| Records |
Author  |
Clark, G.F.; Stark, J.S.; Johnston, E.L.; Runcie, J.W.; Goldsworthy, P.M.; Raymond, B.; Riddle, M.J. |
| Title |
Light-driven tipping points in polar ecosystems |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2013 |
Publication |
Global Change Biology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Glob Chang Biol |
| Volume |
19 |
Issue |
12 |
Pages |
3749-3761 |
| Keywords |
Ecology; benthic; biodiversity; irradiance; macroalgae; marine ecology; polar; regime shift |
| Abstract |
Some ecosystems can undergo abrupt transformation in response to relatively small environmental change. Identifying imminent 'tipping points' is crucial for biodiversity conservation, particularly in the face of climate change. Here, we describe a tipping point mechanism likely to induce widespread regime shifts in polar ecosystems. Seasonal snow and ice-cover periodically block sunlight reaching polar ecosystems, but the effect of this on annual light depends critically on the timing of cover within the annual solar cycle. At high latitudes, sunlight is strongly seasonal, and ice-free days around the summer solstice receive orders of magnitude more light than those in winter. Early melt that brings the date of ice-loss closer to midsummer will cause an exponential increase in the amount of sunlight reaching some ecosystems per year. This is likely to drive ecological tipping points in which primary producers (plants and algae) flourish and out-compete dark-adapted communities. We demonstrate this principle on Antarctic shallow seabed ecosystems, which our data suggest are sensitive to small changes in the timing of sea-ice loss. Algae respond to light thresholds that are easily exceeded by a slight reduction in sea-ice duration. Earlier sea-ice loss is likely to cause extensive regime shifts in which endemic shallow-water invertebrate communities are replaced by algae, reducing coastal biodiversity and fundamentally changing ecosystem functioning. Modeling shows that recent changes in ice and snow cover have already transformed annual light budgets in large areas of the Arctic and Antarctic, and both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are likely to experience further significant change in light. The interaction between ice-loss and solar irradiance renders polar ecosystems acutely vulnerable to abrupt ecosystem change, as light-driven tipping points are readily breached by relatively slight shifts in the timing of snow and ice-loss. |
| Address |
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia |
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
1354-1013 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
PMID:23893603 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
LoNNe @ kagoburian @ |
Serial |
850 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Collison, F.M.; Poe, K. |
| Title |
“Astronomical Tourism”: The Astronomy and Dark Sky Program at Bryce Canyon National Park |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2013 |
Publication |
Tourism Management Perspectives |
Abbreviated Journal |
Tourism Management Perspectives |
| Volume |
7 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
1-15 |
| Keywords |
Astronomy-related tourism; National parks; Night sky darkness; astrotourism; dark skies |
| Abstract |
Astronomical tourism represents a less-studied segment of sustainable tourism, where a dark night sky is the underlying resource. This article evaluates an astronomical tourism program, in this case at a national park with dark skies for observing. Bryce Canyon National Park (BCNP) in the southwestern United States has a well-developed astronomy program to serve visitors. The program consists of solar viewing during the day, multimedia evening programs, and night-time star gazing with telescopes. Depending on the specific measure used, it appears that up to 10% of park visitors may be involved with the formal Astronomy and Dark Sky Program and/or more informal astronomy activities. BCNP appears well positioned to take advantage of the dark sky attributes of the park and to educate visitors about the importance of maintaining and/or increasing the darkness of night skies. Potential future developments in the program may serve to further increase the number of visitors to BCNP. |
| Address |
School of Travel Industry Management, 1901 Ruby Lane, Liberty, MO 64068; collison(at)hawaii.edu |
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
2211-9736 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
128 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Conci, A. |
| Title |
SQM-PI:helping asronomers to measure light pollution |
Type |
Book Whole |
| Year |
2013 |
Publication |
Universita Trento |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
| Volume |
|
Issue |
|
Pages |
|
| Keywords |
Remote Sensing |
| Abstract |
|
| Address |
|
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
Master's thesis |
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
|
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
LoNNe @ kagoburian @ |
Serial |
917 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Czeisler, C.A. |
| Title |
Perspective: casting light on sleep deficiency |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2013 |
Publication |
Nature |
Abbreviated Journal |
Nature |
| Volume |
497 |
Issue |
7450 |
Pages |
S13 |
| Keywords |
Human Health; Circadian Rhythm/physiology/radiation effects; Electricity/adverse effects; Humans; Jet Lag Syndrome/etiology/physiopathology/therapy; Lighting/*adverse effects; Melatonin/metabolism/secretion; Phototherapy; Sleep Deprivation/epidemiology/*etiology/*physiopathology/therapy; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus/physiology/radiation effects |
| Abstract |
|
| Address |
Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. charles_czeisler@hms.harvard.edu |
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
0028-0836 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
PMID:23698501 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
LoNNe @ christopher.kyba @ |
Serial |
499 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Dacke, M.; Baird, E.; Byrne, M.; Scholtz, C.H.; Warrant, E.J. |
| Title |
Dung beetles use the Milky Way for orientation |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2013 |
Publication |
Current Biology : CB |
Abbreviated Journal |
Curr Biol |
| Volume |
23 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
298-300 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Beetles/*physiology; *Behavior, Animal; Cues; Feces; *Galaxies; Locomotion; Moon; Motor Activity; Orientation/*physiology; *Stars, Celestial; Vision, Ocular/physiology; Milky Way; insects |
| Abstract |
When the moon is absent from the night sky, stars remain as celestial visual cues. Nonetheless, only birds, seals, and humans are known to use stars for orientation. African ball-rolling dung beetles exploit the sun, the moon, and the celestial polarization pattern to move along straight paths, away from the intense competition at the dung pile. Even on clear moonless nights, many beetles still manage to orientate along straight paths. This led us to hypothesize that dung beetles exploit the starry sky for orientation, a feat that has, to our knowledge, never been demonstrated in an insect. Here, we show that dung beetles transport their dung balls along straight paths under a starlit sky but lose this ability under overcast conditions. In a planetarium, the beetles orientate equally well when rolling under a full starlit sky as when only the Milky Way is present. The use of this bidirectional celestial cue for orientation has been proposed for vertebrates, spiders, and insects, but never proven. This finding represents the first convincing demonstration for the use of the starry sky for orientation in insects and provides the first documented use of the Milky Way for orientation in the animal kingdom. |
| Address |
Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden. marie.dacke@biol.lu.se |
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
0960-9822 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
PMID:23352694 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
116 |
| Permanent link to this record |
