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Abstract:
Artificial light at night (ALAN) can have negative impacts on the health of humans and ecosystems.1, 2, 3, 4 Marine organisms, including coral reefs in particular, rely on the natural light cycles of sunlight and moonlight to regulate various physiological, biological, and behavioral processes.5, 6, 7, 8 Here, we demonstrate that light pollution caused delayed gametogenesis and unsynchronized gamete release in two coral species, Acropora millepora and Acropora digitifera, from the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Given the urbanization along major coasts, light pollution could thus further threaten coral communities’ populations, which are already under severe degradation. A worldwide-modeled light pollution impact assessment is provided, which can help incorporate an important variable in coral reef conservation planning.
