Johnny Noles, Biologist

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Understanding the Effects of Light Pollution on
Wildlife
Johnny Noles, Biologist Chesapeake
Bay mysids_at_aol.com
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INTRODUCTION This presentation was created to
provide International Dark Skies Association
(IDA) members and concerned citizens a general
information resource for discussion of light
pollution problems with emphasis on the effects
on wildlife. Feel free to use the whole or parts
of the presentation for educational
outreach. Beginning with the contents on the
following slide, The presentation begins with a
pictorial introduction highlighting outdoor
lighting and the basic effects of outdoor
lighting on wildlife. It further goes on to
compare light pollution with chemical pollution.
It emphasizes the shortcomings of government
regulations governing pollution. It provides an
example of how environmental agencies are even
responsible for the introduction of light
pollution through public environmental regulatory
programs. In the absence of light pollution
regulations, it identifies public interest
actions that have been initiated in the interest
of wildlife conservation. The presentation
concludes with general recommendations for
environmental agencies.
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• CONTENTS
• I. Introduction
• Pictorial Identification of Problem
• Wildlife and Habitat Impact Issues
• II. Understanding Light Pollution
• Definition of Pollution
• Observed Effects of Pollution
• Comparing Light Pollution with Chemical
  Pollution
• Light Pollution Regulation
• Examples of How Environmental Agencies are
  Impacting the Environment with Light
• Pollution
• IV. Public Action Precedents in Wildlife
  Conservation and Light Pollution
• Recommendations for Public Agencies

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• Virginia Wildlife Ecosystems Affected by Light
  Pollution
• Chesapeake Bay
• Coastal Barrier Islands
• Mountain Ranges
• Forests, rivers, streams, lakes
• Urban habitats

What are the effects of light pollution on
wildlife and their habitats?
I. Introduction
5
Elements of Light Pollution Impacting Wildlife
Light Trespass Sky Glow Glare Clutter
I. Introduction
6
Compare Lighting from Natural and Artificial
Sources what the critters see
Natural night sky
sunrise
sunset
light pollution
I. Introduction
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Wildlife Issue
Light pollution is trespassing into wildlife
habitat Wildlife Concerns From Exposure to
Light Pollution Habitat Disturbance
Wildlife Behavior Wildlife Survival
I. Introduction
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NOCTURNAL WILDLIFE
yellow crowned night heron
owls
gray tree frog
spotted seatrout
bats

• Active at night, roost by day.
• Some species species are rare, threatened and
  endangered species.
• Some species provide human and ecological health
  benefits.
• Some species provide economic benefits
• What are the effects of light pollution on their
  habitat and behavior?

I. Introduction
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DIURNAL WILDLIFE
frogs
songbirds
waterfowl
dragonfly
squirrels

• Active by day, roost at night.
• Some species are rare, protected and endangered
  species.
• Some species provide human and ecological health
  benefits.
• Some species provide economic benefits.
• What are the effects of light pollution on their
  habitat and behavior?

I. Introduction
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• Habitat Disturbance Observations
• Disruption of natural day-night illumination
  cycle in natural areas.
• Replacement of nocturnal (night) cycle by
  elevated levels of continuous artificial
  lighting over broad natural areas.
• Greatest exposure of terrestrial habitats is
  mostly under tree canopy and over ground level
  areas which is the preferred zone of most
  terrestrial wildlife inhabitation.
• Aquatic habitats subject to light trespass from
  upland and shoreline human habitation. Water
  surface reflections magnify light pollution.
• Light pollution in wildlife habitats mimic
  extended daylight conditions causing wildlife
  behavior to be unnaturally modified.
• Exposure of wildlife circadian rhythms to light
  pollution.
• Wildlife biodiversity at risk in light polluted
  nocturnal habitats.
• Diminished habitat function (e.g., shelter,
  protection, food).

I. Introduction
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• Understanding Light Pollution
• Does it fit the definition of a pollutant?
• What are the common effects of pollutants?
• What similarities do chemical and light
  pollutants have in common?

II. Understanding Light Pollution
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DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF POLLUTANT

• Pollute - to make unfit for or harmful to
  living things.
• Pollutant - something that pollutes a waste
  material that contaminates air, soil, or water.
• Pollution - Contamination of air, soil, or
  water by the discharge of harmful substances.

Forms of pollutants and examples
Gas carbon monoxide Liquid - oil
Solid - asbestos Light
streetlights Noise loud machinery
II. Understanding Light Pollution
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• COMMONLY OBSERVED
• EFFECTS OF HARMFUL POLLUTANTS
• Behavior
• Growth
• Reproduction
• Survival
• Death
• Habitat Modification
• Pollutant Environmental Fate
• Population Effects

II. Understanding Light Pollution
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Similarities between Chemical and Light Pollution

• Organism LP
• Impact Chemical Light
  Examples
• Human Exposure yes yes urban/industrial settings
• Wildlife Exposure yes yes urban/industrial
  settings
• Abnormal behavior yes yes migrations,
  attraction/avoidance
• Growth yes yes plants, cancer
  cells
• Reproduction yes yes mammals, amphibians
• Survival yes
  yes sea turtles, birds
• Death yes
  yes sea turtles, birds
• Sufficient data generated by studies on
  numerous chemicals.
• Insufficient data repeated observations of
  incidences and correlation to presence of
  artificial lighting.

II. Understanding Light Pollution
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Similarities between Chemical and Light Pollution
Chemical Light Examples

• Habitat Modification yes
  yes coastal ecosystems
• Population Effects yes yes
  sea turtles, birds
• Pollutant Environmental Fate persistent
  persistent ubiquitous in urban/
• or
  short-lived industrial
  environments
• Ecological Imbalance yes
  yes coastal ecosystems
• Environmental Restoration expensive
  cheap Florida coasts
• Cedar River, WA
• Restoration benefits long term
  immediate Florida coasts
• Cedar River, WA
• Chesapeake Bay
• Sea turtle nesting habitats
• See slide 18 for explanations
• See slide 22 sockeye salmon habitat

II. Understanding Light Pollution
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• PUBLIC POLLUTION REGULATION
• Chemical pollution tightly regulated by public
  law and multiple agencies
• Light pollution is not regulated by
  environmental agencies. Most agencies and many
  environmental interest groups are dead asleep on
  the issue
• The States of Florida has set the precedent to
  regulate outdoor lighting strictly for wildlife
  conservation purposes.

II. Understanding Light Pollution
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PUBLIC POLLUTION REGULATION

• Agencies put the burden on local governments
  to control light pollution.

WRONG APPROACH!!!!!

• Light pollution needs the same attention as
  chemical pollution
• Environmental agencies need to address light
  pollution as a regional ecosystem and wildlife
  conservation management approach.
• Examples Chesapeake Bay Program
• Florida Everglades Program
• Great Lakes Program

II. Understanding Light Pollution
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USAs First Outdoor Lighting Ordinance for
Wildlife Conservation
Endangered Sea turtles in Florida Life cycle
consist of birth on land, spending life in
ocean, returning to land only to nest

• LIGHT POLLUTION IMPACTS
• Beach nesting habitats exposed to bright
  outdoor shoreline lighting
• Adults wont come ashore to nest
• Hatchlings emerge from sand nests, normally
  orientate towards starlit ocean
• Artificial lights on beaches, coastal roads,
  and buildings disorientate hatchlings and adults
  that crawl away from the beach towards inland
  light sources.
• Migratory disruptions from light pollution leads
  to death from dehydration, wildlife, domestic
  animals and human predation, and vehicle
  collusions

II. Understanding Light Pollution
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• EXAMPLES OF AGENCIES
• IMPACTING THE ENVIRONMENT
• WITH LIGHT POLLUTION
• WETLANDS PERMITTING
• Army Corp of Engineers, State Environmental
  Agencies and local Wetlands Boards
• Permits do not address lighting on piers and
  waterfront structures
• Nontarget lighting trespassing into wetlands
  and upland wildlife habitat
• Problem magnified by water surface reflections
• Disturbance and modification of wildlife
  habitat and behavior
• Failure to address light pollution through
  wetlands regulations fosters impacts on wildlife
  environment, boating safety, public aesthetics
  and effectiveness of existing wetlands protection
  efforts.

• Examples of How Environmental Agencies are
  Impacting the Environment with Light Pollution

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• Light Pollution Impacts on Wildlife Through the
  Nationwide Wetlands Permitting Process
• Potential for Water Quality Impacts
• Unshielded pier and waterfront lighting
  penetrates the water column.
• Artificial lighting promotes algal growth in
  surface waters
• Algae feeding zooplankton uses natural light to
  migrate to deeper water for food. At night,
  they migrate to the surface. Artificial lights
  from piers and shore structures causes
  zooplankton to stay in deeper water when they
  should be feeding on the surface at night.
• The disruption of zooplankton behavior and
  feeding cycles leads to algal blooms in the
  surface water.
• Algal blooms associated with declining water
  quality conditions.
• Light pollution-induced water quality effects
  are high for ponds, lakes, impoundments, and low
  flushing coastal watershed stream and river
  environments.

• Examples of How Environmental Agencies are
  Impacting the Environment with Light Pollution

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• Public Action Precedents in Wildlife Conservation
  Involving Light Pollution
• SEATURTLES - first identified light pollution
  indicator organism. Led to nations first public
  outdoor lighting ordinance in Florida for
  wildlife conservation purposes.
• BIRDS FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program)
  Highly successful Canadian public program aimed
  at reducing birds kills from collusions with
  lighted city buildings. Program identifies
  numerous bird species at risk from light
  pollution. Visit www.flap.org
• SW USA ENDANGERED CAT SPECIES - US Border
  Patrol proposes putting up bright lights along
  US-Mexico border inhabited by endangered cats.
  USFWS presses for Environmental Impact Statement
  (EIS).

IV. Public Action Precedents in Wildlife
Conservation and Light Pollution
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Public Action Precedents in Wildlife Conservation
Involving Light Pollution

• ENDANGERED CAT SPECIES - zoo breeding program
  observes Pallas cats reproductive difficulties
  in bright zoos. Pallas relocated to darker areas
  and reproduction activity returns to normal.
• SPORT FISHES - Civil court case involving
  nocturnal seatrout species in Scotland.
  Fishermen claim seatrout fishing degraded by
  light pollution from adjacent property. Court
  supports sport fishermen with judgment supported
  by expert testimony on seatrouts nocturnal
  behavior.
• In State of Washington, light trespassing into
  fish habitat from unshielded lights on Cedar
  River trails resulted in interference with
  sockeye salmon fry migration and an increase in
  predation pressures. Lights shielding by WA DOT
  reduced light trespass, enhanced habitat, and
  improved fish migratory passage.

IV. Public Action Precedents in Wildlife
Conservation and Light Pollution
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Public Action Precedents in Wildlife Conservation
Involving Light Pollution

• US NATIONAL PARK SERVICE is responding to public
  concerns about light pollution and loss of night
  sky aesthetics. National Park Service
  retrofitting existing lights with full cut off
  optics (FCO). Public night sky aesthetics
  restoration seen as a wildlife benefit

• MIGRATORY BIRDS - mortalities from collusions
  with lighted buildings and towers has led to
  USFWS guidance on lighted towers.

IV. Public Action Precedents in Wildlife
Conservation and Light Pollution
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• RECOMMENDATIONS
• ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES
• Environmental agencies (EPA, NOAA, USFWS,
  USACOE) and environmental interest groups (Sierra
  Club, Audubon Society, etc., ) need to take more
  concerted action on light pollution as an
  environmental problem of significant concern.
• Define artificial lighting as an environmental
  contaminant and ecological stressor.
• Environmental agencies must provide funding to
  conduct scientific studies to investigate light
  pollution impacts on the environment and
  wildlife.
• Environmental agencies must develop strategies
  and environmental regulations to address light
  pollution and protection of wildlife habitats.
• Develop the Chesapeake Bay, Florida Everglades
  Restoration and Great Lakes Programs as
  nationwide models to reduce light pollution
  impacts on wildlife.
• Public and private environmental programs can
  initiate outreach service to provide local
  wetlands boards, environmental interests groups
  and private citizens with education, regulatory
  guidance and funding on light pollution
  reduction.
• DOD installations could set public example of
  light pollution reduction as a means of enhancing
  wildlife habitat, public night sky aesthetics
  and energy savings through DOD environmental
  stewardship programs, ecosystem management
  initiatives, retrofitting needed existing
  outdoor lights with FCO lighting, and using
  electronic security technology to replace outdoor
  lighting as primary means of security.

V. Recommendations for Public Agencies
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• RECOMMENDATIONS
• LOCAL AGENCIES
• Wetlands Regulatory - Army Corps of Engineers,
  State Agencies and Local Wetlands Boards
• Issue pier and marina permits with light
  pollution environmental assessment and shielded
  lighting requirements.
• Ban mercury vapor, sodium vapor and halide
  lights on residential and public piers, marinas
  and other waterfront structures. Use properly
  placed hooded alternate low illumination lamps
  instead for walkways and safety areas.
• No water surface reflections or indirect light
  trespass into surrounding habitat and adjacent
  properties.
• Use lowly illuminated hazard warning (yellow
  coded) lights on long piers and bridges to warn
  boater traffic of potential navigation hazard.
• Require all waterfront property owners to
  comply with the environmental mandate to reduce
  light pollution in the wetlands and waterways.
• Provide waterfront property owners with grants
  or awards to eliminate or retrofit existing
  lights to implement light pollution control as a
  habitat enhancement, wildlife conservation,
  boating safety enhancement, and public
  aesthetics enhancement initiative.

V. Recommendations for Public Agencies
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END of PRESENTATION