN further in order to inform effective mitigation strategies for human health and the wellbeing and fitness of vertebrates in natural ecosystems.
KW  - ALAN
KW  - artificial light at night
KW  - biological rhythm
KW  - circadian rhythm
KW  - melatonin
Y1  - 2019
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-193095
SN  - 2071-1050
VL  - 11
IS  - 22
ER  -