Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China
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 metho...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Yuan Wang Wenbin Yang Qin Li Min Zhao Ying Yang Xiangfeng Shi Dazhi Zhang Guijun Yang |
| author_facet | Yuan Wang Wenbin Yang Qin Li Min Zhao Ying Yang Xiangfeng Shi Dazhi Zhang Guijun Yang |
| author_sort | Yuan Wang |
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| description | 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 (<i>Spermophilus alashanicus</i>) 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 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The highest burrow density was observed in the 2500 kW zone, with values of 24.43 ± 7.18 burrows/hm<sup>2</sup> in May and 21.29 ± 3.38 burrows/hm<sup>2</sup> in September (<i>p</i> < 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. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-98ea2c02e91c4b51a01b9981cecac0af2025-07-25T13:15:18ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372025-07-0114788610.3390/biology14070886Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in ChinaYuan Wang0Wenbin Yang1Qin Li2Min Zhao3Ying Yang4Xiangfeng Shi5Dazhi Zhang6Guijun Yang7School of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaInstitute of Design and Agricultural Survey in Ningxia, Yinchuan 750002, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaThe 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 (<i>Spermophilus alashanicus</i>) 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 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The highest burrow density was observed in the 2500 kW zone, with values of 24.43 ± 7.18 burrows/hm<sup>2</sup> in May and 21.29 ± 3.38 burrows/hm<sup>2</sup> in September (<i>p</i> < 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/7/886<i>Spermophilus alashanicus</i>spatial distributionburrowsenvironmental factorswind farmsemi-desert grassland |
| spellingShingle | Yuan Wang Wenbin Yang Qin Li Min Zhao Ying Yang Xiangfeng Shi Dazhi Zhang Guijun Yang Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China Biology <i>Spermophilus alashanicus</i> spatial distribution burrows environmental factors wind farm semi-desert grassland |
| title | Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China |
| title_full | Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China |
| title_fullStr | Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China |
| title_short | Will Wind Turbines Affect the Distribution of Alashan Ground Squirrel? Insights from Large-Scale Wind Farms in China |
| title_sort | will wind turbines affect the distribution of alashan ground squirrel insights from large scale wind farms in china |
| topic | <i>Spermophilus alashanicus</i> spatial distribution burrows environmental factors wind farm semi-desert grassland |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/7/886 |
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