Supplementary information files for: The extent of windfarm infrastructures on recognised European blanket bogs

Supplementary files for article The extent of windfarm infrastructures on recognised European blanket bogs. Peatland environments are the Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon store and have the potential to act as carbon sinks. However, the development of windfarms on peatlands is affecting their morphology, hydrology, ground-level climate conditions, carbon functions and vegetation, and long-term consequences still need to be assessed. Blanket bogs are a rare type of ombrotrophic peatland that are typical of oceanic areas with high precipitation and low temperatures. Their distribution has been mapped across Europe, where they are mainly located on hill summits where wind energy potential is higher, making them attractive sites for windfarm developments. The promotion of renewable energy is currently a priority given the environmental and economic drive to increase low-carbon energy production. Establishing windfarms on peatland in pursuit of greener energy, therefore, risks compromising and undermining the green-energy transition. Despite this, the extent of windfarm infrastructures on blanket bogs have not yet been reported at the European scale. This research reports the extent of windfarm infrastructures on recognised blanket bogs, with a geographical focus on Europe, where blanket bogs have been mapped systematically. Under the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), there are 36 European regions NUTS level 2 with recognised blanket bogs. Of these, 12 have windfarm developments, including 644 wind turbines, 253.4 km of vehicular access tracks and an affected area of 207.6 ha, mainly in Ireland and Scotland where the extent of blanket bogs is also higher. However, despite Spain having under 0.2% of Europe’s recognised blanket bogs area, this was the most affected country. In Scotland, a comparison of the recognised blanket bogs under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) with blanket bogs recorded in national inventories indicates that the extent of windfarm developments was higher, with 1,063 wind turbines and 634.5 km of vehicular access tracks. Our results highlight the extent of windfarm developments on blanket bog habitat, both in areas where peatlands are broadly distributed across the landscape, and also in areas where this recognised habitat is particularly rare. There is a pressing need to assess the long-term impacts of windfarms on peatlands to ensure that efforts to meet energy targets result only in carbon sequestration, and do not jeopardise ecosystem services. Blanket bogs represent a particularly vulnerable habitat, the study of which should be prioritised updating national and international inventories to protect and restore this habitat.

论文《欧洲已识别毯状泥炭地上风电场基础设施的分布范围》补充材料。泥炭地是地球最大的陆地碳库，具备成为碳汇的潜力。然而，在泥炭地上建设风电场会对其地貌形态、水文状况、近地面气候条件、碳循环功能及植被造成影响，其长期影响仍有待评估。毯状泥炭地（blanket bog）是一类罕见的雨养泥炭地（ombrotrophic peatland），多见于降水充沛、气温较低的海洋性区域。其分布范围已在欧洲范围内完成测绘，主要集中在风能潜力更高的山顶区域，因此成为风电场开发的热门选址。鉴于提升低碳能源产量的环境与经济需求，推广可再生能源目前已是首要任务。因此，为追求清洁能源而在泥炭地上建设风电场，反而可能损害并破坏绿色能源转型的初衷。尽管如此，欧洲范围内毯状泥炭地上风电场基础设施的分布范围尚未有相关研究报道。本研究针对已完成系统测绘的欧洲毯状泥炭地，报告了其上风电场基础设施的分布范围。根据《欧盟生境指令》（92/43/EEC），欧洲共有36个NUTS二级区域存在已识别的毯状泥炭地。其中12个区域已开展风电场建设，涉及644台风力涡轮机、253.4千米的车辆通行道路，受影响面积达207.6公顷，主要集中在毯状泥炭地分布更广的爱尔兰与苏格兰地区。不过，尽管西班牙的毯状泥炭地面积不足欧洲总量的0.2%，却是受影响最严重的国家。在苏格兰，对比《欧盟生境指令》（92/43/EEC）认定的毯状泥炭地与国家清查记录的毯状泥炭地可知，当地风电场开发规模更大，涉及1063台风力涡轮机及634.5千米的车辆通行道路。本研究结果揭示了毯状泥炭地生境上风电场开发的分布范围，既包括泥炭地广泛分布的区域，也包括这类已识别生境极为稀缺的区域。当前亟需评估风电场对泥炭地的长期影响，以确保实现能源目标的同时仅能促进碳固存，而非损害生态系统服务功能。毯状泥炭地属于极为脆弱的生境类型，应优先开展相关研究并更新国家与国际清查名录，以保护并修复这类生境。