A new study led by Iowa State University researchers shows how artificial light has affected the natural seasonal processes of plants in urban regions of the United States.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed academic journal PNAS Nexus, demonstrates how urbanization affects the natural world, resulting in noticeable changes for humans, said Yuyu Zhou, associate professor of geological and atmospheric sciences at Iowa State and corresponding author of the study. For instance, the levels of artificial light during nighttime hours in urban settings alters the natural circadian rhythms of plants, lengthening pollen season for many plants in those regions. That means city dwellers who suffer from allergies may have to deal with sneezing and itchy eyes for longer portions of the year, Zhou said.
“From this study, we found urban nighttime light has significant impact on urban plant phenology,” Zhou said. “We found artificial light significantly advanced spring phenology and delayed autumn phenology in the United States.”
Zhou analyzed how urban environments affect plants in a number of ways in a correspondence article published in Nature Climate Change in April. His previous studies looked at how heat trapped in cities, known as the heat island effect, changes the seasonal cycles of plants. Researchers also have analyzed how changes in carbon dioxide concentrations and the availability of water and nutrients alter plant processes in urban environments.
Read more at: Iowa State University
Iowa State University researchers found urban nighttime light alters the natural circadian rhythms of plants. (Photo Credit: Iowa State University)