Artificial Light at Night Influences Clock-Gene Expression, Activity, and Fecundity in the Mosquito Culex pipiens f. molestus

Ann-Christin Honnen, Janina L. Kypke, Franz Hölker and Michael T. Monaghan
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Ann-Christin Honnen: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 301/310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
Janina L. Kypke: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 301/310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
Franz Hölker: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 301/310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
Michael T. Monaghan: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 301/310, 12587 Berlin, Germany

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 22, 1-21

Abstract: Light is an important environmental cue, and exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) may disrupt organismal physiology and behavior. We investigated whether ALAN led to changes in clock-gene expression, diel activity patterns, and fecundity in laboratory populations of the mosquito Culex pipiens f. molestus (Diptera, Culicidae), a species that occurs in urban areas and is thus regularly exposed to ALAN. Populations were kept under 16 h:8h light:dark cycles or were subjected to an additional 3.5 h of light (100–300 lx) in the evenings. ALAN induced significant changes in expression in all genes studied, either alone ( period ) or as an interaction with time ( timeless , cryptochrome2 , Clock , cycle ). Changes were sex-specific: period was down-regulated in both sexes, cycle was up-regulated in females, and Clock was down-regulated in males. ALAN-exposed mosquitoes were less active during the extra-light phase, but exposed females were more active later in the night. ALAN-exposed females also produced smaller and fewer eggs. Our findings indicate a sex-specific impact of ALAN on the physiology and behavior of Culex pipiens f. molestus and that changes in clock-gene expression, activity, and fecundity may be linked.

Keywords: Circadian clock; ALAN; Behavior; LED; Egg production; period; Clock; cycle; cryptochrome2; timeless (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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