Benthic Disturbance from Offshore Wind Foundations, Anchors, and Cables

Reef

This Educational Research Brief will summarizes the potential disturbance and impact to benthic ecosystems for fixed-bottom installations in shallow waters and floating offshore wind farms in deep waters. Stresses from pile driving, scour, cable installation, and anchoring are reviewed for impacts during the construction and operation periods of the wind farm using data and analysis from Europe and the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts. 

Benthic Disturbance from Offshore Wind Foundations, Anchors, and Cables

View a Spanish translation of all SEER Educational Research Briefs here.

The Brief was reviewed by external subject matter experts (Dr. Monique LaFrance Bartley, U.S. National Park Service; Dr. Jan Vanaverbeke, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) and the SEER Science and Technical (S&T) Advisory Committee. These subject matter experts also participated in a panel discussion during the SEER Webinar on Effects of Offshore Wind Farm Structures on Fish Ecology & Benthic Disturbance. 

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance Research Priorities 2022 Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) Guidance Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Identifying Ecological Metrics and Sampling Strategies for Baseline Monitoring During Offshore Wind Development Brodie, J., Kohut, J., Zemeckis, D. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Comparison of Environmental Effects from Different Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations (2021 Revision) Horwath, S., Hassrick, J., Grismala, R., Diller, E., Krebs, J., Manhard, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Reptiles
Benthos Workgroup Report for the State of the Science Workshop on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy 2020: Cumulative Impacts Degraer, S., Hutchison, Z., LoBue, C., Williams, K., Gulka, J., Jenkins, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Offshore Wind Farm Footprint on Organic and Mineral Particle Flux to the Bottom Ivanov, E., Capet, A., Borger, E., Degraer, S., Delhez, E., Soetaert, K., Vanaverbeke, J., Grégoire, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Offshore Wind Energy and Benthic Habitat Changes: Lessons from Block Island Wind Farm Hutchison, Z., Bartley, M., Degraer, S., English, P., Khan, A., Livermore, J., Rumes, B., King, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Does galvanic cathodic protection by aluminum anodes impact marine organisms? Bell, A., von der Au, M., Regnery, J., Schmid, M., Meermann, B., Reifferscheid, G., Ternes, T., Buchinger, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Chemicals Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
2020 State of the Science Report - Chapter 6: Changes in Benthic and Pelagic Habitats Caused by Marine Renewable Energy Devices Hemery, L. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Habitat Change
Benthic and Epifaunal Monitoring During Wind Turbine Installation and Operation at the Block Island Wind Farm, Rhode Island - Project Report Hutchison, Z., Bartley, M., English, P., King, J., Grace, S., Kresning, B., Baxter, C., Ampela, K., Deakos, M., Khan, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Succession in epibenthic communities on artificial reefs associated with marine renewable energy facilities within a tide-swept environment Taormina, B., Percheron, A., Marzloff, M., Caisey, X., Quillienn, N., Lejart, M., Desroy, N., Dugornay, O., Tancray, A., Carlier, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Development of epibenthic assemblages on artificial habitat associated with marine renewable infrastructure Sheehan, E., Cartwright, A., Witt, M., Attrill, M., Vural, M., Holmes, L. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Nature-Inclusive Design: A Catalogue for Offshore Wind Infrastructure Hermans, A., Bos, O., Prusina, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Seafloor Disturbance and Recovery Monitoring at the Block Island Wind Farm, Rhode Island – Summary Report Khan, A., Smith, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Detection Probability of Bats Using Active Versus Passive Monitoring Teets, K., Loeb, S., Jachowski, D. Journal Article Bats
Guidelines for Providing Benthic Habitat Survey Information for Renewable Energy Development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Safeguarding Marine Protected Areas in the Growing Mediterranean Blue Economy: Recommendations for the Offshore Wind Energy Sector WWF France Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Lighting, Noise Birds, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Worldwide oil and gas platform decommissioning: A review of practices and reefing options Bull, A., Love, M. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish, Marine Spatial Planning
Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Marking a Decade of Monitoring, Research and Innovation Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B., Vigin, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Chemicals, Noise Birds, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Beatrice Decommissioning Programmes: Final Version Repsol Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
A review of potential impacts of submarine power cables on the marine environment: Knowledge gaps, recommendations and future directions Taormina, B., Bald, J., Want, A., Thouzeau, G., Lejart, M., Desroy, N., Carlier, A. Journal Article Habitat Change
Environmental benefits of leaving offshore infrastructure in the ocean Fowler, A., Jørgensen, A., Svendsen, J., Macreadie, P., Jones, D., Boon, A., Booth, D., Brabant, R., Callahan, E., Claisse, J., Dahlgren, T., Degraer, S., Dokken, Q., Gill, A., Johns, D., Leewis, R., Lindeboom, H., Linden, O., May, R., Murk, A., Ottersen, G., Schroeder, D., Shastri, S., Teilmann, J., Todd, V., Van Hoey, G., Vanaverbeke, J., Coolen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
Seabed recovery following protective burial of subsea cables - Observations from the continental margin Kraus, C., Carter, L. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates
Marine Scotland Review of Approaches and Costs of Decommissioning Offshore Wind Installations Public Report Marine Scotland Science Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Improving Efficiencies of National Environmental Policy Act Documentation for Offshore Wind Facilities - Case Studies Report English, P., Mason, T., Backstrom, J., Tibbles, B., Mackay, A., Smith, M., Mitchell, T. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions
Observing Cable Laying and Particle Settlement During the Construction of the Block Island Wind Farm James, E., Smith, K., Gallien, D., Khan, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Anthropogenic Sources of Underwater Sound can Modify how Sediment-Dwelling Invertebrates Mediate Ecosystem Properties Solan, M., Hauton, C., Godbold, J., Wood, C., Leighton, T., White, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Riverine Noise Invertebrates
Offshore Wind Energy Development in North Carolina Stearns, B., Murphy, M., Marriott, S., Gruetter, E., Colburn, J., Gray, J., Cole, L., Shreve, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data
Offshore Wind Submarine Cable Spacing Guidance TÜV SÜD PMSS, Red Penguin Associates Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind
Enrichment and Shifts in Macrobenthic Assemblages in an Offshore Wind Farm Area in the Belgian Part of the North Sea Coates, D., Deschutter, Y., Vincx, M., Vanaverbeke, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Invertebrates
Marine Renewable Energy Development: Assessing the Benthic Footprint at Multiple Scales Miller, R., Hutchison, Z., Macleod, A., Burrows, M., Cook, E., Last, K., Wilson, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
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
Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm 2010 Construction Environmental Monitoring Report Saunders, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Noise Birds, Waterfowl, Marine Mammals
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
Effects of two offshore gas platforms on soft-bottom benthic communities (northwestern Adriatic Sea, Italy) Manoukian, S., Spagnolo, A., Scarcella, G., Punzo, E., Angelini, R., Gabi, G. Journal Article Displacement, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Burbo Offshore Wind Farm Construction Phase Environmental Monitoring Report Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies Ltd (CMACS) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Worldwide Synthesis and Analysis of Existing Information Regarding Environmental Effects of Alternative Energy Uses on the Outer Continental Shelf Michel, J., Dunagan, H., Boring, C., Healy, E., Evans, W., Dean, J., McGillis, A., Hain, J. Report Wind Energy, Wave, OTEC, Fixed Offshore Wind, Ocean Current, Marine Energy Habitat Change
Rigs-to-Reef Programs in the Gulf of Mexico Kaiser, M., Pulsipher, A. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Nonindigenous biota on artificial structures: could habitat creation facilitate biological invasions? Glasby, T., Connell, S., Holloway, M., Hewitt, C. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Artificial Marine Structures Facilitate the Spread of a Non-Indigenous Green Algae Bulleri, F., Airoldi, L. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
A Review of Offshore Windfarm Related Underwater Noise Sources Nedwell, J., Howell, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
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