I lost my dad Aug 13 (#lightpollution#ALAN tweeps, yes, last day of #ALAN2023).
It's been a really hard 6 yrs, 2 mos, & 1 wk of #eldercare (not counting current Death Paperwork--don't get me started).
May your journey with your loved ones be easier than mine.
Anyone else who went to #ALAN2023 still have jetlag? You'd think I'd have trouble with mornings, but it's the afternoons that are somehow the hardest for me... 🥱
Hello, Mastodon! I’m an astrophysicist at the University of Exeter. I work on applying astrophysical methods to understanding the ecological impacts of artificial light at night #ALAN. I’m also currently working on stellar characterisation.
As The Bad Place is becoming increasingly hostile, I’m trying to share what we're working on a little more widely, so please do follow-along if you are interested in light pollution, (astro)physics, or the life of a researcher at #Exeter. 🙂
Lovely drive home! I noticed lots of terrible lighting practices on the way through Regina+suburbs that I'm now much more aware of, and then said a big "HELLO I LOVE YOU" to the Milky Way when I got out of my car under my beautiful dark skies that I appreciate even more after the #ALAN2023 conference.
(I also sent some quiet hate to a couple of satellites, but tried to focus on the beautiful Milky Way behind them)
As #ALAN2023 comes to a close, announcements are made for LPTMM 2024, the next European Symposium, and #ALAN2025 (28-30 October 2025 in Westport, Ireland)
Guenat: However, we did find evidence for shifting-baseline syndrome in terms of perceptions of the actual impacts of ALAN. We interpret this as indicating a need for improved messaging to better convey the significance of its harms. #ALAN2023
Guenat: As Swiss people were exposed to more ALAN (as determined from satellite remote sensing data), they tended to think that ALAN in their environment was excessive. Suggests that they are not subject to 'shifting baseline syndrome'. #ALAN2023
Solène Guenat (Swiss Federal Research Institute) presents results of surveys of people in Switzerland on attitudes toward ALAN. High support for technological innovations, information campaigns; low support for financial disincentives, turning off street lights. #ALAN2023
I’m a bit sad I had to leave a bit too early and miss the rest of the day at #ALAN2023
It was great to see again or meet all the awesome people part of that conference. Hoping to keep in touch with many of you in the future.
Claire Hermans (Netherlands Institute of Ecology) used a combination of acoustic tracking of bats and LiDAR scans of the environment to reconstruct the foraging behavior of bats exposed to different experimental light treatments in the field. #ALAN2023
Matthew Hatfield (@unisouthampton) presents some of his dissertation research on brown trout and European eels. Notes little research on ALAN in aquatic environments; of 118 posters and talks at #ALAN2023, only eight are about aquatic environments and two are about fish.
The fraction of #ALAN2023 talks given by graduate students seems to be higher than in past editions of the conference — an indication of the ongoing increase of interest in the topic of light pollution and its steady professionalization in academia.
Evelien Castrop (Leiden University) looked at the effects of different colored light on two plant species (H. radicata and R. acetosa) in a controlled experiment, finding differences in leaf length and transpiration with implications for plant community resilience. #ALAN2023
Passing comment from Mona Storms during her talk abt #ALAN and nocturnal pollinators:
"It was very dark in the forest. I didn't feel that comfortable sitting there in the night."
I've heard this from other women field scientists.
Sam offers some ideas for ways by which dark-sky advocates can begin the work of decolonizing this space and creating meaningful and sustained engagement with Native American tribes. #ALAN2023
Doug Sam notes that, according to the Kaibab Band of Paiutes (the world's first 'dark sky nation'), after their DarkSky accreditation mountain sheep were seen to return to their lands for the first time in many years. This was seen by them as an auspicious event. #ALAN2023
Sam: When Mesa Verde National Park sought dark-sky accreditation, it successfully obtained support for its effort from all 26 of its related Native American tribes, a first in program history. But tribal engagement has been rare within the dark-sky movement. #ALAN2023
Doug Sam (University of Oregon) critiques DarkSky's International Dark Sky Places Program with respect to relations with Native American tribes. "When we designate future IDSPs, we must involve native peoples [in their establishment] as a matter of justice." #ALAN2023
First talk by D. Turnshek: "Persuasive measurements for environmental justice" starting with Pittsburgh - lots of light-as-art installations that increase light pollution, she's done soooo much education about it.
Have Allegheny observatory (30" refractor!!) makes it easier to teach people. But, always in danger of being overrun - showed lots of abandoned observatories in urban areas.
Got dark sky rules! But now new mayor and needs to build a new relationship
Pueblo observatories for measuring sun and moon cycles. These practices are still onging despite colonial attempts to wipe this out. Utes were pushed off land of Mesa Verde into more marginal land.
International Dark Sky certification sought out all 26 tribes for consent. Good start! This should be required for all dark sky sites - building relationships is incredibly important. Dark sky advocates need to think about what they can give back to tribes (without white saviorism!)
M. Stroms: moths use the moon for orienting themselves, how do streetlights disrupt this? Release moths to find pheromone trap. When there is a streetlight on between release and trap, they take a lot longer to get there and sometimes don't arrive.
LED lights in particular increase flight duration (this is bad). Interestingly, in an already-bright environment, these effects are less.
E. Castrop: Looking at how plants respond to light pollution: morphology, phenology (flowers), respiration. Out in national park field site with different colour lights, looked at 2 native species responses.
With light: get increased leaf length, increase in night transpiration, differences in net photosynthesis
M. Hatfield: studying brown trout and european eels' response to artificial light while kept in tanks and filmed, took blood samples at end of study period.
(not going to post specifics because he doesn't want pre-published results shared yet)
Did see some significant differences, and some "fishy" results... analysis ongoing.
C. Hermans: bats use darkness for avoiding predators. But their food is attracted to artificial light so that'll change their behaviours.
Using dark site in the Netherlands with different colour streetlights. Responses by bats are species dependent.
Use LIDAR/acoustic tracking, neat plots of bats avoiding light and vegetation while flying. Red lights cause the least change in both bat and insect behaviour, white light causes the most.
That finishes my time at #ALAN2023 (I am sad to miss last session, but I have a loooong drive and a partner who is taking care of the entire farm and our kids alone right now, gotta get back)
I am so grateful I got to come, I had amazing discussions with incredible people working on a really important problem from many different directions. I look forward to working more with several people I met here!
Now for the long drive home across the beautiful prairie.