scholarly journals Differential effects of emerging broad-spectrum streetlight technologies on landscape-scale bat activity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rowland Williams ◽  
Charlotte Walters ◽  
Rory Gibb ◽  
Ella Browning ◽  
David Tipping ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Scale Effects ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Artificial Lighting ◽  
Bat Activity ◽  
Road Type

SummaryUrbanization has greatly reduced the extent of high quality habitat available to wildlife with detrimental consequences documented across a range of taxa. Roads and artificial lighting regimes are dominant features of the modern environment, and there is currently a rapid worldwide transition towards energy-efficient, broad-spectrum white-light streetlight technologies such as metal halide (MH) and more recently, light-emitting diode (LED), despite little being known about their broad ecological impacts. Here, in a five-year citizen science study across the island of Jersey, we combine detailed lighting and habitat data with ultrasonic bat survey data collected from 2011 to 2015 (before and after a LED lighting technology transition), to analyse the landscape-scale effects of different broad-spectrum streetlight technologies on activity of a widespread, generalist bat species. In contrast to many experimental studies, we show that the local density of both traditional yellow high-pressure sodium (HPS) and more modern LED streetlights have significant negative effects on activity of the common pipistrelle (Pipistrelluspipistrellus) compared to unlit areas, while accounting for spatial bias, bat population trends over time, surrounding habitat type and road-type. In contrast, we find no discernable impact of the density of ultra-violet emitting MH lighting on bat activity. This is the first large-scale evidence that emerging artificial lighting technologies have differential impacts on activity, even for a bat species generally characterised as light-tolerant and commonly found in urban areas. Importantly, our landscape-level approach also demonstrates that the degree of urbanization and road type have even larger negative impacts on bat activity, independent of artificial lighting regime. Our findings emphasise the need for improving landscape-scale understanding of the ecological impacts of new lighting technologies prior to widespread uptake, and have important implications for future streetlight installation programmes and urban planning more generally.

The impact of artificial lighting on bats along native coastal vegetation

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant D. Linley
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Coastal Vegetation ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Light Pollution ◽  
Species Loss ◽  
Artificial Lighting ◽  
Bat Activity ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact

Anthropogenic light pollution is increasing rapidly within urban areas around the world, causing a raft of ecological issues, including species loss. I used echolocation detectors to uncover the impact of artificial lighting on insectivorous bat (Chiroptera) species in Melbourne’s south-east. Surveys were undertaken in native vegetation at a lit treatment, which was illuminated by a street light, and an unlit treatment, which was dark. Bat activity and species richness at unlit treatments was significantly higher when compared with lit treatments. The temperature at which the greatest activity occurred was ~2°C higher at unlit treatments than lit treatments. Bat activity at both the lit and unlit treatments increased rapidly after sunset. Bat activity moderately decreased during the night at lit treatments until sunrise, whilst activity at unlit treatments remained steady throughout the night before rapidly decreasing two hours before sunrise. The negative effect of artificial lighting on bat activity and species in urban areas may have major long-term implications on the ecology of urban areas.

scholarly journals Landscape-scale effects of single- and multiple small wind turbines on bat activity

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 455-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Minderman ◽  
M. H. Gillis ◽  
H. F. Daly ◽  
K. J. Park
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Scale Effects ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Bat Activity ◽  
Small Wind Turbines

scholarly journals A multiscale assessment of Red-tailed Hawk reproductive success relative to urban density and habitat type

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin H White ◽  
Jessi L Brown ◽  
Zachary E Ormsby
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Nesting Success ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Hatch Date ◽  
Urban Density ◽  
Landscape Characteristics ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Abstract Despite the unique threats to wildlife in urban areas, many raptors have established successfully reproducing urban populations. To identify variations in raptor breeding ecology within an urban area, we compared metrics of Red-tailed Hawk reproductive attempts to landscape characteristics in Reno and Sparks, NV, USA during the 2015 and 2016 breeding seasons. We used the Apparent Nesting Success and logistic exposure methods to measure nesting success of the Red-tailed Hawks. We used generalized linear models to relate nesting success and fledge rate to habitat type, productivity to hatch date (Julian day) and hatch date to urban density. Nesting success was 86% and 83% for the respective years. Nesting success increased in grassland-agricultural and shrub habitats and decreased in riparian habitat within the urban landscape. Productivity was 2.23 and 2.03 per nest for the breeding seasons. Fledge rates were 72% and 77%, respectively, and decreased in riparian areas. Nestlings hatched earlier with increased urban density and earliest in suburban areas, following a negative quadratic curve. Nesting success and productivity for this population were high relative to others in North America. Productivity increased in habitats where ground prey was more accessible. We suggest that suburban areas, if not frequently disturbed, provide sufficient resources to sustain Red-tailed Hawks over extended periods. As urban expansion continues in arid environments globally, we stress that researchers monitor reproductive output across the urban predator guild to elucidate patterns in population dynamics and adaptation.

scholarly journals Species Richness of Breeding Birds at a Landscape Scale: Which Habitat Type is the Most Important?

2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Skórka ◽  
Rafał martyka ◽  
Joanna D. Wójcik
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Breeding Birds

Landscape-scale effects of fire on bird assemblages: does pyrodiversity beget biodiversity?

2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 519-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rick S. Taylor ◽  
Simon J. Watson ◽  
Dale G. Nimmo ◽  
Luke T. Kelly ◽  
Andrew F. Bennett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scale Effects ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Bird Assemblages

Implementation of sustainable sanitation in existing urban areas: long-term strategies for an optimised solution

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 115-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Kaufmann ◽  
T. Meyer ◽  
M. Kalsch ◽  
T.G. Schmitt ◽  
H.W. Hamacher
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Nutrient Cycle ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Mathematical Tool ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Future State ◽  
Sustainable Urban Water Management ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Mathematical Optimisation

If technologies for decentralised sanitation and reuse (DESAR) and for natural stormwater management should at least partially replace existing systems, then intensive reconstruction work becomes essential. A conversion can only be realised successively over a long period due to high construction and financial expenses and requires new strategies. This paper presents the development and practical implementation of a mathematical tool to find an optimised strategy for the realisation of alternative and more decentralised drainage and sanitation concepts in existing urban areas. The succession of construction measures (e.g. the implementation of decentralised greywater recycling) for the whole period of consideration is determined based upon a mathematical optimisation model on the condition that the favoured future state is known. The model describes the complex interdependencies of the urban water and nutrient cycle and enables the minimisation of both financial efforts and ecological impacts on the way toward the future state. The results of the implementation for a rural area in Germany show that the mathematical optimisation is an adequate instrument to support decision-making processes in finding strategies for the realisation of sustainable urban water management.

Landscape-scale effects of fire severity on mixed-conifer and red fir forest structure in Yosemite National Park

2013 ◽  
Vol 287 ◽  
pp. 17-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Van R. Kane ◽  
James A. Lutz ◽  
Susan L. Roberts ◽  
Douglas F. Smith ◽  
Robert J. McGaughey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Structure ◽  
National Park ◽  
Scale Effects ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Yosemite National Park ◽  
Mixed Conifer

scholarly journals A Narrative Review of Libidibia ferrea: Botanical Aspects, Ethnopharmacological Properties, Phytochemical Characteristics, Toxicity, and Experimental Tests

2021 ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Nayanne C. O. da S. Almeida ◽  
Silvania da C. Furtado ◽  
José F. M. Barcellos
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Folk Medicine ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Stem Bark ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Methodological Guidelines

Introduction: Jucá or pau-ferro (Libidibia ferrea) is an arboreal plant from the Fabaceae family. It is commonly used in traditional medicine in the treatment of various diseases, including inflammatory process. Aims: The objective of this narrative review is to present botanical aspects, ethnopharmacological properties, phytochemical characteristics, toxicity highlighting, and experimental models with L. ferrea. Results: Botanical Aspects: Jucá has several uses such as in landscaping (stem and canopy), in arborization of urban areas. Ethnopharmacological Properties: It is used in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, flu, asthma and, inflammatory processes of which different parts are used (root, stem bark, leaves, fruits, seeds). Phytochemical Characteristics: Phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and terpenoids are among the compounds monthly used. Toxicity: In vivo models have been used to verify toxicity and in most studies the plant presented no toxicity in its use. Experimental studies: Animals, such as mice, dogs, rats, etc. and different models of studies to analyze the action of the plant were used. Conclusions: Such low toxicity, associated with its widespread use in folk medicine and its various effects demonstrated in the studies included in this Review have corroborated for the continuity of the research with L. ferrea. New studies, however, ought to follow methodological guidelines, such as the Animal Research: reporting in vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) so that, a methodological design secures more homogeneous studies capable of quantifying the actual size of the effect in the plant may have in clinical studies.  

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