Effects of artificial light pollution and drought on a herbivore

Herbivore-plant interactions are significantly influenced by global environmental stressors, which usually occur simultaneously in natural ecosystems. These can influence herbivores both directly and indirectly through changes in the plant consumed. Artificial light at night is an anthropogenic environmental stressor whose intensity has increased significantly in recent decades. However, the direct effects on insects, especially diurnal species, have been little studied to date. Drought stress alters numerous plant characteristics and thus indirectly influences herbivores. Previous research has mainly focussed on leaves, while flowers as a food source have been much less studied. The aim of this project is therefore to investigate how artificial nocturnal lighting and drought stress individually and in combination affect the behaviour, metabolism and development of the turnip sawfly Athalia rosae.