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
Bats and Bat Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Report Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and Wind Farms: A Case Study in the Dutch North Sea Scheidat, M., Tougaard, J., Brasseur, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Marine Mammals
Effects of wind energy production on growth, demography, and survivorship of a desert tortoise population in Southern California with comparisons to natural populations Lovich, J., Ennen, J., Madrak, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Reptiles
Understanding Benthic Productivity on Artificial Structures: Maximising the Benefit of Marine Renewable Energy Devices Porter, J., Rouse, S., Wilding, T. Research Study Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Collision, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Wind Energy's Subtle Effect - Habitat Fragmentation Pruett, J. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Human pressures on UK seabed habitats: a cumulative impact assessment Foden, J., Rogers, S., Jones, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Assessing ecological responses of wolves to wind power plants in Portugal: methodological constrains and conservation implications Álvares, F., Rio-Maior, H., Roque, S. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Terrestrial Mammals
Attraction To and Avoidance of Instream Hydrokinetic Turbines by Freshwater Aquatic Organisms Cada, G., Bevelhimer, M. Report Riverine, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Avoidance, Attraction Fish, Demersal Fish
Avian, Bat and Habitat Cumulative Impacts Associated with Wind Energy Development in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion Of Eastern Washington and Oregon 2011 Johnson, G., Erickson, W. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
Proceedings of the Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VIII PNWWRM VIII Conference Paper Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Understanding Bird Collisions With Man-made Objects: A Sensory Ecology Approach Martin, G. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change, Collision Birds
Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Environmental Assessment Project Adonizio, M., Smith, R. Report Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Collision Fish
Annual environmental report 2010 - Belwind phase 1 Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Navigation
Changes in the Abundance and Distribution of Upland Breeding Birds at an Operational Wind Farm Douglas, D., Bellamy, P., Pearce-Higgins, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement Shorebirds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Birds
Monitoring Seasonal Bat Activity on a Coastal Barrier Island in Maryland, USA Johnson, J., Gates, J., Zegre, N. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Bats
Porpoises North of Sprogø Before, During and After Construction of an Offshore Wind Farm Tougaard, J., Carstensen, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals
Aggregation and Feeding Behaviour of Pouting (Trisopterus luscus) at Wind Turbines in the Belgian Part of the North Sea Reubens, J., Degraer, S., Vincx, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Appropriate Assessment Screening for AMETS, Co. Mayo Scally, L. Research Study Wave, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Collision Birds
Sea Turtles in the Straits of Florida Wyneken, J. Research Study Marine Energy Habitat Change Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Selected findings from the baseline and targeted monitoring Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Offshore Wind Farms - Ecological Effects of Noise and Habitat Alteration on Fish Andersson, M. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Habitat Change Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Fish, Demersal Fish
Final Pilot License Application Cobscook Bay Tidal Energy Project Appendix B: Safeguard Plans Ocean Renewable Power Company Report Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Navigation
Understanding How Marine Renewable Device Operations Influence Fine Scale Habitat Use & Behaviour of Marine Vertebrates (RESPONSE) Thompson, D., Wilson, B., Lepper, P. Research Study Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Habitat Change Marine Mammals
Birkhühner Tetrao tetrix (Linnaeus 1758): Ein Leben zwischen Windrädern und Schiliften Grunschachner-Berger, V., Kainer, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Cantabrian Capercaillie signs disappeared after a wind farm construction Gonzalez, M., Ena, V. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Intervisibility Analysis of an Offshore Wind Farm Using GIS Tools Errico, A., Guastaferro, F., Oliviero, C. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Coastal Marine Animal Surveys Kajiura, S. Research Study Marine Energy EMF, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Long-Term Post-Fire Effects on Spatial Ecology and Reproductive Output of Female Agassiz's Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) at a Wind Energy Facility near Palm Springs, California, USA Lovich, J., Ennen, J., Madrak, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Reptiles
Demography of Female Greater Prairie-Chickens in Unfragmented Grasslands in Kansas Augustine, J., Sandercock, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Collision risk of White-fronted Geese with wind turbines Sugimoto, H., Matsuda, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors, Waterfowl
MUSSEL CULTIVATION AS A CO-USE IN OFFSHORE WIND FARMS: POTENTIAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY Buck, B., Ebeling, M., Michler-Cieluch, T. Journal Article Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Effects of two offshore gas platforms on soft-bottom benthic communities (northwestern Adriatic Sea, Italy) Manoukian, S., Spagnolo, A., Scarcella, G. Journal Article Displacement, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Pre-Wind Energy Development Assessment of the Avian Community in the Central Texas Panhandle Wulf, S. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Birds
Use of High Resolution Sonar for Near-Turbine Fish Observations (DIDSON) - WeSea 2007-002 Couperus, B., Winter, E., van Keeken, O. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Avoidance Pelagic Fish, Fish
Early Development of the Subtidal Marine Biofouling on a Concrete Offshore Windmill Foundation on the Thornton Bank (Southern North Sea): First Monitoring Results Kerckhof, F., Rumes, B., Jacques, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
The Nature Of Scour Development And Scour Protection At Offshore Windfarm Foundations Whitehouse, R., Harris, J., Sutherland, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Migration in Relation to Offshore Wind Farms Griffin, L., Rees, E., Hughes, B. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Waterfowl
Impacts of Offshore Renewable Energy Devices on Population Connectivity Adams, T., Miller, R., Aleynik, D. Research Study Marine Energy Habitat Change, Collision Invertebrates
Technical Manual for Evaluating Wildlife Impacts of Wind Turbines Requiring Coastal Permits NJ Department of Environmental Protection Report Wind Energy Habitat Change, Collision
FARMLAND BIRDS ACROSS THE WORLD van der Weijden, W., Terwan, P., Guldemond, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
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