The Howey lab showed up to work at SICB 2020! In keeping with the theme of how urbanization and artificial light at night (ALAN) impacts wildlife populations, Elizabeth Kenny, an undergraduate researcher at the University of Scranton performed a study to describe the influence of artificial light on the immune response in green anoles (Anolis carolinensis).
The researchers used a test for immune response called a phytohemagglutinin test (PHA-L), where they injected the hindlimbs of green anoles with PHA-L and measured how much the foot swelled after both a 24 and a 48h hour period. But rest assured! PHA-L tests are temporary, only induce localized swelling, and have no larger impacts on the health of the organism; it’s sort of like if you’ve ever had a tuberculosis test done at your local physician. Interestingly, Elizabeth found no difference in swelling between green anoles exposed to ALAN and to green anoles that had not been exposed to ALAN. However, Elizabeth suggested that green anoles could respond sufficiently to ALAN by changing how they use the energy within their bodies and where they allocated those limited energetic stores, which provides a lot of support for the work of Michelle D’Allesandro and Meg McGrath. Altogether, the three undergraduate researchers of the Howey lab created a convincing and interesting story about how urban environments influence the energetics and physiology of city-dwelling lizards. Great stuff!