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Modelling risks posed by wind turbines and power lines to soaring birds: the black stork (Ciconia nigra) in Italy as a case study

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 29, pages 1959–1976 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Recent growth of investments in wind energy and power industries has increased concerns about the associated adverse impacts on wildlife. In particular, flying vertebrates are especially at risk, both directly, through an extra mortality rate due to collision with turbines and electrocution, and indirectly through habitat loss or fragmentation. In this study, we propose a modelling approach that combines species distribution models and data managed in geographic information systems to predict and quantify the effects of wind turbines and power lines on the breeding habitat of a soaring migratory bird, the black stork Ciconia nigra, in Italy. The species is recolonizing the country, where it had been driven to extinction in the Middle Age by human persecution. Today, infrastructures such as those considered in our study might in fact hamper this recolonization. Our results show a high probability of presence of the species in several areas in Italy. The most important variables in influencing habitat suitability for C. nigra are the mean temperature of May followed by the distance from urban areas, inland wetlands and hydrographic network. Exposure to wind turbine collision and electrocution resulted to be potentially high. In particular, in Northern Italy the main potential risk of mortality for C. nigra is posed by power lines, whereas in southern regions the species might be mostly threatened by wind turbines. Our approach makes it possible to detect suitable areas that, although not yet colonized by the species, would imply a high mortality risk should the species colonize them in the future. The tool we provide may therefore prove useful to conservationists and landscape planners in order to mitigate the impact of human infrastructures on this species and encourage a more sustainable planning.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the following regional delegates of GLICiNe (Gruppo di Lavoro Italiano Cicogna Nera—Italian Work Group about Black Stork): Matteo Caldarella, Maurizio Marrese, Nicola Norante and Matteo Visceglia for the information provided. Two anonymous reviewers made important suggestions that allowed us to improve a previous ms version.

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Author notes

  1. Sonia Smeraldo and Luciano Bosso have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università, 100, 80055, Portici, NA, Italy

    Sonia Smeraldo, Luciano Bosso, Maurizio Fraissinet, Leonardo Ancillotto & Danilo Russo

  2. ASOIM – Associazione Studi Ornitologici Italia Meridionale, Via Cavalli di Bronzo, 95, 80046, San Giorgio a Cremano, NA, Italy

    Maurizio Fraissinet

  3. G.L.I.Ci.Ne. (Gruppo di Lavoro Italiano sulla Cicogna Nera), Via Vioglio, 16, 13835, Valdilana, BI, Italy

    Lucio Bordignon

  4. Stazione Romana Osservazione e Protezione Uccelli, Via Aldo Moro, 83, 00065, Fiano Romano, RM, Italy

    Massimo Brunelli

  5. School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK

    Danilo Russo

Authors
  1. Sonia Smeraldo
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  2. Luciano Bosso
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  3. Maurizio Fraissinet
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  4. Lucio Bordignon
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  5. Massimo Brunelli
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  6. Leonardo Ancillotto
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Correspondence to Luciano Bosso.

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Communicated by Pedro Aragón.

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Smeraldo, S., Bosso, L., Fraissinet, M. et al. Modelling risks posed by wind turbines and power lines to soaring birds: the black stork (Ciconia nigra) in Italy as a case study. Biodivers Conserv 29, 1959–1976 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-020-01961-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-020-01961-3

Keywords

  • Ecological niche
  • Electrocution
  • Risk map
  • Spatial analysis
  • Species distribution models
  • Wind farms

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