Direct and Ambient Light Pollution Alters Recruitment for a Diurnal Plant–Pollinator System

Synopsis Artificial light at night (ALAN) functions as a novel environmental stimulus that has the potential to disrupt interactions among species. Despite recent efforts explain nocturnal pollinators’ responses this stimulus, likelihood and associated mechanisms of attraction toward artificial consequences on fitness for diurnal pollinators are still largely unclear. Here, we took advantage obligate mutualism between yucca moths (Tegeticula maculata maculata) plants (Hesperoyucca whipplei) understand how direct exposure skyglow can influence pairwise plant–pollinator interaction. To surmise whether adult exhibit positive phototaxis, deployed set field-placed towers during peak flowering compared number caught in traps dark-controlled light-treated trials. Adult moth abundance was much higher when present, which suggests ALAN may alter moth’s activity patterns expand their temporal niche into night. evaluate effects fruit larva recruitment, measured above intensity from second towers. Both recruitment increased with skyglow, also lighting, but relationship weaker. Contrarily, did not change exposed gradient light, instead reflect physiology, such disrupted female oviposition, or misdirecting behaviors essential oviposition activity. Our results suggest positively both tightly co-evolved mutualism, benefits each species depend lighting is indirect. Whether could relate susceptibility presence other relationships will remain an important focus future research.