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

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 1363
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Activity-footprints, pressures-footprints and effects-footprints-Walking the pathway to determining and managing human impacts in the sea Elliott, M., Borja, A., Cormier, R. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions
Capturing threshold responses of marine benthos along gradients of natural and anthropogenic change Couce, E., Engelhard, G., Schratzberger, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Annual environmental report 2019 – Belwind Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Navigation
Assessing Potential Impacts of Offshore Wind Facilities on Regional Sea Scallop Laval and Early Juvenile Transports Chen, C., Zhao, L., He, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
On the food-web ecology of offshore wind farms, the kingdom of suspension feeders Mavraki, N. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
The Colonization of a Multi-functional Artificial Reef Designed for the American Lobster, Homarus Americanus Roy, C. Thesis Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Using Artificial-Reef Knowledge to Enhance the Ecological Function of Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations: Implications for Fish Abundance and Diversity Glarou, M., Zrust, M., Svendsen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Risk Retirement for Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Copping, A., Freeman, M., Overhus, D. Report Marine Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Seabirds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Characterizing the first wave of fish and invertebrate colonization on a new offshore petroleum platform Todd, V., Williamson, L., Cox, S. Journal Article Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Functional differences in trophic structure of offshore wind farm communities: A stable isotope study Mavraki, N., Degraer, S., Moens, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
The impact of onshore wind power projects on ecological corridors and landscape connectivity in Shanxi, China Guo, X., Zhang, X., Du, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change
Structure in a sea of sand: fish abundance in relation to man-made structures in the North Sea Wright, S., Lynam, C., Righton, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish
Mapping of Benthic Habitats at Marine Renewable Energy Sites Using Multibeam Echosounder and Sediment Profile Imaging Technologies Revelas, E., Sackmann, B., Maher, N. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Review of Available Models for Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Buenau, K., Garavelli, L., Hemery, L. Report Marine Energy Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise
Development of epibenthic assemblages on artificial habitat associated with marine renewable infrastructure Sheehan, E., Cartwright, A., Witt, M. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Science in support of ecologically sound decommissioning strategies for offshore man-made structures: taking stock of current knowledge and considering future challenges Birchenough, S., Degraer, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Ecological best practice in decommissioning: a review of scientific research Fortune, I., Paterson, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Comparing methodologies in marine habitat monitoring research: An assessment of species-habitat relationships as revealed by baited and unbaited remote underwater video systems Rhodes, N., Wilms, T., Baktoft, H. Journal Article Attraction, Habitat Change Fish
Public perspectives on reducing the environmental impact of onshore wind farms: a discrete choice experiment in South Korea Lee, H., Yoo, S., Huh, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Fish Assemblages Associated with a Newly Deployed Eco-Engineered Artificial Seawall in the Intercoastal Waters of Port Everglades Cinti, O. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Initial Environmental Report for the ELEMENT Project Gaborieau, H., Thiébaut, M., Quillienn, N. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Underwater Visual Records of Marine Megafauna Around Offshore Anthropogenic Structures Todd, V., Lazar, L., Williamson, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles
Placement of Wind Energy Infrastructure Matters: A Quantitative Study Evaluating Response of Lesser Prairie-Chicken to a Wind Energy Facility LeBeau, C., Kauffman, M., Smith, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Report 2019 De Conseth, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Consistent effects of wind turbines on habitat selection of capercaillie across Europe Coppes, J., Kämmerle, J., Grunschachner-Berger, V. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Summary of Discussions from the Bird and Bat Specialist Committee of the Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG) New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Lighting Bats, Birds
National wind wildlife research plan, 2020-2023 American Wind Wildlife Institute (AWWI) Report Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Challenges of future energy landscapes in Germany — a nature conservation perspective Ponitka, J., Boettner, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
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
Behavioral Response of Grouse to Wind Energy Turbines: A Quantitative Review of Survival, Habitat Selection, and Lek Attendance LeBeau, C., Howlin, S., Tredennick, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986-2018 Report Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Report Collision, Habitat Change Birds
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
Accumulating Biofouling - and Knowledge Navarrete, S., Parragué, M., Osiadacz, N. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
The management utility of large-scale environmental drivers of bat mortality at wind energy facilities: The effects of facility size, elevation and geographic location MacGregor, K., Lemaître, J. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Toward an Ecosystem Approach of Marine Renewable Energy: The Case of the Offshore Wind Farm of Courseulles-sur-Mer in the Bay of Seine Niquil, N., Raoux, A., Haraldsson, M. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Distribution of breeding humpback whale habitats and overlap with cumulative anthropogenic impacts in the Eastern Tropical Atlantic Chou, E., Kershaw, F., Maxwell, S. Journal Article Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Towards Estimating the Biogeochemical Footprint of an Offshore Windfarm Vanavebeke, J., Braeckman, U., De Borger, E. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Water Quality, Invertebrates
Near-field Spatial and Temporal Benthic Monitoring at the Block Island Wind Farm, USA Khan, A., Bartley, M., English, P. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Invertebrates
The State of the Science on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy Development: Workshop Proceedings Gulka, J., Williams, K. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Wind farm development on peatlands increases fluvial macronutrient loading Heal, K., Phin, A., Waldron, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Water Quality
Displaying 481 - 520 of 1363 results