Wind farms affect the occurrence, abundance and population trends of small passerine birds: The case of the Dupont's lark

Gómez‐Catasús, Julia; Garza, Vicente; Traba, Juán

doi:10.1111/1365-2664.13107

Cited by 29 publications

(36 citation statements)

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“…In addition, isolation and small population size make the AN populations more prone to extinction ( Méndez, Tella & Godoy, 2011 ). On the other hand, declining trends for the CL populations can be mainly explained by the implementation of wind farm infrastructures ( Gómez-Catasús, Garza & Traba, 2018 ) or high-speed trains ( Íñigo et al, 2008 ), as well as conifer plantations promoted by the Common Agricultural Policy over marginal low-productivity areas ( Tella et al, 2005 ; Garza & Traba, 2016 ). The uncertainty in population trends for the other regions makes it difficult to find a potential explanation, although agro-forestry (RM; Laiolo & Tella, 2006a ), irrigated lands (AR; Íñigo et al, 2008 ), afforestations (AR, CV, NA, RM; Tella et al, 2005 , Garza & Traba, 2016 ) and infrastructure development (highways in AR; Íñigo et al, 2008 ; Garza & Traba, 2016 ) are among the probable causes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Imputed indices are employed to estimate a mean annual change rate since they show a more realistic course in time ( Pannekoek & Van Strien, 2006b ) and a trend category is assigned ( Pannekoek & Van Strien, 2006a ). This technique has been broadly employed for the analysis of temporal series in bird populations ( Paradis et al, 2002 ; Wretenberg et al, 2007 ; Delgado et al, 2009 ; Gómez-Catasús, Garza & Traba, 2018 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is a consequence of the accelerated process of land use changes occurring in steppe-like habitats, with dramatic consequences for steppe-bird populations across Europe ( Benton, Vickery & Wilson, 2003 ; Burfield & Van Bommel, 2004 ; Santos & Suárez, 2005 ). The main habitat-related threats, and therefore drivers of steppe-bird population declines are: (i) changes in land use (afforestation, new crops, infrastructure development, mining, rubbish dumps; Burfield, 2005 ; Laiolo & Tella, 2006a ; Gómez-Catasús et al, 2016 ; Gómez-Catasús, Garza & Traba, 2018 ); (ii) agricultural intensification (landscape homogenization, irrigation, increase in the use of agrochemicals; Donald, Green & Heath, 2001 ; Benton, Vickery & Wilson, 2003 ; Brotons, Mañosa & Estrada, 2004 ; Burfield, 2005 ); and (iii) land abandonment and changes in agriculture and livestock management ( Madroño, González & Atienza, 2004 ; Burfield, 2005 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The species inhabits flat (<10–15% of slope) shrub-steppes, avoiding dry pastures and cereal fields ( Garza et al, 2005 ; Seoane et al, 2006 ; Pérez-Granados, Lopez-Iborra & Seoane, 2017 ). Habitat fragmentation and land use changes, common issues in steppe ecosystems, have been documented as the main threats to the species ( Tella et al, 2005 ; Íñigo et al, 2008 ; Garza & Traba, 2016 ; Pérez-Granados, Osiejuk & López-Iborra, 2016 ; Gómez-Catasús, Garza & Traba, 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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European population trends and current conservation status of an endangered steppe-bird species: the Dupont’s lark Chersophilus duponti

Gómez‐Catasús

Pérez‐Granados

Barrero

et al. 2018

PeerJ

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BackgroundSteppe-birds face drastic population declines throughout Europe. The Dupont’s lark Chersophilus duponti is an endangered steppe-bird species whose European distribution is restricted to Spain. This scarce passerine bird could be considered an ‘umbrella species’, since its population trends may reveal the conservation status of shrub-steppes. However, trends for the Spanish, and thus European, population of Dupont’s lark are unknown. In this work, we evaluated Dupont’s lark population trends in Europe employing the most recent and largest compiled database to date (92 populations over 12 years). In addition, we assessed the species threat category according to current applicable criteria (approved in March 2017) in the Spanish catalogue of threatened species (SCTS), which have never been applied to the Dupont’s lark nor to any other Spanish species. Finally, we compared the resulting threat categories with the current conservation status at European, national and regional levels.MethodsWe fitted switching linear trend models (software TRIM—Trends and Indices for Monitoring data) to evaluate population trends at national and regional scale (i.e. per Autonomous Community) during the period 2004–2015. In addition, the average finite annual rate of change () obtained from the TRIM analysis was employed to estimate the percentage of population size change in a 10-year period. A threat category was assigned following A1 and A2 criteria applicable in the SCTS.ResultsTrends showed an overall 3.9% annual decline rate for the Spanish population (moderate decline, following TRIM). Regional analyses showed high inter-regional variability. We forecasted a 32.8% average decline over the next 10 years. According to these results, the species should be listed as ‘Vulnerable’ at a national scale (SCTS). At the regional level, the conservation status of the species is of particular concern in Andalusia and Castile-Leon, where the species qualifies for listing as ‘Endangered’.DiscussionOur results highlight the concerning conservation status of the European Dupont’s lark population, undergoing a 3.9% annual decline rate. Under this scenario, the implementation of a wide-ranging conservation plan is urgently needed and is vital to ensuring the conservation of this steppe-bird species. The role of administrations in matters of nature protection and the cataloguing of endangered species is crucial to reverse declining population trends of this and other endangered taxa.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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European population trends and current conservation status of an endangered steppe-bird species: the Dupont’s lark Chersophilus duponti

Gómez‐Catasús

Pérez‐Granados

Barrero

et al. 2018

PeerJ

Self Cite

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“…In this sense, wind farms and linear transport infrastructures have been indicated as some of the most important factors affecting Dupont’s lark populations [27, 29]. In particular, populations in the presence of wind farms show a significantly more regressive overall trend than those in the absence of wind farms [32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting Dupont´s lark distribution and range regression in Spain

et al. 2019

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In this work, we analyse factors explaining the distribution and range regression of Dupont’s lark in Spain, the only European country in which this threatened alaudid is present. Dupont’s lark is an extremely elusive and scarce species, distributed across a reduced and strongly fragmented range, showing a metapopulational structure with unknown dispersive and connective mechanisms. We used maximum entropy modelling (Maxent) on nearly 15,000 Dupont’s lark observations (1985–2015) to assess the probability of presence at a 1 km resolution across its European range. Moreover, we tested the probability of extinction by comparing pre- and post-2000 observations by means of a GLM over a subset of cells with presence-absence data. We obtained strong model fitting (AUC = 0.919), in which species occurrence was explained by low values of plant productivity (NDVI), climate (high temperature range and medium annual precipitation), land use (increasing with sclerophyllous scrubland), flat topography and human disturbance (associated with low human population density). The species also tolerates dry farming, but not other farm types or forest cover. The probability map identified two main regions known as the species' core areas: the steppes of the Iberian System and the Ebro Valley. The North Plateau is characterised by a dispersed structure of small and very fragmented patches of suitable habitat, while a succession of discontinuous probability patches form an Eastern Corridor connecting the central core areas to the southernmost populations. Finally, the model identified small and isolated patches of high probability of presence along the eastern coastline. The species tends to occur in the best available areas but, at the same time, the model revealed a large area of suitable but unoccupied habitat. Our results correct the previous estimation of occupation area from 1,480 to 1,010.78 km 2 , a reduction of 26.22%. The current distribution of Dupont’s lark is almost completely covered by Important Bird Areas (IBAs), highlighting their importance for bird conservation, but only 44.89% is included in Natura 2000 Special Protection Areas (SPAs). A comparison of pre- and post-2000 periods revealed a range contraction of 44%. Probability of extinction increased with higher temperature range and lower annual precipitation, and with decreases in population density, which suggests that this species is extremely vulnerable to both climate change and rural abandonment, due to its dependence on traditional grazing. These results suggest the need for a re-evaluation of the conservation status of Dupont’s lark in Spain. They urge the preservation of not only current extant populations, but also the unoccupied suitable areas that could be critical for metapopulation structure, and the development of policies addressing the preservation of traditional grazing.

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Migrating Whooping Cranes avoid wind‐energy infrastructure when selecting stopover habitat

Pearse

Metzger

Brandt

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

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Electricity generation from renewable‐energy sources has increased dramatically worldwide in recent decades. Risks associated with wind‐energy infrastructure are not well understood for endangered Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) or other vulnerable Crane populations. From 2010 to 2016, we monitored 57 Whooping Cranes with remote‐telemetry devices in the United States Great Plains to determine potential changes in migration distribution (i.e., avoidance) caused by presence of wind‐energy infrastructure. During our study, the number of wind towers tripled in the Whooping Crane migration corridor and quadrupled in the corridor’s center. Median distance of Whooping Crane locations from nearest wind tower was 52.1 km, and 99% of locations were >4.3 km from wind towers. A habitat selection analysis revealed that Whooping Cranes used areas ≤5.0 km (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.8–5.4) from towers less than expected (i.e., zone of influence) and that Whooping Cranes were 20 times (95% CI 14–64) more likely to use areas outside compared to adjacent to towers. Eighty percent of Whooping Crane locations and 20% of wind towers were located in areas with the highest relative probability of Whooping Crane use based on our model, which comprised 20% of the study area. Whooping Cranes selected for these places, whereas developers constructed wind infrastructure at random relative to desirable Whooping Crane habitat. As of early 2020, 4.6% of the study area and 5.0% of the highest‐selected Whooping Crane habitat were within the collective zone of influence. The affected area equates to habitat loss ascribed to wind‐energy infrastructure; losses from other disturbances have not been quantified. Continued growth of the Whooping Crane population during this period of wind infrastructure construction suggests no immediate population‐level consequences. Chronic or lag effects of habitat loss are unknown but possible for long‐lived species. Preferentially constructing future wind infrastructure outside of the migration corridor or inside of the corridor at sites with low probability of Whooping Crane use would allow for continued wind‐energy development in the Great Plains with minimal additional risk to highly selected habitat that supports recovery of this endangered species.

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Wind farms affect the occurrence, abundance and population trends of small passerine birds: The case of the Dupont's lark

Cited by 29 publications

References 51 publications

European population trends and current conservation status of an endangered steppe-bird species: the Dupont’s lark Chersophilus duponti

European population trends and current conservation status of an endangered steppe-bird species: the Dupont’s lark Chersophilus duponti

Factors affecting Dupont´s lark distribution and range regression in Spain

Migrating Whooping Cranes avoid wind‐energy infrastructure when selecting stopover habitat

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