Resource Documents: Canada (33 items)
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Estimation of spatiotemporal trends in bat abundance from mortality data collected at wind turbines
Author: Davy, Christina; Squires, Kelly; and Zimmerling, J. Ryan
Abstract: Renewable energy sources, such as wind energy, are essential tools for reducing the causes of climate change, but wind turbines can pose a collision risk for bats. To date, the population-level effects of wind-related mortality have been estimated for only 1 bat species. To estimate temporal trends in bat abundance, we considered wind turbines as opportunistic sampling tools for flying bats (analogous to fishing nets), where catch per unit effort (carcass abundance per monitored turbine) is a proxy for aerial abundance of bats, after accounting for seasonal variation in activity. We used a large, standardized data set of records of bat carcasses from 594 turbines in southern Ontario, Canada, and corrected these data to account for surveyor efficiency and scavenger removal. We used Bayesian hierarchical models to estimate temporal trends in aerial abundance of bats and to explore the effect of spatial factors, including landscape features associated with bat habitat (e.g., wetlands, croplands, and forested lands), on the number of mortalities for each species. The models showed a rapid decline in the abundance of 4 species in our study area; declines in capture of carcasses over 7 years ranged from 65% (big brown bat [Eptesicus fuscus]) to 91% (silver-haired bat [Lasionycteris noctivagans]). Estimated declines were independent of the effects of mitigation (increasing wind speed at which turbines begin to generate electricity from 3.5 to 5.5 m/s), which significantly reduced but did not eliminate bat mortality. Late-summer mortality of hoary (Lasiurus cinereus), eastern red (Lasiurus borealis), and silver-haired bats was predicted by woodlot cover, and mortality of big brown bats decreased with increasing elevation. These landscape predictors of bat mortality can inform the siting of future wind energy operations. Our most important result is the apparent decline in abundance of four common species of bat in the airspace, which requires further investigation.
Estimación de Tendencias Espacio-Temporales en la Abundancia de Murciélagos a Partir de Datos de Mortalidad Recolectados Alrededor de Turbinas de Viento
Resumen: Las fuentes de energía renovable, como la energía eólica, son herramientas esenciales para la reduc- ción de las causas del cambio climático, aunque las turbinas de viento pueden representar un riesgo de colisión para los murciélagos. A la fecha, los efectos a nivel poblacional de la mortalidad asociada a estas turbinas sólo han sido estimados para una especie de murciélagos. Para estimar las tendencias temporales en la abundancia de murciélagos consideramos a las turbinas de viento como herramientas para el muestreo oportunista de los murciélagos en vuelo (análogo a las redes de pesca), en donde el esfuerzo de captura por unidad (abundancia de cadáveres por turbina monitoreada) es un sustituto para la abundancia aérea de murciélagos, después de considerar la variación estacional en la actividad. Utilizamos un conjunto grande de datos estandarizados del registro de cadáveres de murciélagos alrededor de 594 turbinas al sur de Ontario, Canadá, y corregimos estos datos para justificar la eficiencia del muestreador y la extracción por carroñeros. Usamos modelos de jerarquía bayesiana para estimar las tendencias temporales en la abundancia aérea de los murciélagos y para explorar los efectos de los factores espaciales, incluyendo las características del paisaje asociadas con el hábitat de los murciélagos (p. ej.: humedales, tierras de cultivo y bosques), sobre el número de muertes para cada especie. Los modelos mostraron una declinación rápida en la abundancia de cuatro especies dentro de nuestra área de estudio. Las declinaciones en la captura de cadáveres a lo largo de siete años variaron desde el 65% (Eptesicus fuscus) hasta el 91% (Lasionycteris noctivagans). Las declinaciones estimadas fueron independientes a los efectos de mitigación (el incremento en la velocidad a la cual las turbinas comienzan a generar electricidad de 3.5 a 5.5 m/s), lo cual redujo significativamente la mortalidad de los murciélagos, aunque no llegó a eliminarla. La mortalidad a finales del verano de las especies Lasiurus cinereus, Lasiurus borealis y Lasionycteris noctivagans la pronosticó la cobertura de los lotes boscosos, mientras que la mortalidad de E. fuscus disminuyó conforme incrementó la elevación. Estos elementos pronosticadores del paisaje pueden utilizarse para informar al momento de elegir el sitio para la actividad eólica en el futuro y así evitar la mortalidad en murciélagos. Nuestro resultado más importante es la declinación aparente en la abundancia de cuatro especies comunes de murciélagos en el espacio aéreo, lo cual requiere de más investigación.
Christina M. Davy, Biology Department, Trent University, and Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Kelly Squires, Tau Ecology, Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
J. Ryan Zimmerling, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
Conservation Biology, Volume 35, No. 1, 227–238. doi:10.1111/cobi.13554
Download original document: “Estimation of spatiotemporal trends in bat abundance from mortality data collected at wind turbines”
Henvey Inlet – construction photos
Author: Pattern Canada, Pattern Energy GroupPattern Canada, Pattern Energy Group
Control building footings
Substation foundation
Drilling rock anchors of turbine foundation
Excavation
Substation excavation
Substation
(87 3.45-MW Vestas V136 wind turbines)
Vulnerability of avian populations to renewable energy production
Author: Conkling, Tara; et al.
Abstract: Renewable energy production can kill individual birds, but little is known about how it affects avian populations. We assessed the vulnerability of populations for 23 priority bird species killed at wind and solar facilities in California, USA. Bayesian hierarchical models suggested that 48% of these species were vulnerable to population-level effects from added fatalities caused by renewables and other sources. Effects of renewables extended far beyond the location of energy production to impact bird populations in distant regions across continental migration networks. Populations of species associated with grasslands where turbines were located were most vulnerable to wind. Populations of nocturnal migrant species were most vulnerable to solar, despite not typically being associated with deserts where the solar facilities we evaluated were located. Our findings indicate that addressing declines of North American bird populations requires consideration of the effects of renewables and other anthropogenic threats on both nearby and distant populations of vulnerable species.
Tara J. Conkling and Todd E. Katzner, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, Idaho
Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Taber D. Allison, Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute, Washington, DC
Jay E. Diffendorfer, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
Thomas V. Dietsch, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad, California
Adam E. Duerr, Bloom Research Inc., Santa Ana, California
Amy L. Fesnock, Desert District Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs, California
Rebecca R. Hernandez, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, and Wild Energy Initiative, John Muir Institute of the Environment, University of California, Davis, California
Scott R. Loss, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
David M. Nelson, Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, Maryland
Peter M. Sanzenbacher, Palm Springs Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Palm Springs, California
Julie L. Yee, Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, California
Royal Society Open Science March 2022, Volume 9 Issue 3. doi:10.1098/rsos.211558
Download original document: “Vulnerability of avian populations to renewable energy production”
Confirming Tonality at Residences Influenced by Wind Turbines
Author: Palmer, William
Abstract.
For 5 years, since the start-up of an array of 140 wind turbines, residents have filed complaints with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (the regulator), and K2 Wind (the operator). Residents complained that the turbines produce a tonal sound, and that the irritation this produced impacted their sleep, their health, and the enjoyment of their property. To confirm tonality from the wind turbines, this research examined over 200 data examples from two families. These families collected data by two independent methods, a continuously recording system, and by making selected audio recordings. The recorded data was correlated with the wind turbine operational performance, and local weather conditions. The correlated data was analyzed for tonality using international standard evaluation methods. The analysis confirmed over 84% correlation between complaints of irritating conditions, and tonality from 5 dB to over 20 dB. The research also identified deviation between the recommended method for assessing wind turbine tonality of an expert group panel for the industry and the method for compliance monitoring now prescribed by regulations. The deviation can incorrectly reduce tonality calculated to significantly below the actual tonality. Finally, the results showed that the assumption of the regulator to only require assessment of compliance when the resident was downwind of the nearest wind turbine was incorrect. Most complaints arose from other wind directions. Neither was the regulator’s assumption correct that curtailing the wind turbine operation to continue operating at only partially reduced outputs would give remediation. The research concludes that tonality arises consistent with the wind turbine operation, identifying a critical need to revise the practices to prevent chronic irritation.
William K.G. Palmer
Independent Researcher, TRI-LEA-EM, Paisley, Ontario, Canada
Journal of Energy Conservation, Volume 1, Issue 3. DOI: 10.14302/issn.2642-3146.jec-20-3359
Download original document: “Confirming Tonality at Residences Influenced by Wind Turbines”
