Journal of Ecology and Environment

The Ecological Society of Korea (한국생태학회)
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Changes in nocturnal insect communities in forest-dominated landscape relevant to artificial light intensity

  • Lee, Hakbong (Restoration Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Cho, Yong-Chan (Restoration Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Jung, Sang-Woo (DASARI Research Institute of BioResources) ;
  • Kim, Yoon-Ho (DASARI Research Institute of BioResources) ;
  • Lee, Seung-Gyu (Animal Resources Division, National Institute of Biological Resources)
  • Received : 2021.10.19
  • Accepted : 2021.11.11
  • Published : 2021.12.31
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Abstract

Background: Artificial light at night has recently been identified as a major factor adversely affecting global insect diversity. Here, we compared the insect diversity in Gwangneung Forest Biosphere Reserve, specifically in the Korea National Arboretum (with no artificial light at night), with that of three nearby urban sites with a gradient of artificial light at night (five locations at each site). We analyzed the effects of the artificial night lighting index, mean annual temperature, and field light intensity (lux) at night on the insect community structure. Results: The urban sites generally exhibited higher species richness and abundance as well as clear indicator species compared with the control site. The size distribution of the collected insects markedly differed between the control and the three urban sites. The abundance of herbivorous and omnivorous insects increased and decreased, respectively, with the increase in light intensity. Species richness of herbivorous and omnivorous insects was likely correlated with the field light intensity at night and artificial night lighting index, respectively. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the association between nighttime environment and marked changes in insect community structure and revealed consequent transition of ecosystem services by changes in trophic group composition.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We thank Kim Han-Gyul and Jung Songhie for data preparation and sincerely thank Professor Lim Jongok for providing pertinent information on the trophic groups of the collected insects.

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