This is a general request for information about the ecological impacts of marine light pollution and anyone who may be conducting relevant research.
After quite a bit of literature review and department searching, I have found that there is an increasing demand for research on ecological impacts of artificial night lighting (especially in shallow marine ecosystems); however, I have been unable to find anyone who has begun to address the issue. I would sincerely appreciate references to researchers or literature addressing marine light pollution. To put this in context, I am having no success finding relevant faculty to potentially advise a Ph.D. on light pollution, which has left me wondering if this emerging topic really remains essentially unaddressed. I am interested in the influence of artificial lighting on community ecology dynamics, especially regarding potential changes in recruitment, settlement, habitat choice, species interactions, and physiology (i.e. maturation), as well as the economic conflict that it could create (for example between fisheries and cruise industries). Thanks for your help and insight! Cora Ann -- "Science is the process that takes us from confusion to understanding in a manner that's precise, predictive and reliable - a transformation, for those lucky enough to experience it, that is empowering and emotional. We must embark on a cultural shift that places science in its rightful place...as an indispensable part of what makes life worth living." -B. Greene
