Response of Mammals to Solar Energy Developments in the Miami Valley, Ohio, USA

Date of Award

5-9-2026

Degree Name

M.S. in Biology

Department

Department of Biology

Advisor/Chair

Mariela Gantchoff

Abstract

Solar energy plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas and carbon emissions whilst mitigating climate change. However, its effects on mammals remain poorly understood in the Midwestern United States. As solar development continues to expand across the region, it increasingly alters landscapes that support a wide range of mammalian species. While renewable energy provides many environmental benefits, associated landscape change may influence mammal diversity and activity patterns. As solar infrastructure continues to expand across Ohio, there is increasing concern about its potential impacts on terrestrial species, particularly small and medium-bodied mammals that rely on contiguous habitat. Bats on the other hand provide critical ecosystem services, yet their responses to renewable energy development remain poorly understood and all bat species in Ohio are state listed. Therefore, understanding how different mammal species respond to solar energy development is essential when informing land management and guiding strategies that balance renewable energy implementation with wildlife conservation. The aim of the first chapter was to evaluate how terrestrial mammal communities respond to landscape changes associated with solar energy developments. Using camera trap data collected at solar sites, restored prairie sites, and restored forested areas, I assessed mammal activity, richness, and diversity in relation to solar development and adjacent environmental characteristics. Activity patterns varied among species, with some generalist species exhibited similar or higher detection rates near solar facilities, while others were less frequently detected in these developed habitats. Overall, our response variables were positively associated with vegetation productivity and activity was negatively associated with distance to roads and water sources. Simpson’s diversity only was negatively associated with area size and built cover. These results suggest that while some terrestrial mammals may tolerate or adapt to solar infrastructure, maintaining and improving nearby habitat is critical in supporting diverse mammal communities. In the second chapter, I used an acoustic monitoring methodology across solar energy developments, restored prairies, and restored forests to evaluate patterns of bat activity, richness, and diversity in relation to environmental and landscape variables. Bat activity and diversity were generally lower at solar sites compared to forests and prairies and was more strongly influenced by nighttime lights than by any other covariate. Bat activity increased with distance from roads and showed no association with proximity to water. Simpson’s diversity of bat communities increased with area size, with larger sites supporting higher diversity than smaller sites. By identifying key factors associated with bat activity and diversity in these landscapes, this research contributes to a growing understanding of wildlife responses to renewable energy development and provides insight for minimizing impacts on bat populations.

Keywords

Ecology, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Management

Comments

OCLC No. 1591829601

Rights Statement

Copyright 2026, author.

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