Identifying the mechanisms of potential impacts of wood pellet production on species of concern is essential to establishing meaningful management recommendations that can enhance conservation efforts while supporting sustainable bioenergy. Production of these wood pellets for export to Europe and Asia has drastically increased in the past decade, raising concerns about potential harm to biodiversity since many species in the forests sourcing pellet production were already at risk prior to the development of this new commodity. We test the proposed framework through application to gopher tortoise ( Gopherus polyphemus), a keystone species that is the focus of conservation efforts across the southeastern region of United States of America, where wood pellets are being produced for bioenergy. We propose a simple analysis framework to examine critical intersections between land-management choices and the life-history conditions of selected species of concern, thereby facilitating the identification of mitigation practices that can reduce negative impacts on species at risk.
Land-management choices made for economic and societal gains intrinsically influence landscapes and species that are dependent upon them.
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