Advisor: Günter Gollmann

Master's Defensio - Wednesday, March 25th 2026, 10:00
Seminarroom 1.2, UBB, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna 

Abstract

Light pollution has increased 6% per year over the last six decades, impacting over 20% of the Earth’s surface and leading most of the human population to live in light polluted areas. Past research indicates a variety of effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) on the physiology, morphology and behavior of different vertebrates and invertebrates. Amphibians are already the most threatened vertebrate group, and as mostly nocturnal animals the disruption of the natural light-dark cycle may endanger them even more. In this study, we investigated the influence of ALAN on the survival, development and growth as well as shape of European green toad tadpoles. Individuals were raised under laboratory conditions. The experimental group was subjected to constant light exposure, with stronger illumination during the day and dimmed light at night, whereas the control group received identical daytime lighting but no light during the night. Larvae reared under continuous light had a significantly higher mortality over time than larvae that were kept in full darkness at night. Additionally, tadpoles from the light group exhibited longer bodies and lower body-to-tail ratios compared to individuals from the control group. Our findings support previous studies and highlight the impact light pollution has on early anuran development, potentially affecting adult individuals and whole populations.