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
Offshore Wind Farm Artificial Reefs Affect Ecosystem Structure and Functioning: A Synthesis Degraer, S., Carey, D., Coolen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Could federal wind farms influence continental shelf oceanography and alter associated ecological processes? A literature review. Miles, T., Murphy, S., Kohut, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Climate change effects on marine renewable energy resources and environmental conditions for offshore aquaculture in Europe Weiss, C., Menendez, M., Ondiviela, B. Journal Article Marine Energy Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions
Cumulative effects of marine renewable energy and climate change on ecosystem properties: Sensitivity of ecological network analysis Noguès, Q., Raoux, A., Araignous, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Human Dimensions
Acoustic and Benthic Targeted Research Work Groups: Summary of Findings Roberts, J., Peplinski, W., Kramer, S. Report Marine Energy Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
A Review on Environmental and Social Impacts of Thermal Gradient and Tidal Currents Energy Conversion and Application to the Case of Chiapas, Mexico Rivera, G., Felix, A., Mendoza, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Fish assemblages of three common artificial reef designs during early colonization Hylkema, A., Debrot, A., Osinga, R. Journal Article Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World Copping, A., Hemery, L. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Shorebirds, Waterfowl, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Reptiles, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Social & Economic Data
Modelling the impact of tidal range energy on species communities Baker, A., Craighead, R., Jarvis, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
The environmental impact from an offshore windfarm: Challenge and evaluation methodology based on an ecosystem approach Pezy, J., Raoux, A., Dauvin, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
Quantifying the differences in avian attack rates on reptiles between an infrastructure and a control site Law, C., Lancaster, L., Hall, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Reptiles
Capturing threshold responses of marine benthos along gradients of natural and anthropogenic change Couce, E., Engelhard, G., Schratzberger, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Operational-dependent wind turbine wake impact on surface momentum flux revealed by snow-powered flow imaging Abraham, A., Hong, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes
Isotopic analyses, a good tool to validate models in the context of Marine Renewable Energy development and cumulative impacts Raoux, A., Pezy, J., Ernande, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
Impact of Offshore Wind Farms on Marine Ecosystems, Pelagic Species and Fishing Negro, V., del Campo, J., Luengo Frades, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Pelagic Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Recreation & Tourism
On the food-web ecology of offshore wind farms, the kingdom of suspension feeders Mavraki, N. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
A feeding guild indicator to assess environmental change impacts on marine ecosystem structure and functioning Thompson, M., Pontalier, H., Spence, M. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Using Artificial-Reef Knowledge to Enhance the Ecological Function of Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations: Implications for Fish Abundance and Diversity Glarou, M., Zrust, M., Svendsen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
The ecology of infrastructure decommissioning in the North Sea: what we need to know and how to achieve it Fowler, A., Jørgensen, A., Coolen, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Ecosystem Processes
Mapping of Benthic Habitats at Marine Renewable Energy Sites Using Multibeam Echosounder and Sediment Profile Imaging Technologies Revelas, E., Sackmann, B., Maher, N. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Science in support of ecologically sound decommissioning strategies for offshore man-made structures: taking stock of current knowledge and considering future challenges Birchenough, S., Degraer, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Functional differences in trophic structure of offshore wind farm communities: A stable isotope study Mavraki, N., Degraer, S., Moens, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Ecological best practice in decommissioning: a review of scientific research Fortune, I., Paterson, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Fish Assemblages Associated with a Newly Deployed Eco-Engineered Artificial Seawall in the Intercoastal Waters of Port Everglades Cinti, O. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Biodiversity conservation versus wind power development in the state of Oklahoma: assessing opinion where green interests collide Burch, C. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Challenges of future energy landscapes in Germany — a nature conservation perspective Ponitka, J., Boettner, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Toward an Ecosystem Approach of Marine Renewable Energy: The Case of the Offshore Wind Farm of Courseulles-sur-Mer in the Bay of Seine Niquil, N., Raoux, A., Haraldsson, M. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
The State of the Science on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy Development: Workshop Proceedings Gulka, J., Williams, K. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Seasonal Variations of Marine Environment and Primary Production in the Taiwan Strait Tseng, H., You, W., Huang, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Potential environmental impacts of wind energy development: A global perspective Nazir, M., Ali, N., Bilal, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes
Options for biodiversity enhancement in offshore wind farms Bureau Waardenburg bv Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions
Early conservation benefits of a de facto marine protected area at San Clemente Island, California Esgro, M., Lindholm, J., Nickols, K. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Factors determining the timing of swarming of European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis L.) larvae in the Dutch Delta area: Implications for flat oyster restoration Maathuis, M., Coolen, J., van der Have, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Impactos ambientales de los parques eólicos y líneas de transmisión de energía sobre la biodiversidad de áreas protegidas del departamento de la Guajira-Colombia Garavito-Terrez, L Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
An integrated seafloor habitat map to inform marine spatial planning and management: a case study from Long Island Sound (Northwest Atlantic) Zajac, R., Stefaniak, L., Babb, I. Book Chapter Marine Energy Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Regional‐scale patterns of deep seafloor biodiversity for conservation assessment O'Hara, T., Williams, A., Althaus, F. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Empirical Evidence Inspiring Priority Monitoring, Research and Management Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Guía para la descripción de centrales eólicas de generación de energía eléctrica en el SEIA (segunda edición) Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental de Chile Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Draft Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy consultation APS Group Scotland Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
The future of coastal and estuarine modeling: Findings from a workshop Fringer, O., Dawson, C., He, R. Journal Article Marine Energy Ecosystem Processes
Displaying 161 - 200 of 489 results