Light Pollution May Promote the Spread of West Nile Virus

Robby Schetlick

Ippolito

AP Biology CE 14

January 18 2018

Citation:  Elizabeth Pennisi Jan. 9, 2018, 4:55 PM, et al. “Light Pollution May Promote the Spread of West Nile Virus.” Science | AAAS, Sciencemag.org, 9 Jan. 2018, www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/light-pollution-may-promote-spread-west-nile-virus.

In this article by Sciencemag.org, Elizabeth Pennisi discusses new biology research into the effects of light pollution on surrounding ecosystems. Specifically, new research into how light pollution is likely affecting the spread of the West Nile Virus. Meredith Kernbach, an eco immunologist at the University of South Florida in Tampa, performed an experiment with 50 birds to measure the effects of the light pollution claiming that“ ...birds play such a key role in West Nile epidemiology…” because they indirectly spread the disease when mosquitoes drink their blood. Half of the birds were kept in dim lit cages, while the others were in total darkness. All birds were infected with the disease. While both groups had nearly half of the sparrows die and become infectious after 2 days, the birds exposed to light did not show any worse symptoms. However, they did remain infectious for 4 days, twice as long as the dark group! This is dangerous because it could result. Kernbach concludes that as a result “we expect to have greater [disease] transmission in urban areas.” Initial testing revealed that the exact cause of the effects of light was not linked to stress hormones, but instead to melatonin which can have an effect on immune responses.

The article is important to our society because it is an example of how advancements in human technology can directly affect and cause large changes to our environment. This is especially dangerous if we are not careful as Clinton Francis, an ecologist at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, claims. “The ways that we influence sensory environments”—whether it’s with sound or light”—can have all sorts of unintended consequences…” If an important invention like artificial lighting can indirectly increase the risk of disease in urban areas, it opens up limitless possibilities of how every little change to human lifestyle could affect our world for better or worse. It will be our responsibility from this point onwards to make sure we fully research and understand the environmental impacts of changes in our lifestyles so that we don’t accidentally harm or ruin our environment.

The article is of a high quality because it is compact, efficient, and an interesting read. It makes up for its length with photos and effective information transmission of the reader. The article could be improved by tightening it up through eliminating irrelevant parts. For example, in the beginning of the article, scientists involved with the study are quoted on their opinions about the research study. Although this may be helpful to improve the credibility of the study, given that they are uninvolved with the study whatsoever it feels out of place for the article. Adding more detail about the research into the exact effects of the light pollution on melatonin would also improve the reading experience.