Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasingly recognized as a substantial threat to biodiversity, in particular to nocturnal species. Due to their light-based sexual communication system, are fireflies and glow-worms especially vulnerable to interference of artificial lights. Recent work has shown that ALAN strongly reduces mate-finding and mating success in European common glow-worms (Lampyris noctiluca), which implies a strong potential selection on traits that may counter these effects. This species is used as a model to study effects of ALAN because it is widespread, easy to capture, and has a simple communication system with non-signalling males being attracted to stationary flightless females. First I will elucidate the exact mechanisms underlying the negative effects of ALAN on mating success by performing behavioural tests and electrophysiological recordings evaluating the responses of males to different light colours. Next, I will explore whether populations are evolving adaptations to cope with this selection pressure by comparing glow-worms both in wild-caught and common garden individuals, from populations with high and low ALAN levels. I will examine several candidate behavioural responses in males, females and larvae, as well as male visual sensitivity, and evaluate whether population differences are a result of phenotypical plasticity or genetic adaptation. Finally I will examine whether impacts of ALAN can be generalized to related glow-worm species.
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