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: 1364
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Development of a Video Trawl Survey System for New England Groundfish DeCelles, G., Keiley, E., Lowery, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Visual Impacts
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Report 2016 Dumon, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Framework for strategic wind farm site prioritisation based on modelled wolf reproduction habitat in Croatia Passoni, G., Rowcliffe, J., Whiteman, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Observing Cable Laying and Particle Settlement During the Construction of the Block Island Wind Farm James, E., Smith, K., Gallien, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Effects of ocean sprawl on ecological connectivity: impacts and solutions Bishop, M., Mayer-Pinto, M., Airoldi, L. Journal Article Marine Energy Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes
Unforeseen Responses of a Breeding Seabird to the Construction of an Offshore Wind Farm Harwood, A., Perrow, M., Berridge, R. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Avoidance Seabirds, Birds
Bird Mortality in Two Dutch Wind Farms: Effects of Location, Spatial Design and Interactions with Powerlines Brenninkmeijer, A., Klop, E. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds
Computational Prediction of Pressure Change in the Vicinity of Tidal Stream Turbines and the Consequences for Fish Survival Rate Zangiabadi, E., Masters, I., Williams, A. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Collision Fish
Mobile Demersal Megafauna at Common Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations in the German Bight (North Sea) Two Years after Deployment - Increased Production Rate of Cancer pagurus Krone, R., Dederer, G., Kanstinger, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Effects Matrix for Evaluating Potential Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy Development on U.S. Atlantic Coastal Habitats Latham, P., Fiore, W., Bauman, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Human Dimensions
Lake Erie Monitoring Plan for the Offshore Wind Project: Icebreaker Wind LimnoTech Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish
The effects of atmospheric currents on the migratory behavior of soaring birds: a review Nourani, E., Yamaguchi, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Passerines, Raptors, Seabirds
Potential impacts of artificial reef development on sea turtle conservation in Florida Barnette, M. Report Habitat Change Reptiles
Benthic effects of artificial structures deployed in a tidal estuary Mendoza, M., Henkel, S. Journal Article Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Invertebrates
NEW YORK OCEAN ACTION PLAN 2017-2027 Abercrombie, D., Chytalo, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Effects of Wind Turbines on Spatial Distribution of the European Hamster Łopucki, R., Perzanowski, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: a Continued move towards Integration and Quantification Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment
Analysis of the Possible Displacement of Bird and Marine Mammal Species Related to the Installation and Operation of Marine Energy Conversion Systems Long, C. Report Marine Energy Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Marine Mammals
Exploring Potential Sites for Salinity Gradient Renewable Energy on the North Carolina Coast and Evaluating the Potential Effects of Local Salinity Regime Variation on SAV Communities Due to Reverse Electrodialysis Effluent Palko, H. Thesis Marine Energy, Salinity Gradient Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus population trends in relation to wind farms Wilson, M., Fernandex-Bellon, D., Irwin, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Raptors, Birds
Benthic and Fish Aggregation Inside an Offshore Wind Farm: Which Effects on the Trophic Web Functioning? Raoux, A., Tecchio, S., Pezy, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates
Bat activity during autumn relates to atmospheric conditions: implications for coastal wind energy development Smith, A., McWilliams, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Bats
Effects of wind energy generation and white-nose syndrome on the viability of the Indiana bat Erickson, R., Thogmartin, W., Diffendorfer, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
A Benthic Habitat Monitoring Approach for Marine and Hydrokinetic Sites Revelas, G., Sackmann, B., Jones, C. Research Study Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Patterns of migrating soaring migrants indicate attraction to marine wind farms Skov, H., Desholm, M., Heinänen, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
Response of migrating raptors to an increasing number of wind farms Cabrera-Cruz, S., Villegas-Patraca, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Raptors, Birds
Installation and operational effects of a HVDC submarine cable in a continental shelf setting: Bass Strait, Australia Sherwood, J., Chidgey, S., Crockett, P. Journal Article EMF, Habitat Change Invertebrates
The location of offshore wave power devices structures epifaunal assemblages Langhamer, O. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change Invertebrates
Quantifying Pursuit-Diving Seabirds' Associations with Fine-Scale Physical Features in Tidal Stream Environments Waggitt, J., Cazenave, P., Torres, R. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Co-location of passive gear fisheries in offshore wind farms in the German EEZ of the North Sea: A first socio-economic scoping Stelzenmüller, V., Diekmann, R., Bastardie, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Offshore wind energy ecological programme (Wozep) Monitoring and research programme 2017-2021 WOZEP project team Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Assessment of Benthic Effects of Anchor Presence and Removal Henkel, S. Report Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Constraints on Development of Wind Energy in Poland due to Environmental Objectives. Is There Space in Poland for Wind Farm Siting? Hajto, M., Cichocki, Z., Bidlasik, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions
Bird and Bat Impacts and Behaviors at Old Wind Turbines at Forebay, Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area Smallwood, K., Neher, L. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Quarterly Report for Aquatic Sampling: Project Icebreaker Pre-Construction Monitoring 3rd Quarter Verhamme, E., Daley, J., Cutrell, G. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Wind Farm Thornton Bank Phase 1: Annual Environmental Report 2010 C-Power Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Wind Farm Thornton Bank Phase 1: Annual Environmental Report 2009 C-Power Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Report 2015 Van Laere, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Annual environmental report 2014 - Belwind phase 1 Belwind Report Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Activity Report 2011 C-Power Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
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