Long-term exposure to artificial light at night in the wild decreases survival and growth of a coral reef fish

Jun 9, 2021Proceedings. Biological sciences

Long-term exposure to artificial light at night lowers survival and growth in wild coral reef fish

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Abstract

Long-term exposure (18-23 months) to artificial light at night reduced survival by 36% and growth by 44% in juvenile orange-fin anemonefish.

Artificial light at night is increasingly recognized as a pollutant in marine environments.
Underwater illuminance of 4.3 lux negatively impacted juvenile anemonefish compared to exposure to natural moonlight (0.03 lux).
The study highlights both immediate mortality risks and potential long-term fitness consequences due to reduced growth in surviving fish.
The findings suggest that chronic light pollution could disrupt life-history traits of marine species.

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Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an increasing anthropogenic pollutant, closely associated with human population density, and now well recognized in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. However, we have a relatively poor understanding of the effects of ALAN in the marine realm. Here, we carried out a field experiment in the coral reef lagoon of Moorea, French Polynesia, to investigate the effects of long-term exposure (18-23 months) to chronic light pollution at night on the survival and growth of wild juvenile orange-fin anemonefish,. Long-term exposure to environmentally relevant underwater illuminance (mean: 4.3 lux), reduced survival (mean: 36%) and growth (mean: 44%) of juvenile anemonefish compared to that of juveniles exposed to natural moonlight underwater (mean: 0.03 lux). Our study carried out in an ecologically realistic situation in which the direct effects of artificial lighting on juvenile anemonefish are combined with the indirect consequences of artificial lighting on other species, such as their competitors, predators, and prey, revealed the negative impacts of ALAN on life-history traits. Not only are there immediate impacts of ALAN on mortality, but the decreased growth of surviving individuals may also have considerable fitness consequences later in life. Future studies examining the mechanisms behind these findings are vital to understand how organisms can cope and survive in nature under this globally increasing pollutant. Amphiprion chrysopterus

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Long-term exposure to artificial light at night in the wild decreases survival and growth of a coral reef fish

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