Light pollution is commonly recognized for its impact on urban landscapes, where the glow of city skylines obscures the night sky and diminishes the visibility of stars. However, the consequences of artificial lighting extend far beyond humane perception, influencing ecological processes in ways that are only beginning to be understood. Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) has been extensively studied in terrestrial environments, where it has been shown to alter plant growth patterns, disrupt the behavior and migration of nocturnal animals, and interfere with human circadian rhythms, leading to potential health implications. Despite these well-documented effects on land-based ecosystems, the influence of ALAN on freshwater environments remains an emerging area of research. Lakes, rivers, and wetlands operate under natural diel cycles of light and darkness, which regulate critical biological and chemical processes such as primary production, respiration, and nutrient cycling. The introduction of artificial lighting into these ecosystems may cause fundamental shifts in their metabolic balance by extending photoperiods, altering oxygen dynamics, and influencing microbial and phytoplankton activity. Given the
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