Topic
Light pollution
About: Light pollution is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 907 publications have been published within this topic receiving 18118 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: The world atlas of zenith artificial night sky brightness is modelled with VIIRS DNB data and calibrated with new high-resolution satellite data and new precision sky brightness measurements, showing that more than 80% of the world and more than 99%" of the U.S. and European populations live under light-polluted skies.
Abstract: Artificial lights raise night sky luminance, creating the most visible effect of light pollution—artificial skyglow. Despite the increasing interest among scientists in fields such as ecology, astronomy, health care, and land-use planning, light pollution lacks a current quantification of its magnitude on a global scale. To overcome this, we present the world atlas of artificial sky luminance, computed with our light pollution propagation software using new high-resolution satellite data and new precision sky brightness measurements. This atlas shows that more than 80% of the world and more than 99% of the U.S. and European populations live under light-polluted skies. The Milky Way is hidden from more than one-third of humanity, including 60% of Europeans and nearly 80% of North Americans. Moreover, 23% of the world’s land surfaces between 75°N and 60°S, 88% of Europe, and almost half of the United States experience light-polluted nights.
1,329 citations
TL;DR: The more subtle influences of artificial night lighting on the behavior and community ecology of species are less well recognized, and constitute a new focus for research in ecology and a pressing conservation challenge.
Abstract: Ecologists have long studied the critical role of natural light in regulating species interactions, but, with limited exceptions, have not investigated the consequences of artificial night lighting. In the past century, the extent and intensity of artificial night lighting has increased such that it has substantial effects on the biology and ecology of species in the wild. We distinguish “astronomical light pollution”, which obscures the view of the night sky, from “ecological light pollution”, which alters natural light regimes in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Some of the catastrophic consequences of light for certain taxonomic groups are well known, such as the deaths of migratory birds around tall lighted structures, and those of hatchling sea turtles disoriented by lights on their natal beaches. The more subtle influences of artificial night lighting on the behavior and community ecology of species are less well recognized, and constitute a new focus for research in ecology and a pressing conservation challenge.
1,288 citations
TL;DR: A framework that focuses on the cross‐factoring of the ways in which artificial lighting alters natural light regimes (spatially, temporally, and spectrally), and the ways that light influences biological systems, particularly the distinction between light as a resource and light as an information source is proposed.
Abstract: The ecological impacts of nighttime light pollution have been a longstanding source of concern, accentuated by realized and projected growth in electrical lighting. As human communities and lighting technologies develop, artificial light increasingly modifies natural light regimes by encroaching on dark refuges in space, in time, and across wavelengths. A wide variety of ecological implications of artificial light have been identified. However, the primary research to date is largely focused on the disruptive influence of nighttime light on higher vertebrates, and while comprehensive reviews have been compiled along taxonomic lines and within specific research domains, the subject is in need of synthesis within a common mechanistic framework. Here we propose such a framework that focuses on the cross-factoring of the ways in which artificial lighting alters natural light regimes (spatially, temporally, and spectrally), and the ways in which light influences biological systems, particularly the distinction between light as a resource and light as an information source. We review the evidence for each of the combinations of this cross-factoring. As artificial lighting alters natural patterns of light in space, time and across wavelengths, natural patterns of resource use and information flows may be disrupted, with downstream effects to the structure and function of ecosystems. This review highlights: (i) the potential influence of nighttime lighting at all levels of biological organisation (from cell to ecosystem); (ii) the significant impact that even low levels of nighttime light pollution can have; and (iii) the existence of major research gaps, particularly in terms of the impacts of light at population and ecosystem levels, identification of intensity thresholds, and the spatial extent of impacts in the vicinity of artificial lights.
949 citations
TL;DR: In a recent TREE article, Sutherland and colleagues used horizon scanning to identify fifteen emerging issues in biodiversity conservation, including invasive species, synthetic meat, nanosilver and microplastic pollution, but feel they overlooked an emerging problem of great importance and urgency, namely light pollution.
Abstract: In a recent TREE article, Sutherland and colleagues [1] used horizon scanning to identify fifteen emerging issues in biodiversity conservation. They discussed both threats and opportunities for a broad range of issues, including invasive species, synthetic meat, nanosilver and microplastic pollution. We recognize that the article was not intended to be comprehensive, but feel they overlooked an emerging problem of great importance and urgency, namely that of light pollution. Although the widespread use of artificial light at night has enhanced the quality of human life and is positively associated with security, wealth and modernity, the rapid global increase of artificial light has fundamentally transformed nightscapes over the past six decades, both in quantity (6% increase per year, range: 0–20%) and quality (i.e.
761 citations
Hebrew University of Jerusalem1, University of Queensland2, Leibniz Association3, University of Potsdam4, Sun Yat-sen University5, Complutense University of Madrid6, Spanish National Research Council7, University of Exeter8, Universities Space Research Association9, Wuhan University10, University of Haifa11, Marshall Space Flight Center12, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere13, Goddard Space Flight Center14, University of Maryland, College Park15, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration16, Colorado School of Mines17
TL;DR: In this article, the authors outline the historical development of night-time optical sensors up to the current state-of-the-art sensors, highlight various applications of night light data, discuss the special challenges associated with remote sensing of night lights with a focus on the limitations of current sensors, and provide an outlook for the future of remote sensing.
650 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 |
| 2024 | 166 |
| 2023 | 218 |
| 2022 | 241 |
| 2021 | 104 |
| 2020 | 103 |