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Alaasam VJ, Hui C, Lomas J, Ferguson SM, Zhang Y, Yim WC, Ouyang JQ. What happens when the lights are left on? Transcriptomic and phenotypic habituation to light pollution. iScience 2024; 27:108864. [PMID: 38318353 PMCID: PMC10839644 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a ubiquitous pollutant worldwide. Exposure can induce immediate behavioral and physiological changes in animals, sometimes leading to severe health consequences. Nevertheless, many organisms persist in light-polluted environments and may have mechanisms of habituating, reducing responses to repeated exposure over time, but this has yet to be tested experimentally. Here, we tested whether zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) can habituate to dim (0.3 lux) ALAN, measuring behavior, physiology (oxidative stress and telomere attrition), and gene expression in a repeated measures design, over 6 months. We present evidence of tolerance to chronic exposure, persistent behavioral responses lasting 8 weeks post-exposure, and attenuation of responses to re-exposure. Oxidative stress decreased under chronic ALAN. Changes in the blood transcriptome revealed unique responses to past exposure and re-exposure. Results demonstrate organismal resilience to chronic stressors and shed light on the capacity of birds to persist in an increasingly light-polluted world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cassandra Hui
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno 89503, NV, USA
| | - Johnathan Lomas
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno 89503, NV, USA
| | | | - Yong Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Suda Genomic Resource Center, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Won Cheol Yim
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno 89503, NV, USA
| | - Jenny Q. Ouyang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno 89503, NV, USA
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2
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van Hasselt SJ, Coscia M, Allocca G, Vyssotski AL, Meerlo P. Seasonal variation in sleep time: jackdaws sleep when it is dark, but do they really need it? J Comp Physiol B 2023:10.1007/s00360-023-01517-1. [PMID: 37789130 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-023-01517-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Sleep is an important behavioural and physiological state that is ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom. Birds are an interesting group to study sleep since they share similar sleep features with mammals. Interestingly, sleep time in birds has been shown to vary greatly amongst seasons. To understand the mechanisms behind these variations in sleep time, we did an electro-encephalogram (EEG) study in eight European jackdaws (Coloeus monedula) in winter and summer under outdoor seminatural conditions. To assess whether the amount and pattern of sleep is determined by the outdoor seasonal state of the animals or directly determined by the indoor light-dark cycle, we individually housed them indoors where we manipulated the light-dark (LD) cycles to mimic long winter nights (8:16 LD) and short summer nights (16:8 LD) within both seasons. Jackdaws showed under seminatural outdoor conditions 5 h less sleep in summer compared to winter. During the indoor conditions, the birds rapidly adjusted their sleep time to the new LD cycle. Although they swiftly increased or decreased their sleep time, sleep intensity did not vary. The results indicate that the strong seasonal differences in sleep time are largely and directly driven by the available dark time, rather than an endogenous annual clock. Importantly, these findings confirm that sleep in birds is not a rigid phenomenon but highly sensitive to environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd J van Hasselt
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Massimiliano Coscia
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Giancarlo Allocca
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Somnivore Pty. Ltd., Bacchus Marsh, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexei L Vyssotski
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Meerlo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Klerman EB, Barbato G, Czeisler CA, Wehr TA. Can People Sleep Too Much? Effects of Extended Sleep Opportunity on Sleep Duration and Timing. Front Physiol 2022; 12:792942. [PMID: 35002775 PMCID: PMC8727775 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.792942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many people are concerned about whether they are getting “enough” sleep, and if they can “sleep too much.” These concerns can be approached scientifically using experiments probing long-term (i.e., multi-night) sleep homeostatic processes, since homeostatic processes move the system toward its physiological setpoint (i.e., between “not enough” and “too much”). We analyzed sleep data from two human studies with sleep opportunities much longer than people usually stay in bed (i.e., conditions in which sleep homeostatic responses could be documented): sleep opportunities were 14–16 h per day for 3–28 days. Across the nights of the extended sleep opportunities, total sleep duration, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep duration and non-REM sleep durations decreased and sleep latency increased. Multiple nights were required to reach approximately steady-state values. These results suggest a multi-day homeostatic sleep process responding to self-selected insufficient sleep duration prior to the study. Once steady state-values were reached, there were large night-to-night variations in total sleep time and other sleep metrics. Our results therefore answer these concerns about sleep amount and are important for understanding the basic physiology of sleep and for two sleep-related topics: (i) the inter-individual and intra-individual variability are relevant to understanding “normal” sleep patterns and for people with insomnia and (ii) the multiple nights of sleep required for recovery from insufficient sleep from self-selected sleep loss is important for public health and other efforts for reducing the adverse effects of sleep loss on multiple areas of physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B Klerman
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Giuseppe Barbato
- Department of Psychology, University degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Campania, Italy
| | - Charles A Czeisler
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Thomas A Wehr
- Intramural Research Program, NIMH, Bethesda, MD, United States
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4
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van Hasselt SJ, Verhulst S, Piersma T, Rattenborg NC, Meerlo P. A comparison of continuous and intermittent EEG recordings in geese: How much data are needed to reliably estimate sleep-wake patterns? J Sleep Res 2021; 31:e13525. [PMID: 34816525 PMCID: PMC9285683 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recent technological advancements allow researchers to measure electrophysiological parameters of animals, such as sleep, in remote locations by using miniature dataloggers. Yet, continuous recording of sleep might be constrained by the memory and battery capacity of the recording devices. These limitations can be alleviated by recording intermittently instead of continuously, distributing the limited recording capacity over a longer period. We assessed how reduced sampling of sleep recordings affected measurement precision of NREM sleep, REM sleep, and Wake. We analysed a dataset on sleep in barnacle geese that we resampled following 12 different recording schemes, with data collected for 1 min per 5 min up to 1 min per 60 min in steps of 5 min. Recording 1 min in 5 min still yielded precise estimates of hourly sleep–wake values (correlations of 0.9) while potentially extending the total recording period by a factor of 5. The correlation strength gradually decreased to 0.5 when recording 1 min per 60 min. For hourly values of Wake and NREM sleep, the correlation strength in winter was higher compared with summer, reflecting more fragmented sleep in summer. Interestingly for hourly values of REM sleep, correlations were unaffected by season. Estimates of total 24 h sleep–wake values were similar for all intermittent recording schedules compared to the continuous recording. These data indicate that there is a large safe range in which researchers can periodically record sleep. Increasing the sample size while maintaining precision can substantially increase the statistical power, and is therefore recommended whenever the total recording time is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd J van Hasselt
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Niels C Rattenborg
- Avian Sleep Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Peter Meerlo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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5
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Mohanty NP, Wagener C, Herrel A, Thaker M. The ecology of sleep in non-avian reptiles. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:505-526. [PMID: 34708504 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Sleep is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom and yet displays considerable variation in its extent and form in the wild. Ecological factors, such as predation, competition, and microclimate, therefore are likely to play a strong role in shaping characteristics of sleep. Despite the potential for ecological factors to influence various aspects of sleep, the ecological context of sleep in non-avian reptiles remains understudied and without systematic direction. In this review, we examine multiple aspects of reptilian sleep, including (i) habitat selection (sleep sites and their spatio-temporal distribution), (ii) individual-level traits, such as behaviour (sleep postures), morphology (limb morphometrics and body colour), and physiology (sleep architecture), as well as (iii) inter-individual interactions (intra- and inter-specific). Throughout, we discuss the evidence of predation, competition, and thermoregulation in influencing sleep traits and the possible evolutionary consequences of these sleep traits for reptile sociality, morphological specialisation, and habitat partitioning. We also review the ways in which sleep ecology interacts with urbanisation, biological invasions, and climate change. Overall, we not only provide a systematic evaluation of the conceptual and taxonomic biases in the existing literature on reptilian sleep, but also use this opportunity to organise the various ecological hypotheses for sleep characteristics. By highlighting the gaps and providing a prospectus of research directions, our review sets the stage for understanding sleep ecology in the natural world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitya P Mohanty
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560 012, India
| | - Carla Wagener
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, 7600, South Africa
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, MECADEV UMR7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France
| | - Maria Thaker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560 012, India
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6
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Macdonald A, Hawkes LA, Corrigan DK. Recent advances in biomedical, biosensor and clinical measurement devices for use in humans and the potential application of these technologies for the study of physiology and disease in wild animals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200228. [PMID: 34176326 PMCID: PMC8237170 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of achieving enhanced diagnosis and continuous monitoring of human health has led to a vibrant, dynamic and well-funded field of research in medical sensing and biosensor technologies. The field has many sub-disciplines which focus on different aspects of sensor science; engaging engineers, chemists, biochemists and clinicians, often in interdisciplinary teams. The trends which dominate include the efforts to develop effective point of care tests and implantable/wearable technologies for early diagnosis and continuous monitoring. This review will outline the current state of the art in a number of relevant fields, including device engineering, chemistry, nanoscience and biomolecular detection, and suggest how these advances might be employed to develop effective systems for measuring physiology, detecting infection and monitoring biomarker status in wild animals. Special consideration is also given to the emerging threat of antimicrobial resistance and in the light of the current SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, zoonotic infections. Both of these areas involve significant crossover between animal and human health and are therefore well placed to seed technological developments with applicability to both human and animal health and, more generally, the reviewed technologies have significant potential to find use in the measurement of physiology in wild animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Macdonald
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wolfson Centre, University of Strathclyde, 106 Rottenrow, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK
| | - Lucy A. Hawkes
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Damion K. Corrigan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wolfson Centre, University of Strathclyde, 106 Rottenrow, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK
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7
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Wascher CAF. Heart rate as a measure of emotional arousal in evolutionary biology. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200479. [PMID: 34176323 PMCID: PMC8237168 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
How individuals interact with their environment and respond to changes is a key area of research in evolutionary biology. A physiological parameter that provides an instant proxy for the activation of the automatic nervous system, and can be measured relatively easily, is modulation of heart rate. Over the past four decades, heart rate has been used to assess emotional arousal in non-human animals in a variety of contexts, including social behaviour, animal cognition, animal welfare and animal personality. In this review, I summarize how measuring heart rate has provided new insights into how social animals cope with challenges in their environment. I assess the advantages and limitations of different technologies used to measure heart rate in this context, including wearable heart rate belts and implantable transmitters, and provide an overview of prospective research avenues using established and new technologies, with a special focus on implications for applied research on animal welfare. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A. F. Wascher
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT, United Kingdom
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8
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van Hasselt SJ, Mekenkamp GJ, Komdeur J, Allocca G, Vyssotski AL, Piersma T, Rattenborg NC, Meerlo P. Seasonal variation in sleep homeostasis in migratory geese: a rebound of NREM sleep following sleep deprivation in summer but not in winter. Sleep 2021; 44:zsaa244. [PMID: 33220057 PMCID: PMC8033462 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsaa244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is a behavioral and physiological state that is thought to serve important functions. Many animals go through phases in the annual cycle where sleep time might be limited, for example, during the migration and breeding phases. This leads to the question whether there are seasonal changes in sleep homeostasis. Using electroencephalogram (EEG) data loggers, we measured sleep in summer and winter in 13 barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) under semi-natural conditions. During both seasons, we examined the homeostatic regulation of sleep by depriving the birds of sleep for 4 and 8 h after sunset. In winter, barnacle geese showed a clear diurnal rhythm in sleep and wakefulness. In summer, this rhythm was less pronounced, with sleep being spread out over the 24-h cycle. On average, the geese slept 1.5 h less per day in summer compared with winter. In both seasons, the amount of NREM sleep was additionally affected by the lunar cycle, with 2 h NREM sleep less during full moon compared to new moon. During summer, the geese responded to 4 and 8 h of sleep deprivation with a compensatory increase in NREM sleep time. In winter, this homeostatic response was absent. Overall, sleep deprivation only resulted in minor changes in the spectral composition of the sleep EEG. In conclusion, barnacle geese display season-dependent homeostatic regulation of sleep. These results demonstrate that sleep homeostasis is not a rigid phenomenon and suggest that some species may tolerate sleep loss under certain conditions or during certain periods of the year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd J van Hasselt
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gert-Jan Mekenkamp
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Giancarlo Allocca
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Somnivore Pty. Ltd., Bacchus Marsh, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Theunis Piersma
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | | | - Peter Meerlo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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9
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Milinski L, Fisher SP, Cui N, McKillop LE, Blanco-Duque C, Ang G, Yamagata T, Bannerman DM, Vyazovskiy VV. Waking experience modulates sleep need in mice. BMC Biol 2021; 19:65. [PMID: 33823872 PMCID: PMC8025572 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-00982-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Homeostatic regulation of sleep is reflected in the maintenance of a daily balance between sleep and wakefulness. Although numerous internal and external factors can influence sleep, it is unclear whether and to what extent the process that keeps track of time spent awake is determined by the content of the waking experience. We hypothesised that alterations in environmental conditions may elicit different types of wakefulness, which will in turn influence both the capacity to sustain continuous wakefulness as well as the rates of accumulating sleep pressure. To address this, we compared the effects of repetitive behaviours such as voluntary wheel running or performing a simple touchscreen task, with wakefulness dominated by novel object exploration, on sleep timing and EEG slow-wave activity (SWA) during subsequent NREM sleep. RESULTS We find that voluntary wheel running is associated with higher wake EEG theta-frequency activity and results in longer wake episodes, as compared with exploratory behaviour; yet, it does not lead to higher levels of EEG SWA during subsequent NREM sleep in either the frontal or occipital derivation. Furthermore, engagement in a touchscreen task, motivated by food reward, results in lower SWA during subsequent NREM sleep in both derivations, as compared to exploratory wakefulness, even though the total duration of wakefulness is similar. CONCLUSION Overall, our study suggests that sleep-wake behaviour is highly flexible within an individual and that the homeostatic processes that keep track of time spent awake are sensitive to the nature of the waking experience. We therefore conclude that sleep dynamics are determined, to a large degree, by the interaction between the organism and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linus Milinski
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford/Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Oxford, UK
| | - Simon P Fisher
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford/Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Oxford, UK
| | - Nanyi Cui
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford/Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Oxford, UK
| | - Laura E McKillop
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford/Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Oxford, UK
| | - Cristina Blanco-Duque
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford/Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Oxford, UK
| | - Gauri Ang
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Tomoko Yamagata
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David M Bannerman
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vladyslav V Vyazovskiy
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford/Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Oxford, UK.
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10
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Aulsebrook AE, Johnsson RD, Lesku JA. Light, Sleep and Performance in Diurnal Birds. Clocks Sleep 2021; 3:115-131. [PMID: 33525352 PMCID: PMC7931117 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep3010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep has a multitude of benefits and is generally considered necessary for optimal performance. Disruption of sleep by extended photoperiods, moonlight and artificial light could therefore impair performance in humans and non-human animals alike. Here, we review the evidence for effects of light on sleep and subsequent performance in birds. There is accumulating evidence that exposure to natural and artificial sources of light regulates and suppresses sleep in diurnal birds. Sleep also benefits avian cognitive performance, including during early development. Nevertheless, multiple studies suggest that light can prolong wakefulness in birds without impairing performance. Although there is still limited research on this topic, these results raise intriguing questions about the adaptive value of sleep. Further research into the links between light, sleep and performance, including the underlying mechanisms and consequences for fitness, could shed new light on sleep evolution and urban ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E. Aulsebrook
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (R.D.J.); (J.A.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Robin D. Johnsson
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (R.D.J.); (J.A.L.)
| | - John A. Lesku
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (R.D.J.); (J.A.L.)
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11
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van Hasselt SJ, Hut RA, Allocca G, Vyssotski AL, Piersma T, Rattenborg NC, Meerlo P. Cloud cover amplifies the sleep-suppressing effect of artificial light at night in geese. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 273:116444. [PMID: 33453700 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In modern society the night sky is lit up not only by the moon but also by artificial light devices. Both of these light sources can have a major impact on wildlife physiology and behaviour. For example, a number of bird species were found to sleep several hours less under full moon compared to new moon and a similar sleep-suppressing effect has been reported for artificial light at night (ALAN). Cloud cover at night can modulate the light levels perceived by wildlife, yet, in opposite directions for ALAN and moon. While clouds will block moon light, it may reflect and amplify ALAN levels and increases the night glow in urbanized areas. As a consequence, cloud cover may also modulate the sleep-suppressing effects of moon and ALAN in different directions. In this study we therefore measured sleep in barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) under semi-natural conditions in relation to moon phase, ALAN and cloud cover. Our analysis shows that, during new moon nights stronger cloud cover was indeed associated with increased ALAN levels at our study site. In contrast, light levels during full moon nights were fairly constant, presumably because of moonlight on clear nights or because of reflected artificial light on cloudy nights. Importantly, cloud cover caused an estimated 24.8% reduction in the amount of night-time NREM sleep from nights with medium to full cloud cover, particularly during new moon when sleep was unaffected by moon light. In conclusion, our findings suggest that cloud cover can, in a rather dramatic way, amplify the immediate effects of ALAN on wildlife. Sleep appears to be highly sensitive to ALAN and may therefore be a good indicator of its biological effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd J van Hasselt
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Roelof A Hut
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Giancarlo Allocca
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Somnivore Pty. Ltd., Bacchus Marsh, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexei L Vyssotski
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Texel, the Netherlands
| | - Niels C Rattenborg
- Avian Sleep Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Peter Meerlo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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12
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Aulsebrook AE, Connelly F, Johnsson RD, Jones TM, Mulder RA, Hall ML, Vyssotski AL, Lesku JA. White and Amber Light at Night Disrupt Sleep Physiology in Birds. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3657-3663.e5. [PMID: 32707063 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Artificial light at night can disrupt sleep in humans [1-4] and other animals [5-10]. A key mechanism for light to affect sleep is via non-visual photoreceptors that are most sensitive to short-wavelength (blue) light [11]. To minimize effects of artificial light on sleep, many electronic devices shift from white (blue-rich) to amber (blue-reduced) light in the evening. Switching outdoor lighting from white to amber might also benefit wildlife [12]. However, whether these two colors of light affect sleep similarly in different animals remains poorly understood. Here we show, by measuring brain activity, that both white and amber lighting disrupt sleep in birds but that the magnitude of these effects differs between species. When experimentally exposed to light at night at intensities typical of urban areas, domestic pigeons (Columba livia) and wild-caught Australian magpies (Cracticus tibicen tyrannica) slept less, favored non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep over REM sleep, slept less intensely, and had more fragmented sleep compared to when lights were switched off. In pigeons, these disruptive effects on sleep were similar for white and amber lighting. For magpies, however, amber light had less impact on sleep. Our results demonstrate that amber lighting can minimize sleep disruption in some birds but that this benefit may not be universal. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Aulsebrook
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Farley Connelly
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Robin D Johnsson
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Therésa M Jones
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Raoul A Mulder
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Michelle L Hall
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; Bush Heritage Australia, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Alexei L Vyssotski
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich 8006, Switzerland
| | - John A Lesku
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
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13
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Evens R, Kowalczyk C, Norevik G, Ulenaers E, Davaasuren B, Bayargur S, Artois T, Åkesson S, Hedenström A, Liechti F, Valcu M, Kempenaers B. Lunar synchronization of daily activity patterns in a crepuscular avian insectivore. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7106-7116. [PMID: 32760515 PMCID: PMC7391349 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological rhythms of nearly all animals on earth are synchronized with natural light and are aligned to day-and-night transitions. Here, we test the hypothesis that the lunar cycle affects the nocturnal flight activity of European Nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus). We describe daily activity patterns of individuals from three different countries across a wide geographic area, during two discrete periods in the annual cycle. Although the sample size for two of our study sites is small, the results are clear in that on average individual flight activity was strongly correlated with both local variation in day length and with the lunar cycle. We highlight the species' sensitivity to changes in ambient light and its flexibility to respond to such changes in different parts of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Evens
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary GeneticsMax Planck Institute for OrnithologyStarnbergGermany
| | - Céline Kowalczyk
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group: Zoology, Biodiversity and ToxicologyHasselt UniversityDiepenbeekBelgium
| | - Gabriel Norevik
- Department of BiologyCentre for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityLundSweden
| | | | | | | | - Tom Artois
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group: Zoology, Biodiversity and ToxicologyHasselt UniversityDiepenbeekBelgium
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of BiologyCentre for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Anders Hedenström
- Department of BiologyCentre for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityLundSweden
| | | | - Mihai Valcu
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary GeneticsMax Planck Institute for OrnithologyStarnbergGermany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary GeneticsMax Planck Institute for OrnithologyStarnbergGermany
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14
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Aulsebrook AE, Lesku JA, Mulder RA, Goymann W, Vyssotski AL, Jones TM. Streetlights Disrupt Night-Time Sleep in Urban Black Swans. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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