A recent study from the University of Exeter and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory showed that light from building, vehicles and street lights have created a pollution of light that damage the coastal wildlife in Britain. The light impacts the behavior of many animals inhabited the coastal region.
The research was conducted by scientists from the University of Exeter in collaboration with the Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Researchers study the behavior of a key seashore species that plays important role in modulating biodiversity and community structure of Britain's coasts, dogwhelk or Nucella lapillus, a predatory sea snail that inhabited the Britain' coast.
In its news release, University of Exeter explained the method of research used by the scientists. In the research, e researchers set up two different laboratory environments to study the behavior of dogwhelks. One group of dogwhelks was placed under the artificial night light condition, while another group was placed under the natural light.
The research shows that dogwhelks that were placed under the artificial light spent longer time to seek for their food and less inclined to seek shelter for protection. This made them more vulnerable to predators and could harm the food chains.
According to one of the researchers, Dr. Thomas Davis from the Department in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at University of Exeter, this shows that light pollution causes a serious damage to coastal wildlife in Britain. There are many types of research have been conducted to analyze the impact of artificial light on the marine and coastal life, and the latest research shows the problem is real.
In the meantime, the awareness to protect coastal wildlife in the UK has started to increase. A group called The Islands and Bays of Barrow Coastal Community Team was established to protect the coastal wildlife in the Walney Island, North West of England. The group raised £444,000 ($573,000) fund to protect the coastal environment in the island as reported by the North-West Evening Mail. Watch the beauty of the coastal wildlife in Britain from the footage below:
