Short Science Summary 2024: Displacement

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As the marine renewable energy (MRE) industry expands and more devices are deployed in the water, animals may be displaced from their preferred or critical habitats due to the physical presence of the devices or other aspects of the projects. Displacement is triggered by an animal’s response to one or more stressors acting as a disturbance, with various consequences ranging from individual- to population-level effects. Migratory animals might be moved off their normal pathways while benthic organisms may be kept from their preferred habitats. Animals could respond to stressors from MRE arrays in a variety of ways: attraction (going toward), avoidance (going around), and exclusion (going away from). Marine animals may be vulnerable to displacement from MRE arrays at different life stages and during different project phases (i.e., construction, operation, or decommissioning). Displacement responses may be very species-specific and depend on maneuverability and migration patterns of each species. These effects could be severe enough to result in impacts on populations.

Short Science Summary 2024: Displacement

This short science summary for Displacement was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2024 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 3: Marine Renewable Energy: Stressor-Receptor Interactions.

The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
An International Assessment of the Environmental Effects of Marine Energy Development Copping, A., Battey, H., Brown-Saracino, J., Massaua, M., Smith, C. Journal Article Marine Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
D4.17 Report on environmental monitoring protocols Magagna, D., Lauri, C., Butler, M., Bristow, C. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Examining potential effects of marine renewable energy developments on top predators Philpott, E. Thesis Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Cetaceans, Physical Environment
Short-Term Disturbance by a Commercial Two-Dimensional Seismic Survey does Not Lead to Long-Term Displacement of Harbour Porpoises Thompson, P., Brookes, K., Graham, I., Barton, T., Needham, K., Bradbury, G., Merchant, N. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Displacement, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Assessing the Sensitivity of Seabird Populations to Adverse Effects from Tidal Stream Turbines and Wave Energy Devices Furness, R., Wade, H., Robbins, A., Masden, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Effects of Displacement from Marine Renewable Development on Seabirds Breeding at SPAs: A Proof of Concept Model of Common Guillemots Breeding on the Isle of May McDonald, C., Searle, K., Wanless, S., Daunt, F. Report Marine Energy Displacement Seabirds, Birds
Assessment of Risk to Marine Mammals from Underwater Marine Renewable Devices in Welsh Waters: Phase 1 - Desktop Review of Marine Mammals and Risks from Underwater Marine Renewable Devices in Welsh Waters Wilson, B., Gordon, J. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement Marine Mammals
Tidal Barrages and Birds Clark, N. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Displacement Birds
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