title: Artificial light at night affects body mass but not oxidative status in free-living nestling songbirds: an experimental study.
abstract: Artificial light at night (ALAN), termed light pollution, is an increasingly important anthropogenic environmental pressure on wildlife. Exposure to unnatural lighting environments may have profound effects on animal physiology, particularly during early life. Here, we experimentally investigated for the first time the impact of ALAN on body mass and oxidative status during development, using nestlings of a free-living songbird, the great tit (Parus major), an important model species. Body mass and blood oxidative status were determined at baseline (=13 days after hatching) and again after a two night exposure to ALAN. Because it is very difficult to generalise the oxidative status from one or two measures we relied on a multi-biomarker approach. We determined multiple metrics of both antioxidant defences and oxidative damage: molecular antioxidants GSH, GSSG; antioxidant enzymes GPX, SOD, CAT; total non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and damage markers protein carbonyls and TBARS. Light exposed nestlings showed no increase in body mass, in contrast to unexposed individuals. None of the metrics of oxidative status were affected. Nonetheless, our study provides experimental field evidence that ALAN may negatively affect free-living nestlings' development and hence may have adverse consequences lasting throughout adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raap
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Casasole
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Molecular Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.|Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Beni-Suef, Beni-Suef, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hamada
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: AbdElgawad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Molecular Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asard
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.|Faculty of Social Sciences, Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp, Venusstraat 35, B-2000, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rianne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pinxten
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D008027:Light; D008029:Lighting; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D020308:Songbirds / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants