The light pollution is defined as «the emission of luminous flux from nocturnal artificial sources at intensities, directions or spectral ranges that are unnecessary for carrying out the activities planned in the area where they have been installed the lights ».Summing up: it is the unnecessary night artificial light.Besides supposing a great expense, the light pollution has other consequences on the terrestrial organisms .Join us to know 5 terrible effects that you did not know of light pollution.
5 terrible effects of light pollution
Amphibians
Light pollution interrupts the reproductive cycles of some amphibians .Many amphibians are nocturnal and their organisms are subjected to photoperiods .This means that they govern their lives by the time of exposure to daylight for 24 hours through the photoperio two know when they have to return to their homes to reproduce or hibernate.
Due to artificial light, amphibians cannot be guided by that system and do not return to their places of origin for reproduction.This effect is already visible, in the decline of the population of nocturnal amphibians, in some parts of the world.
Sea turtles
Light pollution is decimating the Sea turtles .These animals spend most of their lives in the sea, however there are two critical moments for them: when they go to the beaches to spawn and when they are born and must quickly reach the water.
Female turtles will not spawn on beaches where there is light produced by hotels, restaurants or beach bars and this will lead them to dark but inappropriate places so that the offspring come to fruition.Also, when the turtles are born, instead of being guided to the sea by the moonlight, those artificial lights will disorient them and lead to certain death.
Murcielagos
The bats are generally nocturnal animals, but not only that, certain groups hate light. they feed on insects and they are attracted by streetlights and artificial lights.As some of them do not approach any source of light at all, they do not find food and end up perishing .In this way the light pollution decreases the population of some types of bats.
Human health
It has effects on human health; among other things, a human being who receives illumination 24 hours a day will see inhibited the production of the hormone called «melatonin». It has also been proven that they alter circadian cycles, which is the natural rhythm that our body has and that, without us noticing, it tells us when we have to sleep, be awake, eat, rest and much more.
Trees
It negatively affects trees since they also have their own photoperiods .In autumn the trees lose their leaves to conserve energy and survive the winter.It is from the photoperids that "know" when start the process.However, due to the night lighting , especially in the red and infrared spectra, the days are not shortened and therefore the latency state is altered that plants enter in winter, flowering or growth.
Unfortunately there are relatively few countries or cities that are remedying to light pollution and that despite the fact that UNESCO has declared the night sky "world heritage site" .What do you think of night lighting? Do you think that in many places it is excessive and inefficient?
If you have been interested in this article, you might want to read the post:
-The 10 best places to observe the stars
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