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Habitat Change

Underwater tidal turbine
Changes to the physical habitat around the device.

The introduction of wind or marine renewable energy devices to the environment can change the physical habitat. The development of land-based wind farms, for example, typically requires the addition of roads and infrastructure, which can lead to habitat degradation and/or fragmentation. Installation of offshore wind and marine renewable energy devices' associated subsea power cables will likely result in changes to seafloor habitats. The physical presence of one or many devices may cause animals to avoid the area, potentially resulting in loss of foraging, breeding, rearing, or resting habitats. Fish may be attracted to a device to feed on algae or to swim in an eddy, while bats may be attracted to a device to feed on insects that are attracted by the light, both of which may place them at higher risk for collision with dynamic portions of the device. Mooring lines that anchor floating devices to the seafloor could also confuse or entrap large marine animals like whales, causing panic and potential injury or increased predation.

For more information relevant to marine energy, view the Changes in Benthic and Pelagic Habitats Short Science Summary produced by OES-Environmental.

For more information relevant to offshore wind energy, view the Introduction of New Structures: Effects on Fish Ecology and Benthic Disturbance from Foundations, Anchors, & Cables research briefs produced by SEER.

Photo Credit: BALAO-SABELLA

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 Habitat Change.

Total: 1556

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Ecological impact of decommissioning offshore wind farms Teunis, M., Collier, M., Bakker, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Social network analysis as a tool for marine spatial planning: Impacts of decommissioning on connectivity in the North Sea Tidbury, H., Taylor, N., van der Molen, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Soft Bottom Macrobenthic Communities in Sandy Enclaves from the North Cotentin Peninsula (Central English Channel) Andres, S., Pezy, J., Martinez, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Invertebrates
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
Flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) settlement on scour protection material: Innovation Eco Scour Protection in offshore windfarm Borssele V Tonk, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Renewable Energy and Land Use in India: A Vision to Facilitate Sustainable Development Kiesecker, J., Baruch-Mordo, S., Heiner, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Human Dimensions
Trawls National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Webpage Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Anthropogenic threats to benthic habitats Harris, P. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Engineered ecologies: Addressing energy infrastructure impacts on wildlife habitat & movement Baker, L. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
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
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
Methodology for modeling and service life monitoring of mooring lines of floating wind turbines Pham, H., Schoefs, F., Cartraud, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Seafloor biodiversity of Canada's three oceans: Patterns, hotspots and potential drivers Wei, C-L., Cusson, M., Archambault, P. Journal Article Habitat Change Physical Environment
Vertical Distribution of Juvenile Salmon in a Large Turbid River Jump, S., Courtney, M., Seitz, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Riverine Collision, Habitat Change Fish
Does the colonisation of offshore renewable energy farms facilitate the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species? Nexer, M., Ben Rais Lasram, F., Bourgougnon, N. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Effects from wave power generators on the distribution of two sea pen species on the Swedish west coast Bender, A., Sundberg, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change Invertebrates
Green Electricity Corridors in Europe: Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM): Status, roadblocks, and ways forward Ecofirst, Renewables Grid Initiative Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
Wind farms in the Icelandic highlands: Attitudes of local residents and tourism service providers Ólafsdóttir, R., Sæþórsdóttir, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Recreation & Tourism
Oil and gas platforms as artificial substrates for epibenthic North Sea fauna: Effects of location and depth Schutter, M., Dorenbosch, M., Driessen, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
SEA Wave D2.3 Environmental Demonstration Strategy Fox, J. Report Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change, Noise Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Landsat Time Series Assessment of Invasive Annual Grasses Following Energy Development Villarreal, M., Soulard, C., Waller, E. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Grand challenges in the science of wind energy Veers, P., Dykes, K., Lantz, E. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change
ScotMER and MREF MASTS Workshop Report Scottish Government, Marine Alliance for Science and Technology Scotland (MASTS) Workshop Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Displacement, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Breeding home range movements of pre-fledged brolga chicks, Antigone rubicunda (Gruidae) in Victoria, Australia – Implications for wind farm planning and conservation Cook, S., Palmer, G., Hill, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Fish densities associated with structural elements of oil and gas platforms in southern California Meyer-Gutbrod, E., Kui, L., Nishimoto, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Habitat Change Fish
Adaptive surface distortions for torque ripple control in vertical-axis wind turbines Erfort, G., von Backström, T., Venter, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Impactos Ambientales de la Energía Eólica (Environmental Impacts of the Wind Energy) Hernández-Galvez, G., Pampillón-González, L., Hernández-Almenares, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Impacts to Wildlife of Wind Energy Siting and Operation in the United States Allison, T., Diffendorfer, J., Baerwald, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Moray East Pre-Construction Survey Campaign Summary Report Moray Offshore Wind Farm (East) Limited Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Do wind turbines impact plant community properties in mountain region? Pătru-Stupariu, I., Calotă, A., Santonja, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
The Effects of Management Practices an Grassland Birds—An Introduction to North American Grasslands and the Practices Used to Manage Grasslands and Grassland Birds Shaffer, J., DeLong, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Geographic context affects the landscape change and fragmentation caused by wind energy facilities Diffendorfer, J., Dorning, M., Keen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
The Dynamic Ocean: Offshore Wind Energy and Other Activities in the New York Bight Williams, K.A., Stenhouse, I., Gulka, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
The Dynamic Ocean: Offshore Wind Energy and Other Activities in the New York Bight New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Navigation
The consequences of seabird habitat loss from offshore wind turbines, version 2 van Kooten, T., Soudijn, F., Tulp, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
PHAROS4MPAs: A Review of Solutions to Avoid and Mitigate Environmental Impacts of Offshore Windfarms Defingou, M., Bils, F., Horchler, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Quantifying harbour porpoise foraging behaviour in CPOD data: identification, automatic detection and potential application Berges, B., Geelhoed, S., Scheidat, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Guidelines for Providing Benthic Habitat Survey Information for Renewable Energy Development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Columbian sharp‐tailed grouse nesting ecology: wind energy and habitat Proett, M., Roberts, S., Horne, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Artificial reefs facilitate tropical fish at their range edge Paxton, A., Peterson, C., Taylor, J. Journal Article Habitat Change, Attraction Fish

Displaying 681 - 720 of 1556 results