Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.watres.2025.123315
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Skyglow increases cyanobacteria abundance and organic matter cycling in lakes
Author Fonvielle, J.; Thuile Bistarelli, L.; Tao, Y.; Woodhouse, J.N.; Shatwell, T.; Villalba, L.A.; Berger, S.A.; Kyba, C.C.M.; Nejstgaard, J.C.; Jechow, A.; Kupprat, F.; Stephan, S.; Walles, T.J.W.; Wollrab, S.; Hölker, F.; Dittmar, T.; Gessner, M.O.; Singer, G.A.; Grossart, H.-P.
Source Titel Water Research
Year 2025
Volume 278
Page From art. 123315
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0043135425002295-mmc1.docx
Keywords Skyglow; Light pollution; Cyanobacteria; RNA; DOM
Abstract Artificial light propagating towards the night sky can be scattered back to Earth and reach ecosystems tens of kilometres away from the original light source. This phenomenon is known as artificial skyglow. Its consequences on freshwaters are largely unknown. In a large-scale lake enclosure experiment, we found that skyglow at levels of 0.06 and 6 lux increased the abundance of anoxygenic aerobic phototrophs and cyanobacteria by 32 (±22) times. An ecosystem metabolome analysis revealed that skyglow increased the production of algal-derived metabolites, which appeared to stimulate heterotrophic activities as well. Furthermore, we found evidence that skyglow decreased the number of bacteria-bacteria interactions. Effects of skyglow were more pronounced at night, suggesting that responses to skyglow can occur on short time scales. Overall, our results call for considering skyglow as a reality of increasing importance for microbial communities and carbon cycling in lake ecosystems.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=30602
Fonvielle, J., Thuile Bistarelli, L., Tao, Y., Woodhouse, J.N., Shatwell, T., Villalba, L.A., Berger, S.A., Kyba, C.C.M., Nejstgaard, J.C., Jechow, A., Kupprat, F., Stephan, S., Walles, T.J.W., Wollrab, S., Hölker, F., Dittmar, T., Gessner, M.O., Singer, G.A., Grossart, H.-P. (2025):
Skyglow increases cyanobacteria abundance and organic matter cycling in lakes
Water Res. 278 , art. 123315 10.1016/j.watres.2025.123315