Abstract
Natal dispersal contributes to the viability of populations in rapidly changing environments. The quick assessment of environmental conditions is beneficial as it reduces individuals' dependency on phenological cues during a narrow settlement phase. Considering the evolutionary dependency of nocturnal species on natural light, skyglow – a pervasive and rapidly expanding form of sensory pollution – emerges as a potential new determinant in the decision-making during natal dispersal. My project is among the first to investigate natal dispersal in nocturnal free-living birds and correlate this with skyglow-mediated nocturnal sky brightness. Using a novel approach, I will track individual differences in pre- and post-migratory movements in response to daily variation in natural and artificial light across a population-level gradient of skyglow exposure. The whereabouts of juveniles will be tracked in a breeding-range-wide network of the species in Belgium, while I combine activity and space use data with detailed measurements and simulations of nocturnal sky brightness. Using the European Nightjar, a visually-orienting insectivore sensitive to subtle changes in ambient light, my project is a unique opportunity to unravel the role of nocturnal light on natal dispersal while playing a pivotal role in a largely unexplored research frontier.
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