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
Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project Plan for Construction Activities 2017 Statoil Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Estimating flight heights of seabirds using optical rangefinders and GPS data loggers: a methodological comparison Borkenhagen, K., Corman, A., Garthe, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Scavenger removal of bird carcasses at simulated wind turbines: Does carcass type matter? DeVault, T., Seamans, T., Linnell, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan: Fish and Fisheries Study Ecology and Environment, Inc. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan: Environmental Sensitivity Analysis Ecology and Environment Inc Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Vegetation Cover Change of Çeşme Alaçatı Wind Power Plant Using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) Balik, G., Aktaş, E., Önaç, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Multiscale hydro-environmental modelling of marine renewable energy devices, with particular application to the severn barrage Bray, S. Thesis Tidal Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Invertebrates
Wave and Tidal Range Energy Devices Offer Environmental Opportunities as Artificial Reefs Callaway, R., Bertelli, C., Lock, G. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Minimising negative environmental impacts of ocean energy systems: example of Sabella D10 tidal turbine Sabella Presentation Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment
15 years of wolf monitoring plans at wind farm areas in Portugal. What do we know? Where should we go? da Costa, G., Petrucci-Fonseca, F., Álvares, F. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Small artificial habitats to enhance the nursery function for juvenile fish in a large commercial port of the Mediterranean Mercader, M., Mercière, A., Saragoni, G. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish
Offshore marine constructions as propagators of moon jellyfish dispersal Vodopivec, M., Peliz, Á ., Malej, A. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Detecting Wind Farm Impacts on Local Vegetation Growth in Texas and Illinois Using MODIS Vegetation Greenness Measurements Xia, G., Zhou, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Biodiversity Characterisation and Hydrodynamic Consequences of Marine Fouling Communities on Marine Renewable Energy Infrastructure in the Orkney Islands Archipelago, Scotland, UK Want, A., Crawford, R., Kakkonen, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Habitat Change Invertebrates
Comparative Studies Reveal Variability in the use of Tidal Stream Environments by Seabirds Waggitt, J., Robbins, A., Wade, H. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Responses of bats to clear fell harvesting in Sitka Spruce plantations, and implications for wind turbine installation Kirkpatrick, L., Oldfield, I., Park, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in a wind energy development area offshore of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Stone, K., Leiter, S., Kenney, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Effects of a wind farm installation on the understory bat community of a highly biodiverse tropical region in Mexico Briones-Salas, M., Lavariega, M., Moreno, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
Functional ecology of fish: current approaches and future challenges Villéger, S., Brosse, S., Mouchet, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Human Dimensions
Energy Development Siting Recommendations for Playas Bartuszevige, A., Carter, M., Daniels, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
Annual environmental report 2016 - Belwind Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals
Characterisation of the Biofouling Community on a Floating Wave Energy Device Nall, C., Schläppy, M., Guerin, A. Journal Article Wave, Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Macrobenthos in offshore wind farms: a review of research, results and relevance for future developments Jak, R., Glorius, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Mooring System Considerations for Renewable Energy Standards Cribbs, A., Kärrsten, G., Shelton, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
A Snapshot of Risk for Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Kramer, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
Seabed Scour Considerations for Marine Renewable Energy Facilities Stevens, R., Smith, K., Soosainathan, L. Conference Paper Marine Energy Habitat Change Physical Environment
Changes in Fish Communities on a Small Spatial Scale, an Effect of Increased Habitat Complexity by an Offshore Wind Farm van Hal, R., Griffioen, A., van Keeken, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
The Influence of Wind Energy Development on Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) Breeding Season Ecology in Eastern Idaho Proett, M. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Wildlife and Wind Farms - Conflicts and Solutions, Volume 1. Onshore: Potential Effects Perrow, M. Book Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Invertebrates, Reptiles, Terrestrial Mammals
Impacts of Wind Turbines on the Population and Nest Site Selection of the Montagu’s Harrier in the Hellweg Börde, North Rhine-Westphalia Joest, R., Griesenbrock, B., Illner, H. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement Raptors, Birds
Red Kite Mammen, K., Mammen, U., Resetaritz, A. Book Chapter Fixed Offshore Wind, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Raptors, Birds
Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Selection, Survival, and Wind Energy Infrastructure LeBeau, C., Johnson, G., Holloran, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ground-Nesting Birds, Birds
Recreational Use of Offshore Wind Farms: Experiences and Opinions of Sea Anglers in the UK Hooper, T., Hattam, C., Austen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Assessing larval connectivity for marine spatial planning in the Adriatic Bray, L., Kassis, D., Hall-Spencer, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Report of the IWG on Wind Turbines and Bat Populations 2017 Rodrigues, L. Report Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Greater sage‐grouse male lek counts relative to a wind energy development LeBeau, C., Beck, J., Johnson, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ground-Nesting Birds, Birds
Development of a Video Trawl Survey System for New England Groundfish DeCelles, G., Keiley, E., Lowery, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Visual Impacts
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Report 2016 Dumon, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Framework for strategic wind farm site prioritisation based on modelled wolf reproduction habitat in Croatia Passoni, G., Rowcliffe, J., Whiteman, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Observing Cable Laying and Particle Settlement During the Construction of the Block Island Wind Farm James, E., Smith, K., Gallien, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Displaying 761 - 800 of 1507 results