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Ecosystem Processes

Fish in a kelp forest as example habitat
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: 512

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
The Scottish Shelf Model. Part 3: St Magnus Bay Sub-Domain Price, D., Stuiver, C., Johnson, H. Report Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
The Scottish Shelf Model. Part 4: East Coast of Lewis and Harris Sub-Domain Price, D., Stuiver, C., Johnson, H. Report Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
The Scottish Shelf Model. Part 1: Shelf-Wide Domain Wolf, J., Yates, N., Brereton, A. Report Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Expected Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on Mediterranean Marine Life Bray, L., Reizopoulou, S., Voukouvalas, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
Predictive mapping of seabirds, pinnipeds and cetaceans off the Pacific Coast of Washington Menza, C., Leirness, J., White, T. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment
Interactions among ecosystem stressors and their importance in conservation Cote, I., Darling, E., Brown, C. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Offshore Wind Farm Site Selection Study around Jeju Island, South Korea Kim, T., Park, J., Maeng, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
How Might We Assess and Manage the Effects of Underwater Noise on Populations of Marine Animals? Tasker, M. Book Chapter Noise Ecosystem Processes
Hydraulic response of submerged breakwaters in Reef Ball modules ILARIA DEL VITA Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Evaluating Threats in Multinational Marine Ecosystems: A Coast Salish First Nations and Tribal Perspective Gaydos, J., Thixton, S., Donatuto, J. Journal Article Chemicals, Collision, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Social & Economic Data
Energy Systems and their Impacts on Marine Ecosystem Services Papathanasopoulou, E., Beaumont, N., Hooper, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Social & Economic Data, Ecosystem Processes
A Scenario-Based Approach to Evaluating Potential Environmental Impacts Following a Tidal Barrage Installation Kidd, I., Fisher, A., Chai, S. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Ecosystem Processes
The Marine Spatial Classification and the Identification of Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) for Marine Biodiversity Conservation - A Case Study of the Offshore China Hao, H., Bin, C., Jinlan, L. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Acoustic Indices for Biodiversity Assessments: Analyses of Bias Based on Simulated Bird Assemblages and Recommendations for Field Surveys Gasc, A., Pavoine, S., Lellouch, L. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes, Birds
Análisis de Viabilidad Ambiental del Uso de Energías Renovables en Costa Rica: Estudio de Caso de la Energía Eólica, la Hidroeléctrica y la Geotérmica Ricardo Cordero, A Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Assessing the structure and temporal dynamics of seabird communities: the challenge of capturing marine ecosystem complexity Moreno, R., Stowasser, G., McGill, R. Journal Article Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes
Wales' Marine Evidence Report Welsh Government Report Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data
An Interim Framework for Assessing the Population Consequences of Disturbance King, S., Schick, R., Donovan, C. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Toward Wind Farm Monitoring Optimization: Assessment of Ecological Zones from Marine Landscapes using Machine Learning Algorithms Grilli, A., Shumchenia, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
Genetic Approaches to the Conservation of Migratory Bats: A Study of the Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) Vonhof, M., Russell, A. Journal Article Bats, Ecosystem Processes
Practical Management of Cumulative Anthropogenic Impacts with Working Marine Examples Wright, A., Kyhn, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Noise Ecosystem Processes
The Impact of Debris on Marine Life Gall, S., Thompson, R. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Eelgrass, Zostera marina, as essential fish habitat for young-of-the-year winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum, 1792) in Maine estuaries Lazzari, M. Journal Article Marine Energy Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish
Embracing Thresholds for Better Environmental Management Kelly, R., Erickson, A., Mease, L. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Optimising Array Form for Energy Extraction and Environmental Benefit (EBAO) Smith, H. Report Marine Energy Noise Ecosystem Processes
A bat fatality risk model at wind farms in Dobrogea, Romania, using a GIS approach Măntoiu, D., Chisamera, G., Chachula, O. Presentation Wind Energy Bats, Ecosystem Processes
Loch Linnhe and Firth of Lorn MASTS Case Study Workshop Report Berx, B., Gallego, A., Heath, M. Report Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Using Environmental Impact Assessment and Post-Construction Monitoring Data to Inform Wind Energy Developments Zwart, M., Robson, P., Rankin, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes
Are We Missing the Boat? Current Uses of Long-Term Biological Monitoring Data in the Evaluation and Management of Marine Protected Areas Addison, P., Flander, L., Cook, C. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Marine Defaunation: Animal Loss in the Global Ocean McCauley, D., Pinsky, M., Palumbi, S. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Renewables-To-Reefs? Decommissioning Options for the Offshore Wind Power Industry Smyth, K., Christie, N., Burdon, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
Variability in the Florida Current: Implications for Power Generation Hanson, H., Smentek-Duerr, A., VanZwieten Jr., J. Report Marine Energy, Ocean Current Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Special Issue: Renewable Ocean Energy Development and the Environment Zydlewski, G., Copping, A., Redden, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Ecosystem Processes
Offshore Wind Farms in the Southwestern Baltic Sea: A Model Study of Regional Impacts on Oxygen Conditions Janßen, H., Schröder, T., Zettler, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Planning for Net Biodiversity Gains: A Case Study of Hau_uru m_ raki Wind Farm, New Zealand Craig, J., Kessels, G., Langlands, P. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes
Wind Farms and Biodiversity: Improving Environmental Risk Assessments Boothroyd, I., Barea, L. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Ecosystem Processes
Multiple Stressors and Multifunctionality: Limited Effects on an Illuminated Benthic System Alsterberg, C., Sundbäck, K., Gamfeldt, L. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
The Influence of Large Offshore Wind Farms on the North Sea and Baltic Sea - A Comprehensive Literature Review Clark, S., Schroeder, F., Baschek, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Regime Shifts in Exploited Marine Food Webs: Detecting Mechanisms Underlying Alternative Stable States using Size-Structured Community Dynamics Theory Gårdmark, A., Casini, M., Huss, M. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Eco-Maintenance for Complex Systems: Application on System of Renewable Energy Production Tchertchian, N., Millet, D. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes

Displaying 321 - 360 of 512 results