Golden Eagle fatalities and the continental-scale consequences of local wind-energy generation.
Renewable energy production is expanding rapidly despite mostly unknown environmental effects on wildlife and habitats. We used genetic and stable isotope data collected from Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) killed at the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (APWRA) in California in demographic models to test hypotheses about the geographic extent and demographic consequences of fatalities caused by renewable energy facilities. Geospatial analyses of δ2H values obtained from feathers showed that ≥25% of these APWRA-killed eagles were recent immigrants to the population, most from long distances away (>100 km). Data from nuclear genes indicated this subset of immigrant eagles was genetically similar to birds identified as locals from the δ2H data. Demographic models implied that in the face of this mortality, the apparent stability of the local Golden Eagle population was maintained by continental-scale immigration. These analyses demonstrate that ecosystem management decisions concerning the effects of local-scale renewable energy can have continental-scale consequences.
U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 970 Lusk Street, Boise, ID, 83706, U.S.A.
Todd E
TE
Katzner
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, 21532, U.S.A.
David M
DM
Nelson
Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, U.S.A.
Melissa A
MA
Braham
Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, U.S.A.
Jacqueline M
JM
Doyle
Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, U.S.A.
Nadia B
NB
Fernandez
Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, U.S.A.
Adam E
AE
Duerr
Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Camarillo, CA, 93012, U.S.A.
Peter H
PH
Bloom
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, 21532, U.S.A.
Matthew C
MC
Fitzpatrick
Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, U.S.A.
Tricia A
TA
Miller
NextEra Energy Resources, 700 Universe Boulevard, Juno Beach, FL, 33408, U.S.A.
Renee C E
RC
Culver
NextEra Energy Resources, 700 Universe Boulevard, Juno Beach, FL, 33408, U.S.A.
Loan
L
Braswell
Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, U.S.A.|Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, U.S.A.
J Andrew
JA
DeWoody
D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D020307:Eagles; D005241:Feathers; D011157:Population Dynamics; D059205:Renewable Energy; D014919:Wind
SNP; energía renovable; interacciones viento-vida silvestre; isotopo estable de hidrógeno; renewable energy; stable hydrogen isotope; wind-wildlife interactions