10.5061/DRYAD.425RS
Dominoni, Davide M.
University of Konstanz
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology
Carmona-Wagner, Esther O.
University of Victoria
Hofmann, Michaela
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology
Kranstauber, Bart
University of Konstanz
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology
Partecke, Jesko
University of Konstanz
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology
Data from: Individual-based measurements of light intensity provide new
insights into the effects of artificial light at night on daily rhythms of
urban-dwelling songbirds
Dryad
dataset
2014
biological rhythms
light-loggers
LAN
radio-telemetry
artificial light at night
Turdus merula
2014-10-08T00:00:00Z
2014-10-08T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12150
69538467 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
1. The growing interest in the effects of light pollution on daily and
seasonal cycles of animals has led to a boost of research in recent years.
In birds, it has been hypothesized that artificial light at night can
affect daily aspects of behaviour, but one caveat is the lack of knowledge
about the light intensity that wild animals, such as birds, are exposed to
during the night. 2. Organisms have naturally evolved daily rhythms to
adapt to the 24-h cycle of day and night, thus, it is important to
investigate the potential shifts in daily cycles due to global
anthropogenic processes such as urbanization. 3. We captured adult male
European blackbirds (Turdus merula) in one rural forest and two urban
sites differing in the degree of anthropogenic disturbance. We tagged
these birds with light loggers and simultaneously recorded changes in
activity status (active/non-active) through an automated telemetry system.
We first analysed the relationship between light at night, weather
conditions and date with daily activity onset and end. We then compared
activity, light at night exposure and noise levels between weekdays and
weekends. 4. Onset of daily activity was significantly advanced in both
urban sites compared to the rural population, while end of daily activity
did not vary either among sites. Birds exposed to higher amounts of light
in the late night showed earlier onset of activity in the morning, but
light at night did not influence end of daily activity. Light exposure at
night and onset/end of daily activity timing was not different between
weekdays and weekends, but all noise variables were. A strong seasonal
effect was detected in both urban and rural populations, such as birds
tended to be active earlier in the morning and later in the evening
(relative to civil twilight) in the early breeding season than at later
stages. 5. Our results point at artificial light at night as a major
driver of change in timing of daily activity. Future research should focus
on the costs and benefits of altered daily rhythmicity in birds thriving
in urban areas.
Statistical modelsR script used to run all statistical models included in
the manuscriptmodels.ROnset of activityDataframe for the analyses of the
onset of activity datadatlight_on.csvOffset of activityDataframe for the
analyses of the offset of activitydatlight_off.csvraw activity
Europe
Germany