Artificial night light alters ecosystem services provided by biotic components.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Growing human populations exacerbate biodiversity and ecosystem service loss.
• Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a widespread pollutant with far-reaching ecological consequences.
• ALAN intensifies climate change through greenhouse gas emissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the multifaceted impacts of ALAN on ecosystems and their components.
• To highlight ALAN's role in biodiversity loss across terrestrial and aquatic environments.
• To summarize strategies for mitigating ALAN pollution.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing existing research on ALAN's ecological effects.
• Analysis of ALAN's influence on biodiversity at multiple organizational levels (individual to biome).
• Examination of ALAN's disruption of diurnal signaling and ecosystem services.

Main Results:

• ALAN modulates species abundance, aggregation, and interactions, impacting population and landscape structures.
• Disruption of diurnal rhythms affects physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes.
• ALAN alters abiotic ecosystem components and contributes to global warming.

Conclusions:

• ALAN significantly degrades ecosystem structure and function, impacting both living and non-living elements.
• Urgent implementation of ALAN minimization strategies is necessary to protect ecosystems.
• Reducing light pollution is vital for conserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change.