Journal Volume 19, June-July 2018 INDEX Sr. Page Name of the Research Paper Author No. No. 1 Ecological Light Pollution- Causes And Effects Arunima Bhattacharya 1-4 Genesis And Morphology of Coastal Potholes and Depressions : 2 Dr. Ajay Kamble 5-10 A Case Study From North Konkan, Maharashtra Analysis of Trends And Causes For Variations of Fluvial Dynamics Dr. Rajesh Kumar Mahato 3 And Sedimentation Behavior In Sapt Kosi River Basin of Bihar 11-17 Dr. Satyapriya Mahato Plain (India) And Mountainous Region of Eastern Nepal. Spatial Variations in Agricultural Productivity of Koppal District in 4 Dr. Basavaraj R. Bagade 18-23 Karnataka State Samsul Hoque Chronological and Chorological Dimensions of Literacy in Malda 5 A K M Anwaruzzaman 24-30 District with Special Reference to Gender Gap Nuruzzaman Kasemi Impact of PMGSY on Socio-Economic Development : A Case Rentu Biswas 6 Study of Chandpur- Kushabaria Road, MurshidabadTHE KOKAN GEOGRAPHERDistrict, West 31-39 A K M Anwaruzzaman Bengal Impact of Irrigation on Agricultural Productivity of Boro Paddy in 7 Subhasis Mondal 40-47 Bolpur Sub- Division Industrial Scenario and Potentialities of Industrial Development of Dr. Sanjib Majumder 8 Hooghly Industrial Region With Special Reference to Hooghly 48-55 Sandip Saha District Nanasaheb P. Kamble Survey of Avian Diversity in Selected Area (Kudal And Kankavli Bhagyashri K. Parab 9 56-60 Taluka) of Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra State, India Manish M. Joil Janvi P. Keluskar A Geographical Perspective of Spatio –Temporal Trend In Sex 10 Mr. Shridhar Pednekar 61-65 Ratio A Study Of Palghar District: 1981-2011‟ Kavita Saini 11 Spatio- Temporal Analysis of Social Crimes in Haryana 66-69 Sunil Kumar 12 jktLFkku esa i;ZVu % ,d fo'ys"k.kkRed v/;;u Dr. Abhay Krishna Singh 70-77 13 tSo fofo/krk gkzl ,oa laj{k.k % ,d HkkSxksfyd o tSfod vk;ke MkW- ,l- ,e- iztkifr 78-83 Factors Influence on the Distribution of Settlement in Sindhudurg Dr. R. B. Patil 14 84-87 District (MS) Dr. B. A. Survase 1 | P a g e THE KONKAN GEOGRAPHER, Vol. 19 ACS College, Onde, Vikramgad, Palghar THE KOKAN GEOGRAPHER Veer Wajekar ASC College, Phunde, Uran 2 | P a g e THE KONKAN GEOGRAPHER, Vol. 19 THE KONKAN GEOGRAPHER Vol. No. 19, June-July 2018 ISSN 2277 – 4858 Ecological Light Pollution - Causes and Effects Arunima Bhattacharya Assistant Professor, Vidyasagar College for Women, Kolkata Abstract : Kolkata The artificial light that alters the natural patterns of light and dark in ecosystems is called “ecological light pollution”. Light varies in intensity (the number of photons per unit area) and spectral content (expressed by wavelength). Ideally, ecologists should measure illumination in photons per square meter per second with associated measurements of the wavelengths of light present. Since polarized moonlight is believed to be used by many animals for navigation, this screening is another negative effect of light pollution on ecology. Ecological light pollution has demonstrable effects on the behavioural and population ecology of organisms in natural settings. As a whole, these effects derive from changes in orientation, disorientation, or misorientation, and attraction or repulsion from the altered light environment, which in turn may affect foraging, reproduction, migration and communication. Birds. Sea turtles and insects like moths are mostly affected. Zooplanktons and plants are also not spared which affects the ecology of a place on a long term basis. Developing lighting strategies that minimize adverse ecological impacts while balancing the often conflicting requirements of light for human utility, comfort and safety, aesthetic concerns, energy consumption and carbon emission reduction constitute significant future challenges. With enough control, most of the sea, sky and terrestrial life can return to normal. Keywords: ecological light pollution, threats, developing light strategies, legal measures. Introduction : The term “light pollution” has been in use for a number of years, but in most circumstances refers to the THE KOKAN GEOGRAPHER degradation of human views of the night sky. A glance at the night sky might make us think the Milky Way has dried up. The glow of light pollution has hidden one of the night's most striking features from one-fifth of humanity. This is “astronomical light pollution”, where stars and other celestial bodies are washed out by light that is either directed or reflected upward. This is a broad-scale phenomenon. The artificial light that alters the natural patterns of light and dark in ecosystems is called “ecological light pollution”. Verheijen (1985) proposed the term “photo pollution” to mean “artificial light having adverse effects on wildlife”. The phenomenon therefore involves potential effects across a range of spatial and temporal scales. The first atlas of artificial night sky brightness illustrates that astronomical light pollution extends to every inhabited continent (Cinzano et al. 2001) and calculated that 18.7% of the terrestrial surface of the Earth is exposed to night sky brightness that is polluted by astronomical standards. A shortened or brighter night is more likely to affect tropical species adapted to diurnal patterns with minimal seasonal variation than extra tropical species adapted to substantial seasonal variation. Light varies in intensity (the number of photons per unit area) and spectral content (expressed by wavelength). Ideally, ecologists should measure illumination in photons per square meter per second with associated measurements of the wavelengths of light present. More often, illumination is measured in lux (or foot-candles, the non-SI unit), which expresses the brightness of light as perceived by the human eye. The lux measurement places more emphasis on wavelengths of light that the human eye detects best and less on those that humans perceive poorly, however, other organisms perceive light differently – including wavelengths not visible to humans. Generally speaking, blue light is more likely to be damaging to mammals because the non-imaging photoreceptors in mammalian eyes are most sensitive in the blue region. Artificial planar surfaces, such as glass windows or asphalt reflect highly polarized light. Many insects are attracted to polarized surfaces, because polarization is usually an indicator for water. This effect is called polarized light pollution and although it is certainly a form of ecological photo pollution, "ecological light pollution" usually refers to the impact of artificial light on organisms. In the night, the polarization of the moonlit sky is very strongly reduced in the presence of urban light pollution, because scattered urban light is not strongly polarized. Since polarized moonlight is believed to be used by many animals for navigation, this screening is another negative effect of light pollution on ecology. 1 | P a g e THE KONKAN GEOGRAPHER, Vol. 19 Objective of the Study : The study has been done with the following objectives in mind. What is ecological light pollution The harmful effects of ecological light pollution on different species of animals. The preventive measures and the challenge faced by the advanced nations. Methodology : The methodology followed in this work relates to the collection of data from various sources like magazines, books, journals and the internet. The Sources : Sources of ecological light pollution include sky glow, lighted buildings and towers, streetlights, fishing boats, security lights, lights on vehicles, flares on offshore oil platforms, and even lights on undersea research vessels, all of which can disrupt ecosystems to varying degrees. It comes from sources such as: domestic exterior and interior lighting commercial properties factories streetlights sporting venues THE KOKAN GEOGRAPHER The Effects : Ecological light pollution has demonstrable effects on the behavioural and population ecology of organisms in natural settings. As a whole, these effects derive from changes in orientation, disorientation, or misorientation, and attraction or repulsion from the altered light environment, which in turn may affect foraging, reproduction, migration and communication. Constant artificial night lighting may also disorient organisms accustomed to navigating in a dark environment. The Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) works with building owners in Toronto, Canada and other cities to reduce mortality of birds by turning out lights during migration periods. The Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) estimates that in North America at least 100 million birds, mostly low-flying songbirds, die each year in collisions with man-made structures. The best-known example of this is the disorientation of hatchling sea turtles emerging from nests on sandy beaches. Under normal circumstances, hatchlings move away from low, dark silhouettes (historically, those of dune vegetation), allowing them to crawl quickly to the ocean. With beachfront lighting, the silhouettes that would have cued movement are no longer perceived, resulting in disorientation (Salmon et al. 1995). Lighting also affects the egg-laying behaviour of female sea turtles. Newly hatched turtles need a dark night sky to orient them toward the sea, but artificial lights behind beaches lure them away. Hatchlings are attracted to lights and crawl inland, or crawl aimlessly down the beach, sometimes until dawn, when terrestrial predators or birds get them, said Michael Salmon, a biologist at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Birds can be disoriented and entrapped