Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China

TL;DR

This study examines how wind farms in China affect the burrowing behavior of Alashan ground squirrels, finding that they avoid areas under turbines but prefer regions with higher turbine power and specific environmental conditions.

Contribution

The study provides novel insights into how wind farm power and environmental factors influence the spatial distribution of burrows in desert steppe rodents.

Findings

Alashan ground squirrels avoid building burrows under wind turbines, especially within rotor-swept areas.

Burrow density increases in areas with higher turbine power and specific terrain and vegetation conditions.

Vegetation height negatively affects burrow density, while turbine power and convex landforms have positive effects.

Abstract

Wind energy is widely promoted as a clean energy source, but its ecological impacts, especially in grassland ecosystems, are not fully understood. This study looked at how wind farms in the desert steppe of northwestern China affect the burrowing behaviour of the Alashan ground squirrel (Spermophilus alashanicus), a typical ground-dwelling rodent. We found that these animals tend to avoid building burrows directly under wind turbines, especially within the area swept by the blades. Interestingly, the number of effective burrows increased in areas with higher turbine power. Burrow locations were also influenced by terrain and vegetation height. These findings help us better understand how wind farms may influence local wildlife and provide useful information for balancing renewable energy development with grassland conservation.

The wind energy resources in the northwestern desert and semi-desert grassland regions of China are abundant. However, the ramifications of large-scale centralized wind farm operations on terrestrial rodents remain incompletely understood. In May and September 2024, we employed a grid sampling method combined with burrow counting and kernel density analysis to investigate the spatial distribution of Alashan ground squirrel (Spermophilus alashanicus) burrows in different wind turbine power zones (control, 750 kW, 1500 kW, 2000 kW, and 2500 kW) at the Taiyangshan wind farm in China. Using generalized additive models and structural equation models, we analysed the relationship between burrow spatial distribution and environmental factors. The results revealed no significant linear correlation between burrow density and turbine layout density, but was significantly positively correlated with turbine power (p < 0.05). The highest burrow density was observed in the 2500 kW zone, with values of 24.43 ± 7.18 burrows/hm2 in May and 21.29 ± 3.38 burrows/hm2 in September (p < 0.05). The squirrels exhibited a tendency to avoid constructing burrows within the rotor sweeping areas of the turbines. The burrow density distribution exhibited a multinuclear clustering pattern in both May and September, with a northwest–southeast spatial orientation. Turbine power, aspect, and plan convexity had significant positive effects on burrow density, whereas vegetation height had a significant negative effect. Moreover, vegetation height indirectly influenced burrow density through its interactions with turbine power and relief degree. Under the combined influence of turbine power, topography, and vegetation, Alashan ground squirrels preferred habitats in low-density, high-power turbine zones with shorter vegetation, sunny slopes, convex landforms, and minimal disturbance.

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