PI006
Light in the ocean: From fundamental driver to emerging change - drivers, impacts and monitoring changing marine lightscapes

Session ID#: 259673

Session Description:
Light is fundamental to life in the ocean, shaping everything from photosynthesis and food webs to predator-prey interactions, migration patterns, and biological clocks. However, marine lightscapes—the natural patterns of underwater light—are undergoing rapid and unprecedented change. Coastal darkening, artificial light at night (ALAN), and sea ice loss are altering light intensity, spectral composition, and timing, with cascading effects across ecosystems.

This session explores the drivers, dynamics, and ecological consequences of changing underwater light regimes. We invite interdisciplinary contributions spanning ocean optics, microbial ecology, marine biology, environmental physics, and coastal management. Topics may include remote sensing and in situ monitoring, ecological modeling, biological feedback to ocean optics, and the role of light in shaping ecosystem structure and function. Emphasis will be placed on research that integrates spatial and temporal scales—from estuaries to ocean basins and from historical change to future projections—as well as studies that link science with policy or stakeholder engagement. By illuminating how altered light environments interact with climate and land-use change, this session aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and inform evidence-based strategies for managing and conserving aquatic ecosystems in a rapidly changing world.

Co-Sponsor(s):
  • Climate and Ocean Change -
  • Marine Ecology and Biodiversity -
  • Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry -
Index Terms:

0422 Bio-optics [BIOGEOSCIENCES]
0438 Diel, seasonal, and annual cycles [BIOGEOSCIENCES]
1635 Oceans [GLOBAL CHANGE]
4815 Ecosystems, structure, dynamics, and modeling [OCEANOGRAPHY: BIOLOGICAL]
Student/Early Career Chair:  Helena Frazao, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Rostock, Germany
Primary Chair:  Anders Opdal, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Co-chairs:  Bronwyn E Cahill, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Rostock, Germany, Tom J. Langbehn, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway and Laura Hobbs, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom
 
Redefining the Photic Zone: Beyond the Autotroph-Centric View of Light in the Ocean (1892915)
Timothy James Smyth, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, Devon, UNITED KINGDOM and Thomas W Davies, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
 
Light climate and diel vertical migration of Calanus finmarchicus in a CDOM-rich Scottish fjord: fine-scale observations and seasonal patterns (2016603)
Kay Ihle1, Kim Last1, David McKee2,3, Sören Häfker4, Håkon Sandven5 and Laura Hobbs1,6, (1)Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom, (2)University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom, (3)The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway, (4)Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany, (5)University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, (6)UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Tromsø, Norway
 
Diel Transcriptomic Rhythmicity of the key zooplankton species Calanus finmarchicus in the Norwegian Sea (2016615)
Sören Häfker1, Paul O. Wulf2, Kay Ihle3, Pierre Priou4, Kim Last3, David McKee5, Laura Hobbs3 and Kristin Tessmar-Raible2, (1)Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany, (2)University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, (3)Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom, (4)Akvaplan-niva, Tronsø, Norway, (5)University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
 
The extent of ship light footprints influencing organisms in the Polar Night (2017937)
Emlyn Davies1, David McKee2, Bernhard Schartmüller3, Maxime Geoffroy4, Jørgen Berge3, Tom J. Langbehn5, Malin Daase6, Kim Last7 and Jonathan Cohen8, (1)SINTEF Ocean, Trondheim, Norway, (2)University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom, (3)University in Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway, (4)Marine Institute of Memorial University, Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research, St. John's, NF, Canada, (5)University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, (6)University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway, (7)Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom, (8)University of Delaware, School of Marine Science and Policy, Lewes, United States
 
Wrack stranded on the beach may limit the impact of Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) pollution on beach-dwelling epifauna (2019015)
Roberta Minetti1, Elena Desiderà1,2, Paolo Guidetti1,2 and Francesca Rossi3, (1)Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Genoa, Italy, (2)National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy, (3)Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Genoa Marine Centre, Genoa, Italy
 
Sea Ice Loss Deepens Diel Vertical Migrations of Arctic Zooplankton (2019405)
Elsa Ripayre1, Laura Hobbs2,3, Kim Last2 and Malin Daase3,4, (1)Sorbonne Université, Paris, France, (2)Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom, (3)UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Tromsø, Norway, (4)The University Centre in Svalbard, Department of Arctic Biology, Longyearbyen, Norway
 
Zooplankton thin layers and body size-dependent DVM resolved by an autonomous Zooglider in the western Mediterranean Sea (2022227)
Mark D Ohman1, Sven Gastauer2,3 and Jeffrey S Ellen3,4, (1)Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States, (2)Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries, Thünen, Germany, (3)Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, United States, (4)Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, United States
 
IMPACTS OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AT NIGHT ON PELAGIC ECOSYSTEMS IN EUROPEAN SEAS (2023045)
Julia Farkas1, Dr. Muriel DUnn2, Kim Last3, Jonathan Cohen4, Emlyn Davies5, David McKee6, Bjarne Kvæstad7, Andreas Hageman5, Malin Daase8, Maxime Geoffroy9, Tom J. Langbehn10, Kai Wirtz11, Martin Hieronymi12, Laura Hobbs3, Alison Cook13, Kathrin Kopke14, Tymon Zielinski15, Miroslaw Darecki15, Andrew Clive Banks16 and Rüdiger Röttgers17, (1)SINTEF Ocean, Trondheim, NORWAY, (2)SINTEF Ocean, Tromsø, Norway, (3)Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom, (4)University of Delaware, School of Marine Science and Policy, Lewes, United States, (5)SINTEF Ocean, Trondheim, Norway, (6)University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom, (7)SINTEF Ocean, Trondeim, Norway, (8)University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway, (9)Marine Institute of Memorial University, Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research, St. John's, NF, Canada, (10)University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, (11)Helmholtz-Zentrum hereon, Geesthacht, Germany, (12)Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geestacht, Germany, (13)SAMS, Oban, United Kingdom, (14)University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, (15)Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland, (16)HCMR Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Crete, Greece, (17)Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany
 
The Role of Colored Dissolved Organic Matter in the Ice-covered Arctic Ocean Lightscape (2023956)
Håkon Sandven, University of Bergen, Department of Physics and Technology, Bergen, Norway, David McKee, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom, Rafael Gonçalves-Araujo, Technical University of Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Lyngby, Denmark and Mats A Granskog, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
 
Clock-based Timing Aids Polar Adaptation in Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba) (2026431)
Lukas Hüppe, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Polar Biological Oceanography, Bremerhaven, Germany, Dominik Bahlburg, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany, Charlotte Helfrich-Förster, University of Würzburg, Neurobiology and Genetics, Würzburg, Germany and Bettina Meyer, Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg; Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, Oldenburg, Germany
 
Large-Scale Patterns and Variability of Diel Vertical Migration in Antarctic Krill (2026691)
Dominik Bahlburg, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany, Mei Xue, College of Marine Living Resource Science and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China, Sebastian Menze, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway, Tom J. Langbehn, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Abigail J.R. Smith, Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Australia, Bjørn Arne Krafft, Institute for Marine Research, Bergen, Norway and Bettina Meyer, Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
 
Indicators of Changing Lightscapes in Underwater Marine Ecosystems (ISOLUME) (2027155)
Bronwyn E Cahill1, Peter Croot2, Miroslaw Darecki3, Thomas W Davies4, Alan Deidun5, Adam Gauci5, Helene Frigstad6, Franz Hölker7, Mark Johnson8, Marta Moyano9, Andreas Jechow10, Anders Opdal11, Piotr Kowalczuk3, Timothy James Smyth12, Oliver Zielinski13, Sabine Schlacke14 and Markus Venohr7, (1)Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Rostock, Germany, (2)University of Galway, School of Natural Sciences, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Galway, Ireland, (3)Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland, (4)University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom, (5)University of Malta, Msida, Malta, (6)Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway, (7)Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Community and Ecosystem Ecology, Berlin, Germany, (8)University of Galway, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, Galway, Ireland, (9)Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, Oslo, Norway, (10)Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Brandenburg, Germany, (11)University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, (12)Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, Devon, UNITED KINGDOM, (13)Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemuende, Rostock, Germany, (14)University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
 
Lights in the Dark: How Surface Irradiance Relates to Bioluminescent Organism Dynamics in the Mediterranean Sea (2031488)
Andrea Hay1, Jeanne Maingot-Lépée1, Nagib Bhairy1, Christopher Luneau2, Jean-Luc Fuda1, Frederic Jourdain3 and Séverine Martini1, (1)Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France, (2)OSU Pytheas, Marseille, France, (3)Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine (SHOM), Brest, France
 
Light sensitivity of hydrothermal vent shrimp eyes (2031555)
Jonathan Cohen1, Rebecca LeBlanc1, Tamara M Frank2, Heather Bracken-Grissom3 and Sonke Johnsen4, (1)University of Delaware, School of Marine Science and Policy, Lewes, United States, (2)Nova Southeastern University, Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center, Dania Beach, United States, (3)Florida International University, North Miami, FL, UNITED STATES, (4)Duke University, Department of Biology, Durham, United States
 
Weak dependence on chlorophyll concentration of the absorption of colored dissolved organic matter in the Southern Ocean (2032680)
David Antoine, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia, Juan Li, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada and Yannick Huot, University of Sherbrooke, Remote sensing, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
 
The optical properties of Norwegian fjords influenced by glacial meltwater or a coccolithophore bloom (2033567)
Arne Skodvin Kristoffersen, Elinor Tessin, Håkon Sandven, Børge Hamre, Yi-Chun Chen and Svein Rune Erga, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
 
Deep Fjords are Excellent Natural Infrastructure for Climate Impact Studies (2033981)
Anne Gro Vea Salvanes, University of Bergen, Department of Biological Sciences, Bergen, Norway and ND Gallo, MR Solås, F Saltalamacchia, DL Aksnes, E Darelius, S Christiansen, A Folkvord, A Hosia, S Kaartvedt, L Levin, K Limburg, L Martell, F Midtøy, M Myksvoll, B Risebrobakken, H Savolainen, J Skadal, A Staby
 
Light as a control on pico and nanoplankton abundance and distribution in Irish Marine Transitional Waters (2035697)
Peter L Croot1, Rachel Cave2, Maija Iris Heller2, Tiernan Henry2, Sheena Fennell2, Nadeeka Rathnayake2, Fatimatuj Zohara Sonny2 and Dagmar Stengel3, (1)iCRAG (Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences), Earth and Ocean Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland, (2)University of Galway, Earth and Ocean Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, Galway, Ireland, (3)University of Galway, Botany and Plant Science, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, Galway, Ireland
 
Have myctophids selectivity towards bioluminescent prey? (2036082)
Eva García Seoane1,2, Ingrid Hornnes3, Monica Martinussen2, Tom J. Langbehn3, Christian Jørgensen3 and Webjørn Melle4, (1)Møreforsking, Ålesund, Norway, (2)Institute of Marine Research Bergen, Bergen, Norway, (3)University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, (4)Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
 
Marine Lightscapes require a Holistic Perspective (2038996)
Oliver Zielinski, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Rostock, Germany
 
Novel fish ranching with natural plankton feed attracted by artificial light. (2040082)
Øyvind Fiksen, University of Bergen, Bergen, NORWAY
 
Is the Northwest European Shelf Getting Darker? A Trend Analysis of Two Decades of Optically Active Water Constituents and Their Drivers. (2040173)
Lenka Fronkova1, Tiago Silva1, Jon Barry1, Elisa Capuzzo1, Jennifer Graham1, Naomi Greenwood1, Kate Collingridge1, Richard Harrod1, Roi Martinez1, Michelle Devlin1 and Miguel Ferreira-Lima2, (1)Center for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, United Kingdom, (2)University of the West of England Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
 
The Hyperspectral Bio-Optical Observations Sailing on Tara (HyperBOOST) dataset: relevance for the development and validation of coastal and oceanic satellite products in European waters. (2043627)
Vittorio Brando1, Federico Falcini1, Christian Marchese1, Margherita Costanzo1, Luis Gonzalez Vilas1, Victor Martinez-Vicente2, Tom Jordan2, David Doxaran3, Chiara Santinelli4, Emmanuel Boss5, Marie-Helene Rio6, Javier Alonso Concha7 and Colomban de Vargas8, (1)Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto di Scienze Marine (ISMAR), Rome, Italy, (2)Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, United Kingdom, (3)Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, CNRS/SU, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, (4)Biophysics Institute, National Research Council (CNR-IBF), Pisa, Italy, (5)University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences, Orono, United States, (6)European Space Research Institute, Frascati, Italy, (7)European Space Research Institute, European Space Agency, Frascati, Italy, (8)Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, AD2M ECOMAP, Roscoff, France
 
In-situ Measurements of Particle Volume Scattering Functions and a Simple Model Linking <0.2 µm Contributions to Bulk Backscattering in the Oceans (2048244)
Yuanheng Xiong, the University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, United States and Xiaodong Zhang, University of Southern Mississippi, Marine Science, Stennis Space Center, United States
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