On the identification of mortality hotspots in linear infrastructures

The development carried out in the last decades is degrading the ecosystems, damaging the existing biodiversity. One of the elements that is having the most impact on the deterioration of natural areas is the construction of transport infrastructures, among which are high-speed routes. These linear infrastructures are contributing to the deterioration of biodiversity enclaves, which contribute to providing highly relevant ecosystem services. Among these deteriorations are the processes of fragmentation and alteration of the landscape. This chapter analyses a situation that occurs in Spanish territory related to high-speed railways. This transport system began in Spain on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of Seville 1992. By this transport activity, the changes suffered in the landscape are calculated and analysed through Corine land cover data since its inception until the last report of 2018.

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Spatial Response to Linear Infrastructures by the Endangered Golden Lion Tamarin

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d11070100 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 100 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Priscila da Silva Lucas ◽

Milene Alves-Eigenheer ◽

Talitha Mayumi Francisco ◽

James M. Dietz ◽

Carlos Ramón Ruiz-Miranda

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

Radio Telemetry ◽

Step Length ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Power Lines ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Lion Tamarin ◽

Golden Lion Tamarin ◽

Linear Infrastructures

Linear infrastructures are a primary driver of economic development. However, they also can negatively affect wildlife by mortality and the barrier effect. In this paper, we address how paved and unpaved roads, high-tension power lines, and gas/oil pipelines affect home range size, core areas, and movement in an endangered primate, the golden lion tamarin (GLT). Location data were recorded using radio telemetry on 16 groups in two protected areas and in privately owned forest fragments. The GLT’s home range, not core area, increased in size for the groups that occupied locations far from linear infrastructures; home range was also significantly influenced by available forest size. None of the home ranges contained a road, but home ranges did contain power lines. GLTs used the surrounding landscape near all types of infrastructure. Movement analysis showed that most of the step lengths (distances between subsequent locations) were less than 100 m between two consecutive locations, but step length was longer for roads and longer for groups in fully forested habitats. Tamarins avoided paved roads when in close proximity to this type of infrastructure; this behavior increased in areas without adequate adjacent forest habitat. Our results show that linear infrastructures differ in their level of impact: roads can act as a barrier, whereas other types of infrastructure have minimal effect on movement and home range. We discuss these differences in impact in terms of structure, maintenance schedules, and edge effects of infrastructure.

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Mitigating Tropical Forest Fragmentation with Natural and Semi-Artificial Canopy Bridges

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d11040066 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 66 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Diego Balbuena ◽

Alfonso Alonso ◽

Margot Panta ◽

Alan Garcia ◽

Tremaine Gregory

Keyword(s):

Natural Gas ◽

Tropical Forest ◽

Forest Fragmentation ◽

Gas Pipeline ◽

Peruvian Amazon ◽

Right Of Way ◽

Natural Gas Pipeline ◽

Linear Infrastructure ◽

Linear Infrastructures

Fragmentation caused by linear infrastructures is a threat to forest-dwelling wildlife globally. Loss of canopy connectivity is particularly problematic for highly arboreal species such as those of the Neotropics. We explored the use of both natural canopy bridges (NCBs) and a semi-artificial one over a natural gas pipeline right-of-way (RoW) in the Peruvian Amazon to provide more information on both a proven and a novel solution to the problem of fragmentation. We monitored seven NCBs over 14 months and found crossing rates higher than previously recorded (57.70 crossings/100 trap nights by 16 species). We also constructed a semi-artificial canopy bridge (SACB) out of a liana and found it to be used quickly (seven days after installation) and frequently (90.23 crossings/100 trap nights—nearly nightly) by five species (two procyonids, one didelphid, one primate, and one rodent). This information contributes to our knowledge of mitigation solutions for fragmentation. As linear infrastructure grows globally, more solutions must be developed and tested.

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A Methodological Approach to Using Geodesign in Transmission Line Projects

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10082757 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 2757 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Francisco Moreno Marimbaldo ◽

Miguel-Ángel Manso-Callejo ◽

Ramon Alcarria

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Transmission Lines ◽

Large Volume ◽

Methodological Approach ◽

Urban Centers ◽

Share Data ◽

Project Phases ◽

Local Impacts ◽

Project Lifecycle ◽

Linear Infrastructures

Numerous constraints affect the design of long linear infrastructures such as high-voltage transmission lines (HVTL): terrain slope, distances to urban centers or protected areas, stakeholders, administration, etc. These constraints must be studied as a whole to make the most appropriate decisions. In HVTL project development, a large volume of geodata is generated and analyzed in the project lifecycle. Each geodata scale is associated with a phase of the project and scale transitions correspond to changes in involved technical teams. Geodesign provides design frameworks and supporting technologies, so that professionals can share data and find designs suitable to the sustainability characteristics of each territory. This article proposes a geodesign workflow for developing HVTL projects, supported by methodologies and by automated model executions that guarantee the traceability of its development through the lifecycle stages. The aim is to minimize environmental, social, and local impacts, while providing stakeholders with tools for planning and decision-making. The workflow helps to integrate the geodesign’s principles, harmonizing corporate procedures throughout the project phases, taking into consideration constraints notified by stakeholders, through a design process guided by feedback-iteration- consensus mechanisms. As a result, it produces a transparent, visible, and improved participative workflow for developing new electric infrastructures.

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Integrated Procedure for Monitoring and Assessment of Linear Infrastructures Safety (I-Pro MONALISA) Affected by Slope Instability

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app9245535 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (24) ◽

pp. 5535 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Donato Infante ◽

Diego Di Martire ◽

Domenico Calcaterra ◽

Pietro Miele ◽

Anna Scotto di Santolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traffic Accidents ◽

Slope Instability ◽

Campania Region ◽

Linear Infrastructure ◽

Optimal Functions ◽

Satellite Radar ◽

Slope Instabilities ◽

Damage Susceptibility ◽

Linear Infrastructures

The occurrence of geological events such as landslides is one of the main causes of damage along linear infrastructures: Damage to transport infrastructures, as roads, bridges, and railways, can restrict their optimal functions and contribute to traffic accidents. The frequent and accurate monitoring of slope instability phenomena and of their interaction with existing man-made infrastructures plays a key role in risk prevention and mitigation activities. In this way, the use of high-resolution X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, characterized by short revisiting times, has demonstrated to be a powerful tool for a periodical noninvasive monitoring of ground motion and superstructure stability, aimed at improving the efficiency of inspection, repairing, and rehabilitation efforts. In the present work, we suggest a semiautomatic GIS approach, which, by using satellite radar interferometry data and results of geomorphological field survey integrated in a qualitative vulnerability matrix, allows to identify sections with different levels of damage susceptibility, where detailed conventional in situ measurements are required for further analysis. The procedure has been tested to investigate landslide-induced effects on a linear infrastructure in Campania Region (Italy), the Provincial Road “P.R. 264”, which is affected, along its linear development, by several slope instabilities. COSMO-SkyMed interferometric products, as indicator of ground kinematics, and results of in situ damage survey, as indicator of consequences, have been merged in a qualitative 4 × 4 matrix, thus obtaining a vulnerability zoning map along a linear infrastructure in January 2015. Furthermore, an updating of landslide inventory map is provided: In addition to 24 official landslides pre-mapped in 2012, 30 new events have been identified, and corresponding intensity and state of activity has been detected.

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Non-invasive Portable Geophysical Tool to Monitor Water Content in Earthen Long Linear Infrastructures

Procedia Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.proeng.2017.05.015 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 189 ◽

pp. 86-93

Author(s):

S. Utili ◽

R. Castellanza ◽

A. Galli ◽

P. Sentenac

Keyword(s):

Water Content ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Linear Infrastructures

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Beware that the lack of wildlife mortality records can mask a serious impact of linear infrastructures

Global Ecology and Conservation ◽

10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00661 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

pp. e00661 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Fernando Ascensão ◽

Andreas Kindel ◽

Fernanda Zimmermann Teixeira ◽

Rafael Barrientos ◽

Marcello D'Amico ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wildlife Mortality ◽

Linear Infrastructures

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Do power line rights-of-way facilitate the spread of non-peatland and invasive plants in bogs and fens?

Botany ◽

10.1139/b10-089 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 89 (2) ◽

pp. 91-103 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Caroline Dubé ◽

Stéphanie Pellerin ◽

Monique Poulin

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Invasive Plants ◽

Power Line ◽

Water Conductivity ◽

Abiotic Conditions ◽

Dispersal Vectors ◽

Ombrotrophic Bog ◽

Water Ph ◽

Linear Infrastructures

Linear infrastructures are known to facilitate the spread of undesirable species in ecosystems. Compared with other types of infrastructure, the role of power line rights-of-way (ROWs) as dispersal vectors remains poorly understood, especially with regard to peatlands. The aim of our study was to evaluate their impacts on the vegetation of ombrotrophic (bog) and minerotrophic (fen) peatlands. The vegetation communities within and adjacent to power line ROWs were sampled in 23 bogs and 11 fens in southern Québec. In fens, invasive species were found in abundance along the first 250 m within ROWs, while native non-peatland species were able to spread into entire ROWs. Invasive species were also able to colonize the adjacent fen habitats but were mostly concentrated in the first 4 m from ROW edges. Some species were, however, able to establish at more than 43 m from ROWs. Invasive and native non-peatland species were mostly restricted to the first 31 m within ROWs intersecting a bog and almost none dispersed in the adjacent bog habitats. Overall, the average cover of native non-peatland and invasive species in ROWs was mostly related to intrinsic abiotic conditions such as water pH, water conductivity, and water table level, while landscape surrounding the peatland and historical variables (e.g., time elapse since the construction of the ROW) had few impacts in both bogs and fens.

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