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- Title
Response of Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus elaphus) to Wind-power Development.
- Authors
Walter, W. David; Leslie Jr., David M.; Jenks, Jonathan A.
- Abstract
Wind-power development is occurring throughout North America, but its effects on mammals are largely unexplored. Our objective was to determine response (i.e., home-range, diet quality) of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) to wind-power development in southwestern Oklahoma. Ten elk were radiocollared in an area of wind-power development on 31 March 2003 and were relocated bi-weekly through March 2005. Wind-power construction was initiated on 1 June 2003 and was completed by December 2003 with 45 active turbines. The largest composite home range sizes (>80 km²) occurred April--June and September, regardless of the status of wind-power facility development. The smallest home range sizes (<50 km²) typically occurred in October--February when elk aggregated to forage on winter wheat. No elk left the study site during the study and elk freely crossed the gravel roads used to access the wind-power facility. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes and percent nitrogen in feces suggested that wind-power development did not affect nutrition of elk during construction. Although disturbance and loss of some grassland habitat was apparent, elk were not adversely affected by wind-power development as determined by home range and dietary quality.
- Subjects
RED deer; MAMMALS; WIND power; ANIMAL populations; ANIMAL ecology
- Publication
American Midland Naturalist, 2006, Vol 156, Issue 2, p363
- ISSN
0003-0031
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1674/0003-0031(2006)156[363:RORMEC]2.0.CO;2