Margaret Voss, professor of practice, nutrition, published, “A framework to assess evolutionary responses to anthropogenic light and sound” in Trends in Ecology & Evolution (July 2015). “When we speak of evolutionary changes, we are really talking about patterns of gene flow and gene expression. Anything that changes mortality rates (e.g., disease, predation, etc.) and birth rates has the potential to change patterns of gene flow. This in turn changes the way living populations’ function, including where they thrive,” says Voss. Human-induced disturbance, such as light and noise, have long been ignored as factors that could alter the genetic structure of animal populations.
Over the years, Voss has examined both factors and documented how they change the individual health of wild animals. Her research currently looks at how light at night alters daily circadian rhythms. “Evidence is mounting that changes to our daily circadian cycle underlies many diseases of inflammation (e.g, high blood pressure, diabetes, altered fat storage patterns),” she notes. “This paper is the first time a group of scientists have complied recently peer-reviewed evidence that shows that circadian disruption (noise and light disturbance) can change the structure of animal populations in a measurable way.”
The paper was meant to be a framework to help researchers structure their future work to obtain clear and solid evidence of this trend and its implications for human biology. Financial support from the National Science Foundation’s National Evolutionary Synthesis Center funded this work, and the collaborative work of the One Health Initiative influenced its focus and exploration.
Professor Voss teaches courses in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism in the Department of Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition. She received her Ph.D. from Syracuse University for doctoral work in comparative physiology (foraging behavior, energetics, and reproductive physiology). Her teaching expertise is in physiology-related courses for pre-health professions students, including classes in exercise physiology and medical terminology.