Artificial Night Lighting Outweighs Temperature in Extending Urban Growing Seasons

Artificial light at night outweighs temperature in lengthening urban growing seasons

Plant growing seasons are largely regulated by light and temperature. Cities are increasingly hot (higher air temperature), from the urban heat island effect, and bright (artificial light at night, ALAN). However, the relative effect of heat and light on the timing of plant growth events, called phenology, is unclear, limiting our understanding under climate change and urbanization. Here we used multiple satellite observations of 428 Northern He…

Bright city lights are bringing spring forward and pushing autumn back

Light pollution affects plants as if it were the Sun, accelerating the sprouting of leaves and postponing their fall

Artificial light in big cities is extending the growing season of urban plants, satellite observations show

Artificial light may be lengthening the growing season in urban environments by as much as 3 weeks compared to rural areas, according to an analysis of satellite data from 428 urban centers in the Northern Hemisphere over 7 years, published in Nature Cities.