Ecosystem Processes

The physical, chemical, and biological processes that link organisms and their environment.

Ecosystem processes are the physical, chemical, and biological processes that link organisms and their environment. These may include biogeochemical/nutrient cycling, energy flow, and food web dynamics. An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. It can be broken down further into categories such as an aquatic ecosystem which involves a body of water, or even further to marine ecosystem or freshwater ecosystem.

Organisms feed off one another in a balanced food chain, but small changes to the seascape may significantly impact the existing balance. By just impacting one population, the effects may propagate to all other species in the area, potentially leading to overpopulation, decimation, habitat changes, changes in the nutrient cycle, energy flow, resource availability, etc. As offshore wind and marine renewable energy devices enter the water, any stressor could alter the flow of energy or physical environment enough to upset the balance of the ecosystem. However, the particular concerns are changes in flow and impacts on water quality.

Photo Credit: NOAA

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 353
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Offshore Wind Energy and Marine Biodiversity in the North Sea: Life Cycle Impact Assessment for Benthic Communities Li, C., Coolen, J., Scherer, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment
Projected cross-shore changes in upwelling induced by offshore wind farm development along the California coast Raghukumar, K., Nelson, T., Jacox, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
An integrated conceptual model to characterize the effects of offshore wind farms on ecosystem services Baulaz, Y., Mouchet, M., Niquil, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
An ecosystem-wide approach for assessing the spatialized cumulative effects of local and global changes on coastal ecosystem functioning Noguès, Q., Bourdaud, P., Araignous, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Monitoring of Marine Life During Offshore Wind Energy Development—Guidelines and Recommendations Kershaw, F., Jones, A., Folsom-O’Keefe, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Human Dimensions
Increased food availability at offshore wind farms affects trophic ecology of plaice Pleuronectes platessa Buyse, J., Hostens, K., Degraer, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment
Effects of habitat factors on the plant diversity on naturally-restored wind farm slopes Wang, P., Yu, H., Xiao, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
The effect of artificial reef design on the attraction of herbivorous fish and on coral recruitment, survival, and growth Hylkema, A., Debrot, A., Cammenga, R. Journal Article Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Impacts of human activities on the supply of marine ecosystem services: A conceptual model for offshore wind farms to aid quantitative assessments Van de Pol, L., Van der Biest, K., Taelman, S. E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Organic matter processing in a [simulated] offshore wind farm ecosystem in current and future climate and aquaculture scenarios Voet, H., Vlaminck, E., van Colen, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Climate Change
Minimizing habitat conflicts in meeting net-zero energy targets in the western United States Wu, G., Jones, R., Leslie, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Evidence that offshore wind farms might affect marine sediment quality and microbial communities Wang, T., Ru, X., Deng, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Insights from the management of offshore energy resources: Toward an ecosystem-services based management approach for deep-ocean industries Bravo, M., Brandt, M., van der Grient, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Social & Economic Data
Wind energy expansion and birds: Identifying priority areas for impact avoidance at a national level Balotari-Chiebao, F., Santangeli, A., Piirainen, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes
Offshore wind farms are projected to impact primary production and bottom water deoxygenation in the North Sea Daewel, U., Akhtar, N., Christiensen, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Environmental Impact Assessment
Unstated impacts of the green energy industry on the habitat of a coastal delphinid: Turbid-turbulent wakes induced by offshore wind turbine foundations Huang, S-L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment
Evidence for the effects of decommissioning man-made structures on marine ecosystems globally: a systematic map Lemasson, A., Somerfield, P., Schratzberger, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Mapping potential environmental impacts of offshore renewable energy Galparsoro, I., Menchaca, I., Seeger, I. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Windfarms, fishing and benthic recovery: Overlaps, risks and opportunities Dunkley, F., Solandt, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Balancing future renewable energy infrastructure siting and associated habitat loss for migrating whooping cranes Ellis, K., Pearse, A., Brandt, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Reviewing the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms Galparsoro, I., Menchaca, I., Garmendia, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Benchmarking Marine Energy Technologies Through LCA: Offshore Floating Wind Farms in the Mediterranean Pulselli, R., Maccanti, M., Bruno, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
An ecosystem-based natural capital evaluation framework that combines environmental and socio-economic implications of offshore renewable energy developments Trifonova, N., Scott, B., Griffin, R. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Climate Change, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Effect of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines on Atmospheric Circulation in California Raghukumar, K., Chartrand, C., Chang, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Small suspension-feeding amphipods play a pivotal role in carbon dynamics around offshore man-made structures Mavraki, N., Coolen, J., Kapasakali, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Commercial Wind Lease and Grant Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Humboldt Wind Energy Area, California U.S. Department of the Interior , Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), BOEM Environmental Studies Program Report Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Environmental Data Catalog for the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area Johnson, C., Currier, C., Howar, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Marine Renewable Energy: An Introduction to Environmental Effects OES-Environmental Summary Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Anthropogenic Mixing in Seasonally Stratified Shelf Seas by Offshore Wind Farm Infrastructure Dorrell, R., Lloyd, C., Lincoln, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Integration of multitrophic aquaculture approach with marine energy projects for management and restoration of coastal ecosystems of India Ingle, K., Polikovsky, M., Fenta, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions
Spatialized ecological network analysis for ecosystem-based management: effects of climate change, marine renewable energy, and fishing on ecosystem functioning in the Bay of Seine Noguès, Q., Araignous, E., Bourdaud, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Climate Change, Fisheries
Use of Our Future Seas: Relevance of Spatial and Temporal Scale for Physical and Biological Indicators Trifonova, N., Scott, B., De Dominicis, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Environmental Data Catalog for the Humboldt Wind Energy Area Johnson, C., Currier, C., Howar, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
An Assessment of the Cumulative Impacts of Floating Offshore Wind Farms Integral Consulting Inc Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
A new framework and tool for ecological risk assessment of wave energy converters projects Galparsoro, I., Korta, M., Subirana, I. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
The rebirth and eco-friendly energy production of an artificial lake: A case study on the tidal power in South Korea Park, E., Lee, T. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Environmental Impact Assessment: Nuyakuk River Small Scale Hydroelectric Project Squire, R., Owen, A., Ngo-Ly, J. Report Marine Energy, Riverine Changes in Flow, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Recreation & Tourism, Visual Impacts
Bayesian network modelling provides spatial and temporal understanding of ecosystem dynamics within shallow shelf seas Trifonova, N., Scott, B., De Dominicis, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Design, production, and validation of the biological and structural performance of an ecologically engineered concrete block mattress: A Nature-Inclusive Design for shoreline and offshore construction Sella, I., Hadary, T., Rella, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
The Design, Production and Validation of the Biological and Structural Performance of an Ecologically Engineered Concrete Block Mattress – A Nature Inclusive Design for Shoreline and Offshore construction Sella, I., Hadary, T., Rella, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Displaying 1 - 40 of 353 results