Short Science Summary: Offshore Wind Farms as Stepping Stones for Non-indigenous Species

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One of the most important effects of offshore wind farms is the unintentional provision of a new habitat which invariably is rapidly colonized by hard substrate species. Turbine foundations provide hard vertical substrates and, depending on the structure and scour protection used, varying degrees of habitat complexity. These novel surfaces span the full water column from the splash zone to the seafloor, often in areas where comparable natural hard surfaces are absent. Non-indigenous species (NIS) are species that did not occur in a particular geographic region, such as the North Sea, prior to a certain date (e.g., the beginning of the 17th century). They consist of species introduced by human activities outside their natural past or present range (introduced species), and species that spread by their own means (range expanding species) due to rising temperatures or other factors. As ocean sprawl in shallow and coastal waters has favored NIS, there is concern that increasing development of offshore wind farms will accelerate this phenomenon. This summary represents a general overview of the research, produced by WREN under IEA Wind. 

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
Effects of offshore windfarms on seabird abundance: Strong effects in spring and in the breeding season Peschko, V., Mendel, B., Müller, S., Markones, N., Mercker, M., Garthe, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Could federal wind farms influence continental shelf oceanography and alter associated ecological processes? A literature review. Miles, T., Murphy, S., Kohut, J., Borsetti, S., Munroe, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
A spatial food web model to investigate potential spillover effects of a fishery closure in an offshore wind farm Halouani, G., Villanueva, C-M., Raoux, A., Dauvin, J., Lasram, F., Foucher, E., Loc'h, F., Safi, G., Araignous, E., Robin, J., Niquil, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Enabling Renewable Energy While Protecting Wildlife: An Ecological Risk-Based Approach to Wind Energy Development Using Ecosystem-Based Management Values Copping, A., Gorton, A., May, R., Bennet, F., DeGeorge, E., Goncalves, M., Rumes, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Cumulative effects of marine renewable energy and climate change on ecosystem properties: Sensitivity of ecological network analysis Noguès, Q., Raoux, A., Araignous, E., Chaalali, A., Hattab, T., Leroy, B., Lasram, F., David, V., Loc'h, F., Dauvin, J., Niquil, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Human Dimensions
Synthesis of the Science Workshop: Day 1 Summary Consensus Building Institute Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Existing Conditions and Potential Environmental Effects HT Harvey and Associates Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Stakeholder Workshop: Scientific Research Framework to Understand the Effects of Offshore Wind Energy Development on Birds and Bats in the Eastern United States New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Multi-modal Approach for Benthic Impact Assessments in Moraine Habitats: a Case Study at the Block Island Wind Farm Guarinello, M., Carey, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Organic matter assimilation by hard substrate fauna in an offshore wind farm area: a pulse-chase study Mavraki, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Comparison of Environmental Effects from Different Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations Horwath, S., Hassrick, J., Grismala, R., Diller, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Reptiles
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., Beardsley, R., Stokesbury, K. 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
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
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
Functional differences in trophic structure of offshore wind farm communities: A stable isotope study Mavraki, N., Degraer, S., Moens, T., Vanaverbeke, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Mapping of Benthic Habitats at Marine Renewable Energy Sites Using Multibeam Echosounder and Sediment Profile Imaging Technologies Revelas, E., Sackmann, B., Maher, N., Jones, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Underwater Visual Records of Marine Megafauna Around Offshore Anthropogenic Structures Todd, V., Lazar, L., Williamson, L., Peters, I., Hoover, A., Cox, S., Todd, I., Macreadie, P., McLean, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles
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
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
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
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
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., Araignous, E., Halouani, G., Leroy, B., Safi, G., Noguès, Q., Grangeré, K., Dauvin, J., Riera, F., Mazé, C., Le Loc’h, F., Ching Villanueva, M., Hattab, T., Bourdaud, P., Champagnat, J., Ben Rais Lasram, F. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Towards Estimating the Biogeochemical Footprint of an Offshore Windfarm Vanavebeke, J., Braeckman, U., De Borger, E., Mavraki, N., Toussaint, E., Voet, H., van Colen, C., Degraer, S. 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., King, J., Hutchison, Z. 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
Options for biodiversity enhancement in offshore wind farms Bureau Waardenburg bv Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions
Ecological impact of decommissioning offshore wind farms Teunis, M., Collier, M., Bakker, E., Didderen, K., Gyimesi, A., Lengkeek, W. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Empirical Evidence Inspiring Priority Monitoring, Research and Management Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B., Vigin, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) settlement on scour protection material: Innovation Eco Scour Protection in offshore windfarm Borssele V Tonk, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Oil and gas platforms as artificial substrates for epibenthic North Sea fauna: Effects of location and depth Schutter, M., Dorenbosch, M., Driessen, F., Lengkeek, W., Bos, O., Coolen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates
Impacts to Wildlife of Wind Energy Siting and Operation in the United States Allison, T., Diffendorfer, J., Baerwald, E., Beston, J., Drake, D., Hale, A., Hein, C., Huso, M., Loss, S., Lovich, J., Strickland, M., Williams, K., Winder, V. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
The Dynamic Ocean: Offshore Wind Energy and Other Activities in the New York Bight New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Navigation
The consequences of seabird habitat loss from offshore wind turbines, version 2 van Kooten, T., Soudijn, F., Tulp, I., Chen, C., Benden, D., Leopold, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
PHAROS4MPAs: A Review of Solutions to Avoid and Mitigate Environmental Impacts of Offshore Windfarms Defingou, M., Bils, F., Horchler, B., Liesenjohann, T., Nehls, G. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Quantifying harbour porpoise foraging behaviour in CPOD data: identification, automatic detection and potential application Berges, B., Geelhoed, S., Scheidat, M., Tougaard, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Hornsea Project Two Offshore Wind Farm Decommissioning Programme Ørsted Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
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
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