Effects of wind energy development on nesting ecology of greater prairie-chickens in fragmented grasslands.

ABSTRACT: Wind energy is targeted to meet 20% of U.S. energy needs by 2030, but new sites for development of renewable energy may overlap with important habitats of declining populations of grassland birds. Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) are an obligate grassland bird species predicted to respond negatively to energy development. We used a modified before-after control-impact design to test for impacts of a wind energy development on the reproductive ecology of prairie-chickens in a 5-year study. We located 59 and 185 nests before and after development, respectively, of a 201 MW wind energy facility in Greater Prairie-Chicken nesting habitat and assessed nest site selection and nest survival relative to proximity to wind energy infrastructure and habitat conditions. Proximity to turbi

SUBMITTER: McNew LB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4315899 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature