ABSTRACT
A growing number of urban dwellers are being exposed to excessively bright artificial night light induced by the development of high-intensity, high-density cities around the world. The adverse health effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) are increasingly becoming a global public health issue. Investigating the effects of built environment, especially ALAN, on public health has progressively developed into a cross-disciplinary research hotspot since the World Health Organization launched the Healthy Cities Project. Numerous studies found the links between ALAN and multiple negative health outcomes. However, to date, no review has summarized the health impacts of ALAN in China. This article systematically outlined the progress of research on the health effects of indoor and outdoor ALAN, including sleep disorders, obesity, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, cognitive function, and mental health. We pointed out the limitations of current research such as errors in exposure assessment, lack of research in developing countries, weak causal argument, and difficulty in controlling confounding factors. Future research should improve study design, conduct quantitative studies, and explore potential mechanisms, so as to provide scientific evidence for improving urban lighting planning and urban architectural design.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Light pollution on ecosystems is a growing concern, and knowledge about the effects of outdoor lighting on organisms is crucial to understand and mitigate impacts. Here we build up on a previous study to characterize the diversity of all beetles attracted to different commonly used streetlight set ups. We find that lights attract beetles from a broad taxonomic and ecological spectrum. Lights that attract a large number of insect individuals draw an equally high number of insect species. While there is some evidence for heterogeneity in the preference of beetle species to different kinds of light, all species are more attracted to some light radiating ultraviolet. The functional basis of this heterogeneity, however, is not clear. Our results highlight that control of ultraviolet radiation in public lighting is important to reduce the number and diversity of insects attracted to lights.
ABSTRACT
O Brasil abriga a maior biodiversidade de besouros bioluminescentes do mundo. Apesar disto, levantamentos faunísticos regionais e estudos sobre o efeito da urbanização na biodiversidade de vaga-lumes são inexistentes. Este tipo de estudo pode ser especialmente importante para selecionar novos bioindicadores de ambientes noturnos. A biodiversidade de espécies bioluminescentes de Elateroidea em três grandes áreas urbanas no Estado de São Paulo: os municípios de Campinas, Sorocaba-Votorantim e Rio Claro-Limeira foi catalogada. Em Campinas, a ocorrência de espécies tem sido monitorada durante os últimos 20 anos. Foi registrada a ocorrência de 26 espécies em Campinas, 21 em Sorocaba e 19 em Rio Claro, sendo estas encontradas principalmente em áreas de Mata Atlântica, crescimentos secundários, brejos e campos. Apesar de vaga-lumes lampirídeos serem encontrados em todos os habitats, elaterídeos e fengodídeos ocorreram encontrados preferencialmente em áreas florestadas. A expansão urbana, em especial a iluminação artificial tem impacto evidente na biodiversidade deste grupo de insetos. Os lampirídeos Aspisoma lineatum Gyllendal, 1817 (Lampyrinae: Cratomorphini) e Bicellonychia lividipennis Motschulsky, 1854 (Photurinae) são as espécies mais frequentes em areas urbanizadas, ao passo que várias outras espécies de lampirídeos, elaterídeos e fengodídeos são as mais incomuns nestas áreas. Estes estudos oferecem subsídios para o uso deste grupo de vaga-lumes como potenciais bioindicadores noturnos.
Brazil hosts the richest biodiversity of bioluminescent beetles in the world. However, no surveys on the regional biodiversity have been made. Furthermore, studies on the effect of urbanization on bioluminescent beetle's biodiversity are still missing. Such kind of studies could be especially helpful to select new night environment bioindicators. Bioluminescent species of the Elateroidea superfamily occurring in three large and expanding urban areas in São Paulo State: Campinas, Sorocaba-Votorantim and Rio Claro-Limeira municipalities, were catalogued. In Campinas, the occurrence of bioluminescent beetles in different sites has been monitored during the past 20 years. There were 26 species in Campinas, 21 in Sorocaba-Votorantim and 19 in Rio Claro-Limeira, occurring mainly in conserved remnants of Atlantic Rain-forest, secondary growths, marshes and open fields. Whereas fireflies (Lampyridae) are found in almost all habitats, click beetles (Elateridae) and railroadworms (Phengodidae) occur predominantly in woody environments. Urban sprawl has an evident impact on the biodiversity of this selected group of beetles, and special attention should be given to the effect of artificial night lighting in the occurrence of these beetles. The lampyrids Aspisoma lineatum Gyllenhal, 1817 (Lampyrinae: Cratomorphini) and Bicellonychia lividipennis Motschulsky 1854 (Photurinae) are the most common species in urbanized areas, whereas many other species of lampyrids, elaterids and phengodids are rarely found in such environments. These studies offer insights on the potential use of a selected group of luminescent beetles found in this region as nocturnal environment bioindicators.
ABSTRACT
Objective To study the effects of light on body weight,learning and memory of mice.Methods Fifty mice aged 20 days were randomly assigned to one of the five groups: 200 W light group,100 W light group,60 W light group,40 W light group and normal control group,with 10 in each.They were exposed to different intensities of light 8 hours per day for 1 week.Then we monitored their body weight,examined the mean latency and inaccuracy number in step-down test,and examined the mean latency using a Morris' water maze to observe the effect of light pollution on the mice's learning and memory.Results Compared with the other four groups,there were significant decelerations of body weight increase in 200 W light group.No significant difference in body weight gain was found among the other four groups.The four light-treatment groups had no significant differences from control group in the mean latency,inaccuracy number in step-down test or the mean latency,or the mean crosses to the target in the Morris' water maze.Conclusion Short time high-intensity light can inhibit body weight increase in mice,but short-time light has no effect on the learning and memory of mice.