The urbanisation of coastal areas increases both Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) and man-made structures. ALAN poses significant challenges to coastal ecosystems by altering species physiology and behaviour. Its effects might differ considerably between man-made and natural habitats due to varying habitat complexity and biological assemblages. This systematic review assesses the current knowledge and gaps regarding the ecological effects of the interaction between ALAN and different coastal hard-bottom habitats on intertidal and shallow-subtidal reefs. Of the 57 retrieved studies, most are laboratory experiments (40) on the physiology and behaviour of rocky shore (24) or coral reef (16) species. Field studies were conducted in artificial (6) and natural habitats (9), with only 2 comparing the two habitat types. These studies illustrate ALAN impacts on various species, with potential cascading effects on entire communities through the alteration of competitive and consumer-resource interactions. Different habitat structures may interact with ALAN by generating highly heterogeneous lightscapes (e.g., natural rocky shores), regular light-shadow mosaics (e.g., breakwaters), vast homogeneously lit areas (e.g., seawalls), or constantly shaded areas (e.g., pontoons). This creates a variable mismatch in natural light conditions, which may be further influenced by the introduction of additional light sources (e.g., moored boats with underwater coloured lights). As coastal development and light pollution continue to grow, research should prioritise understanding their interactive effects in shaping species relationships and ecosystem dynamics. Although the available evidence suggests that ALAN effects may vary between natural and man-made habitats, further research is needed to draw any general conclusion.

Ecological consequences of artificial light at night on coastal species in natural and artificial habitats: a review

Ferretti M.
;
Rossi F.;Benedetti-Cecchi L.;Maggi E.
2025-01-01

Abstract

The urbanisation of coastal areas increases both Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) and man-made structures. ALAN poses significant challenges to coastal ecosystems by altering species physiology and behaviour. Its effects might differ considerably between man-made and natural habitats due to varying habitat complexity and biological assemblages. This systematic review assesses the current knowledge and gaps regarding the ecological effects of the interaction between ALAN and different coastal hard-bottom habitats on intertidal and shallow-subtidal reefs. Of the 57 retrieved studies, most are laboratory experiments (40) on the physiology and behaviour of rocky shore (24) or coral reef (16) species. Field studies were conducted in artificial (6) and natural habitats (9), with only 2 comparing the two habitat types. These studies illustrate ALAN impacts on various species, with potential cascading effects on entire communities through the alteration of competitive and consumer-resource interactions. Different habitat structures may interact with ALAN by generating highly heterogeneous lightscapes (e.g., natural rocky shores), regular light-shadow mosaics (e.g., breakwaters), vast homogeneously lit areas (e.g., seawalls), or constantly shaded areas (e.g., pontoons). This creates a variable mismatch in natural light conditions, which may be further influenced by the introduction of additional light sources (e.g., moored boats with underwater coloured lights). As coastal development and light pollution continue to grow, research should prioritise understanding their interactive effects in shaping species relationships and ecosystem dynamics. Although the available evidence suggests that ALAN effects may vary between natural and man-made habitats, further research is needed to draw any general conclusion.
2025
Ferretti, M.; Rossi, F.; Benedetti-Cecchi, L.; Maggi, E.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1292887
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