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
Deepwater Wind Block Island Environmental Assessment and Statement of Findings US Army Corps of Engineers Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Short-term Movement, Home Range, and Behavior of Red Snapper around Petroleum Platforms in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, as Determined by High Resolution Acoustic Telemetry McDonough, M., Cowan, J. Jr. Report Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish
Marine Renewable Energy Development: Assessing the Benthic Footprint at Multiple Scales Miller, R., Hutchison, Z., Macleod, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project EIA Scoping Report Statoil Wind Limited (SWL) Xodus Group Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Navigation
Influence of Wind Turbines on Presence of Willet, Marbled Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope and Black Tern on Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota and South Dakota Niemuth, N., Walker, J., Gleason, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Benthic Community and Biological Trait Composition in Respect to Artificial Coastal Defence Structures: A Study Case in the Northern Adriatic Sea Munari, C. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates, Ecosystem Processes
An Analysis about Wind Farm Construction Based on the Perspective of the Development of Ecological Environment Bai, Z. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
Offshore Wind Farms as Productive Sites or Ecological Traps for Gadoid Fishes? - Impact on Growth, Condition Index and Diet Composition Reubens, J., Vandendriessche, S., Zenner, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Fish, Demersal Fish
The Effects of a Large-Scale Wind Farm on Breeding Season Survival of Female Mallards and Blue-Winged Teal in the Prairie Pothole Region Gue, C., Walker, J., Mehl, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Estimating the Indirect Impact of Wind Farms on Breeding Bird Assemblages: A Case Study in the Central Apennines Battisti, C., Franco, D., Norscia, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Planning Scotland's Seas: SEA of Plans for Wind, Wave and Tidal Power in Scottish Marine Waters Environmental Report APS Group Scotland Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
Impacts of OWF installations on fisheries: A Literature Review Bat, L., Sezgin, M., Sahin, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy
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
Mobile Demersal Megafauna at Artificial Structures in the German Bight - Likely Effects of Offshore Wind Farm Development Krone, R., Gutow, L., Brey, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Correlations Between Benthic Habitats and Demersal Fish Assemblages - A Case Study on the Dogger Bank (North Sea) Sell, A., Kröncke, I. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Regional-Scale Modelling of the Cumulative Impact of Wind Farms on Bats Roscioni, F., Russo, D., Di Feggraro, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Bats
The Airspace is Habitat Diehl, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change
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
Measuring the Interaction between Marine Features of Special Protection Areas with Offshore Wind Farm Development Sites Through Telemetry: Third Year Report Thaxter, C., Ross-Smith, V., Johnston, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
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
Sound of Islay Demonstration Tidal Array, Cable Route Environmental Information ScottishPower Renewables Report Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change
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
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 Birds, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
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
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
Influence Of Wind Turbines On Mammalian Occupancy Patterns Tanis, B. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
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
Birds and Wind Projects Across the Pond: A UK Perspective Langston, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change 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
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
Displaying 1001 - 1040 of 1507 results