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
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
Interactions of Aquatic Animals with the ORPC OCGen in Cobscook Bay, Maine: Monitoring Behavior Change and Assessing the Probability of Encounter with a Deployed MHK Device Zydlewski, G., Staines, G., Viehman, H. Report Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Collision, Avoidance Fish
Seabirds and Offshore Wind Farms in European Waters: Avoidance and Attraction Dierschke, V., Furness, R., Garthe, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Avoidance, Attraction Seabirds, Birds
Environmental Impacts of the Deep-Water Oil and Gas Industry: A Review to Guide Management Strategies Cordes, E., Jones, D., Schlacher, T. Journal Article Habitat Change Human Dimensions
Historical Data Reveal 30-Year Persistence of Benthic Fauna Associations in Heavily Modified Waterbody Callaway, R. Journal Article Habitat Change Physical Environment, Fish, Invertebrates
Ocean sprawl: challenges and opportunities for biodiversity management in a changing world Firth, L., Knights, A., Bridger, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions
Landscape design: Integrating ecological, social, and economic considerations into conservation planning Bartuszevige, A., Taylor, K., Daniels, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions
Wind energy, nest success, and post‐fledging survival of Buteo hawks Kolar, P., Bechard, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Raptors, Birds
Distribution of the invasive Caprella mutica Schurin, 1935 and native Caprella linearis (Linnaeus, 1767) on artificial hard substrates in the North Sea: separation by habitat Coolen, J., Lengkeek, W., Degraer, S. Journal Article Habitat Change Invertebrates
Terrestrial and marine foraging strategies of an opportunistic seabird species breeding in the Wadden Sea Garthe, S., Schwemmer, P., Paiva, V. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals
The Effects of Artificial Structures on Estuarine Infaunal Communities and Offshore Biofouling Communities Mendoza, M. Thesis Marine Energy Habitat Change Invertebrates
Beatrice Environmental Impact Assessment Report (Consultation Version) Repsol, Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants Ltd Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Displacement of seabirds by an offshore wind farm in the North Sea Welcker, J., Nehls, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Displacement Seabirds, Birds
Quarterly Report for Aquatic Sampling: Project Icebreaker Pre-Construction Monitoring 2nd Quarter Verhamme, E., Daley, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Impacts of wind power infrastructure development on semi-domesticated reindeer and reindeer husbandry Skarin, A., Sandström, P., Alam, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Terrestrial Mammals
Negative Impact of Wind Energy Development on a Breeding Shorebird Assessed with a BACI Study Design Sansom, A., Pearce-Higgins, J., Douglas, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Avoidance Shorebirds, Birds
Green Dilemma of Wind Farm on Avifauna: Future Ecological Considerations of Wind Energy Expansion in Ethiopia Mulualem, G. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Passerines, Raptors, Shorebirds, Waterfowl
The Impacts of Small and Medium Wind Turbines on Bats Moyle, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Utilization Probability Map for Migrating Bald Eagles in Northeastern North America: A Tool for Siting Wind Energy Facilities and Other Flight Hazards Mojica, E., Watts, B., Turrin, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
Mitigation Measures for Wildlife in Wind Energy Development, Consolidating the State of Knowledge — Part 2: Operation, Decommissioning Gartman, V., Bulling, L., Dahmen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds
Geo-Spatial Tool for the Assessment Offshore Pile Driving Noise Effects on Marine Mammals Daoud, W., Kasama, K., Saleh, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Unstructured Grid Modelling of Offshore Wind Farm Impacts on Seasonally Stratified Shelf Seas Cazenave, P., Torres, R., Allen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Guidelines for Conducting Bird and Bat Studies at Commercial Wind Energy Projects New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Habitat selection by adult golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos during the breeding season and implications for wind farm establishment Singh, N., Moss, E., Hipkiss, T. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
Literature review and evidence based field study on the effects of high voltage transmission lines on birds RPS group Report Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds
Reproductive success of Horned Lark and McCown's Longspur in relation to wind energy infrastructure Mahoney, A., Chalfoun, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Passerines, Birds
Surface Texture Discrimination by Bats: Implications for Reducing Bat Mortality at Wind Turbines Bienz, C. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Bats
Aerial-Hawking Bats Can Glean Prey Items From Surfaces Similar to Wind Turbine Towers: Implications for Reducing Bat Fatalities at Wind Facilities Jarzombek, L. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Bats
Three-Frequency Colour Sidescan Sonar System for Monitoring the Seabed at Marine Renewable Energy Installations Tamsett, D., McIlvenny, J., Baxter, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Report of the IWG on Wind Turbines and Bat Populations 2016 Rodrigues, L. Report Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Potential use of marinas as nursery grounds by rocky fishes: insights from four Diplodus species in the Mediterranean Bouchoucha, M. Journal Article Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Human Dimensions
Feasibility of Sensor Development for Monitoring Marine Growth Yunnie, A., Vance, T., Ramsden, R. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Wind Energy Development: Methods for Assessing Risks to Birds and Bats Pre-Construction Katzner, T., Bennett, V., Miller, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Habitat use of migratory bats killed during autumn at wind turbines Voigt, C., Lindecke, O., Schonborn, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
Quantifying Benthic Secondary Productivity on Artificial Structures: Maximising the Benefit of Marine Renewable Energy Devices Rouse, S. Thesis Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Prioritizing Avian Species for Their Risk of Population Level Consequences from Wind Energy Development Beston, J., Diffendorfer, J., Loss, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds
Coastal Impact of Onshore Wind Farms in Australia Harvey, N., Dew, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions
Predictive mapping of seabirds, pinnipeds and cetaceans off the Pacific Coast of Washington Menza, C., Leirness, J., White, T. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment
Environmental Monitoring of the Paimpol-Brehat Tidal Project Barillier, A., Carlier, A. Presentation Marine Energy, Tidal Habitat Change, Noise Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
EIMR 2016 Expert Workshop Report: Biofouling Miller, R., Loxton, J. Workshop Article Marine Energy Habitat Change
Displaying 721 - 760 of 1363 results