The use of solar farms by bats in mosaic landscapes: Implications for conservation

Abstract

Solar energy is an important renewable energy source. However, the ecological effects of solar farms are largely unknown. Behavioral experiments proved previously that smooth surfaces, such as solar panels act as sensory traps for bats and insects, increasing collision risk, and suggesting that solar farms may affect local ecosystems in a complex way. As the orientation of bats is impeded around smooth surfaces, the exploitation of solar farms as foraging habitats by bats needs research. We surveyed the activity of bats at solar farms and in the neighboring habitats (forests, grasslands, arable fields, settlements and watersides) to evaluate the effects of solar farms on the occurrence and activity of bats and on the composition of bat communities. We conducted bioacoustic surveys at 190 sites in 15 areas of Hungary and recorded nearly 30 000 bat echo-location call sequences. We detected patterns of overall bat activity similar to those in other open habitats such as arable land and grassland indicating that some bat species can exploit this anthropogenic environment. Bat species detected at solar farms also frequently occur in arable land and settlements (Hypsugo savii, Nyctalus noctula and Pipistrellus kuhlii), suggesting that bats adapted to anthropogenic environments exploit solar farms. However, some species of major conservation concern (e.g. Myotis spp. and Barbastella barbastellus) were detected less frequently on solar farms than in other habitats raising implications for mitigation procedures.