Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra Finches
An increase in artificial night lighting has blurred the boundaries of day and night and transformed the natural day-night environment with alteration in the temporal niche of the animals. Male zebra finches were exposed to a dim light at night (dLAN) protocol (Light: dLAN, 12L = 200 lux: 12dLAN = 5...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Birds |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6004/2/4/28 |
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| author | Abhilash Prabhat Mayank Kumar Ashwani Kumar Vinod Kumar Sanjay K. Bhardwaj |
| author_facet | Abhilash Prabhat Mayank Kumar Ashwani Kumar Vinod Kumar Sanjay K. Bhardwaj |
| author_sort | Abhilash Prabhat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An increase in artificial night lighting has blurred the boundaries of day and night and transformed the natural day-night environment with alteration in the temporal niche of the animals. Male zebra finches were exposed to a dim light at night (dLAN) protocol (Light: dLAN, 12L = 200 lux: 12dLAN = 5 lux) with controls on darkness at night (Light: dark, 12L = 200 lux: 12D = 0 lux) for six weeks. We assayed sleep-wake, daily behaviors, mood, and cognition, as well as changes in physiological parameters. Dim light at night increased sleep frequency, delayed sleep onset, advanced awakening latency, and caused a reduction in total sleep duration. dLAN birds did not associate (physical association) with novel object and birds spent significantly lesser time on perch with novel object as compared to LD. In colour learning task, night illuminated birds took more time to learn and made more error, compared to LD. dLAN significantly altered the 24-h daily behavioral rhythm (amplitude and acrophase) of feeding, drinking, preening, and perch-hopping behavior. In particular, birds extended their feeding hours in the nighttime under dLAN, with no difference in total food intake. Birds under dLAN increased fattening and hence significantly increased body mass. Our results show that dim light at night altered feeding rhythm, caused decrease in sleep behavior, and negatively affected learning and memory performance in male zebra finches. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:36:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad84686c696c4a369f15fbdeb1471d69 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-6004 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:36:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Birds |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad84686c696c4a369f15fbdeb1471d692023-12-03T13:28:41ZengMDPI AGBirds2673-60042021-11-012438139410.3390/birds2040028Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra FinchesAbhilash Prabhat0Mayank Kumar1Ashwani Kumar2Vinod Kumar3Sanjay K. Bhardwaj4Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Ramgarhi, Meerut 250001, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Ramgarhi, Meerut 250001, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Ramgarhi, Meerut 250001, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, IndiaDepartment of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Ramgarhi, Meerut 250001, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAn increase in artificial night lighting has blurred the boundaries of day and night and transformed the natural day-night environment with alteration in the temporal niche of the animals. Male zebra finches were exposed to a dim light at night (dLAN) protocol (Light: dLAN, 12L = 200 lux: 12dLAN = 5 lux) with controls on darkness at night (Light: dark, 12L = 200 lux: 12D = 0 lux) for six weeks. We assayed sleep-wake, daily behaviors, mood, and cognition, as well as changes in physiological parameters. Dim light at night increased sleep frequency, delayed sleep onset, advanced awakening latency, and caused a reduction in total sleep duration. dLAN birds did not associate (physical association) with novel object and birds spent significantly lesser time on perch with novel object as compared to LD. In colour learning task, night illuminated birds took more time to learn and made more error, compared to LD. dLAN significantly altered the 24-h daily behavioral rhythm (amplitude and acrophase) of feeding, drinking, preening, and perch-hopping behavior. In particular, birds extended their feeding hours in the nighttime under dLAN, with no difference in total food intake. Birds under dLAN increased fattening and hence significantly increased body mass. Our results show that dim light at night altered feeding rhythm, caused decrease in sleep behavior, and negatively affected learning and memory performance in male zebra finches.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6004/2/4/28artificial lightzebra finchobject explorationcolour learningrhythmsleep |
| spellingShingle | Abhilash Prabhat Mayank Kumar Ashwani Kumar Vinod Kumar Sanjay K. Bhardwaj Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra Finches Birds artificial light zebra finch object exploration colour learning rhythm sleep |
| title | Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra Finches |
| title_full | Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra Finches |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra Finches |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra Finches |
| title_short | Effects of Night Illumination on Behavior, Body Mass and Learning in Male Zebra Finches |
| title_sort | effects of night illumination on behavior body mass and learning in male zebra finches |
| topic | artificial light zebra finch object exploration colour learning rhythm sleep |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6004/2/4/28 |
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