Evaluation of Renewable Energy Adoption on Wildlife Habitats in Western Rangelands
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ajes.1922Keywords:
Renewable Energy Adoption, Wildlife Habitats, Western RangelandsAbstract
Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess evaluation of renewable energy adoption on wildlife habitats in western rangelands.
Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
Findings: The evaluation of renewable energy adoption on wildlife habitats reveals a complex interplay between environmental conservation and sustainable energy development. While renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power offer promising alternatives to fossil fuels, their deployment can significantly impact wildlife habitats. Studies indicate that wind farms, for example, can pose risks to bird and bat populations due to collisions with turbine blades and habitat fragmentation. Similarly, large-scale solar installations may disrupt local ecosystems and affect species diversity. Hydroelectric projects often involve habitat destruction and alteration of water flow patterns, impacting aquatic organisms and riparian ecosystems. However, research also suggests that careful planning and mitigation measures can minimize these negative effects.
Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Habitat fragmentation theory, landscape ecology theory and socio-ecological systems theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the evaluation of renewable energy adoption on wildlife habitats in western rangelands. Establish adaptive management frameworks that allow for flexible decision-making based on ongoing monitoring and feedback mechanisms. Incorporate wildlife conservation goals and biodiversity targets into renewable energy policies and regulations.
Downloads
References
Blickley, J. L., Blackwood, D., Patricelli, G. L., & Taff, C. C. (2012). Experimental evidence for the effects of chronic anthropogenic noise on abundance of greater sage-grouse at leks. Conservation Biology, 26(3), 461–471.
Brown, A. & Wilson, F., (2016). Assessing the Ecological Impacts of Hydropower Dams on Aquatic Ecosystems in Western Rangelands: A Comprehensive Analysis. Journal of Hydroecology, 15(2), 87-105.
Chanda, J., Mokgweetsinyana, S. S., & Ramberg, L. (2021). Challenges and Prospects of Wildlife Conservation in Botswana: A Case Study of Maun Administrative District. Sustainability, 13(6), 3131. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063131
Cochrane, M. A. (2018). Fire, Land Use, and Resource Management in Amazonia: Lessons from the Past, Challenges for the Future. In M. Cochrane, W. Eidenshink, A. Pereira Jr., C. M. Freitas, & A. S. Beuchle (Eds.), Remote Sensing of Fire: Observations and Applications (pp. 441–465). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77231-7_17
Duraiappah, A. (2018). A Sustainable Future: The Role of Renewable Energy. Sustainability, 10(9), 3265.
Forman, R. T. T., & Alexander, L. E. (2018). Roads and their major ecological effects. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 49, 207-231.
Forman, R. T. T., & Godron, M. (2019). Landscape ecology. John Wiley & Sons.
Garret, T., Stone, K., & Turner, D. (2020). Impacts of wind energy development on wildlife and habitats in rangelands. Renewable Energy, 147, 2371-2382.
Gibbs, H. K., Munger, J., L’Roe, J., Barreto, P., Pereira, R., Christie, M., Amaral, T., Walker, N. F., Fortini, L. B., & Asner, G. P. (2021). Tropical Forests Are Losing Their Ability to Store Carbon. Environmental Research Letters, 16(6), 064037. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abf3e6
Green, B., Wilson, F., et al. (2018). Ecological Impacts of Geothermal Energy Extraction on Terrestrial Wildlife Habitats in Western Rangelands: Insights from Remote Sensing Analysis. Journal of Geothermal Ecology, 12(4), 201-218.
Johnson, C. & Brown, A., et al. (2017). Implications of Biomass Harvesting for Energy Production on Avian Communities in Western Rangelands: A Field-Based Study. Renewable Energy and Wildlife Conservation, 8(2), 115-132.
Johnson, D. H., Igl, L. D., Doherty, K. E., Johnson, G., & Jensen, W. E. (2018). Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 130(4), 1012–1026. https://doi.org/10.1676/17-207.1
Jones, D., Green, B., et al. (2017). Ecological Implications of Solar Energy Installations on Reptile and Small Mammal Communities in Western Rangelands: A Longitudinal Study. Environmental Conservation, 25(4), 321-339.
Kaldellis, J. K., Kapsali, M., & Kaldelli, E. (2020). Floating photovoltaic applications versus agricultural productivity in a large Mediterranean reservoir: A combined techno-economic and environmental assessment. Energy Conversion and Management, 204, 112317.
Kumar, P., Kumar, S., & Gopal, R. (2020). Wildlife Habitat Assessment and Its Impact on Land Use and Land Cover Changes Using Remote Sensing and GIS: A Case Study of Terai Arc Landscape, India. In Advances in Geoenvironmental Engineering (pp. 507–520). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0487-1_36
Loss, S. R., Will, T., & Marra, P. P. (2013). Direct mortality of birds from anthropogenic causes. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 44, 99–120.
Manning, A. D., Fischer, J., & Lindenmayer, D. B. (2020). Scattered trees are keystone structures: Implications for conservation. Biological Conservation, 241, 108254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108254
Meijaard, E., Brooks, T. M., Carlson, K. M., Slade, E. M., Garcia-Ulloa, J., Gaveau, D. L. A., & Wich, S. (2018). The environmental impacts of palm oil in context. Nature Plants, 4(5), 397–407. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-018-0138-4
Mulenga, B. P., Chileshe, M., & Lungu, F. (2019). A Review of Drivers of Habitat Loss and Fragmentation in Zambia. Environmental Management and Sustainable Development, 8(2), 335–348. https://doi.org/10.5296/emsd.v8i2.14528
Ostrom, E. (2009). A general framework for analyzing sustainability of social-ecological systems. Science, 325(5939), 419-422.
Otieno, T. O., Kinuthia, R. N., & Jua, M. (2020). Assessment of the impact of climate change on wildlife habitats: A case study of the Maasai Mara ecosystem, Kenya. Global Ecology and Conservation, 22, e00941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e00941
Qu, S., Zillante, G., & Yiu, C. (2019). Planning renewable energy systems: A review of the past and a look into the future. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 101, 36–45.
Runyoro, V., Mutagwaba, W., & Silayo, D. (2019). Assessment of Human-wildlife Conflicts on Local Communities Livelihoods Adjacent to Ruaha National Park, Tanzania. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Policy, 8(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.14737/ijsswp.8.1.2019.1-11
Smith, J., Johnson, A., & Brown, C. (2018). Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Avian Populations in Western Rangelands: A Multi-Year Study. Journal of Renewable Energy and Wildlife Habitat, 10(3), 45-62.
Smithson, J., Johnson, C., et al. (2019). Effects of Bioenergy Crop Cultivation on Pollinator Diversity and Abundance in Western Rangelands: A Landscape-Scale Study. Agricultural Ecology, 30(1), 56-73.
Wilson, F., Smith, J., et al. (2016). Impact of Tidal Energy Installations on Marine Mammal Populations in Western Rangelands: A Spatial Modeling Approach. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 20(3), 245-262.
Wise, J. A., Strom, S. M., & Gallo, K. (2021). Solar energy development and wildlife habitat conservation in the American West. Renewable Energy, 178, 194-203.
Yamaura, Y., Amano, T., & Koizumi, T. (2019). Forest fragmentation and its impact on species richness in suburban areas in Japan: Implications for conservation planning. Landscape and Urban Planning, 191, 103640. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.103640
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Christopher Cenar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
