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
Artificial reefs facilitate tropical fish at their range edge Paxton, A., Peterson, C., Taylor, J. Journal Article Habitat Change, Attraction Fish
Columbian sharp‐tailed grouse nesting ecology: wind energy and habitat Proett, M., Roberts, S., Horne, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
SEA Wave D2.2 Critical analysis of environmental mitigation and monitoring strategies Fox, J. Report Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Hornsea Project Two Offshore Wind Farm Decommissioning Programme Ørsted Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Final License Application for the PacWave South Project Oregon State University Report Marine Energy, Wave Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Legal & Policy, Navigation
Annual environmental report 2017 – Belwind Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Report 2017 De Conseth, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Low genetic connectivity in a fouling amphipod among man-made structures in the southern North Sea Luttikhuizen, P., Beermann, J., Crooijmans, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Assessing the impact of introduced infrastructure at sea with cameras: A case study for spatial scale, time and statistical power Bicknell, A., Sheehan, E., Godley, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change Invertebrates
Benthic Monitoring During Wind Turbine Installation and Operation at the Block Island Wind Farm, Rhode Island – Year 2 Bartley, M., English, P., King, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Future Directions in Conservation Research on Petrels and Shearwaters Rodríguez, A., Arcos, J., Bretagnolle, V. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Seabirds, Birds
Is artificial habitat diversity a key to restoring nurseries for juvenile coastal fish? Ex situ experiments on habitat selection and survival of juvenile seabreams Mercader, M. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Overview and trends of ecological and socioeconomic research on artificial reefs Lima, J., Zalmon, I., Love, M. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates
A Citizens Guide to Environmental Assessment Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change (Nova Scotia Environment) Guidance Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy Habitat Change Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
Understanding the Role of Offshore Structures in Managing Potential Watersipora Invasions Page, H., Dugan, J., Miller, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
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
Modeling effects of crop production, energy development and conservation-grassland loss on avian habitat Shaffer, J., Roth, C., Mushet, D. Journal Article Wind Energy Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Population-Level Effects of Wind Farms on a Desert Lizard Keehn, J., Shoemaker, K., Feldman, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Reptiles
Framework for Assessing Ecological and Cumulative Effects – 3.0: Description and assessment of cumulative effects resulting from the implementation of the 2030 Roadmap for Offshore Wind Energy Part C: Summary Rijkswaterstaat Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals
Status of wind in Pennsylvania: Social and environmental impacts of wind Barton, M., Levri, E. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change
Framework for Assessing Ecological and Cumulative Effects 3.0 for the roll-out of offshore wind energy 2030 Sub-report A: Methods Rijkswaterstaat Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
From ocean sprawl to blue-green infrastructure – A UK perspective on an issue of global significance Evans, A., Firth, L., Hawkins, S. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Marine Spatial Planning, Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
Renewable Energy: Wind Turbines, Solar Cells, Small Hydroelectric Plants, Biomass, and Geothermal Sources of Energy Kablar, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Fish
Upscaling positive effects of scour protection in offshore wind farms Coolen, J., Lengkeek, W., van der Have, T. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Biodiversity Characterisation of Fouling Communities and Their Hydrodynamic Consequences on Marine Renewable Energy Infrastructure in the UK Want, A., Harris, R., Porter, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
Site selection for floating offshore wind turbines in Japanese coasts by quantitative risk assessment Shiokari, M., Tabeta, S., Ishida, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation
Power Take-Off System for a Subsea Tidal Kite D6.2 - Environmental Impact Report Kregting, L., Schmitt, P., Lieber, L. Report Marine Energy, Ocean Current Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Strategic Environmental Assessment of Wave energy technologies (SEAWave) European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Fox, J. Research Study Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Assessment of system effects of large-scale implementation of offshore wind in the southern North Sea Boon, A., Caires, S., Wijnant, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment
Cumulative effects of offshore wind farms: loss of habitat for seabirds van der Wal, J., van Puijenbroek, M., Leopold, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Seabirds
Assessment of Potential Risks from Renewable Energy Development and Other Anthropogenic Factors to Wintering Golden Eagles in the Western United States Craig, E. , Fuller, Mark., Craig, T. Book Chapter Wind Energy Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
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. Journal Article Habitat Change
Multi-platform studies of the MeyGen tidal energy site – using UAVs to measure animal distributions and hydrodynamic features Williamson, B., Fraser, S., McIlvenny, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Habitat Change
Bibliographical Atlas of Biofouling Along the French Coasts in the Context of Offshore Renewable Energy Quillienn, N., Lejart, M., Damblans, G. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Linking ecosystem services with epibenthic biodiversity change following installation of offshore wind farms Causon, P., Gill, A. Journal Article Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Documenting fish response to seismic surveying and establishing a baseline soundscape for reefs in Onslow Bay, North Carolina Paxton, A., Voss, C., Peterson, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates
Connectivity of larval stages of sedentary marine communities between hard substrates and offshore structures in the North Sea van der Molen, J., García-García, L., Whomersley, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Midterm Evaluation WOZEP 2018 Mulder, S., van Mastrigt, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Effects of Wave Energy Generators on Nephrops norvegicus Bender, A., Sunberg, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change Invertebrates
A review of acoustic telemetry in Europe and the need for a regional aquatic telemetry network Abecasis, D., Steckenreuter, A., Reubens, J. Journal Article Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Displaying 561 - 600 of 1363 results