Recognition of the lunar rhythm under light polluted skies

Circa-monthly activity conducted by moonlight is observed in many species on Earth. However, due to the steadily increasing amount of artificial light at night, the periodicity is progressively disrupted. In a recently published paper, we investigate for the first time in a quantitative way the relationship between light pollution and the recognition of the circalunar variation.

Our main result (Figure 9 of the aforementioned paper), is a linear relationship between the mean zenithal night sky brightness (<NSB>) and the amplitude of the circalunar variation (see Figure below).