Light Pollution and Ecophysiology

The World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) latest report on the state of the world's climate shows that global warming is accelerating, with a particularly sharp increase in 2024 – and with far-reaching and in some cases irreversible consequences for our inland waters. Rising temperatures and changing water levels are driving new ecological dynamics: oxygen-free zones are expanding in lakes, the composition of species communities is changing and animals are adapting their behaviour – often struggling to obtain sufficient food.

As part of Berlin Science Week 2024, IGB researchers, artists and the public immersed themselves in the diverse habitats of the Oder and Spree rivers. Four formats offered insights into the fragile balance of ecosystems, the sensitive relationships between species, human responsibility and the unifying power of art and science. On 14 December and 11 and 12 January, you can see, hear and experience extracts from these formats once again.

Light pollution is more serious than we realise: Moths not only lose their orientation directly under street lights. Their flight behaviour outside the illuminated area is also disturbed, so that street lighting can even act as a barrier. This is shown by a study with the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), which was published in the scientific journal PNAS.

Tailored and shielded street lamps make the light source almost invisible outside the illuminated area and significantly reduces the lethal attraction for flying insects in different environments. The researchers see this as an important technical solution to reduce insect mortality. The study was published in Communications Biology.

A study published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment and co-authored by IGB illustrates the extent of light pollution and highlights technological gaps in nighttime Earth observation that may lead to underestimation of light pollution. A night-time Earth observation mission would also be useful in other contexts, such as monitoring crises, wars and natural disasters.

From as yet undiscovered biodiversity and resilient forests to the impact of food consumption on nature: 64 experts, including many IGB researchers, have published the "10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science" for 2024. With the new report, the Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity provides policymakers and society with concrete ways to effectively conserve and sustainably use biodiversity at the local, national, and European levels and thereby also mitigate climate change.

Fish are changing how they search for and consume prey in warmer waters, with models suggesting extinctions become more likely due to this behaviour change. This is the result of a new study led by researchers from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, with the participation of IGB, published in "Nature Climate Change".

Excessive artificial light in freshwater environments has far-reaching consequences for aquatic organisms and entire ecosystems. But what exactly happens to light underwater?