The effects of artificial light at night on the behaviour and physiology of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Artificial light at night is one of the most pervasive and least recognised anthropogenic pollutants. Its extent and intensity is expanding globally, at an estimated rate of 2.2% per annum, such that many urban and peri-urban animals no longer experience natural darkness. The majority of animal species have evolved under bright days and comparatively dark nights, with their physiology and behaviour synchronised to this rhythm. Accordingly, disruption to this cycle is linked to a suite of behavioural and physiological shifts across taxa. Experimental and correlational evidence documenting phenotypic responses to the presence of artificial light at night are accumulating but the underlying mec..