Increased bird diversity around small-scale solar energy plants in agricultural landscape

IF 6 1区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment Pub Date : 2024-10-31 DOI:10.1016/j.agee.2024.109361

Artur Golawski , Cezary Mitrus , Łukasz Jankowiak

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The increasing demand for energy, coupled with the imperative to curtail the combustion of natural raw materials and mitigate global warming, necessitates the exploitation of alternative energy sources. Renewable energy sources include solar energy plants (PV), however research on the effects of utility-scale plants on fauna has been limited. Most studies have focused on extensive PV in natural habitats like savanna or deserts, so these studies are not directly applicable to European contexts where many PV are placed in farmland. Our study involved an analysis of avifauna diversity within PV and the impact of these plants on more common bird species in farmland in Poland. We conducted surveys at 43 PV with an area not exceeding 5.3 ha and 43 control sites, finding that PV generally enhanced avifauna diversity. Notably, the Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) and Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) occurred in significantly bigger numbers on PV. Conversely, only the Skylark (Alauda arvensis) exhibited a significant negative reaction to the presence of PV. The PV probably provide safe breeding sites, grassy areas that are mown late in the season or left unmown, and fences that serve as observation points, foraging sites, and singing perches for birds. Our results are specific to relatively small, isolated PV that are typical in Poland and central Europe; further research is warranted to assess the impact of larger PV on avian populations and on particular aspects of bird life traits as well as presence and density.

查看原文本刊更多论文

增加农业景观中小型太阳能发电厂周围的鸟类多样性

能源需求日益增长，加上必须减少天然原料的燃烧和减缓全球变暖，因此有必要开发替代能源。可再生能源包括太阳能发电厂（PV），但有关公用事业规模的发电厂对动物群影响的研究还很有限。大多数研究都集中在热带稀树草原或沙漠等自然栖息地的大型光伏发电厂，因此这些研究并不能直接适用于欧洲的情况，因为欧洲的许多光伏发电厂都建在农田里。我们的研究包括分析山坡地内鸟类的多样性以及这些植物对波兰农田中更常见鸟类的影响。我们在 43 个面积不超过 5.3 公顷的光伏发电站和 43 个对照地点进行了调查，发现光伏发电站普遍提高了鸟类的多样性。值得注意的是，粟鹀（Emberiza calandra）和黄雀（Saxicola rubetra）在光伏发电站的出现数量明显增加。相反，只有云雀（Alauda arvensis）对光伏的存在表现出明显的负面反应。紫云英可能为鸟类提供了安全的繁殖地、在季节后期修剪或未修剪的草地，以及作为观察点、觅食地和歌唱栖息地的栅栏。我们的研究结果只针对波兰和中欧典型的相对较小、孤立的集散地；还需要进一步研究，以评估较大集散地对鸟类种群、鸟类生活特征的特定方面以及存在和密度的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

11.70

自引率

9.10%

发文量

392

审稿时长

26 days

期刊介绍： Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment publishes scientific articles dealing with the interface between agroecosystems and the natural environment, specifically how agriculture influences the environment and how changes in that environment impact agroecosystems. Preference is given to papers from experimental and observational research at the field, system or landscape level, from studies that enhance our understanding of processes using data-based biophysical modelling, and papers that bridge scientific disciplines and integrate knowledge. All papers should be placed in an international or wide comparative context.