Effect of urbanization on daily behavior and seasonal functions in vertebrates

Abstract

Most of the organisms are seasonal and live in a periodic environment and rely on external cues to optimally time their annual life history stages. The most predictable environmental cue which organisms use to time reproduction is the photoperiod, but food, temperature, and humidity may play role as a crucial factors. Urbanization is greatly increasing phenomenon and leads to change in landscape and habitat destruction for wildlife and brings extra hours of light at night (LAN), altering the natural signal of light and darkness, hence the temperature and availability of food. This artificial LAN has been implemented to affect behavior, endocrinology, and reproductive physiology and to advance seasonal reproduction in birds. Here, we review the literature available on the effects of urbanization on diverse processes of organisms with particular emphasis on avian system. We consider further research with long-term data-sets on phenological and physiological parameters from diverse group of organisms and diverse habitat is essential for better understanding of impact of global climate change on the biodiversity.

Keywords:

• Urbanization
• light at night
• photoperiod
• birds
• reproduction
• clock

Acknowledgement

Financial support to AKT from SERB New Delhi and UGC New Delhi is greatly acknowledged.