TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of artificial light at night and predator cues on foraging and predator avoidance in the keystone inshore mollusc Concholepas concholepas
AU - Manríquez, Patricio H.
AU - Jara, María Elisa
AU - González, Claudio P.
AU - Seguel, Mylene
AU - Quijón, Pedro A.
AU - Widdicombe, Stephen
AU - Pulgar, José M.
AU - Quintanilla-Ahumada, Diego
AU - Anguita, Cristobal
AU - Duarte, Cristian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/7/1
Y1 - 2021/7/1
N2 - The growth of Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) is potentially having widespread effects on terrestrial and coastal habitats. In this study we addressed both the individual effects of ALAN, as well as its combined effect with predation risk on the behaviour of Concholepas concholepas, a fishery resource and a keystone species in the southeastern Pacific coast. We measured the influence of ALAN and predation risk on this mollusc's feeding rate, use of refuge for light and crawling out of water behaviour. These behavioural responses were studied using light intensities that mimicked levels that had been recorded in coastal habitat exposed to ALAN. Cues were from two species known to prey on C. concholepas during its early ontogeny: the crab Acanthocyclus hassleri and the seastar Heliaster helianthus. The feeding rates of C. concholepas were 3–4 times higher in darkness and in the absence of predator cues. In contrast, ALAN-exposed C. concholepas showed lower feeding activity and were more likely to be in a refuge than those exposed to control conditions. In the presence of olfactory predator cues, and regardless of light treatment, C. concholepas tended to crawl-out of the waterline. We provide evidence to support the hypothesis that exposure to either ALAN or predation risk can alter the feeding behaviour of C. concholepas. However, predator cue recognition in C. concholepas was not affected by ALAN in situations where ALAN and predator cues were both present: C. concholepas continued to forage when predation risk was low, i.e., in darkness and away from predator cues. Whilst this response means that ALAN may not lead to increased predation mortality in C. concholepas, it will reduce feeding activity in this naturally nocturnal species in the absence of dark refugia. Such results may have implications for the long-term health, productivity and sustainability of this keystone species.
AB - The growth of Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) is potentially having widespread effects on terrestrial and coastal habitats. In this study we addressed both the individual effects of ALAN, as well as its combined effect with predation risk on the behaviour of Concholepas concholepas, a fishery resource and a keystone species in the southeastern Pacific coast. We measured the influence of ALAN and predation risk on this mollusc's feeding rate, use of refuge for light and crawling out of water behaviour. These behavioural responses were studied using light intensities that mimicked levels that had been recorded in coastal habitat exposed to ALAN. Cues were from two species known to prey on C. concholepas during its early ontogeny: the crab Acanthocyclus hassleri and the seastar Heliaster helianthus. The feeding rates of C. concholepas were 3–4 times higher in darkness and in the absence of predator cues. In contrast, ALAN-exposed C. concholepas showed lower feeding activity and were more likely to be in a refuge than those exposed to control conditions. In the presence of olfactory predator cues, and regardless of light treatment, C. concholepas tended to crawl-out of the waterline. We provide evidence to support the hypothesis that exposure to either ALAN or predation risk can alter the feeding behaviour of C. concholepas. However, predator cue recognition in C. concholepas was not affected by ALAN in situations where ALAN and predator cues were both present: C. concholepas continued to forage when predation risk was low, i.e., in darkness and away from predator cues. Whilst this response means that ALAN may not lead to increased predation mortality in C. concholepas, it will reduce feeding activity in this naturally nocturnal species in the absence of dark refugia. Such results may have implications for the long-term health, productivity and sustainability of this keystone species.
KW - Food acquisition
KW - Light pollution
KW - Predator cues
KW - Refuge
KW - Species interactions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103427063&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116895
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116895
M3 - Article
C2 - 33784562
AN - SCOPUS:85103427063
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 280
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
M1 - 116895
ER -