How do light and noise pollution affect biodiversity? Experimental updates from Pianosa Island (Italy)

Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) and human-generated noise pollution (NP) are becoming increasingly common in aquatic environments, yet their combined effects on biodiversity remain poorly understood. The Horizon Europe project AquaPLAN is investigating how these pressures affect species and ecosystems, helping researchers develop science-based recommendations for future conservation and management activities.

In summer 2026, AquaPLAN carried out a large field manipulative experiment to investigate how ALAN and NP affect aquatic biodiversity along the shores of Pianosa Island, part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park and one of the Mediterranean’s most valuable, protected ecosystems.

Hosted at the CNR Pianosa Research Base (BRP-CNR), a team of researchers from the University of Pisa (UNIPI) and the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) as well as technical experts installed four experimental lighting LEDs systems provided by SALVI Lighting under the technical supervision of Chiara Carucci; and installed four experimental units that reproduced underwater noise pollution generated by recreational boats, fully designed by researchers from the Genoa Marine Centre of SZN and following ideas and suggestions by Sig. Nicola De Candussio.

The experimental set-up also allowed a team of ornithologists – Dr. Airam Rodríguez (CSIC), Nicola Baccetti (ISPRA) and Enrica Pollonara (UNIPI) – to study Scopoli’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea), a seabird species that nests on a small rocky islet off the coast of Pianosa. By fitting birds with GPS trackers, researcher will investigate whether ALAN and NP influence their movement and behaviours.

The field campaign was coordinated by Prof. Elena Maggi (UNIPI) in collaboration with senior researcher Dr. Francesca Rossi (SZN) and the activities involved the researcher Dr. Martina Mulas (UNIPI) together with colleagues from SZN (Dr. Simona Laukaityte, Guido Olivieri, Lucia Pini, Dr. Marta Maria Cecchetto) and UNIPI (Gianluca Bartoli).

The data collected will help researchers better understand how artificial light and human-generated noise affects coastal marine ecosystems and will support the development of science-based recommendations for biodiversity management across Europe.

Acknowledgements:

The experimental design of the night lighting systems were supervised by Chiara Carucci (member of the Stakeholder Innovation Board) and provided by SALVI Lighting, a Spanish manufacturer specialising in sustainable outdoor and solar-powered lighting solutions, who provided an in-kind technical contribution under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Biology of the UNIPI.

The AquaPLAN team on Pianosa Island. Researchers and collaborators involved in the July 2026 fieldwork campaign ready for nocturnal sampling. From left to right: Chiara Carucci (SIB member), Francesca Rossi (Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn), Lucia Pini (Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn), Fabio Agostinelli (Elba Diving Center), Martina Mulas (University of Pisa), Marta Cecchetto (Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn) and Elena Maggi (University of Pisa).

Field work. Data collection on sea urchins during AquaPLAN experiment on Pianosa Island, investigating the combined impacts of artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise on coastal biodiversity.

Experimental lighting system at dusk. (a) Close-up of the lamp covered by Martina Mulas (University of Pisa) with cardboard shortly before sunset during tests designed to evaluate light intensity and spectral conditions. (b) Detail of the lamp during operation. (c) Distant nighttime view showing the light emitted by the lamp under field conditions.

Experimental anthropogenic noise manipulation system set-up. a The left photo shows the underwater deployment with the hydrophone (bottom left) to record the manipulated soundscape and the underwater speaker. The underwater system is connected to the land-based control system shown on the right b), housing a battery, transformer, and amplifier placed inside a waterproof case and powered by solar panels.

Pianosa Island study site. From top to bottom: La Scola Islet with Montecristo Island in the background; view of Cala Giovanna; University of Pisa vehicle near the entrance to the prison area on Pianosa Island.

Nocturnal lightscape in Pianosa island. From top to bottom: rising moon and night sky at the BRP-CNR facility.

GPS-tagged shearwater – Airam Rodríguez (CSIC) holding a Scopoli’s shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) equipped with a GPS tracker for movement monitoring.