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
Final Results of Bird Studies at the Offshore Wind Farms at Nysted and Horns Rev, Denmark Petersen, I., Christensen, T., Kahlert, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
The benthic impacts of the Loch Linnhe Artificial Reef Wilding, T. Journal Article Habitat Change Physical Environment, Invertebrates
Impacts of Offshore Wind Farm Construction on Harbour Porpoises: Acoustic Monitoring of Echolocation Activity using Porpoise Detectors (T-PODs) Carstensen, J., Henriksen, O., Teilmann, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Reindeer and Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) Response Towards Human Activities Reimers, E., Colman, J. Journal Article Avoidance, Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Impact of Windfarm OWEZ on the Local Macrobenthos Community Daan, R., Mulder, M., Bergman, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
A Bird and Small Mammal BACI and IG Design Studies in a Wind Farm in Malpica (Spain) de Lucas, M., Janss, G., Ferrer, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
Simulation-Based Investigations of Fishery Changes as Affected by the Scale and Design of Artificial Habitats Sayer, M., Magill, S., Pitcher, T. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Fishes associated with artificial reefs: attributing changes to attraction or production using novel approaches Brickhill, M., Connolly, S. Journal Article Attraction, Habitat Change Fish
Scroby Sands Seal Monitoring: Analysis of the 2005 Post-Construction Aerial Surveys Skeate, E., Perrow, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Artificial Marine Structures Facilitate the Spread of a Non-Indigenous Green Algae Bulleri, F., Airoldi, L. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Environmental effect studies – Status more than two years after the erection of Horns Rev and Nysted Offshore Wind Farms Boesen, C., Andersen, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Impacts on Wildlife and Government Responsibilities for Regulating Development and Protecting Wildlife Office, United States Government Accountability Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Birds, Bats
A comparison of the fish assemblages associated with an oil/gas pipeline and adjacent seafloor in the Santa Barbara Channel, Southern California Bight Love, M., York, A. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Marine ALSF Science Review: Aggregate Research in UK Waters Newell, R., Reeds, K. Presentation Habitat Change Physical Environment, Ecosystem Processes
Temporal Variability of Pelagic Fish Assemblages around Fish Aggregation Devices: Biological and Physical Influences Dempster, T. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Fish, Pelagic Fish
Hard Bottom Substrate Monitoring Horns Rev Offshore Wind Farm Annual Status Report 2004 Leonhard, S., Pedersen, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates
Surveys of Hard Bottom Communities on Foundations in Nysted Offshore Wind Farm and Schönheiders Pulle in 2004 Birklund, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Inshore-Offshore Comparison of Parasite Infestation in Mytilus edulis: Implications for Open Ocean Aquaculture Buck, B., Thieltges, D., Walter, U. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
The Ecosystem Consequences of Sediment Disturbance Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) Report Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Proceedings of the Onshore Wildlife Interactions with Wind Developments: Research Meeting V Schwartz, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Snefjord vindpark: Vurdering av konsekvenser for landskap, flora, fauna, friluftsliv, kulturminner og reindriftsnæring Tombre, I., Andersen, O., Barlindhaug, S. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
An assessment of the sensitivity and capacity of the Scottish seascape in relation to windfarms Scott, K.E., Anderson, C., Dunsford, H. Report Wind Energy Habitat Change Physical Environment
Effect of habitat and foraging height on bat activity in the coastal plain of South Carolina Menzel, J., Menzel, M., Kilgo, J. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Bats
Resident Golden Eagle Ranging Behaviour Before and After Construction of a Windfarm in Argyll Walker, D., McGrady, M., McCluskie, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
Advancing Migratory Bird Conservation and Management by Using Radar: An Interagency Collaboration Ruth, J., Barrow, W., Sojda,R. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions
Humber Gateway, Environmental Statement: Section 7, Description of the Physical Baseline Environment E.ON Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment
Shallow Moving Structures Promote Marine Invader Dominance Dafforn, K., Johnston, E., Glasby, T. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
When Good Animals Love Bad Habitats: Ecological Traps and the Conservation of Animal Populations Battin, J. Journal Article Habitat Change
Biology and Video Surveys of North Hoyle Wind Turbines 11th-13th August 2004 Bunker, F. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Fish
Development of the Fouling Community on Turbine Foundations and Scour Protections in Nysted Offshore Wind Farm Birklund, J., Petersen, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Hard bottom substrate monitoring Horns Rev offshore wind farm. Annual status report 2003 Leonhard, S., Pedersen, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates
Infauna Monitoring Horns Rev Offshore Wind Farm: Annual Status Report 2003 Bech, M., Leonhard, S., Pedersen, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Fish in the littoral zone: ecology, threats and management Winfield, I. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Fish
Bouw en exploitatie van een windmolenpark op de Thorntonbank in de Noordzee: Milieueffectenbeoordeling van het project ingediend door de n.v. C-Power Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Chemicals, Collision, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy
Fish Aggregation Device (FAD) Research: Gaps in Current Knowledge and Future Directions for Ecological Studies Dempster, T., Taquet, M. Journal Article Marine Energy Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Pelagic Fish
Investigations of Birds During Construction and Operation of Nysted Offshore Wind Farm at Rødsand Kahlert, J., Petersen, I., Fox, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds
Effects of Wind Turbines on Area Use and Behaviour of Semi-Domestic Reindeer in Enclosures Flydal, K., Eftestol, S., Reimers, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Estimating Enhancement of Fish Production by Offshore Artificial Reefs: Uncertainty Exhibited by Divergent Scenarios Powers, S., Grabowski, J., Peterson, C. Journal Article Habitat Change, Attraction Fish
Environmental Impact of the ATOC/Pioneer Seamount Submarine Cable Kogan, I., Paull, C., Kuhnz, L. Report Habitat Change Physical Environment
The role of habitat selection behavior in population dynamics: source–sink systems and ecological traps Kristan, W. Journal Article Habitat Change
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