Biodiversity and wind farms in Portugal : current knowledge and insights for an integrated impact assessment process

This book presents a review of the state-of-the-art knowledge on the interactions between biodiversity and wind energy development, focused on the Portuguese reality. The volume addresses the particularities of the impact assessment procedures in Portugal, contrasting it with the international practices and presenting its main findings by covering the following broader themes: i) evaluation of spatial and temporal dynamics of wildlife affected by wind farms, including birds, bats and terrestrial mammals (in particularly Portuguese wolf population); ii) the methodologies used to assess impacts caused by this type of developments in biodiversity; iii) the best practice methodologies to implement an adaptive management approach to reconcile biodiversity and wind farms. The knowledge presented in this book was gathered through the research and development activities developed by Bioinsight company (former Bio3 company) during the last 13 years and partially funded by a R & D project designated as "Integrated solutions for biodiversity management at wind farms: reduce and compensate bird and bat mortality" (acronym: Wind & Biodiversity), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), under the Regional Operational Programme of Centre (Mais Centro). This volume fills a void in the literature as a book giving insights on the best practices to install and manage a wind farm from a biodiversity management point of view, while establishing a commitment between economic sustainability and biodiversity conservation Front Matter ....Pages i-vii Wind Industry in Portugal and Its Impacts on Wildlife: Special Focus on Spatial and Temporal Distribution on Bird and Bat Fatalities (Joana Marques, Sandra Rodrigues, Rita Ferreira, Miguel Mascarenhas)....Pages 1-22 Impacts of On-shore Wind Farms in Wildlife Communities: Direct Fatalities and Indirect Impacts (Behavioural and Habitat Effects) (Pedro Pereira, Nuno Salgueiro, Sílvia Mesquita)....Pages 23-33 Environmental Impact Assessment Methods: An Overview of the Process for Wind Farms’ Different Phases—From Pre-construction to Operation (Joana Santos, Joana Marques, Tiago Neves, Ana Teresa Marques, Ricardo Ramalho, Miguel Mascarenhas)....Pages 35-86 An Overview on Methods to Assess Bird and Bat Collision Risk in Wind Farms (Sandra Rodrigues, Luís Rosa, Miguel Mascarenhas)....Pages 87-110 The Indirect Impacts of Wind Farms on Terrestrial Mammals: Insights from the Disturbance and Exclusion Effects on Wolves (Canis lupus) (Gonçalo Ferrão da Costa, João Paula, Francisco Petrucci-Fonseca, Francisco Álvares)....Pages 111-134 Comparing Field Methods Used to Determine Bird and Bat Fatalities (João Paula, Margarida Augusto, Tiago Neves, Regina Bispo, Paulo Cardoso, Miguel Mascarenhas)....Pages 135-149 Estimating Bird and Bat Fatality at Wind Farms: From Formula-Based Methods to Models to Assess Impact Significance (Joana Marques, Luísa Rodrigues, Maria João Silva, Joana Santos, Regina Bispo, Joana Bernardino)....Pages 151-204 How to Design an Adaptive Management Approach? (Helena Coelho, Silvia Mesquita, Miguel Mascarenhas)....Pages 205-224 Back Matter ....Pages 225-226