Geographic context affects the landscape change and fragmentation caused by wind energy facilities.

ABSTRACT: Wind energy generation affects landscapes as new roads, pads, and transmission lines are constructed. Limiting the landscape change from these facilities likely minimizes impacts to biodiversity and sensitive wildlife species. We examined the effects of wind energy facilities' geographic context on changes in landscape patterns using three metrics: portion of undeveloped land, core area index, and connectance index. We digitized 39 wind facilities and the surrounding land cover and measured landscape pattern before and after facility construction using the amount, core area, and connectivity of undeveloped land within one km around newly constructed turbines and roads. New facilities decreased the amount of undeveloped land by 1.8% while changes in metrics of landscape pattern ranged from

SUBMITTER: Diffendorfer JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6640624 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature