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Voigt CC, Bernard E, Huang JCC, Frick WF, Kerbiriou C, MacEwan K, Mathews F, Rodríguez-Durán A, Scholz C, Webala PW, Welbergen J, Whitby M. Toward solving the global green-green dilemma between wind energy production and bat conservation. Bioscience 2024; 74:240-252. [PMID: 38720909 PMCID: PMC11075649 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Wind energy production is growing rapidly worldwide in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, wind energy production is not environmentally neutral. Negative impacts on volant animals, such as bats, include fatalities at turbines and habitat loss due to land-use change and displacement. Siting turbines away from ecologically sensitive areas and implementing measures to reduce fatalities are critical to protecting bat populations. Restricting turbine operations during periods of high bat activity is the most effective form of mitigation currently available to reduce fatalities. Compensating for habitat loss and offsetting mortality are not often practiced, because meaningful offsets are lacking. Legal frameworks to prevent or mitigate the negative impacts of wind energy on bats are absent in most countries, especially in emerging markets. Therefore, governments and lending institutions are key in reconciling wind energy production with biodiversity goals by requiring sufficient environmental standards for wind energy projects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enrico Bernard
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada a Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Joe Chun-Chia Huang
- Department of Life Science at the National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | | | - Christian Kerbiriou
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique at Sorbonne Université Station Marine, in Concarneau, France
| | - Kate MacEwan
- Western EcoSystems Technology, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
| | - Fiona Mathews
- School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex, Falmer, England, United Kingdom
| | | | - Carolin Scholz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul W Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management at Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya
| | - Justin Welbergen
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Whitby
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, Texas, United States
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2
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Ballester C, Dupont SM, Corbeau A, Chambert T, Duriez O, Besnard A. A standardized protocol for assessing the performance of automatic detection systems used in onshore wind power plants to reduce avian mortality. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 354:120437. [PMID: 38402787 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
While wind power plants are an important contribution to the production of renewable energy to limit climate change, collision mortality from turbines is a danger for birds, including many protected species. To try to mitigate collision risks, automatic detection systems (ADSs) can be deployed on wind power plants; these work by detecting incoming birds using a detection/classification process and triggering a specific reaction (scaring off the bird or shutting down the turbine). Nonetheless, bird fatalities still occur at ADS-equipped wind power plants, which raises the question of the performance of these tools. To date, the lack of a transparent, peer-reviewed experimental process to compare the performance of types of ADS has meant there is no robust protocol to assess these systems. With the aim of filling this gap, we developed two standardized protocols that provide objective and unbiased assessments of the performance of different types of ADS, based on their probability of detecting/classifying birds at risk of collision. Both protocols rely on precise 3D tracking of wild birds by human observers using a laser rangefinder, and the comparison of these tracks with those detected and recorded by an ADS. The first protocol evaluates a system's general performance, generating comparable data for all types of ADS. In this protocol, detection/classification probability is estimated conditional on several abiotic and biotic environmental factors such as bird size, distance from the target, the flight angle and azimuth of the bird, as well as weather conditions. The second protocol aims to verify that the performance of an ADS installed on a given wind power plant complies with its regulatory requirements. In this protocol, detection/classification probability is specifically estimated for a given target species at a given regulatory detection distance. This protocol also estimates the proportion of time an ADS is functional on site over a year, and the proportion of reaction orders successfully operated by wind turbines. These protocols have been field-tested and made publicly available for use by government agencies and wind power plant operators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrielle Ballester
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Sophie M Dupont
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France; Laboratoire de Biologie des ORganismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), FRE 2030, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, IRD, Sorbonne Université, Université de Caen Normandie, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Corbeau
- CNRS, ECOBIO (Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution) - University of Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Thierry Chambert
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Duriez
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Aurélien Besnard
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Montpellier, France
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3
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True MC, Gorman KM, Taylor H, Reynolds RJ, Ford WM. Fall migration, oceanic movement, and site residency patterns of eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) on the mid-Atlantic Coast. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:35. [PMID: 37316899 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00398-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States, eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) are present during fall mating and migration, though little is currently known about most aspects of bat migration. To reveal migration patterns, and understand drivers of over-water flight, we captured and radio-tagged 115 eastern red bats using novel technology, and subsequently tracked and described their movements throughout the region. We compared over-water flight movements to randomly generated patterns using a use-availability framework, and subsequently used a generalized linear mixed effects model to assess the relationship of over-water flight to atmospheric variables. We used hidden Markov models to assess daily activity patterns and site residency. Most bats with long-distance movements traveled in a southwesterly direction, however path vectors were often oriented interior toward the continental landmass rather than along the coastline. We observed that some bats transited wide sections of the Chesapeake and Delaware bays, confirming their ability to travel across large water bodies. This over-water flight typically occurred in the early hours of the night and during favorable flying conditions. If flight over large water bodies is a proxy for over-ocean flight, then collision risk at offshore wind turbines - a major source of migratory bat fatalities - may be linked nightly to warm temperatures that occur early in the fall season. Risk, then, may be somewhat predictable and manageable with mitigation options linking wind-energy operation to weather conditions and seasonality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C True
- Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc., 2121 Midpoint Drive, Suite 201, Fort Collins, CO, 80525, USA
| | - Katherine M Gorman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 149 Cheatham Hall, 310 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0321, USA.
| | - Hila Taylor
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 149 Cheatham Hall, 310 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0321, USA
| | - Richard J Reynolds
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, 517 Lee Hwy, Verona, VA, 24482, USA
| | - W Mark Ford
- U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 106 Cheatham Hall, 310 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0321, USA
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4
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Gorman CE, Torsney A, Gaughran A, McKeon CM, Farrell CA, White C, Donohue I, Stout JC, Buckley YM. Reconciling climate action with the need for biodiversity protection, restoration and rehabilitation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159316. [PMID: 36228799 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Globally, we are faced with a climate crisis that requires urgent transition to a low-carbon economy. Simultaneously, the biodiversity crisis demands equally urgent action to prevent further species loss and promote restoration and rehabilitation of ecosystems. Climate action itself must prevent further pressures on biodiversity and options for synergistic gains for both climate and biodiversity change mitigation and adaptation need to be explored and implemented. Here, we review the key potential impacts of climate mitigation measures in energy and land-use on biodiversity, including the development of renewable energy such as offshore and onshore wind, solar, and bioenergy. We also assess the potential impacts of climate action driven afforestation and native habitat rehabilitation and restoration. We apply our findings to Ireland as a unique case-study as the government develops a coordinated response to climate and biodiversity change through declaration of a joint climate and biodiversity emergency and inclusion of biodiversity in key climate change legislation and the national Climate Action Plan. However, acknowledgement of these intertwined crises is only a first step; implementation of synergistic solutions requires careful planning. We demonstrate how synergy between climate and biodiversity action can be gained through explicit consideration of the effects of climate change mitigation strategies, such as energy infrastructure development and land-use change, on biodiversity. We identify several potential "win-win" strategies for both climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation. For Ireland, these include increasing offshore wind capacity, rehabilitating natural areas surrounding onshore wind turbines, and limiting the development of solar photovoltaics to the built environment. Ultimately, climate mitigation should be implemented in a "Right Action, Right Place" framework to maximise positive biodiversity benefits. This review provides one of the first examples of how national climate actions can be implemented in a biodiversity-conscious way to initiate discussion about synergistic solutions for both climate and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E Gorman
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Andrew Torsney
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | | | - Caroline M McKeon
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | | | - Cian White
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Ian Donohue
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Jane C Stout
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Yvonne M Buckley
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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5
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Prakash S, Markfort CD. A Monte-Carlo based 3-D ballistics model for guiding bat carcass surveys using environmental and turbine operational data. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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6
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Bennett EM, Florent SN, Venosta M, Gibson M, Jackson A, Stark E. Curtailment as a successful method for reducing bat mortality at a southern Australian wind farm. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma M. Bennett
- Elmoby Ecology Studio 23 Suburban St Clunes Victoria 3370 Australia
- School of Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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7
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Cohen EB, Buler JJ, Horton KG, Loss SR, Cabrera‐Cruz SA, Smolinsky JA, Marra PP. Using weather radar to help minimize wind energy impacts on nocturnally migrating birds. Conserv Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emily B. Cohen
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Jeffrey J. Buler
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark Delaware USA
| | - Kyle G. Horton
- Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Scott R. Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - Sergio A. Cabrera‐Cruz
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark Delaware USA
| | - Jaclyn A. Smolinsky
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware Newark Delaware USA
| | - Peter P. Marra
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park Washington District of Columbia USA
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8
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Kruszynski C, Bailey LD, Bach L, Bach P, Fritze M, Lindecke O, Teige T, Voigt CC. High vulnerability of juvenile Nathusius' pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus nathusii) at wind turbines. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2513. [PMID: 34877754 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Large numbers of bats are killed by wind turbines globally, yet the specific demographic consequences of wind turbine mortality are still unclear. In this study, we compared characteristics of Nathusius' pipistrelles (Pipistrellus nathusii) killed at wind turbines (N = 119) to those observed within the live population (N = 524) during the summer migration period in Germany. We used generalized linear mixed-effects modeling to identify demographic groups most vulnerable to wind turbine mortality, including sex (female or male), age (adult or juvenile), and geographic origin (regional or long-distance migrant; depicted by fur stable hydrogen isotope ratios). Juveniles contributed with a higher proportion of carcasses at wind turbines than expected given their frequency in the live population suggesting that juvenile bats may be particularly vulnerable to wind turbine mortality. This effect varied with wind turbine density. Specifically, at low wind turbine densities, representing mostly inland areas with water bodies and forests where Nathusius' pipistrelles breed, juveniles were found more often dead beneath turbines than expected based on their abundance in the live population. At high wind turbine densities, representing mostly coastal areas where Nathusius' pipistrelles migrate, adults and juveniles were equally vulnerable. We found no evidence of increased vulnerability to wind turbines in either sex, yet we observed a higher proportion of females than males among both carcasses and the live population, which may reflect a female bias in the live population most likely caused by females migrating from their northeastern breeding areas migrating into Germany. A high mortality of females is conservation concern for this migratory bat species because it affects the annual reproduction rate of populations. A distant origin did not influence the likelihood of getting killed at wind turbines. A disproportionately high vulnerability of juveniles to wind turbine mortality may reduce juvenile recruitment, which may limit the resilience of Nathusius' pipistrelles to environmental stressors such as climate change or habitat loss. Schemes to mitigate wind turbine mortality, such as elevated cut-in speeds, should be implemented throughout Europe to prevent population declines of Nathusius' pipistrelles and other migratory bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Kruszynski
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Liam D Bailey
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lothar Bach
- Bach Freilandforschung, zoologische Gutachten, Bremen, Germany
| | - Petra Bach
- Bach Freilandforschung, zoologische Gutachten, Bremen, Germany
| | - Marcus Fritze
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Lindecke
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Teige
- Büro für faunistische Fachgutachten, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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9
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Pereira CG, Falcão F, Bernard E. One size doesn’t fit all: Singularities in bat species richness and activity patterns in wind-energy complexes in Brazil and implications for environmental assessment. ZOOLOGIA 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/s1984-4689.v39.e21041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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10
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Cryan PM, Gorresen PM, Straw BR, Thao S(S, DeGeorge E. Influencing Activity of Bats by Dimly Lighting Wind Turbine Surfaces with Ultraviolet Light. Animals (Basel) 2021; 12:ani12010009. [PMID: 35011115 PMCID: PMC8744972 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Bats often fly near wind turbines. The fatalities associated with this behavior continue to be an issue for wind energy development and wildlife conservation. We tested an experimental method intended to reduce bat fatalities at the wind turbines. We assumed that bats navigate over long distances at night by dim-light vision and might be dissuaded from approaching artificially lit structures. For over a year, we experimentally lit wind turbines at night with dim, flickering ultraviolet (UV) light while measuring the presence and activity of bats, birds, and insects with thermal-imaging cameras. We detected no statistical differences in the activity of the bats, insects, or birds at a test turbine when lit with UV light compared with that of unlit nights. Additional experiments to test this or other possible bat-deterrence methods may benefit from considering subtle measures of animal response that can provide useful information on the possible behavioral effects of fatality-reduction experiments. Abstract Wind energy producers need deployable devices for wind turbines that prevent bat fatalities. Based on the speculation that bats approach turbines after visually mistaking them for trees, we tested a potential light-based deterrence method. It is likely that the affected bats see ultraviolet (UV) light at low intensities. Here, we present the results of a multi-month experiment to cast dim, flickering UV light across wind turbine surfaces at night. Our objectives were to refine and test a practical system for dimly UV-illuminating turbines while testing whether the experimental UV treatment influenced the activity of bats, birds, and insects. We mounted upward-facing UV light arrays on turbines and used thermal-imaging cameras to quantify the presence and activity of night-flying animals. The results demonstrated that the turbines can be lit to the highest reaches of the blades with “invisible” UV light, and the animal responses to such experimental treatment can be concurrently monitored. The UV treatment did not significantly change nighttime bat, insect, or bird activity at the wind turbine. Our findings show how observing flying animals with thermal cameras at night can help test emerging technologies intended to variably affect their behaviors around wind turbines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M. Cryan
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Paulo M. Gorresen
- Hawaii Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USA;
- USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Science Center, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hilo, HI 96718, USA
| | - Bethany R. Straw
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;
| | - Syhoune (Simon) Thao
- U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Wind Technology Center, Boulder, CO 80007, USA; (S.T.); (E.D.)
| | - Elise DeGeorge
- U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Wind Technology Center, Boulder, CO 80007, USA; (S.T.); (E.D.)
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11
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Peterson TS, Mcgill B, Hein CD, Rusk A. Acoustic Exposure to Turbine Operation Quantifies Risk to Bats at Commercial Wind Energy Facilities. WILDLIFE SOC B 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian Mcgill
- School of Biology and Ecology, 5751 Murray Hall, University of Maine Orono ME 04469 USA
| | - Cris D. Hein
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden CO 80401 USA
| | - Adam Rusk
- Stantec Consulting Services Inc., 6800 College Boulevard Overland Park KS 66211 USA
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12
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de Jong J, Millon L, Håstad O, Victorsson J. Activity Pattern and Correlation between Bat and Insect Abundance at Wind Turbines in South Sweden. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113269. [PMID: 34828001 PMCID: PMC8614415 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Wind power is an important energy system in the global transition towards renewable energy. As new wind farms are erected in increasing numbers, they will have an impact on many organisms, e.g., through habitat changes and collision mortalities. In this study, we measure bat activity, insect abundance, and weather conditions to test the hypothesis that insect abundance attracts bats to wind turbines because of feeding opportunities. We found that the relationship between insect abundance and bat activity was relatively weak, providing some support for the feeding-attraction hypothesis. However, we also found a strong correlation between bat passes and weather conditions. This suggests that stop-regulation based on weather conditions might be a solution to avoid collisions. However, this study highlights some of the problems with defining the limits for stop-regulation, as bat activity may be high also at relatively high wind speeds and low temperatures. Abstract We present data on species composition and activity of bats during two years at three different wind- turbines, located in south Sweden, both at the base and nacelle height. To test the hypothesis that bats are attracted to wind turbines because of feeding opportunities, insects were sampled at nacelle height at one wind turbine using a suction trap, simultaneously as bat activity were measured. At this wind turbine, we also compared two different technical systems for ultrasound recordings and collect meteorological data. The variation in bat activity was high between nights and between wind turbines. In addition to the expected open-air foraging species (Pipistrellus, Nyctalus, Vespertilio and Eptesicus), some individuals of unexpected species (Myotis, Barbastella, and Plecotus) were found at nacelle height. There was a weak but significant positive relation between bat activity and insect abundance, so the hypothesis could not be rejected, suggesting there might be other factors than insect abundance explaining the frequency of bat visits at the nacelle. We found a strong correlation between bat passes and weather conditions. A reasonable way to mitigate collisions is with stop-regulation. However, this study highlights some of the problems with defining the limits for stop-regulation based on weather conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny de Jong
- Swedish Biodiversity Centre (CBM), Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7012, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-70-2271914
| | - Lara Millon
- Calluna AB, Linköpings Slott, 582 28 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Olle Håstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7084, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Jonas Victorsson
- Kalmar County Administration, Regeringsgatan 1, 39231 Kalmar, Sweden;
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13
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Monitoring and Modeling Tree Bat (Genera: Lasiurus, Lasionycteris) Occurrence Using Acoustics on Structures off the Mid-Atlantic Coast-Implications for Offshore Wind Development. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113146. [PMID: 34827878 PMCID: PMC8614452 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary “Tree bats” are North American bats that day-roost in trees year-round and undertake seasonal migration in lieu of hibernation. These bats have been shown to be highly susceptible to collisions with wind energy turbines and are known to fly offshore during migration. Therefore, as offshore wind energy expands off the eastern U.S. coast, there is some concern about potential impacts. We monitored bats in coastal Virginia, USA, using acoustic monitors—devices that collect the unique echolocation call signatures of bat species. We found that nightly tree bat visitation offshore or on barrier islands was associated with wind speed, temperature, visibility, and seasonality. Using statistical modeling, we developed a predictive tool to assess occurrence probabilities at varying levels of wind speed, temperature, and seasonality. Probability of occurrence and therefore assumed risk to collision is highest on high temperature and visibility nights, low wind speed nights, and during the spring and fall seasons. We suggest a similar modeling regime could be used to predict the occurrence of bats at offshore wind sites to inform potential mitigation efforts. Abstract In eastern North America, “tree bats” (Genera: Lasiurus and Lasionycteris) are highly susceptible to collisions with wind energy turbines and are known to fly offshore during migration. This raises concern about ongoing expansion of offshore wind-energy development off the Atlantic Coast. Season, atmospheric conditions, and site-level characteristics such as local habitat (e.g., forest coverage) have been shown to influence wind turbine collision rates by bats onshore, and therefore may be related to risk offshore. Therefore, to assess the factors affecting coastal presence of bats, we continuously gathered tree bat occurrence data using stationary acoustic recorders on five structures (four lighthouses on barrier islands and one light tower offshore) off the coast of Virginia, USA, across all seasons, 2012–2019. We used generalized additive models to describe tree bat occurrence on a nightly basis. We found that sites either indicated maternity or migratory seasonal occurrence patterns associated with local roosting resources, i.e., presence of trees. Across all sites, nightly occurrence was negatively related to wind speed and positively related to temperature and visibility. Using predictive performance metrics, we concluded that our model was highly predictive for the Virginia coast. Our findings were consistent with other studies—tree bat occurrence probability and presumed mortality risk to offshore wind-energy collisions is highest on low wind speed nights, high temperature and visibility nights, and during spring and fall. The high predictive model performance we observed provides a basis for which managers, using a similar monitoring and modeling regime, could develop an effective curtailment-based mitigation strategy.
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14
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Cornman RS, Fike JA, Oyler-McCance SJ, Cryan PM. Historical effective population size of North American hoary bat ( Lasiurus cinereus) and challenges to estimating trends in contemporary effective breeding population size from archived samples. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11285. [PMID: 33976981 PMCID: PMC8061578 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) are among the bat species most commonly killed by wind turbine strikes in the midwestern United States. The impact of this mortality on species census size is not understood, due in part to the difficulty of estimating population size for this highly migratory and elusive species. Genetic effective population size (Ne) could provide an index of changing census population size if other factors affecting Ne are stable. Methods We used the NeEstimator package to derive effective breeding population size (Nb) estimates for two temporally spaced cohorts: 93 hoary bats collected in 2009-2010 and an additional 93 collected in 2017-2018. We sequenced restriction-site associated polymorphisms and generated a de novo genome assembly to guide the removal of sex-linked and multi-copy loci, as well as identify physically linked markers. Results Analysis of the reference genome with psmc suggested at least a doubling of Ne in the last 100,000 years, likely exceeding Ne = 10,000 in the Holocene. Allele and genotype frequency analyses confirmed that the two cohorts were comparable, although some samples had unusually high or low observed heterozygosities. Additionally, the older cohort had lower mean coverage and greater variability in coverage, and batch effects of sampling locality were observed that were consistent with sample degradation. We therefore excluded samples with low coverage or outlier heterozygosity, as well as loci with sequence coverage far from the mode value, from the final data set. Prior to excluding these outliers, contemporary Nb estimates were significantly higher in the more recent cohort, but this finding was driven by high values for the 2018 sample year and low values for all other years. In the reduced data set, Nb did not differ significantly between cohorts. We found base substitutions to be strongly biased toward cytosine to thymine or the complement, and further partitioning loci by substitution type had a strong effect on Nb estimates. Minor allele frequency and base quality bias thresholds also had strong effects on Nb estimates. Instability of Nb with respect to common data filtering parameters and empirically identified factors prevented robust comparison of the two cohorts. Given that confidence intervals frequently included infinity as the stringency of data filtering increased, contemporary trends in Nb of North American hoary bats may not be tractable with the linkage disequilibrium method, at least using the protocol employed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Cornman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Jennifer A Fike
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Sara J Oyler-McCance
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Paul M Cryan
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
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Gradolewski D, Dziak D, Martynow M, Kaniecki D, Szurlej-Kielanska A, Jaworski A, Kulesza WJ. Comprehensive Bird Preservation at Wind Farms. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21010267. [PMID: 33401575 PMCID: PMC7795295 DOI: 10.3390/s21010267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Wind as a clean and renewable energy source has been used by humans for centuries. However, in recent years with the increase in the number and size of wind turbines, their impact on avifauna has become worrisome. Researchers estimated that in the U.S. up to 500,000 birds die annually due to collisions with wind turbines. This article proposes a system for mitigating bird mortality around wind farms. The solution is based on a stereo-vision system embedded in distributed computing and IoT paradigms. After a bird’s detection in a defined zone, the decision-making system activates a collision avoidance routine composed of light and sound deterrents and the turbine stopping procedure. The development process applies a User-Driven Design approach along with the process of component selection and heuristic adjustment. This proposal includes a bird detection method and localization procedure. The bird identification is carried out using artificial intelligence algorithms. Validation tests with a fixed-wing drone and verifying observations by ornithologists proved the system’s desired reliability of detecting a bird with wingspan over 1.5 m from at least 300 m. Moreover, the suitability of the system to classify the size of the detected bird into one of three wingspan categories, small, medium and large, was confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Gradolewski
- Bioseco Sp. z. o. o., Budowlanych 68, 80-298 Gdansk, Poland; (D.D.); (M.M.); (D.K.); (A.J.)
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Blekinge Institute of Technology, 371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden;
- Correspondence:
| | - Damian Dziak
- Bioseco Sp. z. o. o., Budowlanych 68, 80-298 Gdansk, Poland; (D.D.); (M.M.); (D.K.); (A.J.)
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Blekinge Institute of Technology, 371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden;
| | - Milosz Martynow
- Bioseco Sp. z. o. o., Budowlanych 68, 80-298 Gdansk, Poland; (D.D.); (M.M.); (D.K.); (A.J.)
| | - Damian Kaniecki
- Bioseco Sp. z. o. o., Budowlanych 68, 80-298 Gdansk, Poland; (D.D.); (M.M.); (D.K.); (A.J.)
| | | | - Adam Jaworski
- Bioseco Sp. z. o. o., Budowlanych 68, 80-298 Gdansk, Poland; (D.D.); (M.M.); (D.K.); (A.J.)
| | - Wlodek J. Kulesza
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Blekinge Institute of Technology, 371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden;
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Impacts of renewable energy atlas: Reaping the benefits of renewables and biodiversity threats. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.05.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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