In:
Environmental Management, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 66, No. 3 ( 2020-09), p. 319-332
Abstract:
Collision risk of soaring birds is partly associated with updrafts to which they are attracted. To identify the risk-enhancing landscape features, a micrositing tool was developed to model orographic and thermal updraft velocities from high-resolution remote sensing data. The tool was applied to the island of Hitra, and validated using GPS-tracked white-tailed eagles ( Haliaeetus albicilla ). Resource selection functions predicted that eagles preferred ridges with high orographic uplift, especially at flight altitudes within the rotor-swept zone (40–110 m). Flight activity was negatively associated with the widely distributed areas with high thermal uplift at lower flight altitudes ( 〈 110 m). Both the existing wind-power plant and planned extension are placed at locations rendering maximum orographic updraft velocities around the minimum sink rate for white-tailed eagles (0.75 m/s) but slightly higher thermal updraft velocities. The tool can contribute to improve micrositing of wind turbines to reduce the environmental impacts, especially for soaring raptors.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0364-152X
,
1432-1009
DOI:
10.1007/s00267-020-01318-0
Language:
English
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2020
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1478932-2
detail.hit.zdb_id:
131372-1
SSG:
12
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