Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish (2024)

Fobert, E. K., Da Silva, K. B. (2019). Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish. Biology Letters, 15(7), [20190272]. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0272

Fobert, Emily K. ; Da Silva, Karen Burke ; Swearer, Stephen E. / Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish. In: Biology Letters. 2019 ; Vol. 15, No. 7.

@article{12dc56d73d0c4d41b31340a5f22f6b2e,

title = "Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish",

abstract = "The Earth is getting brighter at night, as artificial light at night (ALAN) continues to increase and extend its reach. Despite recent recognition of the damaging impacts of ALAN on terrestrial ecosystems, research on ALAN in marine systems is comparatively lacking. To further our understanding of the impacts of ALAN on marine organisms, this study examines how the reproductive fitness of the common clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris is influenced by the presence of ALAN. We assessed how exposure to low levels of ALAN affects (i) frequency of spawning, (ii) egg fertilization success, and (iii) hatching success of A. ocellaris under control (12 : 12 day-night) and treatment (12 : 12 day-ALAN) light regimes. While we found exposure to ALAN had no impact on the frequency of spawning or fertilization success, ALAN had dramatic effects on hatching. Amphiprion ocellaris eggs incubated in the presence of ALAN simply did not hatch, resulting in zero survivorship of offspring. These findings suggest ALAN can significantly reduce reproductive fitness in a benthic-spawning reef fish. Further research in this field is necessary to fully understand the extent of this impact on population and community dynamics in the wild.",

keywords = "Amphiprion ocellaris, Anthropogenic disturbance, Light pollution, Reproductive fitness, Spawning",

author = "Fobert, {Emily K.} and {Da Silva}, {Karen Burke} and Swearer, {Stephen E.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The Author(s).",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1098/rsbl.2019.0272",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

journal = "Biology Letters",

issn = "1744-9561",

publisher = "Royal Soc",

number = "7",

}

Fobert, EK, Da Silva, KB 2019, 'Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish', Biology Letters, vol. 15, no. 7, 20190272. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0272

Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish. / Fobert, Emily K.; Da Silva, Karen Burke; Swearer, Stephen E.
In: Biology Letters, Vol. 15, No. 7, 20190272, 2019.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish

AU - Fobert, Emily K.

AU - Da Silva, Karen Burke

AU - Swearer, Stephen E.

N1 - Publisher Copyright:© 2019 The Author(s).

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - The Earth is getting brighter at night, as artificial light at night (ALAN) continues to increase and extend its reach. Despite recent recognition of the damaging impacts of ALAN on terrestrial ecosystems, research on ALAN in marine systems is comparatively lacking. To further our understanding of the impacts of ALAN on marine organisms, this study examines how the reproductive fitness of the common clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris is influenced by the presence of ALAN. We assessed how exposure to low levels of ALAN affects (i) frequency of spawning, (ii) egg fertilization success, and (iii) hatching success of A. ocellaris under control (12 : 12 day-night) and treatment (12 : 12 day-ALAN) light regimes. While we found exposure to ALAN had no impact on the frequency of spawning or fertilization success, ALAN had dramatic effects on hatching. Amphiprion ocellaris eggs incubated in the presence of ALAN simply did not hatch, resulting in zero survivorship of offspring. These findings suggest ALAN can significantly reduce reproductive fitness in a benthic-spawning reef fish. Further research in this field is necessary to fully understand the extent of this impact on population and community dynamics in the wild.

AB - The Earth is getting brighter at night, as artificial light at night (ALAN) continues to increase and extend its reach. Despite recent recognition of the damaging impacts of ALAN on terrestrial ecosystems, research on ALAN in marine systems is comparatively lacking. To further our understanding of the impacts of ALAN on marine organisms, this study examines how the reproductive fitness of the common clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris is influenced by the presence of ALAN. We assessed how exposure to low levels of ALAN affects (i) frequency of spawning, (ii) egg fertilization success, and (iii) hatching success of A. ocellaris under control (12 : 12 day-night) and treatment (12 : 12 day-ALAN) light regimes. While we found exposure to ALAN had no impact on the frequency of spawning or fertilization success, ALAN had dramatic effects on hatching. Amphiprion ocellaris eggs incubated in the presence of ALAN simply did not hatch, resulting in zero survivorship of offspring. These findings suggest ALAN can significantly reduce reproductive fitness in a benthic-spawning reef fish. Further research in this field is necessary to fully understand the extent of this impact on population and community dynamics in the wild.

KW - Amphiprion ocellaris

KW - Anthropogenic disturbance

KW - Light pollution

KW - Reproductive fitness

KW - Spawning

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U2 - 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0272

DO - 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0272

M3 - Article

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AN - SCOPUS:85069323929

SN - 1744-9561

VL - 15

JO - Biology Letters

JF - Biology Letters

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Fobert EK, Da Silva KB, Swearer SE. Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish. Biology Letters. 2019;15(7):20190272. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0272