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Habitat Change

Underwater tidal turbine
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: 1556

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Monitoring and Evaluation of Spatially Managed Areas (MESMA) van Hoof, L. Research Study Wind Energy, Wave, Tidal, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Habitat Change Human Dimensions
Have we all gone batty? The need for a better balance between the conservation of protected species and the development of clean renewable energy Householder, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Human Dimensions
New Zealand Falcon Monitoring and Risk Assessment, Hurunui Wind Farm Meridian Energy Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Raptors, Birds
Quantifying Benefits and Impacts of Fishing Exclusion Zones on Bio-Resources around Marine Renewable Energy Installations (QBEX) Blondel, P., Bryden, I., Conley, D. Research Study Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave Collision, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Wind Turbines and Coastal Recreation Demand Landry, C., Allen, T., Cherry, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Recreation & Tourism, Human Dimensions
The Interaction of Pelagic, Migratory and Protected Fishes with Marine Renewable Energy Projects: Recent Studies and Knowledge Gaps Nelson, P. Presentation Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, EMF, Habitat Change Fish, Pelagic Fish
Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Heading for an Understanding of Environmental Impacts Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Habitat Use, Disturbance and Collision Risks for Bewick's Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii Wintering Near a Wind Farm in the Netherlands Fijn, R., Krijgsveld, K., Tijsen, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Waterfowl
The Environmental Interactions of Tidal and Wave Energy Generation Devices Frid, C., Andonegi, E., Depestele, J. Journal Article Wave, Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change Physical Environment
Reduced Breeding Success in White-Tailed Eagles at Smøla windfarm, Western Norway, is Caused by Mortality and Displacement Dahl, E., Bevanger, K., Nygård, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision Raptors, Birds
Offshore wind energy development in the Belgian part of the North Sea & anticipated impacts: an update Brabant, R., Degraer, S., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Stakeholder Engagement
Development of a Comprehensive Conservation Strategy for the North Shore Region of Minnesota in the Context of Future Wind Power Development Peterson, A., Niemi, G. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Passerines, Raptors
Avian and Bat Protection Plan: AWA Goodhue Wind Project Westwood Professional Services Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Electricity Generation by the Ocean Thermal Energy Etemadi, A., Emdadi, A., AsefAfshar, O. Journal Article OTEC, Marine Energy Habitat Change Physical Environment
A new method to determine bird and bat fatality at wind energy turbines from carcass searches Korner-Nievergelt, F., Korner-Nievergelt, P., Behr, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Birds, Bats
Stable Isotope Analyses of Bat Fur: Applications for Investigating North American Bat Migration Fraser, E. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
Bird and Bird Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Potential impacts of energy development on shrublands in western North America Pocewicz, A., Copeland, H., Kiesecker, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
Keeping the West Wild: Conservation and Rapid Energy Development Fargione, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Passerines, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
South Korea's Plans for Tidal Power: When a "Green" Solution Creates More Problems Ko, Y., Schubert, D. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Social & Economic Data
Wind Energy and Wildlife Research at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Phillips, S. Summary Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Raptors
Using echolocation monitoring to model bat occupancy and inform mitigations at wind energy facilities Weller, T., Baldwin, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Bats
Kaneohe Wave Energy Test Site: Sub-Bottom Profiler Survey Sea Engineering Inc Report Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change Physical Environment
Multi-Criteria Assessment of Offshore Wind Turbine Support Structures Lozano-Minguez, E., Kolios, A., Brennan, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
Results of the EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment of the extraction of marine aggregates in the exploration zone of the Belgian Part of the North Sea De Sutter, R., Mathys, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Social & Economic Data
Kaneohe Wave Energy Test Site: Multibeam Bathymetry Survey Sea Engineering Inc Report Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change Physical Environment
Environmental Scoping Report Westray South Tidal Array SSE Renewables Report Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Human Dimensions
Spatial Factors Affecting Statistical Power in Testing Marine Fauna Displacement Lapeña, B., Wijnberg, K., Stein, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Displacement Birds
Marine Ecological Assessment of Proposed Wave Energy Project Area Offshore Marine Corps Base Hawaii Smith, S. Report Marine Energy, Wave Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Physical and Biological Modeling of a 100 Megawatt Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Discharge Plume Rocheleau, G., Grandelli, P. Conference Paper Marine Energy, OTEC Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
GIS-based wind farm site selection using spatial multi-criteria analysis (SMCA): Evaluating the case for New York State van Haaren, R., Fthenakis, V. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds
Seabird Conservation and Tidal Stream and Wave Power Generation: Information Needs for Predicting and Managing Potential Impacts Langton, R., Davies, I., Scott, B. Journal Article Wave, Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change Seabirds, Birds
Oyster 2 (Phase 1) Decommissioning Programme Aquamarine Power Ltd Report Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change Physical Environment
Using Stakeholder Input to Develop a Comparative Risk Assessment for Wildlife from the Life Cycles of Six Electrical Generation Fuels Zillioux, E., Newman, J., Lampman, G. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Stakeholder Engagement, Life Cycle Assessment, Human Dimensions, Birds, Bats
Turtles and Culverts, and Alternative Energy Development: An Unreported but Potentially Significant Mortality Threat to the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) Lovich, J., Ennen, J., Madrak, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Entanglement Reptiles
Patterns of activity and fatality of migratory bats at a wind energy facility in Alberta, Canada Baerwald, E., Barclay, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Bats
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

Displaying 1201 - 1240 of 1556 results