Ecosystem Processes

The physical, chemical, and biological processes that link organisms and their environment.

Ecosystem processes are the physical, chemical, and biological processes that link organisms and their environment. These may include biogeochemical/nutrient cycling, energy flow, and food web dynamics. An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. It can be broken down further into categories such as an aquatic ecosystem which involves a body of water, or even further to marine ecosystem or freshwater ecosystem.

Organisms feed off one another in a balanced food chain, but small changes to the seascape may significantly impact the existing balance. By just impacting one population, the effects may propagate to all other species in the area, potentially leading to overpopulation, decimation, habitat changes, changes in the nutrient cycle, energy flow, resource availability, etc. As offshore wind and marine renewable energy devices enter the water, any stressor could alter the flow of energy or physical environment enough to upset the balance of the ecosystem. However, the particular concerns are changes in flow and impacts on water quality.

Photo Credit: NOAA

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 384
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Marine infrastructure support fewer producers and more filter feeders than natural habitats: a review and meta-analysis McKibbin, O., Verges, A., Pottier, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Avoidance & Minimisation of Environmental Impacts from Offshore Wind & Grid Infrastructure Offshore Coalition For Energy & Nature (OCEaN) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
NMFS West Coast Offshore Wind Energy Strategic Science Plan National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
2024 State of the Science Report - Chapter 3: Marine Renewable Energy: Stressor-Receptor Interactions Garavelli, L., Hemery, L., Rose, D. Report Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles
OES-Environmental 2024 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Justice, Legal & Policy, Recreation & Tourism, Stakeholder Engagement
Musseling through: Mytilus byssal thread production is unaffected by continuous noise Wang, S., Ellrich, J., Beermann, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Maine Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), US Department of the Interior (DOI) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Stakeholder Engagement
The Potential Environmental Impacts of Floating Offshore Wind in California California Ocean Science Trust Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals
Offshore Wind Facts: Coastal and Marine Habitats Special Initiative on Offshore Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Observational and Modeling Approaches for Assessing Impacts of Offshore Wind Development on California Current Upwelling: Workshop Summary Kearns & West Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes
Offshore wind energy potential along the Indian Coast considering ecological safeguards Bonthu, S., Purvaja, R., Singh, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Potential environmental effects of marine renewable energy in tropical and subtropical ecosystems Garavelli, L., Farr, H., Hemery, L. Conference Paper Marine Energy Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Bilan annuel 2023 des études environnementales sur le parc éolien en mer de Saint-Nazaire Parc eolien en mer de St Nazaire Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Bats, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Estuarine Particles Simulations: the Connection Between Delaware Bay and Offshore Wind Lease Areas Li, Y., Lopez, A., Bemis, K. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
Overlap between the Mid-Atlantic Bight Cold Pool and offshore wind lease areas Horwitz, R., Miles, T., Munroe, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Numerical Study of Turbulent Wake of Offshore Wind Turbines and Retention Time of Larval Dispersion Ajmi, S., Boutet, M., Bennis, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Expanding our view of the cold-water coral niche and accounting of the ecosystem services of the reef habitat Cordes, E., Demopoulos, A., Davies, A. Journal Article Ecosystem Processes
Potential Hydrodynamic Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy on Nantucket Shoals Regional Ecology: An Evaluation from Wind to Whales National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Vision paper: Decommissioning offshore windparks in the Belgian part of the North Sea Van Maele, T., Desplenter, N., Van Aken, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Environmental benthos survey, Hywind Scotland Moskeland, T. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Setting EU Threshold Values for impulsive underwater sound Sigray, P., Andersson, M., André, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals
Offshore Wind Energy and Marine Biodiversity in the North Sea: Life Cycle Impact Assessment for Benthic Communities Li, C., Coolen, J., Scherer, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment
Projected cross-shore changes in upwelling induced by offshore wind farm development along the California coast Raghukumar, K., Nelson, T., Jacox, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
An integrated conceptual model to characterize the effects of offshore wind farms on ecosystem services Baulaz, Y., Mouchet, M., Niquil, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
An ecosystem-wide approach for assessing the spatialized cumulative effects of local and global changes on coastal ecosystem functioning Noguès, Q., Bourdaud, P., Araignous, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Monitoring of Marine Life During Offshore Wind Energy Development—Guidelines and Recommendations Kershaw, F., Jones, A., Folsom-O’Keefe, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Human Dimensions
The effect of artificial reef design on the attraction of herbivorous fish and on coral recruitment, survival, and growth Hylkema, A., Debrot, A., Cammenga, R. Journal Article Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Increased food availability at offshore wind farms affects trophic ecology of plaice Pleuronectes platessa Buyse, J., Hostens, K., Degraer, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment
Effects of habitat factors on the plant diversity on naturally-restored wind farm slopes Wang, P., Yu, H., Xiao, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Impacts of human activities on the supply of marine ecosystem services: A conceptual model for offshore wind farms to aid quantitative assessments Van de Pol, L., Van der Biest, K., Taelman, S. E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Organic matter processing in a [simulated] offshore wind farm ecosystem in current and future climate and aquaculture scenarios Voet, H., Vlaminck, E., van Colen, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Climate Change
Minimizing habitat conflicts in meeting net-zero energy targets in the western United States Wu, G., Jones, R., Leslie, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Evidence that offshore wind farms might affect marine sediment quality and microbial communities Wang, T., Ru, X., Deng, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Insights from the management of offshore energy resources: Toward an ecosystem-services based management approach for deep-ocean industries Bravo, M., Brandt, M., van der Grient, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Social & Economic Data
Wind energy expansion and birds: Identifying priority areas for impact avoidance at a national level Balotari-Chiebao, F., Santangeli, A., Piirainen, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes
Offshore wind farms are projected to impact primary production and bottom water deoxygenation in the North Sea Daewel, U., Akhtar, N., Christiensen, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Environmental Impact Assessment
Unstated impacts of the green energy industry on the habitat of a coastal delphinid: Turbid-turbulent wakes induced by offshore wind turbine foundations Huang, S-L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment
Evidence for the effects of decommissioning man-made structures on marine ecosystems globally: a systematic map Lemasson, A., Somerfield, P., Schratzberger, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Mapping potential environmental impacts of offshore renewable energy Galparsoro, I., Menchaca, I., Seeger, I. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
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
Displaying 1 - 40 of 384 results