Madrid. Species that depend on darkness to avoid being eaten are losing the gift of camouflage due to urban and coastal lighting with new, more efficient technologies in the world.
The worldwide proliferation of energy efficient broad spectrum lighting has the potential to disrupt a variety of visually guided ecological processes.
New research has shown that these new lighting technologies can significantly improve a predator’s ability to discriminate prey species in a natural context.
The magnitude of this effect varies depending on the color of an organism, meaning that certain color variations may be more at risk.
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, was carried out by researchers from the University and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML). He is one of the first to examine the potential for artificial light at night to affect the camouflage mechanisms of coastal species.
Oak McMahon, who led the research while studying for a master’s degree in applied marine science and is now studying for a doctorate at the University of Plymouth, said: “The study indicates that new lighting technologies will increase the visibility of prey species by reducing the effectiveness of its camouflage. Our findings revealed that Littorinid snails commonly found on our shores remain camouflaged when illuminated by ancient objects. However, when illuminated with modern broad-spectrum technology they are clearly visible to predators.”
Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, it is the latest study to highlight the potential of such light and its impact on the coastal environment.
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