AI Summary: This research reveals that the color of streetlights has a major impact on how city plants grow. By testing different LED colors (White, Green, and Red) on wild plants, the study found that light pollution changes everything from leaf shape to how much carbon a plant absorbs at night.
Anthropogenic light at night (ALAN) is a rapidly expanding global pollutant, yet its effects on plant morphology and physiology are poorly understood. We investigate how different colors of street lighting (White, Green, Red) influence the morphology and nighttime assimilation rates of two wild plant species, *Hypochaeris radicata* and *Rumex acetosa*. We find that nighttime light significantly alters leaf shape and biomass, with effects varying sharply by light color. Red light, in particular, led to increased nighttime assimilation but stunted overall growth. Our results suggest that the move toward energy-efficient white LEDs may have unintended consequences for urban biodiversity and ecosystem services.
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