User:JQJQrush/Mountain biking

Environmental impact

Impacts on vegetation:

According to a review published by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, the environmental impact of mountain biking, as a relatively new sport, is poorly understood. The review notes that "as with all recreational pursuits, it is clear that mountain biking contributes some degree of environmental degradation". Mountain biking can result in both soil and vegetation damage, which can be caused by skidding, but also by the construction of unauthorised features such as jumps and bridges, and trails themselves. Several studies have reported that a mountain bike's impact on a given length of trail surface is comparable to that of a hiker, and substantially less than that of an equestrian or motorized off-road vehicle.

A critical literature review by Jason Lathrop on the ecological impact of mountain biking notes that while recreational trail use in general is well studied, few studies explore the specific impact of mountain biking. He quotes the Bureau of Land Management: "An estimated 13.5 million mountain bicyclists visit public lands each year to enjoy the variety of trails. What was once a low use activity that was easy to manage has become more complex".

The environmental impacts of mountain biking can be greatly reduced by not riding on wet or sensitive trails, keeping speeds modest so as to minimize cornering forces and braking forces, not skidding, and by staying on the trail.

Mountain biking has been demonstrated to act as a human-mediated form of seed dispersal. Due to advancements in technology mountain bikers have begun to move onto trail networks once only accessible by hikers. The nature of their movement patterns also plays an important role as a vector for seed dispersal. Mountain bikes are not bound to any specific type of infrastructure and can therefore move freely between ecological environments acting as a connecting dispersal vector between habitats. Combined with their relatively long range and speeds they also contribute to long-range dispersal. In an effort to understand and assess the socio-ecological consequences of mountain bikes as a vector for seed dispersal Fabio Weiss, Tyler J. Brummer, and Gesine Pufal conducted an environmental impact study on forest trails in Freiburg, Germany. The results of the study found that although the majority of seeds detached from tires within the first 5–20 meters; small portions of seeds were still present after 200–500 meters contributing to moderate dispersal. The potential for long-distance dispersal was found through the transport of seeds on areas of the bike that did not come into frequent contact with the ground. The study also found that the majority of participants only cleaned their bikes on average every 70 km or every two rides. Rides executed in two different areas have the potential to connect previously unconnected habitats creating the potential for unwanted plant invasions.

To mitigate the accidental dispersal of an unwanted invasive species, the authors of the study proposed the following measures to support conservation:

a) Clean the bike between rides in different habitats, before traveling and especially before entering sensitive natural areas and regions.

b) Control weeds and non-native species at trailheads and trail margins.

c) Educate mountain bike riders about the potential dispersal of different species (good stewardship begets riding privileges).

d) Encourage cooperation between mountain bikers and managing authorities (avoid condescending regulations, establishment of monitored designated riding areas).

lead: Mountain biking affects wildlife negatively and has similar impacts as hikers.

Impacts on wildlife:

Mountain biking might adversely affect wild animals' habitats and change their activities. Most animals react peacefully to human' friendly recreational activities on a frequently used trail. Bikers' inappropriate behaviors and off-trail traveling might cause severe threats to animals. Intense behaviors, such as loud sounds from bikes and off-trail traveling, could scare wild animals and cause extra stress. When wildlife perceives human activities as a threat, they might leave their prime habitats, leading to a lack of food or an unsuitable living environment for the wildlife. Those threats could consume animals' energy storage for winter months when limited food is available. Those harms are inevitable because wild animals will react first while human beings have not realized.

Current research does not have evidence to show the effects of mountain biking surpass the ones on hikers or are lower than them. In the study on land animals, sheep would flee from hikers 61% of the time and 6% of the time from bikers. Sheep flock has a stronger reaction to bikers when they travel off trails. In the studies on beers, with high proportional numbers of hikers to bikers included, bikes' relatively high speed contributes to many encounters between bikers and beer. Bikers can encounter more animals with fast speed when compared with hikers. The high speeds and relative silence of mountain biking usually will rarely draw animals' attention in the distance and cause more animals' pronounced reactions. For avian animals, birds would flush away when they receive disturbance. Golden-cheeked Warblers prefer nesting in non-biking sites to biking sites. They are more likely to abandon their nest near biking sites three times greater than non-biking sites, which causes animals' alternation of habitats.Bald eagles would flush 46% of the time by hikers pass by and 15% by bikers of the time. The slow movement and still observation by walkers would keep birds alarmed, which shows that the increase in travel times causes more disturbance. Collisions and injuries are other sources of impact. For fewer animal injuries caused by only mountain bike crashes, some national parks have prohibited this recreational activity, limiting further discussions on these effects. Death by mountain bike crash mostly takes place on insects.

References

Marion, Jeff; Wimpey, Jeremy (2007). Environmental Impacts of Mountain Biking: Science Review and Best Practices. International Mountain Biking Association. p. 12. ISBN 097550231X.

Vandeman, Michael (July 2014). "The Impacts of Mountain Biking on Wildlife and People -- A Review of the Literature". ARPN Journal of Science and Technology. 4 (7).

Quinn, Michael; Chernoff, Greg (February 2010). "Mountain Biking: A Review of the Ecological Effects", University of Calgary.