Nocturnal Animals - Adapted or Inherited Plasticity

The impacts of climate change are ongoing and are likely to result in the loss of numerous species, habitat fragmentation, and phenological change. Even a slight temperature change will affect the distribution and numbers of nocturnal animals, as well as their behavior, reproduction, migration, and foraging. Over five chapters, this book describes recent findings on the global threats posed by climate change to social insects and scorpions. Luckily, nocturnality and behavioral plasticity may buffer short-term impacts, but sustained shifts in temperature and humidity could alter activity windows, prey availability, and reproductive success. Urban development creates anthropogenic challenges, such as artificial light and noise, which make it difficult for social insects to maintain their dark-friendly lifestyle. The book also has a chapter on how plant-visiting bats have adapted to human life, and another on a nocturnal owl that showed enjoyment of human companionship.