Impact of light pollution on nocturnal pollinators and their pollination services

Abstract

Impact of human–induced environmental changes, particularly climate change, on biodiversity and human welfare has become a major concern of this century. Their negative effects on pollinators and pollination, a crucial ecoservice for sustenance of biodiversity and crop productivity, leading to the ‘global pollinator crisis’ are well recognized. Serious international efforts are being undertaken to mitigate the crisis. In recent years, effects of artificial light at night (ALAN), which has been increasing exponentially since the nineteenth century, on biodiversity and ecoservices has become another concern. Effects of ALAN have been studied extensively on a number of nocturnal pollinators, particularly moths and bats. ALAN has been shown to affect their behavior, movements, foraging and reproduction leading to a significant decline in their abundance and diversity. The impacts of ALAN on nocturnal pollination, largely confined so far to moth-pollinated systems, are not uniform; many studies have reported its negative effects and a few some positive effects. There are hardly any studies on the effects of ALAN on pollination services of other nocturnal pollinators such as bats, crepuscular (dusk and dawn) and diurnal pollinators. Studies from India on these lines are completely lacking. It is important to extend these studies to species not investigated so far and make them more comprehensive to get a clear knowledge on the impact of ALAN on pollinators and pollination, and to develop effective mitigation measures.