An Updated Review of Hypotheses Regarding Bat Attraction to Wind Turbines.

Emma E Guest,Sara P Weaver,Amanda M Hale,Nevin D Durish,Brogan P Morton,Cris D Hein,Brittany F Stamps,Sarah R Fritts

doi:10.3390/ani12030343

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe rapid development of wind energy facilities has increased bat mortality due to wind turbine blade strikes. Patterns of bat activity and mortality at wind energy facilities suggest that bats are attracted to wind turbines. It has been more than a decade since a comprehensive review of the various attraction hypotheses was published, highlighting the need to revisit and assess progress in the testing of these ideas. In this review, we discuss the most prominent attraction hypotheses, summarize the current state of knowledge, and briefly outline remaining questions. Identifying the causes of bat interactions with wind turbines is critical to developing effective impact minimization strategies. Patterns of bat activity and mortalities at wind energy facilities suggest that bats are attracted to wind turbines based on bat behavioral responses to wind turbines. For example, current monitoring efforts suggest that bat activity increases post-wind turbine construction, with bats making multiple passes near wind turbines. We separated the attraction hypothesis into five previously proposed explanations of bat interactions at or near wind turbines, including attraction based on noise, roost sites, foraging and water, mating behavior, and lights, and one new hypothesis regarding olfaction, and provide a state of the knowledge in 2022. Our review indicates that future research should prioritize attraction based on social behaviors, such as mating and scent-marking, as this aspect of the attraction hypothesis has many postulates and remains the most unclear. Relatively more data regarding attraction to wind turbines based on lighting and noise emission exist, and these data indicate that these are unlikely attractants. Analyzing attraction at the species-level should be prioritized because of differences in foraging, flight, and social behavior among bat species. Lastly, research assessing bat attraction at various scales, such as the turbine or facility scale, is lacking, which could provide important insights for both wind turbine siting decisions and bat mortality minimization strategies. Identifying the causes of bat interactions with wind turbines is critical for developing effective impact minimization strategies.

Highlights

Anthropogenic climate change resulting from fossil fuel emissions has sparked interest in renewable energy sources
An overview of research that pertains to bat attraction to wind turbines is in Supplementary Table S1
We determined 25 studies were directly related to bat attraction to wind turbines (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Anthropogenic climate change resulting from fossil fuel emissions has sparked interest in renewable energy sources. The Global Wind Energy Council reported that total wind energy capacity exceeded 651 gigawatts in 2019, a 19% increase in installation from the previous year [2]. As of 2019, the United States was the second leading market for installed wind energy capacity, only trailing China, together accounting for over 60% of the new capacity in 2019, followed by Germany, India, the United Kingdom, and Spain [2]. Renewable energy sources are reducing emissions that lead to climate change, wind and other renewables are not without unintended negative impacts [3]. One consequence of wind energy development is bat mortality caused by wind turbine blade strikes, and increasing development of wind energy represents a relatively new stressor to numerous bat species, sparking concern among conservationists and private industries [4]

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