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
Impact of Secondary Hard Substrate on the Distribution and Abundance of Aurelia aurita in the Western Baltic Sea Janßen, H., Augustin, C., Hinrichsen, H., Kube, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Marine Renewable Energy Development: Assessing the Benthic Footprint at Multiple Scales Miller, R., Hutchison, Z., Macleod, A., Burrows, M., Cook, E., Last, K., Wilson, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Deepwater Wind Block Island Environmental Assessment and Statement of Findings US Army Corps of Engineers Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Impacts of OWF installations on fisheries: A Literature Review Bat, L., Sezgin, M., Sahin, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy
Mobile Demersal Megafauna at Artificial Structures in the German Bight - Likely Effects of Offshore Wind Farm Development Krone, R., Gutow, L., Brey, T., Dannheim, J., Schröder, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Effects of an Offshore Wind Farm on Temporal and Spatial Patterns in the Demersal Fish Community Bergström, L., Sundqvist, F., Bergström, U. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Diversity of Demersal and Megafaunal Assemblages Inhabiting Sandbanks of the Irish Sea Atalah, J., Fitch, J., Coughlan, J., Chopelet, J., Coscia, I., Farrell, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Fish, Demersal Fish
Annual environmental report 2012 - Belwind phase 1 Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment, Navigation
Assessing Vulnerability of Marine Bird Populations to Offshore Wind Farms Furness, R., Wade, H., Masden, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds
Epifauna Dynamics at an Offshore Foundation - Implications of Future Wind Power Farming in the North Sea Krone, R., Gutow, L., Joschko, T., Schröder, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Habitat Engineering by Decadal-Scale Bioturbation around Shipwrecks on the Great Barrier Reef Mid-Shelf Stieglitz, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Individual Consistency in the Foraging Behaviour of Northern Gannets: Implications for Interactions with Offshore Renewable Energy Developments Soanes, L., Atkinson, P., Gauvain, R., Green, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Proceedings of the Wind-Wildlife Research Meeting IX PNWWRM IX Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Negative long term effects on harbour porpoises from a large scale offshore wind farm in the Baltic—evidence of slow recovery Teilmann, J., Carstensen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Artificial Reef Effect in Relation to Offshore Renewable Energy Conversion: State of the Art Langhamer, O. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment
Negative Long Term Effects on Harbour Porpoises from a Large Scale Offshore Wind Farm in the Baltic - Evidence of Slow Recovery Teilmann, J., Carstensen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Horns Rev 2 Offshore Wind Farm Bird Monitoring Program 2010-2012 Skov, H., Leonhard, S., Heinänen, S., Zydelis, R., Jensen, N., Durinck, J., Johansen, T., Jensen, B., Hansen, B., Piper, W., Grøn, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Collision, Avoidance Birds
The Added Value of 'Small-Scale' Monitoring of the Soft-Sediment Endobenthos around Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea Coates, D., Vanaverbeke, M., Magda, V. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Invertebrates
The Development of Benthic Communities on Hard Substrates within OWEZ, the First Dutch Offshore Wind Farm Noordzee Wind Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates
Offshore Wind Farms and their Impact on Fish Abundance and Community Structure Stenberg, C., Dinesen, G., van Deurs, M., Berg, C., Mosegaard, H., Leonhard, S., Groome, T., Støttrup, J. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Short- and Long-Term Effects of an Offshore Wind Farm on Three Species of Sandeel and their Sand Habitat van Deurs, M., Grome, T., Kaspersen, M., Jensen, H., Stenberg, C., Sørensen, J., Støttrup, J., Warnar, T., Mosegaard, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Study on the Marine Growth Effect on the Dynamic Response of Offshore Wind Turbines Shi, W., Park, H., Baek, J., Kim, C., Kim, Y., Shin, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
Seabirds & Offshore Wind Farms Monitoring Results 2011 Vanermen, N., Stienen, E., Onkelinx, T., Courtens, W., Van de walle, M., Verschelde, P., Verstraete, H. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Collision Birds
Pre-Construction Avian and Bat Survey Report Tetra Tech Inc. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Physical Environment
Wind Energy Plants and Possible Effects on Samandağ Sea Turtles Yalçın-Özdilek, S., Yalçın, S. Magazine Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change Reptiles
Marine Bird Distribution Along the Oregon Coast Suryan, R., Phillips, E., So, K., Zamon, J., Lowe, R., Stephensen, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Habitat Change Seabirds, Birds
Strategic Impact Assessment of Offshore Windpower in Norway - Impacts on Seabirds Lorensten, S., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Follestad, A., Langset, M., May, R., Dahl, E., Hamre, Ø. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Vulnerability of Scottish Seabirds to Offshore Wind Turbines Furness, B., Wade, H. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors, Seabirds, Waterfowl
On the Effect of Structure-Induced Resistance and Mixing on Inflows into the Baltic Sea: A Numerical Model Study Rennau, H., Schimmels, S., Burchard, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Water Quality, Physical Environment
Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Heading for an Understanding of Environmental Impacts Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
Migration and Habitat Use by Seabirds in the Atlantic Flyway: Evaluation of Potential Impacts of Proposed Wind Farms Berlin, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Waterfowl
Interactions with Offshore Wind Energy: Birds and Bats Island Institute Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Collision, Changes in Flow, Avoidance, Attraction Seabirds, Birds, Bats
Wind Turbines and Coastal Recreation Demand Landry, C., Allen, T., Cherry, T., Whitehead, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Recreation & Tourism, Human Dimensions
The Interaction of Pelagic, Migratory and Protected Fishes with Marine Renewable Energy Projects: Recent Studies and Knowledge Gaps Nelson, P. Presentation Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, EMF, Habitat Change Fish, Pelagic Fish
Offshore wind energy development in the Belgian part of the North Sea & anticipated impacts: an update Brabant, R., Degraer, S., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Stakeholder Engagement
Multi-Criteria Assessment of Offshore Wind Turbine Support Structures Lozano-Minguez, E., Kolios, A., Brennan, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
Spatial Factors Affecting Statistical Power in Testing Marine Fauna Displacement Lapeña, B., Wijnberg, K., Stein, A., Hulscher, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Displacement Birds
Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and Wind Farms: A Case Study in the Dutch North Sea Scheidat, M., Tougaard, J., Brasseur, S., Carstensen, J., van Polanen Petel, T., Teilmann, J., Reijnders, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Marine Mammals
Annual environmental report 2010 - Belwind phase 1 Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Navigation
Porpoises North of Sprogø Before, During and After Construction of an Offshore Wind Farm Tougaard, J., Carstensen, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals
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