The current expansion of human activities near and within natural habitats has brought nocturnal animals into contact with artificial night lighting for the first time in their evolutionary history. Most amphibians have evolved activity patterns and sensory capabilities that allow them to forage and interact socially under low-illumination conditions. Thus, artificial night lighting has the potential to disrupt normal activity and behaviour of nocturnal amphibians.We will discuss the importance of low nocturnal illuminations to the physiology, ecology, behaviour, and evolution of both frogs and salamanders. We will also describe some of the demonstrated impacts of artificial night lighting on these aspects of the biology of several nocturnal amphibians. Finally, we will discuss the importance of studying the potentially subtle effects of light pollution on the ecology and evolution of nocturnal animals.

The Impact of Artificial Night Lighting on Nocturnal Amphibians (pdf)
Sharon Wise & Bryant Buchanan

Sharon Wise, Ph.D.

Sharon received her Ph.D. at the University of Louisiana. Sharon is an Assistant Professor of Biology, Department of Biology at Utica College. Prior to this current position, she was an instructor at other colleges/universities in the United States.

Sharon has co-authored several research publications, and has been an invited speaker at several seminar series. She is also a recipient of several grants and awards, including co-authoring a paper with Bryant Buchanan entitled “Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative”. Sharon is a member of the International Dark Sky Association.

Bryant W. Buchanan, Ph.D.

Bryant received his Ph.D. at the University of Louisiana. His dissertation was entitled “The Influence of the Competitive Environment on the Expression of Satellite Behaviour in Anuran Amphibians”. Since 2001, Bryant has been an Assistant Professor of Biology, Department of Biology at Utica College. Prior to that, he held other Assistant Professor of Biology posts in other colleges/universities in the United States.

Bryant has had many research, teaching and interpretive publications printed. Several grants and awards have been bestowed to him, the most recent in 2002, a research grant for “The Effect of Chronic Artificial Night Lighting on Nocturnal Activity of Amphibians”. Bryant is a member of the International Dark Sky Association.