Reduced ecosystem services of desert plants from ground-mounted solar energy development
Reduced ecosystem services of desert plants from ground-mounted solar energy development
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DOI：
10.1038/s41893-020-0574-x
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发表时间：
2020-07-20
影响因子：
27.6
通讯作者：
Hernandez, Rebecca R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Grodsky, Steven M.;Hernandez, Rebecca R.
尽管沙漠一直是大规模太阳能开发的重点，但这项研究发现，在这种开发过程中，生态系统服务功能正在退化，不仅对植物和动物产生影响，而且对土著居民也有影响。沙漠是太阳能开发的优先接收环境；然而，这种发展对沙漠植物群落的影响尚不清楚。沙漠植物是人类特别是土著人民长期存在的生态、经济和文化资源，但它们在提供生态系统服务（ESs）方面的作用仍未得到充分研究。我们在世界上最大的集中太阳能发电厂之一（加利福尼亚州伊凡帕，容量为392兆瓦）测量了太阳能开发决策对沙漠电厂的影响。我们记录了太阳能开发对沙漠灌丛植物群落的负面影响。叶片处理的多年生植物盖度和结构低于刈割处理，而刈割处理的多年生植物盖度和结构又低于欠发达对照。我们确定仙人掌种类和莫哈韦丝兰（yucca schidigera）特别容易受到太阳能发展（即叶片，割草）。一种入侵的一年生草，由于叶片的生长而变得更加容易。沙漠灌木丛社区提供了188个ESs实例，包括为18个美洲原住民族群提供文化服务。与未开发的对照相比，叶片和刈割处理的沙漠植物的培养、供应和调节ESs较低。我们的研究表明，在沙漠中开发太阳能有可能减少生物多样性和社会生态资源，以及太阳能在实现可持续和公正的能源转型方面发挥的作用。
Although deserts have been the focus of large-scale solar power development, this study finds that ecosystem services are degraded during such development, with impacts not only on plants and animals, but indigenous peoples as well.Deserts are prioritized as recipient environments for solar energy development; however, the impacts of this development on desert plant communities are unknown. Desert plants represent long-standing ecological, economic and cultural resources for humans, especially indigenous peoples, but their role in supplying ecosystem services (ESs) remains understudied. We measured the effect of solar energy development decisions on desert plants at one of the world's largest concentrating solar power plants (Ivanpah, California; capacity of 392 MW). We documented the negative effects of solar energy development on the desert scrub plant community. Perennial plant cover and structure are lower in bladed treatments than mowed treatments, which are, in turn, lower than the perennial plant cover and structure recorded in undeveloped controls. We determined that cacti species and Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera) are particularly vulnerable to solar development (that is, blading, mowing), whereasSchismusspp.-invasive annual grasses-are facilitated by blading. The desert scrub community confers 188 instances of ESs, including cultural services to 18 Native American ethnic groups. Cultural, provisioning and regulating ESs of desert plants are lower in bladed and mowed treatments than in undeveloped controls. Our study demonstrates the potential for solar energy development in deserts to reduce biodiversity and socioecological resources, as well as the role that ESs play in informing energy transitions that are sustainable and just.