The captivating influence of light clearly extends beyond its effects on the human species. This talk will briefly explore some of the different ways that light is important to plants, animals, and even microbes! You may have heard about how baby turtles follow the moonlight to make their way out to sea, but did you know that exposure to a certain wavelength of light can completely stop the seeds of certain plant species from germinating or sprouting? Finally, a few best practices for lighting spaces without disturbing species will be provided.

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Olyssa Starry is an urban ecologist and an assistant professor in the University Honors College at Portland State University.