- Chuck Smith
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Effects of night sky brightness on the movement and foraging behavior of Eastern Black-tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus ornatus)
Tipton, Anna F.
Montoya, Matthew
Department of Biology
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas USA
Cruz, Angelie Flores
University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras
601 Av. Universidad
San Juan, 00925, Puerto Rico
Mata-Silva, Vivente
Department of Biology
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas USA
Natural light cycles have remained unchanged for long periods of geological time. As such, many aspects of an organism’s biology are regulated by environmental cues associated with both the consistent diel and seasonal light regimes. With globally increasing anthropogenic light pollution, the resulting disruption of light cycles could have far-reaching implications across taxa. Rattlesnakes are one group that is likely to be impacted by disruptions to the diel light cycle. In desert systems, rattlesnakes are largely active at night, and they rely on crypsis to remain undetected by both their predators and prey. Therefore, uncharacteristically bright skies resulting from artificial light sources could impact the snakes’ ability to blend into the surroundings and subsequently alter foraging and movement behavior. Using radio telemetry and accelerometry monitoring of Eastern Black-tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus ornatus) within the Franklin Mountains State Park, one of the largest urban green spaces in the United States, we aim to elucidate the relationship between night sky brightness, ambush site selection, and daily movement patterns. Preliminary results show no significant effect of night sky brightness on ambush site selection or overall surface activity; however, the ongoing sampling in addition to more robust statistical analyses will provide better insight into the relationship between night sky brightness, foraging behavior, and the spatial and temporal movement patterns of C. ornatus.