Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T00:18:16.289Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Energy and Arid Lands: Potential Impacts of Intensive Energy Deployment in Desert Regions of Southern California

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

William Dritschilo ,
Paul M. Merifield ,
David Kay ,
John Sarna ,
Michael N. Weinstein  and
Terry C. Sciarrotta
William Dritschilo
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Engineering Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA
Paul M. Merifield
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Engineering Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA
David Kay
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Engineering Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA
John Sarna
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Engineering Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA
Michael N. Weinstein
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Engineering Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA
Terry C. Sciarrotta
Affiliation:
Senior Research Scientist, Southern California Edison Company, Rosemead, California 91770, USA.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Desert regions are increasingly being put into use for a variety of purposes. The California Desert may be subjected to a number of energy technologies—particularly those related to harnessing solar energy—in the near future. In conjunction with past or other current disturbances, the fragmentation and pollution impacts of energy development could pose serious threats to the desert's fragile ecosystems.

Land-intensive energy technologies, such as solar receivers and biomass crops, will mainly result in changes that disrupt natural habitats. If all feasible energy schemes came to fruition, we estimate that one-half of the California Desert's area would be devoted to energy production. Even for much lower estimates of energy development, most of the Desert's natural habitat would be fragmented in park areas. Based upon island geographic principles and conservation biology, loss of species would be inevitable. Some species are already threatened with extinction.

Research is required to determine ways in which the Desert's natural resources—solitude, scenic vistas, wildlife, and insolation—can best be used to meet energy, recreation, and conservation, needs. In particular, research is required to estimate how successive small habitat losses would stress desert ecosystems.

Type
Main Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , Spring 1986 , pp. 7 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbey, E. (1968). Desert Solitaire. Paperback Edition, Ballantine Books, New York, NY, USA: xii + 303 pp.Google Scholar
Axelrod, D.J. (1950). Evolution of desert vegetation. Carnegie Institute of Washington, Publication 590, pp. 215–306.Google Scholar
Barbour, M.G. & Major, J. (Eds) (1977). Terrestrial Vegetation of California. Wiley-Interscience, New York, NY, USA: ix + 1002 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Berry, K.H. (1984). The Status of the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizi) in the United States. Desert Tortoise Council Report, US Fish & Wildlife Service. Sacramento, California, USA: iv + 847 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Billings, W.D. (1980). American deserts and their mountains: an ecological frontier. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 61, pp. 203–9.Google Scholar
BLM (1980). The California Desert Conservation Area Plan. US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Desert District, Riverside, California, USA: 173 pp., maps.Google Scholar
Brown, L.R. (1980). Food or Fuel: New Competition for the World's Cropland. WorldWatch Paper 35, Worldwatch Institute, Washington, DC, USA: 43 pp.Google Scholar
Calvin, M. (1979). Petroleum plantations for fuel and materials. BioScience, 29, pp. 533–8, illustr.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Calvin, M. (1983). New sources for fuel and materials. Science, 219, pp. 24–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CEC (1983). Wind Resource Assessment of California: A Summary of CEC-Sponsored Projects. California Energy Commission, Sacramento, California, USA: 147 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Conservation Foundation (1985). National Parks for a New Generation: Visions, Realities, Prospects. Conservation Foundation, Washington, DC, USA: iv + 407 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Diamond, J.M. (1974). The island dilemma: lessons of modern biogeographic studies for the design of nature reserves. Biological Conservation, 7, pp. 129–46, 7 figs.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DOE (1980). Inventory of Power Plants in the United States: 1980 Annual Energy Data Report. DOE/E1A-0095 (80), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA: v + 333 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Dresher, W.H. (1981). Energy resources located in arid lands. Pages 1–9 in Energy Resource Recovery in Arid Lands (Ed. Timmerhaus, K.D.). University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA: x + 118 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Dritschilo, W., Monroy, M., Nash, E., Schuyler, B., Wallerstein, B.R., Vita, J. De & Perrine, R.L. (1983). Energy vs food resource ratios for alternative energy technologies. Energy, 8, pp. 255–65.Google Scholar
EIA (1977). Environmental Impact Assessment/Environmental Report: 10 Megawatt Solar Power Pilot Plant. Environmental Improvement Agency, San Bernardino, California, USA: xvii + 362 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Ehrenfeld, D. (1976). The conservation of non-resources. American Scientist, 64, pp. 648–56.Google Scholar
Elton, C.S. (1958). The Ecology of Invasions by Plants and Animals. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, USA: 181 pp., illustr.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
England, A.S. & Nelson, S.G. (1976). Status of the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma inornata). Inland Fisheries Administrative Report No. 77–1, Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, California, USA: 29 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
ESE (1982 a). Resource Use and Wildlife Issues in Development of Alternative Energy Technology in Southern California Deserts, Volume I: Terrestrial Wildlife. Report No. 82–44, Environmental Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, USA: ix + 128 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
ESE (1982 b). Resource Use and Wildlife Issues in Development of Alternative Energy Technology in Southern California Deserts, Volume III: Site Feasibility Study for a 300 MWe Solar Thermal Central Receiver Electric Generating System. Report No. 82–46, Environmental Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA: ix + 73 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
ESE (1983). Enhancement of Habitats for the Yuma Clapper Rail and Desert Pupfish in the Vicinity of the Salton Sea, California. Report No. 83–52, Environmental Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA: viii + 99 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Fisher, G. (1983). Maintenance of a commercial Jojoba plantation. Pp. 94–7 in New Crops for Desert Agriculture: Problems and Opportunities (Ed. Chatfield, E.W.). University of California Cooperative Extension, Riverside, California, USA: xv + 165 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Frankel, O.H. & Soule, M.E. (1981). Conservation and Evolution. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, UK: vii + 327 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Garland, G.S. (1979). Rural, non-agricultural land-use and ratio of erosion in the Natal Drakensberg. Environmental Conservation, 6 (4), pp. 273–6, 8 figs.Google Scholar
Imperial County (1984). Draft Geothermal Plan. Imperial County Planning Department, El Centro, California, USA: v + 122 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Johnson, J.D., & Hinman, C.W. (1980). Oils and rubber from arid-land plants. Science, 208, pp. 460–4, illustr.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JPL (1976). Report on the Status of Development of Geothermal Energy Resources in California. Jet Propulsion Laboratory at California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA: [not available for checking].Google Scholar
Kay, B.L. (1979). Summary of revegetation attempts on the second Los Angeles aqueduct. Mojave Revegetation Notes, 22, pp. 1–23.Google Scholar
Lamb, R.P. (1982). Desertification case-study: from nomad's land to no-man's land. Environmental Conservation, 9 (3), pp. 293–5, 2 maps.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lew, V. (1980). The Potential of Energy Farming in the Southeastern California Desert. California Energy Commission, Sacramento, California, USA: iii + 56 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Lew, V. & Pforsich, H. (1983). Potential biomass energy plants for desert cultivation. Pp. 22–8 in New Crops for Desert Agriculture: Problems and Opportunities (Ed. Chatfield, E.W.). University of California Cooperative Extension, Riverside, California, USA: xv + 165 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Lieth, H. (1975). Primary productivity of the major vegetation units of the world. Pp. 203–15 in Primary Productivity of the Biosphere (Eds Lieth, H. & Whittaker, R.H.), Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, USA: vi + 339 pp., illustr.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindberg, R.G., & Turner, F.B. (1984). Summary Report: Ecological Observations at the Site of the 10 MWe Solar Thermal Power System (1978–1984). UCLA 12/1463 UC 11,62, Laboratory of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA: [not available for checking].Google Scholar
Lovins, A. (1977). Soft Energy Paths: Toward a Durable Peace. Harper & Row, New York, NY, USA: xvi + 240 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Luk, S. (1983). Recent trends in desertification in the Maowusu Desert, China. Environmental Conservation, 10 (3), pp. 213–24, 8 figs.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McBrayer, J.F. & Oakes, K.M. (1982). Impacts of evaporative cooling towers in arid environments. Journal of Arid Environments, 5, pp. 385–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKell, C.M. (1981). Environmental impacts of energy resource recovery in arid lands. Pp. 41–53 in Energy Resource Recovery in Arid Lands (Ed. Timmerhaus, K.D.). University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA: x + 118 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Major, J. (1977). California climate in relation to vegetation. Pp. 11–74 in Terrestrial Vegetation of California (Eds Barbour, M.G. & Major, J.). Wiley-Interscience, New York, NY, USA: ix + 1002 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Mather, A.S. (1982). The desertification of Central Otago, New Zealand. Environmental Conservation, 9 (3), pp. 209–16, 6 figs.Google Scholar
Moore, N.W. & Hooper, M.D. (1975). On the number of bird species in British woods. Biological Conservation, 8, pp: 239–50.Google Scholar
NAS (1980). Energy and the Fate of Ecosystems: Study of Nuclear and Alternative Energy Systems. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, USA: [not available for checking].Google Scholar
Ormerod, W.E. (1978). The relationship between economic development and ecological degradation: How degradation has occurred in West Africa and how its progress might be halted. Journal of Arid Environments, 1, pp. 357–79.Google Scholar
Pigford, T., Keaton, M., Mann, B., Cukor, P. & Sessler, G. (1974). Fuel Cycles for Electrical Power Generation, Part I. Report EED 103, Teknekron, Inc., Berkeley, California, USA: [not available for checking].Google Scholar
Pimentel, D., Moran, M.A., Fast, S., Weger, G., Bukantis, R., Balliet, L., Boveng, P., Cleveland, C., Hindman, S. & Young, M. (1981). Biomass energy from crop and forest residues. Science, 212, pp. 1110–5.Google Scholar
Rickard, W.H. & Rogers, L.L. (1983). Industrial land-use and the conservation of native biota in the shrub-steppe region of western North America. Environmental Conservation, 10 (3), pp. 205–11, 3 figs.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romney, E.M., Wallace, A. & Hunter, R.B. (1979). Revegetation Studies Pertinent to the Barstow 10 MW Pilot Solar Thermal Power System and to Potential Power-plant Sites Elsewhere in the Mojave Desert. Report No. UCLA 12/1224, UC11, Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA: v + 44 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Rowlands, P.G. & Adams, J.A. (1983). Disturbing desert soils and vegetation. Pp. 48–52 in New Crops for Desert Agriculture: Problems and Opportunities (Ed. Chatfield, E.W.). University of California Cooperative Extension, Riverside, USA, xv + 165 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
SCE (1979). Notice of Intent: Cal Coal Project. Southern California Edison Company, Rosemead, California, USA: xxxix + 751 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
SCE (1984). Cogeneration/Small Power Projects: Quarterly Report. Southern California Edison Company, Rosemead, California, USA: 49 pp.Google Scholar
Siddiqui, I.A. & Locktov, P. (1983). Commercialization prospects for Guayule in California. Pp. 11–21 in New Crops for Desert Agriculture: Problems and Opportunities (Ed. Chatfield, E.W.). University of California Cooperative Extension, Riverside, California, USA: xv + 165 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Stebbins, G.L. & Major, D. (1966). Endemism and speciation in the California flora. Ecological Monographs, 35, pp. 1–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stebbins, R.C., Papenfuss, T.O. & Amamoto, F.D. (1978). Teaching and Research in the California Desert. Research Report 78–1, Institute of Government Studies, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA: [not available for checking].Google Scholar
Stobaugh, R. & Yergin, D. (Eds) (1979). Energy Future: Report of the Energy Project at the Harvard Business School. Random House, New York NY, USA: xi + 353 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Terborgh, J. & Winter, B. (1980). Some causes of extinction. Pp. 119–33 in Conservation Biology (Eds Soule, M.E. & Wilcox, B.A.). Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts, USA: xv + 395 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Turner, F.B. & Medica, P.A. (1982). The distribution and abundance of the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma mcalli). Copeia, 4, pp. 815–23.Google Scholar
Webb, R.H. & Wilshire, H.G. (1980). Recovery of soils and vegetation in a Mojave Desert ghost-town, Nevada, USA. Journal of Arid Environments, 3, pp. 291–303.Google Scholar
Webb, R.H. & Wilshire, H.G. (Eds) (1983). Environmental Effects of Off-road Vehicles. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, USA: xxi + 534 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Went, F.W. & Babu, V. Ramesh (1978). Plant life and desertification. Environmental Conservation, 5 (4), pp. 263–72, 6 figs.Google Scholar
Westman, W. (1977). How much are nature's services worth? Science, 197, pp. 960–4.Google Scholar
Whittaker, R.H. & Likens, G.E. (1975). The biosphere and man. Pp. 305–28 in Primary Productivity of the Biosphere (Eds Lieth, H. & Whittaker, R.H.). Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, USA: vi + 339 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Wilcox, B.A. (1980). Insular ecology and conservation. Pp. 95–117 in Conservation Biology (Eds Soule, M.E. & Wilcox, B.A.). Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts, USA: xv + 395 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Wilshire, H.G. & Nakata, J.K. (1976). Offroad vehicle effects on California's Mojave Desert. California Geology, 29, pp. 123–32.Google Scholar
Yermanos, D.M. (1983). Jojoba: Its nature and requirements. Pp. 1–10 in New Crops for Desert Agriculture: Problems and Opportunities (Ed. Chatfield, E.W.). University of California Cooperative Extension, Riverside, California, USA: xv+ 165 pp., illustr.Google Scholar