Retrofitting of power lines effectively reduces mortality by electrocution in large birds: an example with the endangered Bonelli's eagle
Retrofitting of power lines effectively reduces mortality by electrocution in large birds: an example with the endangered Bonelli's eagle
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DOI：
10.1111/1365-2664.12476
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发表时间：
2015-12-01
影响因子：
5.7
通讯作者：
Besnard, Aurelien
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chevallier, Clement;Hernandez-Matias, Antonio;Besnard, Aurelien
对于许多脆弱的鸟类来说，电线造成的死亡是一个保护问题。许多大型物种尤其受到触电威胁，因为它们经常栖息在电线塔上，导致触电，通常会导致死亡。已采取缓解触电措施来保护多个物种；然而，这些措施导致的死亡率下降此前并未在人口规模上得到证实。在这项研究中，我们使用了 1990 年至 2009 年对法国博内利雕 Aquila fasciata 种群进行的长期捕获-再捕获计划（结合了活鸟的重新观察和死鸟的回收）的数据，以估计电线绝缘对关键人口比率的影响。我们发现，在危险电线绝缘后，所有年龄段的生存概率都增加了，因为触电造成的死亡率降低了。这种下降被其他死因的增加部分补偿。我们的研究结果表明，电源线绝缘对幼鸟和未成熟鸟类具有强烈的积极影响，而对成年鸟类的影响较小。尽管我们的研究结果仍然表明人口无法自我维持，但由于电力线绝缘而导致的总体生存率的提高导致了预计人口增长率的急剧上升（从 082 到 098）。弹性值表明成虫生存是该物种种群动态的关键参数，并且由于触电造成的成虫死亡率似乎接近于零，因此我们对该参数采取行动的能力是有限的。这项研究表明，电源线绝缘与种群规模的大型鸟类保护相关，因为它可以提高所有年龄段的存活率，从而对种群增长率产生强烈的积极影响。合成和应用。我们证明，触电引起的死亡率相当高，并对鸟类的种群生存能力产生重大影响。我们还证明，缓解触电事故的措施可以通过降低触电死亡率来提高人口生存能力，从而大幅提高生存率。鉴于这些结果，环境保护主义者迫切需要联系电力线利益相关者，不仅敦促他们普遍开展改造行动，而且在规划新的基础设施开发时，规划危害较小的电力线，因为这比制定事后缓解行动的成本要低得多。我们证明，触电引起的死亡率相当高，并对鸟类的种群生存能力产生重大影响。我们还证明，缓解触电事故的措施可以通过降低触电死亡率来提高人口生存能力，从而大幅提高生存率。鉴于这些结果，环境保护主义者迫切需要联系电力线利益相关者，不仅敦促他们普遍实施改造行动，而且在规划新的基础设施开发时，规划危害较小的电力线，因为这比制定事后缓解行动的成本要低得多。
Mortality caused by power lines is a conservation problem for many vulnerable bird species. Many large species are especially threatened by electrocution as they frequently perch on pylons leading to electrocution that typically causes death. Electrocution mitigation measures have been implemented to protect several species; however, a resulting decrease in mortality due to these measures has not previously been demonstrated at the population scale. In this study, we used data from a long-term capture-recapture programme (combining resightings of live birds and recovery of dead birds) carried out on the French population of the Bonelli's eagle Aquila fasciata from 1990 to 2009 to estimate the impact of the insulation of power lines on key demographic rates. We found that the survival probability of all age classes increased after the insulation of dangerous power lines, due to a decrease in mortality caused by electrocution. This decrease was partially compensated for by an increase in other causes of death. Our findings show that insulation of power lines has a strong positive impact on juveniles and immature birds and a lesser impact on adults. The overall increase in survival due to power line insulation led to a sharp increase in predicted population growth rates (from 082 to 098), although our findings still suggest that the population is not self-sustaining. Elasticity values indicate that adult survival is the key parameter in the population dynamics of this species, and since adult mortality caused by electrocution seemed close to zero, our ability to act on this parameter is limited. This study demonstrates that insulation of power lines is relevant for the conservation of large bird species at a population scale as it allows the survival rate of all age classes to increase and thus in turn has a strong positive impact on population growth rates.Synthesis and applications. We demonstrated that mortality rates induced by electrocution are considerable and have major consequences for the population viability of birds. We also demonstrated that electrocution mitigation measures can lead to a sharp increase in survival through reducing mortality from electrocution leading to improved population viability. In the light of these results, there is an urgent need that conservationists contact power line stakeholders not only to urge them to generalize retrofitting actions but also, in planning new infrastructure development, to plan for less harmful power lines, since this will be far less costly than developing a posteriori mitigation actions.We demonstrated that mortality rates induced by electrocution are considerable and have major consequences for the population viability of birds. We also demonstrated that electrocution mitigation measures can lead to a sharp increase in survival through reducing mortality from electrocution leading to improved population viability. In the light of these results, there is an urgent need that conservationists contact power line stakeholders not only to urge them to generalize retrofitting actions but also, in planning new infrastructure development, to plan for less harmful power lines, since this will be far less costly than developing a posteriori mitigation actions.