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From: cl@lgc.com (Cameron Laird)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: DST Harmful?
Message-ID: <1991Apr9.141033.11554@lgc.com>
Date: 9 Apr 91 14:10:33 GMT
References: <1991Apr7.180823.1462@cs.rochester.edu>
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In article <1991Apr7.180823.1462@cs.rochester.edu> brown@cs.rochester.edu writes:
>Jetlag and shift work -induced disorientation are noticeable factors in human performance.
>I'm wondering if any work has been done on the effects of the twice-yearly switch
>between standard and daylight-savings times on wildlife.  Do the lost
>and gained hours disturb their alertness or reproductive cycle?
>The spring switch could be especially bad for birds.
>Since animals are often more sensitive than we know to even subtle environmental
>changes, I'm wondering if our messing with their circadian rhythms in this way
>has had any documented effects.
>
>Another example of modern man's insensitivity to
>Nature? If this topic has received no research, isn't it about time? Of course
>I realize it's political dynamite.
>
>Chris Brown
>.

France and Japan have both investigated the effects of the
switch on schoolchildren.  The result was that it's no big
deal:  students are restless and a bit disturbed the first
couple of days after the shift, but nothing is left to de-
tect within a week.

I agree that there's a lot going on to which we're insensi-
tive, but my own conclusion is that there are more
important--demonstrably important--issues to pursue.
--

Cameron Laird				USA 713-579-4613
cl@lgc.com (cl%lgc.com@uunet.uu.net)	USA 713-996-8546