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Life Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Animal Sciences

Utah State University

2016

Wind energy

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Impact Of Wind Energy On Bats: A Summary Of Our Current Knowledge, Cris D. Hein, Michael R. Schirmacher Jan 2016

Impact Of Wind Energy On Bats: A Summary Of Our Current Knowledge, Cris D. Hein, Michael R. Schirmacher

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Since 2003, when it was discovered that large numbers of bats were being killed at wind turbines in the eastern United States, our understanding of the impact of wind energy development on bats has increased and consistent patterns of fatality, including seasonality and species composition have become evident. Yet, many questions remain despite the wealth of data collected across numerous post-construction monitoring studies. We synthesized the recent literature to provide an overview of our current understanding of patterns of bat fatalities at wind energy facilities in the United States and Canada. Our understanding of the impact of wind energy development …


Wind Energy Development: Methods For Assessing Risks To Birds And Bats Pre-Construction, Todd Katzner, Victoria Bennett, Tricia Miller, Adam Duerr, Melissa Braham, Amanda Hale Jan 2016

Wind Energy Development: Methods For Assessing Risks To Birds And Bats Pre-Construction, Todd Katzner, Victoria Bennett, Tricia Miller, Adam Duerr, Melissa Braham, Amanda Hale

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wind power generation is rapidly expanding. Although wind power is a low-carbon source of energy, it can impact negatively birds and bats, either directly through fatality or indirectly by displacement or habitat loss. Pre-construction risk assessment at wind facilities within the United States is usually required only on public lands. When conducted, it generally involves a 3-tier process, with each step leading to more detailed and rigorous surveys. Preliminary site assessment (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tier 1) is usually conducted remotely and involves evaluation of existing databases and published materials. If potentially at-risk wildlife are present and the developer …