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Review
. 2022 May:141:105150.
doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105150. Epub 2022 Mar 15.

Effects of light pollution on photoperiod-driven seasonality

Jennifer A Liu  1 , O Hecmarie Meléndez-Fernández  2 , Jacob R Bumgarner  2 , Randy J Nelson  2
Affiliations
Review

Effects of light pollution on photoperiod-driven seasonality

Jennifer A Liu et al. Horm Behav. 2022 May.

Abstract

Changes to photoperiod (day length) occur in anticipation of seasonal environmental changes, altering physiology and behavior to maximize fitness. In order for photoperiod to be useful as a predictive factor of temperature or food availability, day and night must be distinct. The increasing prevalence of exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) in both field and laboratory settings disrupts photoperiodic time measurement and may block development of appropriate seasonal adaptations. Here, we review the effects of ALAN as a disruptor of photoperiodic time measurement and season-specific adaptations, including reproduction, metabolism, immune function, and thermoregulation.

Keywords: Circadian rhythm disruption; Immune function; Light at night; Metabolism; Photoperiod; Reproduction; Seasonality; Thermoregulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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