Night Lights: New Global Atlas Maps Out Artificial Light at Night Under the Sea
upstart writes:
Night lights: New global atlas maps out artificial light at night under the sea:
Light pollution is well studied in terms of its effects on the night sky and astronomy, and on terrestrial ecosystems, but until now researchers didn't know the full extent of ALAN [artificial light at night] in the oceans.
A new study, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, maps out areas of the ocean most affected by light pollution, finding that up to 1.9 million km2 of the world's coastal waters are being exposed to biologically significant levels of ALAN.
The study brought together researchers from the University of Plymouth, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, University of Strathclyde, The Arctic University of Norway, Bar-Ilan University, The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat and Beit Berl Academic College.
By combining various techniques including computer modelling, satellite technology and in situ observations in the River Tamar with a pre-existing world atlas of artificial night sky brightness, the researchers were able to build up a picture of the coastal ocean areas being exposed to ALAN.
In order to gauge artificial light in marine systems, the study used the light sensitivity of copepods (a type of microscopic crustacean) as a metric to determine the depth of light penetration.
Journal Reference:
Smyth, T. J., Wright, A. E., McKee, D., et al. A global atlas of artificial light at night under the sea [open], Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene (DOI: 10.1525/elementa.2021.00049)
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