Moth under artificial light are subjected to increased predation risk and distracted from normal behaviour such as foraging and reproduction. This might have negative consequences for population sizes. Given the fact that moth caterpillars are important herbivores, potential shifts in moth population sizes might cascade through to vegetation. However, such trophic cascades of artificial light effects are not studied to date.

In a large experiment we try to gain insight in the artificial light effects on moth population sizes, and whether eventual shifts therein lead to alterations of vegetation composition. For this aim, we created 80 one square meter plots and planted these plots with a standard grasslands community consisting of four dicot and four grass species. On top of each plot, we put a 1x1x1meter cage in which different combinations of four moth species are placed. Each cage will be subjected to one of four artificial light treatments (red, green, white or no light at night), and moth population sizes and vegetation composition will be monitored precisely for a period of three years.