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: 1533

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
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
Effects of ocean sprawl on ecological connectivity: impacts and solutions Bishop, M., Mayer-Pinto, M., Airoldi, L. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Bird Mortality in Two Dutch Wind Farms: Effects of Location, Spatial Design and Interactions with Powerlines Brenninkmeijer, A., Klop, E. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds
Unforeseen Responses of a Breeding Seabird to the Construction of an Offshore Wind Farm Harwood, A., Perrow, M., Berridge, R. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Avoidance Seabirds, Birds
Computational Prediction of Pressure Change in the Vicinity of Tidal Stream Turbines and the Consequences for Fish Survival Rate Zangiabadi, E., Masters, I., Williams, A. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Collision Fish
Mobile Demersal Megafauna at Common Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations in the German Bight (North Sea) Two Years after Deployment - Increased Production Rate of Cancer pagurus Krone, R., Dederer, G., Kanstinger, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Effects Matrix for Evaluating Potential Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy Development on U.S. Atlantic Coastal Habitats Latham, P., Fiore, W., Bauman, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Human Dimensions
Lake Erie Monitoring Plan for the Offshore Wind Project: Icebreaker Wind LimnoTech Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish
The effects of atmospheric currents on the migratory behavior of soaring birds: a review Nourani, E., Yamaguchi, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Passerines, Raptors, Seabirds
Analysis of the Possible Displacement of Bird and Marine Mammal Species Related to the Installation and Operation of Marine Energy Conversion Systems Long, C. Report Marine Energy Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Marine Mammals
Exploring Potential Sites for Salinity Gradient Renewable Energy on the North Carolina Coast and Evaluating the Potential Effects of Local Salinity Regime Variation on SAV Communities Due to Reverse Electrodialysis Effluent Palko, H. Thesis Marine Energy, Salinity Gradient Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus population trends in relation to wind farms Wilson, M., Fernandex-Bellon, D., Irwin, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Raptors, Birds
Benthic and Fish Aggregation Inside an Offshore Wind Farm: Which Effects on the Trophic Web Functioning? Raoux, A., Tecchio, S., Pezy, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Potential impacts of artificial reef development on sea turtle conservation in Florida Barnette, M. Report Habitat Change Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Benthic effects of artificial structures deployed in a tidal estuary Mendoza, M., Henkel, S. Journal Article Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Displaying 801 - 840 of 1533 results