Resource Documents by Voigt, Christian

Scholz, Carolin; Klein, Hannah; and Voigt, Christian
Wind turbines displace bats from drinking sites 
Highlights Bats need water for drinking, but wind turbines may displace them from ponds Acoustic and foraging activity of bats declined at ponds in proximity to turbines Siting turbines away from key habitats is essential for biodiversity conservation Abstract— Bats depend on water for drinking and foraging, but the increasing number of wind turbines may pose a problem for bats, as operating wind turbines are known to displace bats over long distances. We asked whether turbines displace bats from critical . . . Complete article »

Merlet, Maela; Soto, David; Laurent, Arthur; and Voigt, Christian
Trans-European catchment area of common noctule bats killed by wind turbines in France 
Abstract— 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 killed by wind turbines along an east-west transect in France to determine the spatial extent of this conflict in Western Europe. We analysed stable hydrogen isotopes in the fur keratin of 60 common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) killed by wind turbines during summer migration in four regions . . . Complete article »

Voigt, Christian; Bernard, Enrico; et al.
Toward solving the global green–green dilemma between wind energy production and bat conservation 
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 . . . Complete article »

Ellerbrok, Julia; Farwig, Nina; Peter, Franziska; and Voigt, Christian
Forest bat activity declines with increasing wind speed in proximity of operating wind turbines 
[Abstract] The increasing use of onshore wind energy is leading to an increased deployment of wind turbines in structurally rich habitats such as forests. Forest-affiliated bats, in turn, are at risk of colliding with the rotor blades. Due to the legal protection of bats in Europe, it is imperative to restrict the operation of wind turbines to periods of low bat activity to avoid collisions. However, bats have also been observed to avoid wind turbines over several hundred meters distance, . . . Complete article »

Scholz, Carolin; and Voigt, Christian
Diet analysis of bats killed at wind turbines suggests large-scale losses of trophic interactions 
[Abstract] Agricultural practice has led to landscape simplification and biodiversity decline, yet recently, energy-producing infrastructures, such as wind turbines, have been added to these simplified agroecosystems, turning them into multi-functional energy-agroecosystems. Here, we studied the trophic interactions of bats killed at wind turbines using a DNA metabarcoding approach to shed light on how turbine-related bat fatalities may possibly affect local habitats. Specifically, we identified insect DNA in the stomachs of common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) killed by wind turbines in . . . Complete article »

Voigt, Christian
Insect fatalities at wind turbines as biodiversity sinks 
[Abstract] Evidence is accumulating that insects are frequently killed by operating wind turbines, yet it is poorly understood if these fatalities cause population declines and changes in assemblage structures on various spatial scales. Current observations suggest that mostly hill-topping, swarming, and migrating insects interact with wind turbines. Recently, the annual loss of insect biomass at wind turbines was estimated for Germany to amount to 1,200t for the plant growth period, which equates to about 1.2 trillion killed insects per year, . . . Complete article »

Ellerbrok, Julia; Delius, Anna; Peter, Franziska; Farwig, Nina; and Voigt, Christian
Activity of forest specialist bats decreases towards wind turbines at forest sites 
Abstract Worldwide, wind turbines are increasingly being built at forest sites to meet the goals of national climate strategies. Yet, the impact on biodiversity is barely understood. Bats may be heavily affected by wind turbines in forests, because many species depend on forest ecosystems for roosting and hunting and can experience high fatality rates at wind turbines. We performed acoustic surveys in 24 temperate forests in the low mountain ranges of Central Germany to monitor changes in the acoustic activity . . . Complete article »

Voigt, Christian; Kaiser, Klara; et al.
Wind turbines without curtailment produce large numbers of bat fatalities throughout their lifetime: A call against ignorance and neglect 
Abstract – Bats are protected by national and international legislation in European countries, yet many species, particularly migratory aerial insectivores, collide with wind turbines which counteracts conservation efforts. Within the European Union it is legally required to curtail the operation of wind turbines at periods of high bat activity, yet this is not practiced at old wind turbines. Based on data from the national carcass repository in Germany and from our own carcass searches at a wind park with three turbines . . . Complete article »

Kruszynski, Cecilia; Bailey, Liam; Bach, Lothar; Bach, Petra; Fritze, Marcus; Lindecke, Oliver; Teige, Tobias; and Voigt, Christian
High vulnerability of juvenile Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus nathusii) at wind turbines 
[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 generalised linear mixed effects modelling to identify demographic groups most vulnerable to wind turbine mortality, including sex, age (adult or . . . Complete article »

Voigt, Christian; Rehnig, Katharina; Lindecke, Oliver; and Pētersons, Gunārs
Migratory bats are attracted by red light but not by warm-white light: Implications for the protection of nocturnal migrants 
Abstract: The replacement of conventional lighting with energy‐saving light emitting diodes (LED) is a worldwide trend, yet its consequences for animals and ecosystems are poorly understood. Strictly nocturnal animals such as bats are particularly sensitive to artificial light at night (ALAN). Past studies have shown that bats, in general, respond to ALAN according to the emitted light color and that migratory bats, in particular, exhibit phototaxis in response to green light. As red and white light is frequently used in . . . Complete article »

Arnett, Edward; Baerwald, Erin; Mathews, Fiona; Rodriques, Luisa; Rodríquez-Durán, Armando; Rydell, Jens; Villegas-Patrace, Rafael; and Voigt, Christian
Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Bats: A Global Perspective 
Abstract – Wind energy continues to be one of the fastest growing renewable energy sources under development, and while representing a clean energy source, it is not environmentally neutral. Large numbers of bats are being killed at utility-scale wind energy facilities worldwide, raising concern about cumulative impacts of wind energy development on bat populations. We discuss our current state of knowledge on patterns of bat fatalities at wind facilities, estimates of fatalities, mitigation efforts, and policy and conservation implications. Given the . . . Complete article »

Roeleke, Manuel; Mumrungsri, Sara; and Voigt, Christian
Bats probe the aerosphere during landscape-guided altitudinal flights 
ABSTRACT – As the only mammals capable of powered flight, bats make efficient use of the aerosphere. Yet, our understanding of how bats use the three-dimensional air column is sketchy. By attaching miniaturised Global Positioning System tags to cave bats near a mountain ridge in Thailand, we show that these bats perform undulating ascending and descending flights in quick succession. Bats repeatedly used mountain slopes to ascend to altitudes of more than 550 m above the ground. We infer that mountain . . . Complete article »

Voigt, Christian; Lindecke, Oliver; Schönborn, Sophia; Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie; and Lehmann, David
Habitat use of migratory bats killed during autumn at wind turbines 
Abstract. The killing of large numbers of migratory bats at wind turbines is a pressing conservation problem. Even though avoidance and mitigation measures could benefit from a better knowledge of the species’ migratory habits, we lack basic information about what habitats and corridors bats use during migration. We studied the isotopic niche dimensions of three bat species that are frequently killed at wind turbines in Germany: non-migratory Pipistrellus pipistrellus, mid-distance migratory Nyctalus noctula, and long-distance migratory Pipistrellus nathusii. We measured . . . Complete article »

Roeleke, Manuel; Blohm, Torsten; Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie; Yovel, Yossi; and Voigt, Christian
Habitat use of bats in relation to wind turbines revealed by GPS tracking 
Abstract: Worldwide, many countries aim at countering global climate change by promoting renewable energy. Yet, recent studies highlight that so-called green energy, such as wind energy, may come at environmental costs, for example when wind turbines kill birds and bats. Using miniaturized GPS loggers, we studied how an open-space foraging bat with high collision risk with wind turbines, the common noctule Nyctalus noctula (Schreber, 1774), interacts with wind turbines. We compared actual flight trajectories to correlated random walks to identify . . . Complete article »

Voigt, Christian; Lehnert, Linn; et al.
Wildlife and renewable energy: German politics cross migratory bats 
[Abstract] The catastrophic nuclear meltdowns at Fukushima triggered a worldwide demand for renewable energy. As one of the few countries, Germany decided on an accelerated shift towards green energy, resulting in substantial conflicts with international conservation goals. Currently, large numbers of wind power facilities are erected in Germany, yet with unforeseen consequences for wildlife, particularly for endangered and protected bats. Presumably, more than 250,000 bats are killed annually due to interactions with German wind turbines, and total losses may account . . . Complete article »

Voigt, Christian C.; Popa-Lisseanu, Ana G.; Niermann, Ivo; and Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie
Catchment area of wind farms for European bats: a plea for international regulations 
Abstract: Wind turbines are increasingly established throughout Europe and North America with often fatal consequences for wildlife, most importantly bats and birds. Yet, it is often unknown over what geographical distances wind farms are affecting animal populations. Based on stable hydrogen isotopes in fur, we assessed the geographic provenance of bats killed in summer and autumn at German wind turbines. We found that killed Pipistrellus nathusii originated from Estonia or Russia, and Pipistrellus pipistrellus from more local populations. Noctule bats . . . Complete article »

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