Landscape analysis of the effects of artificial lighting around wetland habitats on the giant water bug lethocerus deyrollei in jeju Island

Abstract

We conducted a landscape analysis to investigate the possibility of adverse effects of anthropogenic light sources, such as roads and residential buildings, on Lethocerus deyrollei on Jeju Island. Wetlands inhabited by L. deyrollei had fewer anthropogenic structures within a 3 km radius that had the potential to produce artificial light at night than wetlands not inhabited by L. deyrollei. In particular, the presence of artificial lights within a 1 km radius appears to reduce the probability of inhabitation by L. deyrollei. Our results suggest that artificial light sources may be critical determinants of L. deyrollei inhabitation patterns in a landscape, and that habitats that have a buffer area of at least 600̃700 m radius free from residential buildings are the most appropriate habitats for L. deyrollei.