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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 20, 2025

Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents

Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents

Published on: January 24, 2013

Daily activity timing in the Anthropocene.

Neil A Gilbert¹, Kate A McGinn¹, Laura A Nunes¹

¹Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

|November 19, 2022

Summary

Animals face new environmental timing due to human activity, disrupting daily patterns. Research is needed to understand the ecological impacts of these altered activity timings and inform conservation efforts.

Keywords:

animal behavior behavioral plasticity chronobiology diel activity patterns global change timescapes

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Human Circadian Phenotyping and Diurnal Performance Testing in the Real World

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Published on: April 7, 2020

Area of Science:

Ecology
Animal Behavior
Conservation Biology

Background:

Anthropogenic disturbances are creating novel "timescapes," altering natural environmental cues for animal activity.
The ecological consequences of these altered activity timings, such as changes in physiology and species interactions, remain largely unexplored.
Existing research on human impacts on animal activity timing is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the current state of research on anthropogenic effects on animal activity timing.
To propose hypotheses for future research directions regarding the ecological impacts of altered activity timing.
To highlight the potential of emerging technologies for studying these phenomena and their conservation implications.

Main Methods:

A comprehensive literature review of 1328 studies was conducted.
Studies were analyzed to identify research gaps concerning anthropogenic influences on animal activity patterns.
Hypotheses were formulated based on the review's findings to guide future investigations.

Main Results:

A significant lack of studies addresses the ecological effects of novel animal activity timings.
Three key hypotheses were proposed concerning the ecological impacts of altered activity timing.
The review identified potential for technological advancements to improve future research.

Conclusions:

Altered activity timing due to anthropogenic disturbance poses a significant, understudied ecological challenge.
Future research should focus on activity-timing mismatches, the influence of timescape modification characteristics, and biogeographical variations in consequences.
Understanding and addressing altered activity timing is crucial for effective biodiversity conservation.