We were curious as to why, said the study's author, Dr Shuang Zhang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In two of the most common tree species in Beijing, artificial light at night led to increased leaf toughness and decreased levels of leaf herbivory.
Researchers thought plants in areas with high levels of artificial light may focus on defence rather than growth, which would mean their leaves would be tougher, with more chemical defence compounds.
They found that the more illuminance there was, the tougher the leaves. In the areas lit the brightest at night, the leaves were extremely tough, with levels of chemical defences that were toxic to insects.
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