The predatory effect of a wind farm strikes ecosystems

They found that predatory raptor birds were four times rarer in plateau areas where wind turbines were present, a disturbance that reverberated in the food chain and radically altered the density and behavior of bird prey. Now, a new study in the Western Ghats has revealed that wind farms located in areas rich in biodiversity may have deeper ecological consequences than those already known.

Areas where wind turbines are operational have fewer predatory birds (for example, Buteo, Butastur and Elanus species), which therefore, but have a higher density of lizards, such as Sarada superba. They continued to die on the turbines, which is not good for raptors, but good news for the thin-throated lizards, prey of raptors.

A study shows that wind turbines operate as "top predators" and alter ecosystems by placing birds of prey at the top of the food chain. Researchers found nearly four times more predatory birds in areas devoid of wind turbines than in wind farms. A typical wind farm can kill thousands of birds each year, including raptors such as hawks and eagles. Blood samples were collected from lizards collected at both sites – areas with wind farms and areas without a wind farm. These lizards also had lower levels of corticosterone, a stress hormone, and allowed researchers to come closer before fleeing than in areas without turbines.

The wind farms arrived in Chalkewadi nearly 20 years ago and Professor Maria Thaker (Indian Institute of Science of Bengaluru) and her team studied their impact on the local ecosystem between 2012 and 2014, says an article that appeared in The Hindu.

In addition, they found significant changes in the behavior and appearance of lizards, living as if they were in an environment essentially free of predators.

If there is one thing that humans have learned about ecology, it is that even small changes can completely upset the balance of an ecosystem, resulting in dramatic changes. and often unpredictable.

The research team included Dr Maria Thaker, Dr Amod Zambre and Dr Harshal Bhosale. Together, we build independent, credible and fearless journalism. This will be of great importance to our ability to bring you news, perspectives and field analysis so we can make changes together.