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Short-term ecological effects of solar energy development depend on plant community, soil type, and disturbance intensity

Claire C. Karban·Seth M. Munson·Lara A. Kobelt·Jeffrey E. Lovich
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Abstract

Solar energy is rapidly growing to decarbonize the electrical grid. Maintaining ecosystem function with solar energy generation can be promoted through construction methods that minimize negative impacts on soils and vegetation. However, the disturbance created by less-impactful construction methods at utility-scale solar energy (USSE) facilities and the ecosystem responses remain relatively unknown. We monitored soils and vegetation before and after the USSE build-out to assess the short-term impacts of construction on soils and vegetation at the Gemini Solar Project in the Mojave Desert. The facility was constructed with methods intended to be less impactful than traditional techniques. Our goal was to answer three questions: (1) What are the short-term effects of construction on soils and vegetation? (2) Do construction effects vary by the initial plant community and soil type? and (3) Does disturbance intensity from construction affect soil and vegetation response? We found strong evidence that the construction of the Gemini facility increased bare soil and soil compaction, and decreased dark biocrust cover and soil stability in the short term. For every 1% increase in disturbance intensity, we found a 0.23% increase in bare soil cover and a 0.10% decrease in dark biocrust cover. Plant responses varied more than soil responses and depended on the initial plant community and soil type, with decreases in plant canopy cover highest in sandy soils dominated by creosote bush ( Larrea tridentata ) and white bursage ( Ambrosia dumosa ) shrubs. Synthesis and applications : Many impacts of USSE facility construction depend on the underlying vegetation and soils and the level of disturbance intensity. The use of less-impactful construction methods, including a combination of overland travel and drive-and-crush examined in our study, can ameliorate negative effects relative to traditional construction practices and provide a pathway to maintain ecosystem function.

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Claire C. Karban, Seth M. Munson, Lara A. Kobelt, Jeffrey E. Lovich. 2025-02-19. Short-term ecological effects of solar energy development depend on plant community, soil type, and disturbance intensity. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14882

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