Skip to main content

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
Wind turbine wakes can impact down-wind vegetation greenness Diffendorfer, J., Vanderhoof, M., Ancona, Z. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Effects of U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Development: Compilation of Educational Research Briefs Green, R., Hein, C., Oteri, F. Summary Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles
Reef effect of offshore structures on the occurrence and foraging activity of harbour porpoises Fernandez-Betelu, O., Graham, I., Thompson, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
International assessment of priority environmental issues for land-based and offshore wind energy development Green, R., Gill, E., Hein, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Windfarms, fishing and benthic recovery: Overlaps, risks and opportunities Dunkley, F., Solandt, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Implementation of the Spatial Environmental Assessment Toolkit McWilliams, S., Jones, C., Roberts, J. Presentation Marine Energy, Riverine, Tidal, Wave Habitat Change, Noise
Vulnerability of pelagic seabirds to the introduction of offshore renewable energy infrastructure off the Irish coast Murphy, E., Jessopp, M. Research Study Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Prinses Amalia Windturbine park 2022 Leewis, L., Klink, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Spatial assessment of benthic compensatory habitats for offshore wind farm impacts Ward, O., Aberson, M., Kirby, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Powering Healthy Seas: Accelerating Nature Positive Offshore Wind Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Impacts of wind turbines on vegetation and soil cover: a case study of Urla, Cesme, and Karaburun Peninsulas, Turkey Aksoy, T., Cetin, M., Cabuk, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Physical Environment
Quantifying the land-based opportunity carbon costs of onshore wind farms Albanito, F., Roberts, S., Shepherd, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Balancing future renewable energy infrastructure siting and associated habitat loss for migrating whooping cranes Ellis, K., Pearse, A., Brandt, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Reviewing the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms Galparsoro, I., Menchaca, I., Garmendia, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Detection of Habitat Shifts of Cetacean Species: A Comparison Between 2010 and 2017 Habitat Suitability Conditions in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Chavez-Rosales, S., Josephson, E., Palka, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Displacement, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Distance to hedgerows drives local repulsion and attraction of wind turbines on bats: Implications for spatial siting Leroux, C., Kerbiriou, C., Le Viol, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Generalized changes of benthic communities after construction of wind farms in the southern North Sea Coolen, J., Vanaverbeke, J., Dannheim, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Chasing the offshore wind farm wind-wake-induced upwelling/downwelling dipole Floeter, J., Pohlmann, T., Harmer, A Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Environmental Impact Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment for a Deep Water Floating Offshore Wind Turbine on the Brazilian Continental Shelf de Paula, L., Carmo, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment
Offshore Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization, and Site Assessment: Central and Northern California Reeb, D., Schroeder, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Practical Approaches for Providing Empirical Data on Seabird Behavior and Prey Assemblages in Tidal Channels Fraser, S., Waggitt, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates
Diet analysis of bats killed at wind turbines suggests large-scale losses of trophic interactions Scholz, C., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Invertebrates
Prairie grouse and wind energy: The state of the science and implications for risk assessment Lloyd, J., Aldridge, C., Allison, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Wind energy in the city: Hong Kong’s offshore wind energy generation potential, deployment plans, and ecological pitfalls Delina, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Chemicals, Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Human Dimensions
Offshore Wind Priority Conflict Topics for Marine Mammals and Birds Courbis, S., Pacini, A., Williams, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Shorebirds, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Identifying the Potential of Floating Artificial Benthic Ecosystems to Underpin Offshore Development Komyakova, V., Wright, B., Frusher, S. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Benchmarking Marine Energy Technologies Through LCA: Offshore Floating Wind Farms in the Mediterranean Pulselli, R., Maccanti, M., Bruno, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Environmental Compatibility of the Parc Tramuntana Offshore Wind Project in Relation to Marine Ecosystems Diez-Caballero, K., Troiteiro, S., Garcia-Alba, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Floating Offshore Wind: Environmental Interactions Roadmap: Public Summary Report ORE Catapult, Xodus Group Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Navigation
Offshore wind farms affect the spatial distribution pattern of plaice Pleuronectes platessa at both the turbine and wind farm scale Buyse, J., Hostens, K., Degraer, S. Journal Article Wind Energy Attraction, Habitat Change Fish
Unravelling the ecological impacts of large-scale offshore wind farms in the Mediterranean Sea Lloret, J., Turiel, A., Solé, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning, Recreation & Tourism
Keep it local and bird-friendly: Exploring the social acceptance of wind energy in Switzerland, Estonia, and Ukraine Vuichard, P., Broughel, A., Wüstenhagen, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Environmental Impact of Solar and Wind energy- A Review Hamed, T., Alshare, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Limited Land Base and Competing Land Uses Force Societal Tradeoffs When Siting Energy Development Shaffer, J., Niemuth, N., Loesch, C. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change
DRAFT Ocean Wind 1 Offshore Wind Farm Biological Assessment BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, Habitat Change Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Evaluation of the Environmental Impacts Related to the Wind Farms End-of-Life Mello, G., Dias, M., Robaina, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment
Essential Environmental Concepts for the Offshore Wind Energy Sector in Europe Stephenson, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Tidal streams, fish, and seabirds: Understanding the linkages between mobile predators, prey, and hydrodynamics Couto, A., Williamson, B., Cornulier, T. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish
Annual environmental report 2021 – Belwind Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Coastal onshore wind turbines lead to habitat loss for bats in Northern Germany Reusch, C., Lozar, M., Kramer-Schadt, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats

Displaying 361 - 400 of 1556 results