Call for papers - Light pollution and its impact on human health and wildlife

Guest Editors:

Ulrika Candolin, PhD, University of Helsinki, Finland
Tommaso Filippini, PhD, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 1 September 2024

BMC Environmental Science is calling for submissions to our Collection on Light pollution and its impact on human health and wildlife. Light pollution caused by excessive or poor use of artificial outdoor light, is a multifaceted problem that affects 83% of the human population. Almost a quarter of the earth’s land mass is affected by skyglow, reducing the visibility of stars and other celestial objects. However, the consequences of light pollution go far beyond the loss of a beautiful, starry night. It substantially contributes to the climate emissions, affects human health, wildlife and whole ecosystems.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG #3: Good health and well-being, SDG #14: Life below water, SDG #15: Life on land.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Ulrika Candolin, PhD, University of Helsinki, Finland
Dr Ulrika Candolin is a Professor at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Her research focuses on the responses of organisms to human-induced environmental changes, especially on behavioral responses and how these in turn influence population dynamics, community composition and ecosystem processes. Important aims are to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the expected consequences in order to facilitate the development of efficient mitigating strategies. Her recent research has focussed on the impact of light pollution on various organisms, from glowworms to aquatic invertebrates and fishes.

Tommaso Filippini, PhD, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
Dr Tommaso Filippini is Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Hygiene and Public Health at the Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences and the Medical School, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy; Affiliate researcher of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. He is performing active research in Toxicology, Public Health and Environmental Epidemiology, focusing on the environmental and dietary determinants of chronic disease, particularly neurodegenerative diseases, childhood cancer and cardiovascular disease.

About the Collection

BMC Environmental Science is calling for submissions to our Collection on Light pollution and its impact on human health and wildlife.

Light pollution caused by excessive or poor use of artificial outdoor light, is a multifaceted problem that affects 83% of the human population. Almost a quarter of the earth’s land mass is affected by skyglow, reducing the visibility of stars and other celestial objects. However, the consequences of light pollution go far beyond the loss of a beautiful, starry night. It substantially contributes to the climate emissions, affects human health, wildlife and whole ecosystems.

This Collection aims to collate original research articles that investigate the effects of light pollution on human health and wildlife. Potential topics can include, but are not limited to the following:

Impacts on human health: disruptions to circadian rhythms and melatonin production, which can lead to health issues such as fatigue, headaches, insomnia, obesity, mental health disorders and an increased occurrence of cancer.
Effects on wildlife: disruptions to migration patterns, breeding behaviour, and feeding habits.
Impact on ecosystems: changes in predator-prey dynamics, alterations in plant and animal interactions, and shifts in biodiversity.
Astronomical observations: quantification and changes over time of light pollution (e.g., through satellites and remote sensing techniques), finding optimal locations for observatories.
Economic impact: energy wastage associated with excessive outdoor lighting and potential savings from implementing more efficient lighting practices as well as implementation of new policies and their economic impact to lower light pollution.
Technological solutions: development of smart lighting systems, motion sensors, and energy-efficient light sources.
Urban planning and design: effectiveness of zoning regulations, use of shielded lighting fixtures, and the implementation of "dark sky" friendly technologies.

This collection supports and amplifies research related to Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good health and Well-being, 14: Life Below Water, and 15: Life on Land.

Image credit: ipopba /stock.adobe.com

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Light pollution and its impact on human health and wildlife" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.