Meeting Abstract

62-5   09:00 - 09:15  Does artificial light at night exposure affect stress tolerance? Bonfoey, AM*; Stahlschmidt, ZR; University of the Pacific; University of the Pacific zstahlschmidt@pacific.edu http://stahlschmidtlab.weebly.com/

Many global regions are experiencing warmer, drier environments leaving animals increasingly vulnerable to heat and desiccation stress. Animals’ stress tolerance may be further tested by features of human-altered environments—for example, nearly one-quarter of land surfaces worldwide are exposed to artificial light at night (ALAN) or ecological light pollution. Across animal taxa, ALAN alters hormone levels and behavior. However, the effects of ALAN on stress tolerance are unknown, and results related to ALAN’s role in development and life history are mixed. Therefore, we manipulated light regime (ALAN vs. dark night conditions) during nymphal development in the variable field cricket (Gryllus lineaticeps), which exhibits a wing dimorphism that mediates life-history strategy—flight-capable long-winged crickets delay reproductive investment whereas short-winged crickets lack flight capability but exhibit greater reproductive investment during early adulthood. We examined development (survival to adulthood, duration of development, and functional asymmetry), adult size (femur length and body mass), life history trait investment (gonad mass and flight muscle status), and tolerance to stress (heat tolerance: time to knockdown at 45°C desiccation tolerance: duration of survival without water access). By determining the role of ALAN in stress tolerance, development, and life history, our results will clarify animals’ sensitivity to an increasingly prevalent environmental factor.