Research
Making scientific research accessible
Here you’ll find easy-to-read summaries of scientifically rigorous, evidence-based and peer-reviewed publications from around the world to help you better plan, build and manage ecologically sustainable linear infrastructure.
Research summaries are listed chronologically according to when they were published here. To find information on a specific topic, please use the SEARCH function and search by keywords, including topic, species, location and/or author.
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Have you recently published a peer-reviewed scientific paper on transportation and ecology? Do you want practitioners all around the world to find and use your results? Then you need to contribute a Research Summary!
What we know (and don't know) about bird collisions with power lines and how to mitigate them
Bird collisions with overhead powerlines is one of the most significant human causes of bird mortality worldwide, with estimates in the millions of birds killed annually and contributing to the decline of many species. We undertook a comprehensive literature review and identified the factors that increased bird collision risk with power lines, the existing mitigation measures, and remaining knowledge gaps.
Power line corridors put the brakes on the extinction of plants in declining semi-natural grassland habitats
The extensive loss of semi-natural grassland habitats has led to a dramatic decline of plant and insect species that live in these habitats, but in landscapes with power line corridors the loss of plant species seems to be slower. Currently, neither road verges nor power line corridors are intentionally managed to enhance biodiversity, which makes them an invaluable resource for conservation if we were to manage their extensive area for this purpose.
Power lines impact biodiversity in at least 28 different ways
Bird mortality through collision and electrocution are probably the most well-known ecological impacts of overhead power lines. However, our systematic review identified at least 26 other potential impacts on biodiversity that should be considered during ecological impact assessments. We developed a logical framework to help practitioners systematically identify and assess the potential ecological impacts of powerlines.