Tag: wind farms

Human-wildlife interactions, Infographic, Research summaries

Infographic: factors affecting carcass detection at wind farms using dogs and human searchers

New research from Jon Domínguez del Valle and colleagues demonstrates that dogs outperform humans when it comes to finding bird and bat carcasses in a wide range of situations. This is particularly evident when searching for small species in dense vegetation. This infographic summarises their work into detection at wind farms. ‘Our results provide evidence that dogs perform with high success rates at detecting bird … Continue reading Infographic: factors affecting carcass detection at wind farms using dogs and human searchers

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Research summaries

Wind farms affect small birds too

Julia Gómez-Catasús explains the need for a 4.5km threshold between wind farms and small-sized birds, based on the recently published article, Wind farms affect the occurrence, abundance and population trends of small passerine birds: The case of the Dupont’s lark. Wind energy has experienced significant developments in recent decades, with China, United States, Germany, India and Spain being the main wind energy producers in the world. … Continue reading Wind farms affect small birds too

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Monitoring and methods, Research summaries, Themed collections

Spotlight: Decision making under uncertainty

Issue 55:2 of Journal of Applied Ecology features a Spotlight on Decision making under uncertainty. Senior Editor, Michael Bode discusses these Spotlight papers, chosen by the Editors to showcase the latest research in this area. Professor John Shepherd famously compared fisheries management to forestry, except that the trees were invisible and were constantly moving around. Most applied ecologists would sympathise, while simultaneously casting an envious eye … Continue reading Spotlight: Decision making under uncertainty

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Research summaries

Density-dependence and marine bird populations: Are wind farm assessments precautionary?

In this post, Catharine Horswill discusses her paper ‘Density-dependence and marine bird populations: Are wind farm assessments precautionary?‘ “Just one thing would be enough to halt climate change, if clean energy became cheaper than coal, gas or oil, fossil fuel would simply stay in the ground”. Sir David Attenborough made this statement in support of the Global Apollo Program, an international initiative to increase the amount … Continue reading Density-dependence and marine bird populations: Are wind farm assessments precautionary?

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Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries, Themed collections

Spotlight: How do renewable energy installations affect wildlife?

In the first post of its kind for The Applied Ecologist’s blog, Dr Lucy Wright, RSPB Principal Conservation Scientist, discusses five articles published in the latest issue of Journal of Applied Ecology, which have been grouped into a special profile on wildlife and renewable energy. All five papers are currently free to read online. Renewable energy is widely accepted to be a vital part of … Continue reading Spotlight: How do renewable energy installations affect wildlife?

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Research summaries

Radar technology may help design raptor-proof wind farms in the future

In this post, Miguel Ferrer and Des Thompson discuss the recently published paper by Sergio Cabrera-Cruz and Rafael Villegas-Patraca ‘Response of migrating raptors to an increasing number of wind farms’ This study has for the first time used radar trajectories of more than 3.7 million migrant raptors, over six years, to measure responses to a wind farm. Essentially, in an experimental situation of pre- and … Continue reading Radar technology may help design raptor-proof wind farms in the future

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Research summaries

Seals find a quiet place to phone home

In this post Debbie Russell discusses her paper ‘Avoidance of windfarms by harbour seals is limited to pile driving activities‘ published today in Journal of Applied Ecology. Marine renewables in the fight against climate change To fight climate change we have to cut our carbon emissions. One of the main sources of carbon emissions results from burning coal to make electricity. Thus a key weapon … Continue reading Seals find a quiet place to phone home

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Research summaries

Can’t see the puffins for the auks? Estimating population size with imperfect species identification

In this post, Alison Johnston (@ali__johnston) talks about her paper published today “Modelling the abundance and distribution of marine birds accounting for uncertain species identification”. Ecological surveys balance the competing goals of data quality and data quantity. We can intensively survey a small area, or cover a larger area with less detail and precision, for example in large-scale citizen science surveys. Recently there has been … Continue reading Can’t see the puffins for the auks? Estimating population size with imperfect species identification

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