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Does artificial light pollution impair problem‐solving success in peafowl?
Author(s) -
Yorzinski Jessica L.,
Ordonez Kimberly A.,
Chema Kailey T.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ethology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.739
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-0310
pISSN - 0179-1613
DOI - 10.1111/eth.12658
Subject(s) - light pollution , pollution , artificial light , task (project management) , term (time) , environmental pollution , ecology , psychology , environmental science , biology , environmental protection , engineering , physics , illuminance , systems engineering , quantum mechanics , astronomy , optics
Behavioral innovations allow animals to adjust their behavior to solve novel problems. While innovative behavior can be important for animals living in new environments, anthropogenic pollution may limit their ability to adapt by impairing cognition or motivation. In particular, exposure to light pollution at night can cause sleep deprivation and may, therefore, hinder innovative behavior. To test this hypothesis, we examined experimentally whether exposure to acute light pollution impacts problem‐solving success in peafowl ( Pavo cristatus ). After peafowl were exposed to artificial light pollution for one night, they were presented with a problem‐solving task in which they could extract food by piercing the lid of an unfamiliar food bowl. Their problem‐solving success was unrelated to short‐term light pollution exposure. Other factors, including persistence, sex of the bird, and moon illumination, influenced their success in solving the task. The results suggest that short‐term exposure to light pollution does not limit behavioral innovation, but long‐term studies are necessary to further probe this question.