This research theme addresses several issues important in deriving accurate and precise estimates of fatality at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
Research projects are focused on providing new and innovative statistical tools for applied ecology. Our research involves investigating and extending statistical and quantitative ecological techniques to cover unique environmental circumstances in a manner that is accessible to resource management agencies, and to apply these techniques to survey and monitoring programs and protocols at multiple scales.
The goals are to:
- Improve understanding of the services ecosystems provide to society
- Develop tools, technologies, and capabilities to inform resource management decisions
- Apply science to enhance strategies for management, conservation, and restoration
Click on the News tab to learn about our projects and publications.
Click here to return to FRESC Wind Energy and Wildlife Team page.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Performance of the GenEst Mortality Estimator Compared to The Huso and Shoenfeld Estimators
The impacts of wind power development on bat and bird populations are commonly assessed by estimating the number of fatalities at wind power facilities through post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies. Standard methodology involves periodic carcass searches on plots beneath turbines (Strickland et al. 2011, US Fish and Wildlife Service 2012). The resulting counts are adjusted to compensate for b
Authors
Paul Rabie, Daniel Riser-Espinoza, Jared Studyvin, Daniel Dalthorp, Manuela Huso
Comparing methods to estimate the proportion of turbine-induced bird and bat mortality in the search area under a road and pad search protocol
Estimating bird and bat mortality at wind facilities typically involves searching for carcasses on the ground near turbines. Some fraction of carcasses inevitably lie outside the search plots, and accurate mortality estimation requires accounting for those carcasses using models to extrapolate from searched to unsearched areas. Such models should account for variation in carcass density with dista
Authors
Joseph Maurer, Manuela Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, Lisa Madsen, Claudio Fuentes
Some approaches to accounting for incidental carcass discoveries in non-monitored years using the Evidence of Absence model
Executive SummaryWe evaluate three approaches to accounting for incidental carcasses when estimating an upper bound on total mortality (𝑀) as 𝑀∗ using the Evidence of Absence model (EoA; Dalthorp and others, 2017) to assess compliance with an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) (Dalthorp & Huso, 2015) under a monitoring protocol that includes formal, dedicated carcass surveys that achieve an overall dete
Authors
Daniel Dalthorp, Paul Rabie, Manuela Huso, Andrew Tredennick
Evidence of absence (v2.0) software user guide
Evidence of Absence software (EoA) is a user-friendly software application for estimating bird and bat fatalities at wind farms and for designing search protocols. The software is particularly useful in addressing whether the number of fatalities is below a given threshold and what search parameters are needed to give assurance that thresholds were not exceeded. The software also includes tools (1
Authors
Daniel Dalthorp, Manuela M. Huso, David Dail
Statistical principles of post-construction fatality monitoring design
No abstract available.
Authors
Manuela M. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, Fraenzi Korner-Nievergelt
Mortality monitoring design for utility-scale solar power facilities
IntroductionSolar power represents an important and rapidly expanding component of the renewable energy portfolio of the United States (Lovich and Ennen, 2011; Hernandez and others, 2014). Understanding the impacts of renewable energy development on wildlife is a priority for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in compliance with Department of Interior Order No. 3285 (U.S. Department of the I
Authors
Manuela M. Huso, Thomas Dietsch, Chris Nicolai
Wind energy development: Methods to assess bird and bat fatality rates post-construction
Monitoring fatalities at wind energy facilities after they have been constructed can provide valuable information regarding impacts of wind power development on wildlife. The objective of this monitoring is to estimate abundance of a super-population of carcasses that entered the area within a designated period of time. By definition, the population is not closed and carcasses can enter as they ar
Authors
Manuela M. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, T. J. Miller, Dawn Bruns
Estimating wind-turbine-caused bird and bat fatality when zero carcasses are observed
Many wind-power facilities in the United States have established effective monitoring programs to determine turbine-caused fatality rates of birds and bats, but estimating the number of fatalities of rare species poses special difficulties. The loss of even small numbers of individuals may adversely affect fragile populations, but typically, few (if any) carcasses are observed during monitoring. I
Authors
Manuela M.P. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, David Dail, Lisa Madsen
Mortality estimation from carcass searches using the R-package carcass: a tutorial
This article is a tutorial for the R-package carcass. It starts with a short overview of common methods used to estimate mortality based on carcass searches. Then, it guides step by step through a simple example. First, the proportion of animals that fall into the search area is estimated. Second, carcass persistence time is estimated based on experimental data. Third, searcher efficiency is estim
Authors
Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt, Oliver Behr, Robert Brinkmann, Matthew A. Etterson, Manuela M. P. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, Pius Korner-Nievergelt, Tobias Roth, Ivo Niermann
Evidence of Absence software
Evidence of Absence software (EoA) is a user-friendly application used for estimating bird and bat fatalities at wind farms and designing search protocols. The software is particularly useful in addressing whether the number of fatalities has exceeded a given threshold and what search parameters are needed to give assurance that thresholds were not exceeded. The software is applicable even when ze
Authors
Daniel Dalthorp, Manuela M. P. Huso, David Dail, Jessica Kenyon
Accounting for unsearched areas in estimating wind turbine-caused fatality
With wind energy production expanding rapidly, concerns about turbine-induced bird and bat fatality have grown and the demand for accurate estimation of fatality is increasing. Estimation typically involves counting carcasses observed below turbines and adjusting counts by estimated detection probabilities. Three primary sources of imperfect detection are 1) carcasses fall into unsearched areas, 2
Authors
Manuela M.P. Huso, Dan Dalthorp
Associated software products
Evidence of Absence (EoA) Software and User's Guide
Software to Estimate Bird and Bat Fatality at Wind Farms
Fatality Estimator Software
Tool to Evaluate Wildlife Fatalities at Wind-Power Facilities
News about projects and publications
- Overview
This research theme addresses several issues important in deriving accurate and precise estimates of fatality at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
Research projects are focused on providing new and innovative statistical tools for applied ecology. Our research involves investigating and extending statistical and quantitative ecological techniques to cover unique environmental circumstances in a manner that is accessible to resource management agencies, and to apply these techniques to survey and monitoring programs and protocols at multiple scales.
The goals are to:
- Improve understanding of the services ecosystems provide to society
- Develop tools, technologies, and capabilities to inform resource management decisions
- Apply science to enhance strategies for management, conservation, and restoration
Click on the News tab to learn about our projects and publications.
Click here to return to FRESC Wind Energy and Wildlife Team page.
- Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Performance of the GenEst Mortality Estimator Compared to The Huso and Shoenfeld Estimators
The impacts of wind power development on bat and bird populations are commonly assessed by estimating the number of fatalities at wind power facilities through post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies. Standard methodology involves periodic carcass searches on plots beneath turbines (Strickland et al. 2011, US Fish and Wildlife Service 2012). The resulting counts are adjusted to compensate for bAuthorsPaul Rabie, Daniel Riser-Espinoza, Jared Studyvin, Daniel Dalthorp, Manuela HusoComparing methods to estimate the proportion of turbine-induced bird and bat mortality in the search area under a road and pad search protocol
Estimating bird and bat mortality at wind facilities typically involves searching for carcasses on the ground near turbines. Some fraction of carcasses inevitably lie outside the search plots, and accurate mortality estimation requires accounting for those carcasses using models to extrapolate from searched to unsearched areas. Such models should account for variation in carcass density with distaAuthorsJoseph Maurer, Manuela Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, Lisa Madsen, Claudio FuentesSome approaches to accounting for incidental carcass discoveries in non-monitored years using the Evidence of Absence model
Executive SummaryWe evaluate three approaches to accounting for incidental carcasses when estimating an upper bound on total mortality (𝑀) as 𝑀∗ using the Evidence of Absence model (EoA; Dalthorp and others, 2017) to assess compliance with an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) (Dalthorp & Huso, 2015) under a monitoring protocol that includes formal, dedicated carcass surveys that achieve an overall deteAuthorsDaniel Dalthorp, Paul Rabie, Manuela Huso, Andrew TredennickEvidence of absence (v2.0) software user guide
Evidence of Absence software (EoA) is a user-friendly software application for estimating bird and bat fatalities at wind farms and for designing search protocols. The software is particularly useful in addressing whether the number of fatalities is below a given threshold and what search parameters are needed to give assurance that thresholds were not exceeded. The software also includes tools (1AuthorsDaniel Dalthorp, Manuela M. Huso, David DailStatistical principles of post-construction fatality monitoring design
No abstract available.AuthorsManuela M. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, Fraenzi Korner-NievergeltMortality monitoring design for utility-scale solar power facilities
IntroductionSolar power represents an important and rapidly expanding component of the renewable energy portfolio of the United States (Lovich and Ennen, 2011; Hernandez and others, 2014). Understanding the impacts of renewable energy development on wildlife is a priority for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in compliance with Department of Interior Order No. 3285 (U.S. Department of the IAuthorsManuela M. Huso, Thomas Dietsch, Chris NicolaiWind energy development: Methods to assess bird and bat fatality rates post-construction
Monitoring fatalities at wind energy facilities after they have been constructed can provide valuable information regarding impacts of wind power development on wildlife. The objective of this monitoring is to estimate abundance of a super-population of carcasses that entered the area within a designated period of time. By definition, the population is not closed and carcasses can enter as they arAuthorsManuela M. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, T. J. Miller, Dawn BrunsEstimating wind-turbine-caused bird and bat fatality when zero carcasses are observed
Many wind-power facilities in the United States have established effective monitoring programs to determine turbine-caused fatality rates of birds and bats, but estimating the number of fatalities of rare species poses special difficulties. The loss of even small numbers of individuals may adversely affect fragile populations, but typically, few (if any) carcasses are observed during monitoring. IAuthorsManuela M.P. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, David Dail, Lisa MadsenMortality estimation from carcass searches using the R-package carcass: a tutorial
This article is a tutorial for the R-package carcass. It starts with a short overview of common methods used to estimate mortality based on carcass searches. Then, it guides step by step through a simple example. First, the proportion of animals that fall into the search area is estimated. Second, carcass persistence time is estimated based on experimental data. Third, searcher efficiency is estimAuthorsFränzi Korner-Nievergelt, Oliver Behr, Robert Brinkmann, Matthew A. Etterson, Manuela M. P. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, Pius Korner-Nievergelt, Tobias Roth, Ivo NiermannEvidence of Absence software
Evidence of Absence software (EoA) is a user-friendly application used for estimating bird and bat fatalities at wind farms and designing search protocols. The software is particularly useful in addressing whether the number of fatalities has exceeded a given threshold and what search parameters are needed to give assurance that thresholds were not exceeded. The software is applicable even when zeAuthorsDaniel Dalthorp, Manuela M. P. Huso, David Dail, Jessica KenyonAccounting for unsearched areas in estimating wind turbine-caused fatality
With wind energy production expanding rapidly, concerns about turbine-induced bird and bat fatality have grown and the demand for accurate estimation of fatality is increasing. Estimation typically involves counting carcasses observed below turbines and adjusting counts by estimated detection probabilities. Three primary sources of imperfect detection are 1) carcasses fall into unsearched areas, 2AuthorsManuela M.P. Huso, Dan Dalthorp - Software
Associated software products
Evidence of Absence (EoA) Software and User's Guide
Software to Estimate Bird and Bat Fatality at Wind Farms
Fatality Estimator Software
Tool to Evaluate Wildlife Fatalities at Wind-Power Facilities
- News
News about projects and publications