The human race has seen significant technological advancement in the last two centuries. It is only in this century that scientist have managed to go to space and even land on the moon. There have been for instance significant advances in electricity. Due to advances in electricity, nights have been converted to artificial days significantly affecting the natural course of the ecosystem. This article highlights the various negative effects to the ecosystem that have accompanied this otherwise positive development.
Human beings are naturally diurnal creatures (Klinkenborg 234). This means that humans are designed to only be active during the day and dormant during the night. Human beings have however created a new system where they interfere with this natural phenomenon by lighting up the night after the sunsets. The natural night sky setting donned with stars and moon light has now been blurred with artificial lights that disperse light upwards. This has significantly altered not only human beings natural condition, but also numerous other creatures whose modes of migration, feeding and even reproduction have been altered.
This is a new phenomenon referred to as light pollution but which is taken less seriously. Just a century ago, London, which was by then the most populous city, had only the moon as the source of light (Klinkenborg 235). The inhabitants of this city used candles to light up their houses but had no form of artificial lighting donning the streets. A century later, London has no night life as the day and the night are both filled with light; the day with sun light and the night with the numerous artificial lights. Most other cities all over the world experience the same fate as London. The lighting has the night sky appearing as a night sky image in science fiction at the expense of the previously beautiful starred night sky.
The effects especially to the wild life have been immense. Light is considered a significant biological force. It affects the modes of feeding, reproduction and migration. Some bird species are naturally attracted to light (Klinkenborg 236). Having artificial lights thus confuses the birds and affects their natural conditions. Such bird species have been reported to collide fatally with tall buildings and other objects as they are not used to the artificial light at night.
Some insect species which converge to the artificial lights at night have as a result ended up being easy targets for their predators (Klinkenborg 236). This has seen the alarming reduction of these insects which are important in the ecosystem while at the same time altering their predators’ the bats feeding habits. In Europe specifically in Swiss valleys, the horseshoe bat species, which are nocturnal by nature, have reduced significantly due to artificial lights at night. They have inadvertently been replaced by Pipistrelle bats that depend on light and that feed during the day as they are attracted by light.
The artificial lighting has also affected the behavior of various bird species. It is now common to hear nightingales and other singing birds singing at odd hours contrary to the norm (Klinkenborg 236). The artificial nights which are an extension of artificial long days are affecting the breeding patterns of many bird species. Considering that most bird species feed during the day, the artificial lights which extends the day has seen the birds continue feeding to the night and subsequently affecting their migration schedules while others like Bewick swans have been adding excessive weight. This has had negative effects to the birds’ migration schedules. The birds’ migration schedule is a naturally set stimulus. If the birds fail to leave at the appropriate time or leave earlier than they should, then the birds’ mating time is likely to be affected as a result affecting their reproduction.
Numerous sea turtles hatchlings, numbering to thousands, die each year in Florida. Sea turtles are naturally attracted to dark beaches (Klinkenborg 237). Their hatchlings tend to move to the brighter sea horizons. The artificial lights confuse the hatchlings thus ending up in unfavorable conditions that result to their numerous deaths. Consequently, frogs and toads which traditionally breed at night have also been significantly affected negatively by the numerous bright artificial lights erected near the ponds and pools.
Human beings are as well affected by the alterations of the normal day system where the sun lights the day and the stars as well as the moon light the night. Scientists assert that darkness is indeed important for the biological patterns of sleep and being awake. Recent studies have indicated a correlation between some forms of cancers for instance breast cancer in women with brightly lit nights. The alteration of the sleeping habits also psychological has a significant negative effect on human beings (Klinkenborg 237).
Scientist especially astronomers also require the sky in its natural state to have a clear view of the skies in their research. Artificial lights may significantly interfere with their visual capability due to refraction and reflection of light.
It is very clear therefore that uncontrolled lighting has negative effects on both humans and wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole. This alike other form of pollution can be rectified easily by controlling the lighting systems in various locales in the environment. The earlier this action is taken the better for the entire ecosystem.
Work cited
Klinkenborg, Verlyn. “Our Vanishing Night” pp. 234-237.
