Toward solving the global green–green dilemma between wind energy production and bat conservation

BioScience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 74(4), P. 240 - 252

Published: Feb. 21, 2024

Wind energy production is growing rapidly worldwide in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, wind not environmentally neutral. Negative impacts on volant animals, such as bats, include fatalities at turbines and habitat loss due land-use change displacement. Siting away from ecologically sensitive areas implementing measures are critical protecting bat populations. Restricting turbine operations during periods of high activity the most effective form mitigation currently available fatalities. Compensating for offsetting mortality often practiced, because meaningful offsets lacking. Legal frameworks prevent or mitigate negative bats absent countries, especially emerging markets. Therefore, governments lending institutions key reconciling with biodiversity goals by requiring sufficient environmental standards projects.

Language: Английский

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Wind energy development can lead to guild‐specific habitat loss in boreal forest bats

Wildlife Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2024(2)

Published: Jan. 4, 2024

Forest management rarely considers protecting bats in Fennoscandian regions although all species rely on forest habitat at some point their annual cycle. This issue is especially evident as wind parks have increasingly been developed inside forests, against the advice of international bat conservation guidelines. In this study, we aimed to describe and explain community dynamics a Norwegian park located boreal forest, understand potential avoidance or attraction effects. The was sampled acoustically described using foraging guilds (short, medium, long‐range echolocators; SRE, MRE, LRE) well behavior (commuting, feeding social calls). Sampling undertaken two locations per turbine: 1) turbine pad 2) paired natural ground level, from meteorological tower. We used recently method for camera trapping nocturnal flying insects synchronously with acoustic activity. Our results reveal trends general activity across relation insect availability, type, wind, temperature, seasonality. show how seasonal patterns were affected by wind. found that SRE commuting highest habitats, whereas LRE overall habitats more season dependent. availability positively correlated total throughout night. provide evidence both direct indirect risks communities parks: lost energy infrastructure may an increased risk fatality. findings important insights spatial variability activity, which can inform standardizing monitoring parks, combination non‐invasive monitoring.

Language: Английский

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How far are birds, bats, and terrestrial mammals displaced from onshore wind power development? – A systematic review

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 288, P. 110382 - 110382

Published: Nov. 28, 2023

Wind power is a rapidly growing source of energy worldwide. It crucial for climate change mitigation, but it also accelerates the degradation biodiversity through habitat loss and displacement wildlife. To understand extent reasons observations where no reported, we conducted systematic review birds, bats, terrestrial mammals. Eighty-four peer-reviewed studies onshore wind yielded 160 distinct distances, termed cases. For mammals, 63 %, 72 67 % cases respectively reported displacement. Cranes (3/3 cases), owls (2/2), semi-domestic reindeer (6/6) showed consistent on average up to 5 km. Gallinaceus birds km, in 7/18 show "no displacement". Bats were displaced 1 km 21/29 Waterfowl (6/7 raptors (24/30), passerines (16/32) waders (8/19) 500 m. Observations suggested result from methodological deficiencies, species-specific characteristics, conditions favorable certain species after development. Displacement-induced population decline could be mitigated by situating low-quality habitats, minimizing small-scale collisions, creating high-quality habitats compensate loss. This provides information distance thresholds that can employed design future projects. However, most assessed effects turbine towers <100 m high, while considerably larger turbines are being built today.

Language: Английский

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The trans-european catchment area of common noctule bats killed by wind turbines in France

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Wind turbines used to combat climate change pose a green-green dilemma when endangered and protected wildlife species are killed by collisions with rotating blades. Here, we investigated the geographic origin of bats wind along an east-west transect in France determine spatial extent this conflict Western Europe. We analysed stable hydrogen isotopes fur keratin 60 common noctule (Nyctalus noctula) during summer migration four regions predict their using models based on precipitation isoscapes. first separated migratory from regional individuals isotope ratios local bats. Across all regions, 71.7% noctules were 28.3% distant origin, latter being predominantly females northeastern observed higher proportion western sites compared eastern sites. Our study suggests that wind-turbine-related losses may impact breeding populations across whole Europe, confirming highly vulnerable effective conservation measures, such as temporary curtailment turbine operation, should be mandatory protect them colliding blades turbines.

Language: Английский

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Wind turbines displace bats from drinking sites

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 302, P. 110968 - 110968

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Language: Английский

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Contrasting Seasonal Distribution Patterns of Two Boreal Aerial Hawking Bat Species in Finland

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Climate change poses significant consequences for temperate bat species, potentially altering their distribution ranges and generating novel interactions among species sharing similar ecological niches. Recent observations suggest range expansion in the Palearctic aerial hawking bat, Pipistrellus nathusii, prompting an investigation into its interaction with Eptesicus nilssonii, a northern overlapping previous many characteristics. This study examines spatiotemporal variations between two boreal to form evidence-based background onto which future research on, e.g., resource competition, can be built. A comprehensive community science project engaged over 470 participants from 45 high schools collect acoustic data on echolocation calls across Finland, Europe, during summers of 2019-2020. Our modelling approach reveals distinct patterns each species. In early summer, E. nilssonii activity is concentrated southern region, whereas by late are distributed our area, though predominantly south. pattern suggests that could exhibit post-breeding vagrant behaviour, observation only recently evidenced bats. Conversely, P. nathusii remains notably low throughout season, along south coast both seasons, making it challenging fully model distribution. Despite initial expectations overlap given foraging behaviour habitat preferences, limited coastal association competitive nilssonii. These findings contribute understanding spatial ecology amid changing environmental conditions, emphasising necessity ongoing monitoring ascertain long-term implications shifting distributions.

Language: Английский

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Disentangling mechanisms responsible for wind energy effects on European bats

Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 346, P. 118987 - 118987

Published: Sept. 21, 2023

Language: Английский

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Forest gaps around wind turbines attract bat species with high collision risk

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 288, P. 110347 - 110347

Published: Nov. 24, 2023

The global demand for renewable energy has led to an expansion of wind production at forested sites. deployment and operation turbines requires the clearing forest areas, resulting in significant habitat changes. To assess consequences these changes forest-associated bats, we measured acoustic activity three foraging guilds turbine clearings, adjacent edges, above nearby closed forests. Open-space edge-space bats were more active clearings edges than Similarly, narrow-space tended be are known high risk colliding with their increased gaps around may increase casualties guilds. Operation forests therefore require longer shutdown periods prevent legally protected from turbines. Although this impair yield forests, such preventive conservation measures will ultimately contribute a sustainable transition fossil sources which factors biodiversity conservation.

Language: Английский

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Context-dependent effects of wind turbines on bats in rural landscapes

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 295, P. 110647 - 110647

Published: May 31, 2024

Rural landscapes are undergoing widespread changes, of which homogenization and the installation wind turbines important components. To keep track impacts presence on biodiversity, responses vulnerable organisms should be assessed considering their combined effects. We have tested response bat activity to interaction between agricultural landscape gradients reflecting degree (parcel size, parcel diversity density hedges), turbines. do this, we acoustic sampling data gathered from 2014 2020 throughout continental France with land use turbine siting data. GLMMs showed that each echolocation guild (LRE: long, MRE: mid, SRE: short-range echolocators) responded different gradients. Increasing sizes lower densities hedges correlated negatively MRE SRE bats. Activity LRE bats was lower, (mostly Common Pipistrelles Pipistrellus pipistrellus) higher, when were present. In containing turbines, hedge positively activity, fostered activity. Therefore, increasing densities, or dividing large monocultures into more diverse cropland configurations, may compensate for negative effects Siting new still avoid high-quality locations currently high, as impact is bound include not only habitat loss, but also enhanced mortality by collision.

Language: Английский

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Strategies for Mitigating Impacts to Aerofauna from Offshore Wind Energy Development: Available Evidence and Data Gaps

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 22, 2024

Abstract Offshore wind energy (OSW) development, while a key strategy for reducing global reliance on fossil fuels, nevertheless has environmental effects that should be mitigated. We reviewed the scientific literature and gray to identify approaches mitigating (e.g., avoiding, minimizing, or compensating for) of OSW development birds bats (aerofauna). The review included studies from other industries where relevant, including terrestrial offshore oil gas industry. Of total 212 mitigation 233 source documents, 59% proposed were not tested in assess effectiveness at anthropogenic impacts aerofauna. field implemented, indicated evidence their only about 36% cases. Thus, there was no 86% identified this review. For birds, minimization related lighting artificial light, avoiding white steady-burning lights) most commonly effective methods maladaptive attraction collisions. bats, via alteration turbine operations curtailment feathering blades) shown effective. Minimization main focus but is limited approaches, we suggest implementation dedicated testing explore suggested implemented measures such as birds. As such, avoidance (via careful siting industrial activity avoid wildlife habitats) remains best available option mitigation. To fully mitigate aerofauna, compensation offset strategies also further explored.

Language: Английский

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