Carry-over effect of artificial light at night on daytime mating activity in an ecologically important detritivore, the amphipod Gammarus pulex

Mar 22, 2024The Journal of experimental biology

Artificial light at night may reduce daytime mating in the important detritivore amphipod Gammarus pulex

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Abstract

Artificial light at night (ALAN) reduced mating success in Gammarus pulex, particularly during daytime.

ALAN had a stronger impact on mating behavior during daytime compared to nighttime.
At night, ALAN decreased the likelihood of forming precopula pairs.
During the day, ALAN decreased general activity and increased the chances of pair separation after formation.
The effects of ALAN on mating success included both direct impacts at night and indirect effects on daytime behavior.
Delayed effects of ALAN on daytime activities may be significant for fitness outcomes.

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Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a growing environmental problem influencing the fitness of individuals through effects on their physiology and behaviour. Research on animals has primarily focused on effects on behaviour during the night, whereas less is known about effects transferred to daytime. Here, we investigated in the lab the impact of ALAN on the mating behaviour of an ecologically important freshwater amphipod, Gammarus pulex, during both daytime and nighttime. We manipulated the presence of ALAN and the intensity of male-male competition for access to females, and found the impact of ALAN on mating activity to be stronger during daytime than during nighttime, independent of male-male competition. At night, ALAN only reduced the probability of precopula pair formation, while during the daytime, it both decreased general activity and increased the probability of pair separation after pair formation. Thus, ALAN reduced mating success in G. pulex not only directly, through effects on mating behaviour at night, but also indirectly through a carry-over effect on daytime activity and the ability to remain in precopula. These results emphasise the importance of considering delayed effects of ALAN on organisms, including daytime activities that can be more important fitness determinants than nighttime activities.

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Carry-over effect of artificial light at night on daytime mating activity in an ecologically important detritivore, the amphipod Gammarus pulex

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