Habitat Change

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: 1507

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Disturbance affects biotic community composition at desert wind farms Keehne, J., Feldman, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
Creation of microhabitats (tidepools) in ripraps with climax communities as a way to mitigate negative effects of artificial substrate on marine biodiversity Ostale-Valriberas, E., Sempere-Valverde, J., Coppa, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Ocean sprawl facilitates dispersal and connectivity of protected species Henry, L., Mayorga-Adame, C., Fox, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Estimating habitat loss due to wind turbine avoidance by bats: Implications for European siting guidance Barre, K., Le Viol, I., Bas, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
Oceanographic and biological influences on recruitment of benthic invertebrates to hard substrata on the Oregon shelf Meyer, K., Li, Y., Young, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Invertebrates
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Marine Spatial Planning and Marine Renewables: Linking Concepts for Implementation. A Case Study from Scotland MacDonald, A. Thesis Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Benthic biodiversity on old platforms, young wind farms, and rocky reefs Coolen, J., van der Weide, B., Cuperus, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Evaluating anthropogenic landscape alterations as wildlife hazards, with wind farms as an example Law, P., Fuller, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Environmental benefits of leaving offshore infrastructure in the ocean Fowler, A., Jørgensen, A., Svendsen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
Cape Vulture and Wind Farms: Guidelines for impact assessment, monitoring and mitigation Pfeiffer, M., Ralston-Paton, S. Guidance Wind Energy Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions
Anthropogenic disturbance facilitates a non-native species on offshore oil platforms Viola, S., Page, H., Zaleski, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Environmental Sensitivity and Associated Risk to Habitats and Species Offshore Central California and Hawaii from Offshore Floating Wind Technologies Morandi, A., Berkman, S., Rowe, J. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Contributions of marine infrastructures to marine planning and protected area networking Shabtay, A., Portman, M., Carmel, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Habitat Change Marine Spatial Planning, Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
Seabed recovery following protective burial of subsea cables - Observations from the continental margin Kraus, C., Carter, L. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates
The Ornithodolite as a tool to quantify animal space use and habitat selection: a case study with birds diving in tidal waters Cole, E., Waggitt, J., Hedenstrom, A. Journal Article Marine Energy Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
The large-scale impact of offshore wind farm structures on pelagic primary productivity in the southern North Sea Slavik, K., Lemmen, C., Zhang, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Report of the IWG on Wind Turbines and Bat Populations 2018 Rodrigues, L. Report Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Inventory and assessment of models and methods used for describing quantifying and assessing cumulative effects of offshore wind farms van Oostveen, M., Sierdsma, F., Kwakkel, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
MegaRoller Apolonia, M., Simas, T. Research Study Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Predator attack rates and anti-predator behavior of side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) at Southern California wind farms, USA Keehn, J., Feldman, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Reptiles
Benthic development in and around offshore wind farm Prinses Amalia Wind Park near the Dutch coastal zone before and after construction (2003-2017) Leewis, L., Klink, A., Verduin, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Local scour around a model hydrokinetic turbine in an erodible channel Hill, C., Musa, M., Chamorro, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change Physical Environment
Optimisation of an underwater imagery analysis method to characterise the reef effect caused by submarine power cables on epibenthic communities Taormina, B., Lejart, M., Thiesse, E. Presentation Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Marine Scotland Review of Approaches and Costs of Decommissioning Offshore Wind Installations Public Report Marine Scotland Science Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Cultivating mussels in the Belgian North Sea Pribadi, A.B.K., Donatini, L., Lataire, E. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Wozep Ecological Programme: Tussenstand Wozep 2018 Offshore Wind Ecological Programme (Wozep) Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Passerines, Seabirds, Waterfowl, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
An approach for evaluating changes in land-use from energy sprawl and other anthropogenic activities with implications for biotic resource management Wolaver, B., Pierre, J., Labay, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Reptiles
The association of windmills with conservation of pollinating insects and wild plants in homogeneous farmland of western Poland Pustkowiak, S., Banaszak-Cibicka, W., Mielczarek, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Wind turbines impact bat activity, leading to high losses of habitat use in a biodiversity hotspot Millon, L., Colin, C., Brescia, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Bats
Predictive model for local scour downstream of hydrokinetic turbines in erodible channels Musa, M., Heisel, M., Guala, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment
Impacts of onshore wind energy production on birds and bats: recommendations for future life cycle impact assessment developments Laranjeiro, T., May, R., Verones, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Effects of Moorings on Different Types of Marine Habitat Morrisey, D., Cameron, M., Newcombe, E. Report Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Effect of an Offshore Wind Farm on the Viviparous Eelpout: Biometrics, Brood Development and Population Studies in Lillgrund, Sweden Langhamer, O., Dahlgren, T., Rosenqvist, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Public receptiveness of vertical axis wind turbines Hui, I., Cain, B., Dabiri, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Assessing and Managing Effect Spheres of Influence Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
The Indirect Impacts of Wind Farms on Terrestrial Mammals: Insights from the Disturbance and Exclusion Effects on Wolves (Canis lupus) da Costa, G., Paula, J., Petrucci-Fonseca, F. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Avoidance Terrestrial Mammals
Biodiversity and Wind Farms in Portugal: Current Knowledge and Insights for an Integrated Impact Assessment Process Mascarenhas, M., Marques, A., Ramalho, R. Book Wind Energy Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
Soft sediments epibenthos and fish monitoring at the Belgian offshore wind farm area: situation 6 and 7 years after construction De Backer, A., Hostens, K. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
RECON: Reef effect structures in the North Sea, islands or connections? Summary Report Coolen, J., van der Weide, B., Cuperus, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Block Island Wind Farm Lobster Ventless Trap Survey Griffin, M., Carey, D. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Displaying 721 - 760 of 1507 results