Environmental Assessment
Volume C-4.2
Slurry Pipeline
Fauna
Ambatovy Project
105
January 2006
(Volume C, Section 3.4). As construction will occur during daylight hours,
impacts to nocturnal animals will be negligible. Operations noise will consist of
a single vehicle accessing the sites for occasional maintenance inspections. In
reclamation areas during construction and closure phases, noise levels from
vehicles and people will temporarily exceed baseline levels. Species most likely
to be affected by noise include species that use vocalization for breeding
[e.g., amphibians (Barass 1985), birds, lemurs] and wary species in areas where
noise exceeds baseline levels however these noise effects will be temporary
during the construction phase.
Edge Effects
Dust, Introduction of Non-Native and Invasive Species and Microclimatic
Changes
Of the key faunal habitats, the largest potential impacts as a result of edge effects
due to pipeline construction and operation will be to the degraded zonal and
transitional forests with proportional losses of 12.8% and 9.85%, respectively
(Table 4.2-5). Edge effects will influence 94 ha of primary zonal forest (6.7%),
6 ha (4.6%) of water and 21 ha (5.1%) of wetlands habitats. These impacts are in
addition to the direct losses due to site clearing. The azonal and marsh edge
habitats are not predicted to be impacted by dust, non-native and invasive species
or microclimate changes due to edge creation. As the pipeline is constructed
mainly (95%) through previously disturbed habitats, the impacts due to edge
effects created by construction of the slurry pipeline have been reduced. Edge
effects due to construction of the access and maintenance roads have not be
included in this assessment.
Table 4.2-5 Habitats (ha) Within a 100 m Edge Effects Zone of the Slurry Pipeline
Habitat Type
Baseline Case (ha) Impact Case (ha) Change (ha) Change (%)
azonal
81
81
0
0
transitional
187
169
-18
-9.8
degraded zonal forest
1,537
1,340
-197
-12.8
primary zonal forest
1,403
1,309
-94
-6.7
marsh edge
26
26
0
0
wetlands
406
385
-21
-5.1
water
128
122
-6
-4.6
coastal shrubland/ grassland complex
(a)
297
280
-17
-5.7
clearing/tavy
30,778
27,569
-3,209
-10.4
pasture
308
300
-8
-2.5
rice paddies
278
245
-33
-11.8
woodlot/plantation
693
557
-136
-19.6
other
(b)
153
140
-13
-8.4
total
36,275
32,523
-3,752
-10.3
(a)
Includes beach ridge habitat type.
(b)
Includes industrial sites, quarries, railway, roads and villages.
