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 Related to Habitat Change

Total results: 1392
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
The Airspace is Habitat Diehl, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change
Wind Turbines do Not Negatively Affect Nest Success in the Dickcissel (Spiza americana) Hatchett, W., Hale, A., Bennett, V. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Effects of an Offshore Wind Farm on Temporal and Spatial Patterns in the Demersal Fish Community Bergström, L., Sundqvist, F., Bergström, U. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Measuring the Effectiveness of Conservation: A Novel Framework to Quantify the Benefits of Sage-Grouse Conservation Policy and Easements in Wyoming Copeland, H., Pocewicz, A., Naugle, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
An Analysis of Displacement from Wind Turbines in a Wintering Grassland Bird Community Stevens, T., Hale, A., Karsten, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Managing for Interactions between Local and Global Stressors of Ecosystems Brown, C., Saunders, M., Possingham, H. Journal Article Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Diversity of Demersal and Megafaunal Assemblages Inhabiting Sandbanks of the Irish Sea Atalah, J., Fitch, J., Coughlan, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Fish, Demersal Fish
Wind Farm Potential is Higher in Prime Habitat for Uncommon Soil Crust Lichens Root, H., McCune, M., McCune, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
The Potential Distribution of the Red Kite in Germany Heuck, C., Brandl, R., Albrecht, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Bats, Bugs, and Wind Turbines - Is There a Connection? Cochran, C. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Bats
Annual environmental report 2012 - Belwind phase 1 Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment, Navigation
Sound of Islay Demonstration Tidal Array, Cable Route Environmental Information ScottishPower Renewables Report Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change
Modeling Wildlife Densities and Habitat Use Across Temporal and Spatial Scales on the Mid-Atlantic Continental Shelf: Annual Report for the First Budget Period Williams, K. Report Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Reptiles, Marine Mammals, Birds
Report of the IWG on Wind Turbines and Bat Populations 2013 Rodrigues, L. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Assessing Vulnerability of Marine Bird Populations to Offshore Wind Farms Furness, R., Wade, H., Masden, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds
Influence Of Wind Turbines On Mammalian Occupancy Patterns Tanis, B. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance: Module 1 Land-based Wind Energy US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
Epifauna Dynamics at an Offshore Foundation - Implications of Future Wind Power Farming in the North Sea Krone, R., Gutow, L., Joschko, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
White-Tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) at the Smøla Wind-Power Plant, Central Norway, Lack Behavioral Flight Responses to Wind Turbines Dahl, E., May, R., Hoel, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Birds
ICES WGMBRED Report 2013: Report of the Working Group on Marine Benthal and Renewable Energy Developments (WGMBRED) International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Compensating White-Tailed Eagle Mortality at the Smøla Wind-Power Plant using Electrocution Prevention Measures Cole, S., Dahl, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Behavior and Turbine Avoidance Rates of Eagles at Two Wind Farms in Tasmania, Australia Hull, C., Muir, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds
Birds and Wind Projects Across the Pond: A UK Perspective Langston, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Birds
Habitat Engineering by Decadal-Scale Bioturbation around Shipwrecks on the Great Barrier Reef Mid-Shelf Stieglitz, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Aggregation at Windmill Artificial Reefs: CPUE of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) and Pouting (Trisopterus luscus) at Different Habitats in the Belgian Part of the North Sea Reubens, J., Braeckman, U., Vanaverbeke, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Individual Consistency in the Foraging Behaviour of Northern Gannets: Implications for Interactions with Offshore Renewable Energy Developments Soanes, L., Atkinson, P., Gauvain, R. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Understanding Landscape Patterns of Temporal Variability in Avian Populations to Improve Environmental Impact Assessments Milne, R., Bennett, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Is there Room for All of Us? Renewable Energy and Xerospermophilus mohavensis Inman, R., Esque, T., Nussear, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Pilot study Bat activity in the dutch offshore wind farm OWEZ and PAWP Poerink, B., Lagerveld, S., Verdaat, H. Report Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Optimizing Wind Power Generation while Minimizing Wildlife Impacts in an Urban Area Bohrer, G., Zhu, K., Jones, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds
Impact of Coastal Defence Structures (tetrapods) on a Demersal Hard-Bottom Fish Community in the Southern North Sea Wehkamp, S., Fischer, P. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
The role of Marine Renewable Energy structures and biofouling communities in promoting self-sustaining populations of Non-Native Species Macleod, A. Thesis Marine Energy, Wind Energy Attraction, Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process to a Sustainability Assessment of Coastal Beach Exploitation: A Case Study of the Wind Power Projects on the Coastal Beaches of Yancheng, China Tian, W., Bai, J., Sun, H. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions
Avian Collision Threat Assessment at 'Bhambarwadi Wind Farm Plateau' in Northern Western Ghats, India Pande, S., Padhye, A., Deshpande, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Marine Scotland Letter: EMEC Benthic Habitat Marine Scotland Guidance Marine Energy Habitat Change
Proceedings of the Wind-Wildlife Research Meeting IX PNWWRM IX Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Will Ocean Energy Harm Marine Ecosystems? Hammar, L. Research Study Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Experimental Study of Scour around Support Structures of Model Marine Hydrokinetic Devices Volpe, M. Thesis Marine Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Experimental study of the impact of large-scale wind farms on land–atmosphere exchanges Zhang, W., Markfort, C., Porte-Agel, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Modelling Foraging Strategies in High Energy Environments (FORSITE) Chimienti, M., Bartoń, K., Scott, B. Research Study Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Habitat Change Birds
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