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

Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Tethys is a knowledge hub that contains documents on the environmental effects of wind and marine energy. The table below contains all of the documents in the Tethys Knowledge Base associated with Ecosystem Processes.

Total: 489

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Peninsula Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMaRE) Lorraine, R., Tremlett, C. Research Study Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Navigation
Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: State of the Art After Two Years of Environmental Monitoring Degraer, S., Brabant, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
The use of 'ecological risk' for assessing effects of human activities: an example including eutrophication and offshore wind farm construction in the North Sea Nunneri, C., Lenhart, H., Burkhard, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions
Fouling Assemblages on Offshore Wind Power Plants and Adjacent Substrata Wilhelmsson, D., Malm, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Horns Rev II Offshore Wind Farm Food Basis for Common Scoter Skov, H., Durinck, J., Erichsen, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Ecosystem Processes, Birds
The Importance of Marine Spatial Planning in Advancing Ecosystem-Based Sea Use Management Douvere, F. Journal Article Marine Spatial Planning, Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
Accounting for biological and physical sources of acoustic backscatter improves estimates of zooplankton biomass Warren, J., Wiebe, P. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Kentish Flats Wind Farm Development: Macrobenthic Ecology Study - 2007 Fugro EMU Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Assessing the Impact of Wind Farms on the Plant Diversity of Blanket Bogs in the Xistral Mountains (NW Spain) Fraga, M., Romero-Pedeira, D., Souto, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Ecological Risk as a Tool for Evaluating the Effects of Offshore Wind Farm Construction in the North Sea Nunneri, C., Lenhart, J., Burkhard, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Fauna and Ecosystem Processes Fabry, V., Seibel, B., Freely, R. Journal Article Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
The Main Characteristics, Problems, and Prospects for Western European Coastal Seas Dauvin, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Ecosystem Processes
Ecological Baseline Studies Report Proposed Dry Lake Wind Project, Navajo County, Arizona Young, D. Jr., Poulton, V., Bay, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes
Petroleum Production Platforms as Sites for the Expansion of Ciguatera in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico Villareal, T., Hanson, S., Qualia, S. Journal Article Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Pelagic Fish
Process-Driven Characterization and Mapping of Seabed Habitats Kostylev, V., Hannah, C. Book Chapter Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
The impacts of climate change in coastal marine systems Harley, C., Hughes, A., Hultgren, K. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Potential Impacts to Predator-Prey Relationships as a Result of the Proposed Cape Wind Project in Nantucket Sound ESS Group Inc Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals
Ecological Survey and Impact Assessment for the Proposed Cable Route Corridor and Substation, Walpole, Lincolnshire, & Norfolk Lapwings Consultants Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Investigation of the Cape Wind Energy Project ESS Group Inc Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
The Effects of Wind Turbines on Antipredator Behavior in California Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi) Rabin, L., Coss, R., Owings, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise, Collision, Avoidance Terrestrial Mammals, Raptors, Ecosystem Processes, Birds
A Long and Winding Road? Precaution from Principle to Practice in Biodiversity Conservation Cooney, R. Book Chapter Ecosystem Processes
Distribution and Behaviour of Common Scoter Melanitta nigra Relative to Prey Resources and Environmental Parameters Kaiser, M., Galanidi, M., Showler, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Waterfowl, Ecosystem Processes, Birds
Offshore Wind Energy Research on Environmental Impacts Köller, J., Köppel, J., Peters, W. Book Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fish, Ecosystem Processes, Birds
Artificial Marine Structures Facilitate the Spread of a Non-Indigenous Green Algae Bulleri, F., Airoldi, L. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Offshore renewable energy: ecological implications of generating electricity in the coastal zone Gill, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
Marine ALSF Science Review: Aggregate Research in UK Waters Newell, R., Reeds, K. Presentation Habitat Change Physical Environment, Ecosystem Processes
Proceedings of Wind Energy and Wildlife: The Good, the Bad... the Possible Kathy, B., MacGregor, G., Grodner, S. Report Wind Energy Birds, Ecosystem Processes
Hard Bottom Substrate Monitoring Horns Rev Offshore Wind Farm Annual Status Report 2004 Leonhard, S., Pedersen, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates
Vegetation Types and Valuable Habitats at the Islets Sandholmene in Rost Municipality, Nordland County - Impact Assessment in Relation to Planned Construction of Wind Power Station Bjerke, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes
Hard bottom substrate monitoring Horns Rev offshore wind farm. Annual status report 2003 Leonhard, S., Pedersen, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates
The Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland Connor, D., Allen, J., Golding, N. Report Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
North Sea Wind Farms NSW Lot 1 Benthic Fauna Jarvis, S., Allen, J., Proctor, N. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Marine Fish Assemblages Associated with Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs): Effects of Fish Removal, FAD Size, Fouling Communities, and Prior Recruits Nelson, P. Journal Article Marine Energy Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
A Marine Biological Underwater Depuration System (MUDS) to Process Waste Waters Cattaneo-Vietti, R., Benatti, U., Cerrano, C. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish, Ecosystem Processes
Sound scattering from oceanic turbulence Ross, T., Lueck, R. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Linking climate change and biological invasions: Ocean warming facilitates nonindigenous species invasions Stachowicz, J. , Terwin, J., Whitlatch, R. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
A General Theory on Fish Aggregation to Floating Objects: An Alternative to the Meeting Point Hypothesis Castro, J., Santiago, J., Santana-Ortega, A. Journal Article Marine Energy Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Evaluating artificial reef performance: approaches to pre- and post-deployment research Wilding, T., Sayer, M. Journal Article Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Urban Structures as Marine Habitats: An Experimental Comparison of the Composition and Abundance of Subtidal Epibiota Among Pilings, Pontoons and Rocky Reefs Connell, S. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates, Ecosystem Processes
Horns Rev Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Impact Assessment: Summary of EIA Report Elsamprojekt Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Displaying 441 - 480 of 489 results